Identity [ON HIATUS]

5. Rose Doesn't Come Home

At 8:30 I'd finished clearing dinner away. She didn't show up, of course she didn't.

I don't really like to curse, I don't see the point in it, but Rose Kane makes my fucking blood boil.

I hadn't exactly got third degree burns on my hand, but it still felt nice to run it under cold water after I'd washed the dishes. I let my hand sit there, hovering above the faucet, and tried to only think about that. I didn't think about the anger that swelled inside of me, about Rose's lack of responsibility, about my parents faces when it hit 7:30 and they knew, just knew, that Rose wasn't coming home tonight. That she didn't. fucking. care.

As I walked up the stairs for the night I heard the front door, and then the arguing began. I only got snippets, sitting on the top step, my fingers entangled around the banister. It was dark up here, I was a shadow.

"I can't do this anymore Rose!" My mom.

"I wasn't asking you to do anything!"

"We're constantly worried about you, it's tiring!" My dad.

"Why can't you be more like Daisy! You're twins for Christ's sake!" My heart stopped. Mom had never said that before, but Rose had told me that's what she thought. Why can't Rose be more like Daisy? Why can't Rose be predictable and sensible and home by 6 for dinner?

Silence. Silence so deafening that I felt like I was drowning. And then, Rose was there, climbing the stairs, her clothes and her hair sodden from the rain that still fell since this afternoon. Her black eye makeup smudged all the way down her face.

I stood; I could feel a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Daisy..."

"I don't wanna hear it." I turned to leave for my room but she gripped hold of my arm, protesting.

"No!" I screamed, yanking my arm back. One of her nails scratched me on accident, but it just fueled me further. "None of this means nothing to you does it? Why do you have to be so fucking chaotic all the time?" I refused to look at her, and slammed my bedroom door behind me.

I heard her kick the wall in frustration, but I didn't hear her stomp to her room. Instead, the front door opened and slammed shut, and my mother cursed.