A Piece of Me

1

Elizabeth's pov

I left the hospital with my hand covering my mouth, trying to fight the choking sobs that wrecked my body.  If only I could manage to hold myself together until I was in my car, without people watching me.

I knew I wouldn't, but I did my best.  Once I unlocked and got in my car, I realized there was nothing left.

No tears, no sadness that wanted to consume me.  I felt empty.

I tried to steady my breathing, the occasional hiccup I'd get when I cried would distract me from driving safely.

I was on the road within a couple of minutes, receiving a phone call from my favorite and only cousin, as she promised.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Stas's voice ringed through the car as I put my phone on hands-free mode, "How's your mom?"

"She's not getting any better," I sniffed, trying to focus as much as I could on driving, "It's like she's there, but she's not,"

"I'm sorry, Liz," She apologized, "I truly am.  No one deserves to lose their parents so young,"

"That's coming from you," I chuckled, "We really don't have the best lives, do we?"

"No but we have to do the best we can with what we got.  It could be worse," She pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess so." The car fell into silence as we had no other words to say.  I figured I'd at least give her more details on visiting my mom.

"She does things to see if I think she's going crazy," I said, breathing out a laugh, "She put her hand in a fist today and told me that I had to plug something in, like she was holding a cord,"

"Really?" Stas asked, "Aunt Ellie always had a way of keeping things humorous,"

"Yeah.  It scares the shit out of me," I laughed, for real this time, thinking about all the times things would go wrong and she'd find a way to make it better, simply with a sense of humor. "One day she won't be joking,"

"We need to plan something to get your mind off some things," Stas offered, "We can do a little slumber party,"

"You make it sound like we aren't twenty years old," I said.   "You're nineteen," She reminded me.

"Not for long I won't be.  Two more months and boom.  Just like that,"  I got carried away, having a Backstreet Boys song stuck in my head, "Ain't nothing but a heartbreak,"

"That doesn't even make sense," She sighed, probably rolling her eyes as she listened to my purely awful singing.

"Well, then, make it make sense," I shrugged even though she couldn't see me, taking the exit so I would get home faster.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" She asked, "I have to leave the day after to go home, so I want to make it last while I'm in LA,"

"We can go to the beach," I thought of out loud, "Or a bar,"

"We drink too much and we aren't even twenty one," She realized before laughing, "We can't bring alcohol to the beach,"

"We should go shopping.  Or have a lazy day.  I really, truly, do not give a fuck," I sighed.

"You know what," Stas gasped, "I have an idea! Do you remember how you have those nieghbors?''

"You mean the annoying ones who love to party?" I asked, pulling into my driveway, "I'm literally coming into the house right now,"

"I don't care," Stas was getting really excited, "Let's sneak into their party tonight.  It's friday, they have one every friday,"

I got out of my car, walking up into the house and opening the door that Stas must have unlocked.

"Is that a good idea? Where the hell are you- oh," I said as I walked into her cooking in my kitchen, "Found you," I said before hanging up the phone.

"What are you making?" I asked, leaning over to see her seasoning some sliced peppers and onions in a pan.

"Pierogies. Now answer me, imagine how much fun that'd be!" She clapped, shaking the pan that had the pierogies in them.

"If we get arrested, you're paying for it," I sang as I walked out of the room.

"You're the best, Lizzie!" I rolled my eyes after she said that. 

I made my way up to my room, realizing that it was already almost seven o'clock and those parties normally start soon.

My window in my room gave me a perfect view of our neighbor's house.  A bunch of boys lived there, and though they weren't technically our neighbors, they do live behind us so we share a fence.

Which has become quite a problem since I moved here a couple of years ago.  Things end up in the yard, and sometimes I'll watch as they jump over to grab them, apologizing like they know I'm watching.

Or they'll just be left there.  Odd things, too.  A pack of uncooked ramen noodles, a water gun for their pool.  The most bizarre thing I've found was a creepy pink bunny and a brick.

A brick.

It was like they were purposely trying to get my attention, as crazy as it seems.

I mean, why else would someone throw a mento-filled coke bottle into my yard?  On a perfectly sunny day, and then quickly went inside so I'd have to clean it up?

Yeah.  They aren't the nicest neighbors.

Maybe that will change tonight.  Maybe I'll meet one of them and they won't even know it's me.