Imogen Halstead (age 14)
Word count: 1630
Imogen's POV
"Come and sit down, immy!" My dad yells from the living room. I plod my way through from the kitchen and sit down on the coffee table in front on my dad and hailey. They both look anxious yet excited, "we have some news, and you deserve to know before anyone else" my dad smiles and squeezes my hand, "you're getting married?" I enquire. Hailey smiles, "not yet, honey" she shakes her head. I smile weakly, however the way my dad looks at hailey makes me slightly nervous, "you're gonna be a big sister, darling" my dad finally spits it out. I'm pretty sure my jaws on the floor right now.
~
*one year later*
I was happy at first. Excited even. I'm a big sister now, to a two month old baby boy named Aidan. I'm not going to lie, I don't like it now. I feel like my dad and hailey have something new, something more exciting to focus on. Maybe it's because this child belongs to both of them, or maybe because this child was planned and wanted? I don't know. But I don't like it, and I guess I'm being petty or bitter but how would you feel? Going from behind an only child for fourteen years of your life, to getting zero attention from your family. Call me selfish, I don't care, but that's just the way it is...
"Imogen! Can you fetch the diapers down from the nursery? Please!" I hear my dad yell. I sigh and stand up, moseying my way to the nursery which just so happens to be right next to my room. I grab the pack of diapers and walk down the stairs so I'm at the bottom and no further, "catch" I sigh and watch as my dad swivels to face me. He frowns, "wanna help?" He shakes his head. I turn back around as he catches the diapers, "nope" I quickly jog back up stairs. I hear him sigh before silence, I hate children...
~
One good thing about the baby coming is the fact that I don't have to sit and eat dinner at the table anymore. I mean, it was never spoken about, but they never really seem to notice me grabbing my plate and going upstairs to eat it. So here I am, wandering down the stairs to go grab my dinner like every evening.
"Do you need anything?" My dad hands Aidan over to his mother. I sigh and ignore the commotion before waltzing towards the kitchen, I waste no time in plating my food up, before wandering upstairs again. Luckily for me, I can sit and watch them act like a family from the landing without them seeing me, so I perch myself down and dangle my legs through the gap before taking a bite of my chicken nuggets.
Jays POV
I stroll into the kitchen to see that Imogen's dinner has already been taken from the tray, meaning she's disappeared upstairs again. I know the baby coming must've been hard on her, seeing her dad and her mother figure slowly paying less attention to her. But I thought she would be over it by now, although I'm maybe starting to realise that it's me and hailey who need to change what we're doing, and not her.
I set the cloth down and head over to the stairs, where I slowly climb them due to my tiredness. Babies are tiring, I thought I learned that from last time. I'm stopped by the sight of Imogen sat at the top of the stairs, watching hailey and the baby through the gaps in the railings, "what's going on?" I sit down next to her and dangle my legs through the gaps too, her plate in between us. She shrugs "nothing" she doesn't even look at me. I sigh and watch as she puts her head through the gap in the railing too, so I do the same whilst praying that I can get it back out, "I know you better than that, now what's wrong?" I look over at her. She pulls her head back and sighs, "nothinggggggg" she drags out in annoyance, yet she wants me to believe she's fine.
I pull away from the railing and sigh, "you know we're close Imogen, you can tell me..." I begin but she cuts me off, "this is what you wanted, isn't it?" She points down to hailey and Aidan, yet her voice is quiet and strained. I frown and look over at her, "a real family? One that was planned, and wanted?" She shrugs, still not looking at me. I shake my head, "what're you talking about, immy?" I turn around as she stands up, storming over to her room. She turns around to stare at me with tears in her eyes and I've never been more confused in my life, "it's me, right? I was a mistake, and I should've never happened. But this, this is what you wanted. A family that works" she points to hailey and the baby again, her voice getting shakier with every work that leaves her mouth.
I stand up and walk towards her room but she slams the door shut and locks the door, "Imogen..." I try the handle anyways. I hear her jump on her bed, "leave me alone!" She calls out through what sounds like tears. I look downstairs, "everything alright?" I hear hailey call out. I sigh and wait around a bit, "please, just leave me alone!" I hear her call out. I shake my head and let out a loud sigh, before wandering down the stairs, "what's wrong?" Hailey furrows her brows. I sit down, "she thinks i don't want anything to do with her anymore, because I have you two" I run a hand over my face. Her face drops, "oh poor thing, I'm guessing she locked herself in her room?" She sighs. I nod, "I'll keep trying" I look around. What is going on?
~
"Imogen... let me in, sweetheart" I knock on her bedroom door roughly half an hour later. I wait a few seconds before knocking again, "no" I hear her faint response. I shake my head, "how're we meant to talk when you went let me in?" I lean on the door. I hear he shuffle around her room, "there's nothing to talk about" she replies. I try the door handle, and I keep on trying it until she lets me in. I must've annoyed her, "fine! Jeez..." since she opens the door and immediately backs away before jumping on her bed. I walk inside and close the door behind me before walking over to the edge of her bed and sitting down.
I place my hand on her shoulder yet she barges it away, "look kiddo, I don't know what you're thinking right now. But I need you to know you were never a mistake. A surprise, sure, but never a mistake. And just because I didn't expect you, it doesn't mean you're unwanted. When I found out your mom was pregnant with you, I thought I was done for. I was young and I didn't think I would handle raising a baby on top of work, but then you arrived and I couldn't have been more happier that you were all mine" I keep my eyes trained on her face which I can only see half of.
She drops the grimace and listens to what I have to say, "just because me and hailey planned to have Aidan, doesn't mean he's anymore loved than you are. You'll always be my number one girl. No matter how old you get. I never wanted a family after you were born, I only wanted it to be me and you, always. But life throws things your way, and you deal with it. That's just how it goes. But I need you to know we love you and Aidan all the same. I love you on your good days, and I love you on your bad days, or wether you're an only child or a sister to a million siblings. We love you, Imogen" I place my hand back on her shoulder, and this time she doesn't flinch my arm away.
She wipes her tears away, "I just thought you were tired of me" she sniffles. I sigh and lay down behind her, pulling her into a hug, "why would I be tired of you?" I plant a kiss onto her head. She sighs, "I don't know, I just haven't really seen you for the past two months. Aidans the priority, and I get that, but I want you back" she admits. I know she might think she's being unreasonable right now, but she's not, I fully understand her. I sigh and brush her hair behind her ear, "I know, and I'm sorry sweetie. Babies are difficult, I'm sure you've seen that, but I promise things will get better. What do you say we have a day together tomorrow? Me and you at the mall, you can get whatever you want" I squeeze her a little.
She snorts a laugh and rolls over so she can look up at me, "yeah, I'd like that" she nods. I smile and plant a kiss on her forehead, "y'know I'm proud of you, right? Aidans lucky to have you as a big sister" I smile again. She rests her head on my chest, "thanks" she mumbles. I run my hand over her hair as I feel her slowly getting heavier on my chest. Within half an hour, she's dead to the world, however i decide to stay a little long to cherish the moment. Don't doubt yourself, kiddo.
