Shadows

Chapter 3.

Scarlette and I took the uneventful bus ride home like usual, talking about all of the little things that didn't really matter. In between conversations, I couldn't help but let my mind wander back to the incident in Gym class. Surely, what Casey had said to Cole was just out of a defensive friendship. He would never like me, like the way he liked Ally. Neither of them would ever know how jealous I was of her. What I would give to be her.

Who wouldn't pick her over me? She had a natural fiery head of hair, unlike my bleached and dyed mess. She had a cuter, more freckle-y face. She wasn't as grotesquely tall and lanky. I couldn't blame Casey.

 Waking up from my daze, I saw that the bus was just arriving at my street. I quickly wished Scarlette a good-bye, then slung my backpack over my shoulder. I squeezed through the isle of the bus and was swallowed by the bright light when I exited the bus.

My eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight as I started walking down the road towards my house. My street resembles a barren, lifeless wasteland. The sun beat down on my face as I reached the end of the cul-de-sac and to my house. I grabbed the mail before I went inside my dark house.

I slipped off my shoes and found Theresa lying on the couch, watching TV. "I brought you the mail," I said politely, handing her the stack of envelopes.

She snatched the pile from me and started leafing through them, glancing at the addressees.

I had almost slipped away and escaped to my room when Theresa called me. "Harper. Get down here."

I rolled my eyes and went back down the half flight of steps, preparing for a scene.

"Harper," She demanded in a defiant tone, "Clean all the bathrooms."

I sighed, "If it's okay, Theresa, can I do it later tonight? I have hours worth of homework I'd rather not do in the wee hours of the morning."

"No," She answered sharply, "I want you to do it now."

I exhaled sharply and stared at the ceiling, then back at her again. "I really need to do my homework. Can't Brennan or you do it? You're not doing anything."

I could tell that I crossed the line. She stood up from her lazy position on the couch. "Just because you're parents are dead doesn't mean you can talk back to me," She growled.

"Just because you can't get your lazy ass off the couch doesn't mean I have to do all the work around here!" I retorted defiantly, getting louder.

She didn't reply with words. I saw her hand raise and start to fly towards my face before it could bore down across it again. I flicked my face out of the way before she could slap me.

I got in her face. "If you hit me again, I swear," I snarled, "I'll call the cops. I would rather see you getting handcuffed than hitting you back."

"And you'll have nowhere to go," Theresa taunted.

I spun away from her and ran up to my room, slamming the door behind me.

Flicking the lights on, I slumped down into my chair, letting my backpack slide off of me. Fantastic. The perfect ending to a perfect day.

No one knew about the hitting, not even Scarlette. I kept it to myself, because, she was right. If someone discovered it, Theresa would probably go to jail and I would be shipped off to some foster home. So I thought I could suck it up and stick it out for 3 more years, until I'm a legal adult and go as far away as possible from Theresa.

Take it one day at a time, Harp, I reminded myself, using the nickname Casey had fashioned for me. One day at a time.

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