A Girl Named Leigha

Chapter 5

The following day

The girls are still sleeping, and I have to face Dad.

"Leigha, why on hell didn't you tell me you and the girls would spend the night together? It's been irresponsible of yours!"
I don't quite get why he has to scold me. It is inappropriate of his, since he spent the night out.

"Dad, I don't get why you should punish me. After all, you spent the entire day out without even telling us where you have been! This is not fair at all!" I cut him off.

"Leigha, calm down! I didn't even finish talking, and you already talk about grounding. Darling, I don't want to ground you, just talk to you civilly."

I stay silent. He stays silent, as well. We stare at each other with surprise. Then, he restarts talking, "Leigha, your mother is coming back home."

I should be happy about Mom coming back home, but I am not. She left us apart, which was unforgivable of hers. If she wants my forgiveness, she has to get back with Dad. After all, everyone in town knows what actually happened to Mom and Dad's wedding. They still were in love when they divorced, though nobody explained me why this happened. Dad hid me this secret for long and now it's time for him to talk.

"When is she coming?" I ask. I try to hide my bewilderment, shock, disappointment and surprise, all under a stitched smile, but Dad catches me red-handed.

"Leigha, there's no reason why you should lie to me. I know you're not very fond of remeeting Mom."

"Dad, the way she left is unforgivable! Not a letter, not a phone call. Nothing!" I barely retain myself from shouting, though I can't help crying. Too many unraveled lies hurt badly, and, unfortunately I have experienced this several times.

"Leigha, calm down. I promise you will find the entire truth out soon."

I sigh. Dad almost never sticks to his promises. I don't know if I have to believe either him or Mom.

Anyway, since the girls are still here, I decide to wake them up. They unwillingly accept, especially after I yell, "I don't want Dad to see you in pyjamas!"

(Neither Mai nor Ashlae like being seen in pyjamas by adults. Especially because Mai is wearing a pink-and-white laced nightshirt with polka dots, and Ashlae is just wearing shorts and a white top. Why should anyone judge anyway, especially me, since I still sleep with a Hello Kitty plushy and, now, am wearing a worn-out T-shirt with Pikachu on it?)

Later, we all get changed and get ready for this day. I get rid of my pyjamas and hide all the plushies - I don't want to give Mom a bad impression, and, maybe, she could believe I am too grown-up to still have got puppets.

Then, we all reach downstairs, only to notice Dad has left. Once again. And once again he didn't say a word about it. How come does he have to hide so many things?

At last, fed up with all the Dad matter, I drag my siblings off the bed, force them to rush breakfast and get dressed, and, with my friends, we leave.

***

Later...

"What are you going to do, Caiti?" I ask. "Are you going to tell Trayce you do love him?"

She shakes her head, quite confused. She hopes to have an answer as soon as she can. I stay silent, next to her, and retain myself from making any sort of criticism. On the other hand, Mai retorts, "If you don't tell him, I will."

I believe Mai is also in love with Trayce and wants to do everything to be noticed by him. Caiti obviously doesn't know, and, if she knew, the two of them would no longer be friends.

Ashlae, Caisa and Coei are all staring at each other. Actually, Ashlae is still bitter at Coei dating my brother, and mocks her, "I can't believe Leigha let you date a twelve-year-old!"

"And I can't believe you are so desperate to date that geek of Brendan Jackson!" is Coei's answer. Caisa agrees with the latter, but Mai replies, "Said the girl who chases Bobby Lennon every single time! Bobby is gay!" Robert Lennon, aka Bobby Boo, is openly gay, though I doubt it is true.

"Bobby isn't gay!" Caisa defends herself.

"Yes, he is!" confirms Caiti, and Ashlae agrees with her.

"Stop talking about Bobby," I admonish. "After all, who are we to judge anybody's crushes? Nobody." They stare at me with a quite pointless face. "Caisa, don't worry. Robert isn't gay. The others are just jealous of you. That's it."

When Caisa is a bit more relieved after my words, Mai is still bitter and Ashlae and Coei are still laughing. I glare at them. "Stop it!" I am almost shouting, and this is why Jamie has to shut me up.

"Shhh! Leigha! Stop shouting! You are drawing attention on yourself!"

"Oops..." I hate drawing attention on myself that way. I am blushing like a naughty child who has been caught red-handed. But how can children look so innocent when they blush. I don't. Why?

By the way, we reach the Skate Park and Jamie leaves to follow his friends. Coei bids him a 'see you later', whereas I just ignore him for no reason. Meanwhile, Britt asks, "What's going on with you, Leigha?"

I don't answer. I am not ready to tell her Mom is coming back home. I can't. I don't wanna break her heart.

Oh, here comes Trayce Wyett. He is surrounded by his idiot friends. He looks like a normal idiot, so I don't quite get what Caiti finds either special or attractive in him, and why Mai is also running behind him.

Caiti is now making what I consider a fatal mistake. She is approaching Trayce, but is anything but confident. She barely manages to say 'hello' and a confused, "Trayce, I..." but is cut off by a girl seemingly appearing from nowhere. The girl waves her hair and arrogantly replies, "...am his girlfriend! Leave him alone!"

She leaves, taking Trayce's hand. Caiti is so confused that she is making another fatal mistake: she pulls apart one of his friends and kisses him.

What the fuck is going on with her?

Continues on the next chapter