Sunset in Georgia

°• 4 •°

°• Isla •°

That night, Isla couldn't sleep.

Not because of how hard the mattress was or how loud Gavin was snoring. It was because Mom had thought of divorcing Dad. She could see why, though. Dad was an abusive, hot headed man with such a bad temper the rest of the family would have to leave him be.

She laid in the bed, trying to focus on breathing instead of the eerie window in front of the bed. She sighed rubbing her orange hair with her fingers before reaching for her phone. She turned it on, overwhelmed by the brightness and went to her messages. The time was only 6:27, the normal time for her to wake up, and she had 103 text messages from Carrie that was unread. She clicked it and started typing.

Isla : Hey. I'm in Georgia now.

She turned off the phone and almost immediately, the phone buzzed. She opened it again.

Carrie : OMG GOOD. Why haven't you been answering my texts???? And OMG at least 3 MILLION BOYS HAVE BEEN ASKING MY NUMBER. I ACTUALLY NEED HELP. How's it like in Georgia? Send me pics pls

Isla : Dang. I could never. Georgia is cool. We had Jamaican food for dinner and it was really good.

Carrie : bet. My hair is such a mess rn

Isla : it's 6:30 rn what do you expect?

Carrie : 😭😭 I know I know. CHILL. You won't believe what I saw at the high school. Your brother's girlfriend was literally kissing some other guy

Isla : we know. He broke up with her yesterday.

Carrie : GOOD. they were like the best couple ever

Isla : ik. One sec I think my parents are coming to my room.

Carrie : kk SEND PICS PLSSSS

Isla turned off the phone smiling before stuffing it between her legs and fake-being asleep. She closed her eyes 75℅ and peered through the tiny slit. Two seconds later, the white, wooden bedroom door opened and the skinny figure of Mom walked it. She checked that we were asleep before walking out and closing the door again. She found that weird because Mom never walked into any room late at night, especially at 6 in the morning.

Isla scratched her head again and slowly got up from bed, her baby blue sleep wear wrinkled and moving as she stood up. She put the bed back where it was and slowly crept out of the room, the gray carpet tickling her toes. She opened the white door and peeked outside. She could hear the front door closing just in time, so she quickly went down the stairs and slipped on her Nike sneakers. She opened the door slowly and went outside on the porch.

It was completely normal. Dark, but normal. The van was still parked in the driveway and a dog was barking and howling in the distance. The moon was low in the air-- barely over the horizon-- and the sky was purple instead of dark blue and black.

"Isla?" Asked a soft voice to her left. She jumped, backing away before realizing that Mom was sitting on a rocking chair, slowly going back and forth with out making a single sound. "What are you doing up?"

Isla stared at her and grabbed her elbow with her right hand. "Couldn't sleep."

"Gavin?" Mom guessed.

"Him and the bed," Isla answered, taking her seat next to her. The chair was hard and uncomfortable but sturdy. Mom smiled. "I heard what you and Grandma were talking about. About dad?" Mom made a face and looked out at the purple and magenta sky.

"Hmm," she whispered. "I always figured you were observant, even if you didn't talk much. I did think of divorcing him, though. Do you want him as your father?"