DIFFERENT

Eve Of Chaos

Chelsea trudged through the front door, her exhausted eyes scanning the living room with a mixture of relief and dread. Her shoulders slumped under the weight of her bag, and her feet felt like leaden weights, as if rooted to the spot. The faint glow of the setting sun cast a warm orange light on her pale, tired face. Her hair was dishevelled, and her clothes were scrunched up, a testament to the long, gruelling day she'd endured. As she let out a deep sigh, her cousin's voice from the kitchen, cut through the silence, sharp and accusatory, making Chelsea's heart sink. She knew she was in for a grilling, and all she wanted was to collapse onto her cozy bed and escape into a dreamless sleep. But that was a luxury she couldn't afford, not yet. With a heavy heart she steeled herself for the interrogation ahead.

Janice had just made her way out of the kitchen with Lara Heckler and Ellen Wells - her entourage- trailing closely behind.

"What's going on between you and Wes?" she demanded as if she was a police interrogator, standing in front of Chelsea with her hands on her hips.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard her" Lara bit out.

Chelsea acknowledged her presence with an irritated side glance before turning back to Janice.

"What is this about? Look, I'm really tired and I need some rest" Chelsea said tiredly.

"Don't you walk away from me, Chelsea" she cried, her nostrils flaring.

"I'm not walking away. At least, not yet. Janice, I have a shit ton of homework to tackle before your parents are back. So, if you'd just let me be-"

"You've got time. Answer me" Janice cut in rudely.

Chelsea pinched her forehead and closed her eyes in frustration, letting out an audible sigh.

"Wes who?" she asked with a perplexed expression.

Janice scoffed. "Wes who? Wesley Crowley, you idiot! You were talking to him in the cafeteria today" she said, amazed at her question. She looked at the other girls who were just as surprised.

"Oh" Chelsea replied. "Was that his name? He never told me. Um...nothing's going on, but when something is, you'll be the first to know" she said and started up the stairs to her bedroom.

Lara and Ellen gasped. And she could almost hear the explosion of anger in Janice's head.

*** *** *** *** *** ***

She slammed her room door shut and quickly slumped on her bed, burying her face into her pillow, not even bothering to change her clothes. She could still hear Janice raging downstairs while her friends tried fruitlessly to calm her down. The front door closed and they were out.

Chelsea sighed deeply and turned on her back, staring at the ceiling. Ding! Her phone chimed.

She brought it out of her front pocket. Jesse.

It was a video of a duck being fed from a baby's feeding bottle.

Chelsea chuckled as she sat up.

Chelsea: cute lol

Jess: u think so? wait till you see the puppy one 😉

Chelsea: can't wait 

Jess: what's the haps?

Chelsea: nothing exciting, although I do wanna know one thing.

Jess: shoot.

Chelsea: who is Wes?? Like, really?

Jess: ooh I see what's going on here