Turmoil

Shark Bites

Phoenix

"Phoenix, " Donna says.

I'm surrounded by girls. They are all giggling. Why do they do that? Why, oh why do they giggle so much. It's like, no other sound can every leave their mouths. It's not even a proper laugh. It's like, I wanna laugh, but I'm too scared my laugh is too loud or too ugly, or whatever so I'm just going to giggle instead.

It's annoying. Like so annoying. So when Donna comes to rescue me, I'm glad.

"Sorry ladies, "I mutter my apologies and weasel my way out of the grasps of fake nails ( I'm not sure if they're real or not. The nails. Honestly, why people glue pieces of plastic to their fingers is confusing) and follow walk over to Donna.

"I see you're quite popular with the ladies, " she says raising her eyebrows. I blush, and shuffle my feet.

I don't mind the attention of girls. They're pleasant. They smell nice. They talk and I like listening. But some, some of them can be so exhausting.

" They think I saved Atlanta, " I tell her, as way of explanation.

"Ah, Miss. Savage, " Donna says.

I'm surprised she has heard and had not tried to give out to Atlanta for being stupid. Though, in all fairness Lorraine and I did so much giving out and breathless laughing that it should last her a life time.

Still, Donna is not like all the other adults. I'm about to say so, when Donna says

"Anyway, that's not what I came to talk to you about, " she crosses her arms across her chest and it's the most adult thing I have seen her do " your parents are here, "

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit, shit shit.

My parents. My mom. My dad. My parents here.

I knew they were going to come, sooner or later. I knew that they were going to attack Nile and that he would, eventually be over come by irritation, and tell them where his sister and I were. Atlanta warned me, she warned me that my parents, my parents who are now here, will come.

And I knew it too. It's just, I kinda hoped they wouldn't. I should have known better.

"Come on then, " Donna sighs, and her face says it all. I guess I'm not the first run away teen she has encountered. " you have a talk to get through, "

I don't want to see them. I don't want to see their placid faces, and their voices droning on in every shade of dull. Don't get me wrong. I love my parents. I love the fact that I have these people who's love I am entitled too, no matter how much of a dick I am, just because the world is made that way.

But they, they want me to grow up now, and I want one summer, one single summer to be allowed to breathe. Just to breathe. No thick books, weighing on my shoulders.

I don't want to see my father lean stance, more suited for a footballer than a doctor. I know my mom will smell like roses and will have her lipstick a certain shade of red. And I don't want to see that. I'm scared, that because of these thing, because of their presence, I'll yield. I'll give in and go home. And Atlanta will be so disappointed.

And also, I'm scared that I won't go.

I'm scared that I'll stay.

"Phoenix, " my fathers voice booms from the dimness of the room that Donna has led me into. She looks at me once, then, with a sympathetic smile she leaves the room, shutting the wooden door behind her. Traitor.

The room is some kind of an office. A huge oak desk, a massive stone fire place etched into the wall constructed from logs and a fur rug, a bear probably, spread out in front of it. Apart from that, there is only a single chair opposite the wooden desk, upon which my mom is sitting and the big bulk of my fathers height behind her.