CALAMITY (h.s)

SIX.

SIX. || FROGGY

TRIGGER WARNING: GROOMING/SA (non-descriptive) 

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO

The scent of burnt rubber fumigates the living room. 'Sympathy for the Devil' by The Rolling Stones plays loudly, practically making the floors shake. The noise was only elevated by all the people laughing and talking.

Emaline reached for her pair of froggy headphones to help block out some of the overwhelming noise. The past year has been very hard for Emaline. She was never a social butterfly, but the past years events have pushed her further into a cocoon. She practically never leaves her father's side. Even if that meant having that funny uncomfortable feeling sit in her chest while she was with him.

She was tucked in the back corner of the room. She sat on a lumpy orange bean bag, using an upside down laundry basket as a makeshift table. Emaline stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth as she furrowed her brows, incredibly focused on the task at hand. 

Emaline carefully took a pinch of marijuana and packed it tight into a rolling paper, proceeding to seal the sides and place the joint in a large container. 

Emaline's nimble fingers have been trained to the point of muscle memory of how to roll a joint since she was nearly 5 years old. She had a pre-grinded bag of weed given to her by dad's co-workers, Matty and his wife Cora. However, Emaline called them Uncle Matty and Aunt Cora. 

Emaline's family lived here, in Uncle Matty and Aunt Cora's house, when she was just a new born baby. Emaline's father not only worked with Matty and Cora, but they were also very good friends. So they visited the couple often. 

Emaline had a lot of people in her life who were introduced to her as Aunt and Uncle, but Emaline was never sure who was truly related to her and who were just close family friends. 

Emaline was quickly on autopilot, rolling joint after joint, not paying attention to any of her surroundings, until she heard a muffled voice try to call her attention.

"Froggy? You There?" Emaline's dad crouched down to her level, gently lifting up the side of her headphones so she could hear him.

Emaline looked up at her dad, placing the joint she had just finished rolling into the completed bin. 

"Huh? Yeah, I'm just focused. Uncle Matty said I need all of these done tonight," A look of stress washed over her face. A look that an 8 year old should never have to wear. 

Luca smiled, patting Emaline harshly on the back, "Alright, Froggy. Me, Uncle Matty and Aunt Cora have to go out for work," Luca checked his watch briefly, "But, Rich and Molly and a few of their friends will be here if you need anything. Okay?"

Emaline visibly frowned and looked at her feet, "How long will you be gone? I wanna go home, Dad. I'm tired." 

Luca huffed, "I won't be long Frogger. Just keep rolling. We'll be back before you know it!"

Luca gripped Emaline's shoulder strongly as a way of saying goodbye. 

Matty and Cora also said their goodbye's to Emaline, as well as their house guests — promising to be back before it got light outside. 

Emaline knew they wouldn't be getting home before then. Promises like those were never kept. By her dad or the people close to him. Especially this past year. 

After another hour or so of rolling joints, Rich came over to talk to Emaline. 

"Hey, Emaline. How's it going sweetheart?" Rich squats down to get to Emaline's height.