Contrasting Tendencies

Chapter 2

The food on the table was piping hot and the scent of sweetened pork and veggies sifted up to my nose making my stomach growl.
I knew I must look like a stubborn teenager sitting in my chair, arms crossed and a brooding look on my face refusing to touch any of it but I didn't care.
I might as well play the part they'd assigned me, or at least that's what I told myself as I listened to them chat like Leo and I didn't just get our asses chewed out.
"Not hungry?" Donnie asked completely unaware of the tension.
"Ask Casey, he makes all my decisions for me."
Forks paused and the chattering quieted. I almost regretted my barb at the uncomfortable air that settled in. My chair scraped on the floor as I shoved out of it and went for the coat rack that held my purse.
"Where are you going?" Casey asked getting up.
All eyes were on us.
"Home." I said, the word still feeling strange on my tongue since Casey's apartment was definitely not.
"We're eating dinner." He said trying to keep his voice low.
Once upon a time Uncle Casey used to be one of my favorite people in the world. When he visited he would take me ice skating or let me eat all the ice cream I wanted when my mom worked late. He would wrestle with me, play pretend with me and sometimes if I begged him enough we'd take turns on my pink karaoke machine singing princess songs until we were out of breath.
But I wasn't a kid anymore and he wasn't the same fun loving twenty something year old that would make my mom roll her eyes in fake annoyance at his tales from around the world.
"Then go eat dinner." I snapped slinging the purse over my shoulder.
When I looked at the turtles they all startled, turning back to their plates like they weren't watching us.
"Miya, come on.." he said softly putting his hand on the lair door as I went to slide it open.
The look on his face threatened to douse the fire that raged but I forced myself not to let him in.
Instead I reminded myself of all the years I spent alone after he disappeared.
"See you at home."

::;

It was well past eleven when I felt ready to truly head back to Casey's apartment. Smoke and laughter curled in the air around me as a newer girl accidentally ashed the joint on her shirt making a few small burn holes.
"You heading out?" Jackson asked as I stood and set down the half finished beer on the storage bin being used as a table.
I wouldn't be needing it, my head was already cloudy from the others I'd drank over the last few hours.
My fingers plucked the joint from his and I took a long drag before passing it off.
"Yea, I don't wanna be walking home to late." I said leaning over his sitting from and smirking at him.
He grinned up at me and slid his hands up the backs of my thighs.
"Get a room!"
I grinned wider enjoying the attention.
"Not a bad idea." He said twisting a piece of my black hair around his finger.
I rolled my eyes and he tugged a little on the thick strands bringing me down towards him for a kiss.
His lips tasted like pot.
I broke from the kiss before I was tempted to take him up on his offer but I couldn't put off going home any longer.
"You know where to find us." He said giving me a wink as I tossed my beer in the trash and went for the door.
It was pure chance that I'd stumbled across Jackson and his group of friends after I'd moved to the city. They'd been on the porch as I'd walked by and in their drunken state yelled at me to join the party, it could have been a disaster but caring so little about my safety at the time I all but walked right in not caring if it was the last thing I'd ever do. They were a bunch of burnouts with nothing better to do than party all the time but it made for a pretty good escape when I needed one.
The front door was unlocked when got home and I knew that was a bad sign. If the door hadn't been enough to warn me, the light coming from the living room had me considering going back to my friends. I crept into the apartment and saw Casey asleep on the couch, still sitting up with the remote on his leg. I thanked whatever forces had given me mercy and went for my room. I'd almost made it when the floor creaked under my shoes making his snoring hitch as he woke up.
His eyes found me immediately and we locked gazes.
"Hey."
It was like a teapot starting to steam, the anger rising up in him.
"Hey?"
I shrugged.
"It's pretty late, I'm gonna head to bed."
He wasn't going to let me off that easy and was hot on my heels as he followed me down the hall.
"Where have you been?"
"Went for a walk."
"That's a load of crap, it's almost midnight!"
I eyed him and waited for him to continue but he just rubbed his tired eyes and sighed.
"Where do you go when you disappear like this?" He asked trying to control his anger.
I painted a confused look on my face.
"Disappear? I'm sorry, I didn't realize as an adult I had a curfew?"
He snorted.
"You're not an adult. You're barley out of being a teenager."
"I turn twenty in five months, as far as I know that's considered an adult."
I yanked off my hoodie and shoved it into my hamper in case it still smelled like marijuana.
"You're still a kid, and it shows."
My jaw clenched.
"That must be why you're up my ass all the time."
"I'm up your ass because I love you."
The truth in his voice made it hard to hold his glare. I didn't want to hear that right now, or see it in his eyes.
"And you're hurting."
"Stop." I snapped holding my hand up. "Don't."
I knew what he was going to say and I thought I might strangle him if he tried to open that wound right now.
"I loved her to you know, I'm hurting to. But she would kick both our asses if she saw the way you've been behaving."
I grabbed the alarm clock off my dresser and hurled it at him. His eyes widened but he ducked out of the way.
"I said don't!"
My head swam as all the booze swished around inside me making me nauseous.
"You won't get a job, you won't go back to school..you won't even talk to me so I can help you."
My ears roared with all the blood rushing through them and I itched to throw something else.
"It's a little late for your help." I spat at him.
He visibly blanched. We both knew this was coming eventually. I shouldn't feel bad for throwing it in his face, he pushed me to it after all but I couldn't help the pang of guilt at his hurt expression.
"I didn't know how sick she was." He said finally.
"You didn't want to know."
He couldn't look at me, or maybe he wouldn't.
It was the truth and we both knew it. He was a coward.
"She didn't ask for help." He said so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
"You left, why would she."
His eyes snapped up to mine and suddenly he was furious again. He opened his mouth but clamped it shut.
"I don't care Casey. I haven't cared since I was a kid." I lied.
In fact, I cared more than I'd even admit to myself. He was like a father to me. The only father figure I'd ever known. One day I heard my mom and him arguing. He'd stormed out of the house without even a glance back at me. It was the last time I saw him. He never called or popped up at school to take me a movie or sang princess songs with me again. Then mom died and there he was at the funeral, offering me sanctuary after the house was taken. We didn't have any other family and I was essentially homeless. I had no other choice but to go with the man who was a stranger to me now.
"You don't understand." He said sounding pained but before I could throw anything else at him he turned walked away, leaving me raw and utterly alone.