Alone

Chapter 2: Clarissa

It's been three hours since I said goodbye to my sister. She's all I've been thinking about; I mean, for fuck's sake, we grew up together! We knew eachother inside and out, we kept secrets to ourselves that nobody else would know. That little-sister-bestfriend bond, isn't a bond to let go of.. but I was forced to.

I try to clear my mind, taking a sip of my coffee, looking around the cafe. This place is where I used to take Lea everyday afterschool until last June.. Before things got bad with my "dad." And yes, quotes around dad, because he's not really my dad.

From what I've heard, my dad, Noah, and his wife, Clarissa, were a happily married couple. They had their whole lives together, but unfortunately she couldn't have kids. It's some weird thing about sex and stuff, I didn't wanna get into it. But all in all, that brought them to go for adoption, where they found Lea and I. Lea told me her parents died in a fire when she was three years old, sending her here. As for mine, they got into a car crash when I was six. I don't mourn over it anymore though, but it still hurts not being able to celebrate holidays and life's biggest steps with them, but I've learned to get used to it.

Anyways, Lea was six, and I was nine when we first met Noah and Clarissa. Noah didn't like me, I knew that immediately with the face of disgust he gave me. However, Clarissa did. She was amazed by my drawings and the way I learned to play piano at my age, so she eventually adopted me and didn't care what Noah had to say about it. Clarissa gave me unconditional love and it was more than I could ask for. But I didn't want I leave Lea in this place alone, it was depressing. Begging, I asked Clarissa to adopt Lea as well. And happily, she did.

Lea and I grew up together in a small house in Oregon, Clarissa loving us every second that passed whereas Noah would only like Lea and ignore me. It didn't bother me, though. We still were a happy family, talking to eachother like friends, traveling new places, trying new things.. but our happy days living as a family were gone when I turned fourteen and Lea was eleven.

I'd overhear Clarissa constantly crying at nights when Noah didn't come home from work. He was a business man, traveling to other places and stuff to sell his products, but these days were different. He kept saying he was going to travel everyday for three months, and nobody minded it, really. So he left in January, kissing Clarissa on the forehead, saying he'll be back soon. He gave big hugs to Lea, telling her to keep up her good work in school, and not to miss him too much. And me? He gave me a nod, no words or hugs or kisses, just a nod. Then left.

After two weeks of him being gone, nobody heard a word from him. Clarissa just said he was busy when Lea asked when we'd talk to him. I didn't really care though, I didn't need to say anything to him. He doesn't like me, so I don't like him. Fair enough, right?

Well, after two months, he still hasn't contacted us in any form. His Facebook page wasn't updated since he left, his phone number went straight to his mailbox, and he never answered our emails. Clarissa cried a lot, and who can blame her? Her husband wasn't replying to her, didn't even try to get in touch with her! It's like he disappeared off the face of the Earth or something. I felt nothing, but sympathy for Clarissa. I didn't like the guy, so I don't care wherever he went or what he was doing. All I knew was that I had another month to have fun until he comes back.

Then it's the end of March, March 29th to be exact, also known as the day Noah comes back. Nobody has heard from him since January, so we didn't know what to really expect. I mean, why wasn't he talking to us? From my point of view, it seemed like he just wanted to get away from us and his three months was bullshit, he really meant he'd be gone forever.

But then I was walking home from school with Lea, we were talking about Spring and the flowers blooming and the nasty bees always trying to sting us, but we were interrupted when we were on the sidewalk on our driveway, Clarissa with a box of who knows what, and Noah with an angry look on his face.

"Clarissa!' Noah yelled, "Where are you going?!"

"Away from you," She answered annoyed, putting the box in the trunk, "I don't love you anymore, I don't think I can again if I tried!"

"Baby, please.. We can work this out, please," Noah begged helplessly, his eyes were bloodshot red.

Lea's eyes were glued on the scene, her face streaming with tears. I looked around, and sure enough, neighbors were peering outside of the windows to see what the fuss was about.

"Mom!" Lea screamed, "You can't just leave us!"

Clarissa turned around when she was putting the box in the trunk, noticing we were here, witnessing everything.

"Pumpkin.." Clarissa started, "I thought you were in school still?"

"It's Wednesday," Lea hissed, "Early release day."

Clarissa then started to walk closer to us, bending down on her knees to be face-to-face with Lea, "Listen, me leaving has nothing to do with you. It has something to do with Noah, not you."

"Mom.... Please, take us with you," Lea cried.

Clarissa shot me a glance, before taking Lea into her arms.

I don't know what was happening when I learned Clarissa was leaving.. I didn't know what to feel. I just felt empty. She given up on us, on this family.

My face drenched in tears, I ran back into the house leaving Clarissa and Lea hugging goodbyes, and Noah on the porch dumbfounded.

I ran into my bed, crying. Clarissa's leaving. I sobbed uncontrollably, with my mind overthinking. I need to stop, I need to sleep.

And that's exactly what I did the rest of the day. Sleep. But for the next couple of days, there were nonstop screaming with Noah and I. I'm not gonna explain much, we just disagreed on a whole lot of things and didn't get along, like usual. But we never yelled as much as this, because Clarissa was there to keep us together. That bitch.

Why'd she leave? What did Noah do that was so wrong? How long was he there before Clarissa packed and left? The questions are still unanswered, but now I don't care if there were answers to them. She left us with this person who was gone for three months, no communication whatsoever, and expect him to take care of us? What a stupid idea.

Anyways, a few months after, Noah made us move to New York, I guess the area reminded him of Clarissa too much. But it's been a year now, and I'm just got kicked out with no idea where I'm sleeping tonight.

Fuck.