The Tale of Tomorrow (Gary, AYAOTD)

Wednesday, June 29th, 1994

I thought yesterday was bad. Unfortunately, today was even worse.

First, it started out with another tiring day of cheer camp. Caroline screamed at us for not getting the lift, and when I finally pointed out that we did, she just shook her head at me with those dark eyes of hers narrowed to slits, like she didn't believe me. Jenny even backed me up and agreed that we had actually done it. That didn't matter, though. Caroline just started drilling us even more on our routines.

My legs still hurt right now, and I'm writing this late in the evening. I guess that's what I get for continuing cheer each year.

Anyway, after that, I had to take Megan over to our father's house for her weekly visitation. Since he and Mom can't stand to be around each other, I'm the designated person to move her around. At least he doesn't force me to see him like he used to do a few years ago. Maybe he realized that I'm old enough to make decisions for myself. Or maybe he realized that since I'm nearly 18 now, I don't have to follow the laws that force minors to spend time with parents who really don't care about them.

Megan complained the whole time we walked to his house about how I didn't have a car, and that she deserved to travel in style, especially because of who our dad is. I didn't know what she was talking about, though, because this town didn't have style. All we had here was the forest at the edge of town, the local bar that I found myself drifting to (even though they won't let me in yet because I'm still under 18), a small grocery store, and the one hotel we have for the crazy amount of people who somehow get stuck here ran by our very own father. 

Dad was waiting for us outside his swanky house, sitting on the front porch with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. The smoke drifted in slow, lazy circles around his head, so I couldn't see his eyes. I paused just outside his yard, waiting by the gate that separated him from me, and pushed Megan through. 

Her face brightened when she saw Dad stand up from his spot on the porch, and she ran to him, throwing herself in his arms. The cigarette bounced up and down in his mouth as he whispered something to her, probably about how much he missed her and that all the servants in the world didn't measure up to her. But he kept his eyes locked on me the whole time. 

I turned on my heel and hurried away from his house. The heat of the day was starting to show, making my straight hair slowly curl closer to my chin. I just wanted to find somewhere that had some good A/C and hide away from the world, but I didn't head home. I didn't want to be stuck with Mom today. So I continued walking around town for what felt like hours.

Until someone riding a bike nearly ran me down.

I had just turned the corner toward the grocery store when it nearly happened. The boy riding the bike was going at top speed on his bike straight toward the corner. His circle glasses made his eyes look even bigger than they already were as he dodged me, nearly ramming himself into the street light. 

"Sorry!" he had shouted as he flew down the sidewalk, getting farther and farther away from me. 

That soured my mood even more. 

I don't know why my luck has left me. Somehow, my life is turning out worse than I thought. This was supposed to be the year everything changed, but it just feels like it's changing in the wrong way.

- Orchid, June 29th, 1994