In My Skin

Ch 29 || Pranks and Secrets

On my left, Angie stretched on my couch, sporting double buns that stood up from her head at a weird angle, while I sorted through my mail. I was suddenly reminded of Killian when the times square new years recap played on TV. Not much had changed since we returned from vacation two weeks ago, except that we would text occasionally. Okay, maybe he would text a bit more often. Friends texted, right?

I had been itching to ask about his conversation with Alicia, but he hadn't said anything else about it. Then again, it was none of my business.

"You haven't told me about your school day yet," I said as I opened the next envelope. Electricity bills. Yay.

Frowning, I turned my head when there was no reply. For some reason, the little chatterbox had been strangely quiet today.

Angie kept staring at the TV, seemingly immensely absorbed by—I glanced at the screen—pure whitening toothpaste. Something was up.

I put the bill onto the correct stack and reached for the remote.

"Hey, I was watching that," Angie complained when I turned the TV off.

"And I was talking to you," I countered.

She shrugged theatrically. "There's nothing to tell. Can we continue watching now?"

"The advertisement?"

"The next episode," she whined, not meeting my gaze. "It's gonna start soon. We are going to miss it if you don't turn it back on."

Angie never whined about anything.

"You already know the next episode," I pointed out, watching her a little more closely. Her shoulders were slightly slumped and she turned her head away, still staring at her feet.

I made a show of studying the next envelope as I asked nonchalantly, "Did somebody bully you? Do I need to beat them up?" No name or sender. At least not another bill.

Her eyes seemed to roll into the back of her head. "No. Can you even fight?"

I held up my arm proudly and flexed. "Of course, I can. I'm strong."

"But you never work out," she pointed out dryly.

Damn. She knew me too well.

"That's not true," I lied and opened the nameless mail. A single sheet piece of paper fell out.

Angie's loud scoff made me lift my head. For a ten-year-old, her exasperated expression was pretty impressive.

"Anymore," I relented. "Suzy dragged me to the gym, remember?"

"You went like how many times?"

I really had to work on my poker face. Apparently, I couldn't even bullshit a kid. "Once. But I went for a run the other day."

She heaved out a long sigh.

I nudged her with my foot. "So, spill. Or should I come over there and make you?" I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers at her.

"Fine." Another sigh.

The clock ticked and time seemed to stretch endlessly as I waited for her to continue. Then I waited some more. "Angie. Today?"

Her tiny shoulders slumped as an incoherent string of words tumbled out of her mouth. The only things I could make out were "homework" and... "father"?

"Excuse me, what?"

She blinked and stared at her yellow duck socks. "Our homework. Everyone presented what their dad did and I didn't prepare anything. I don't have a father."