I wake up to a cold gust of wind blowing over me. I open my eyes and shiver, pulling the blanket back over me. I lay back into a comfortable sleep and feel another gust blow over me. What? Didn't I just pull back on the blanket? I sit up and see a dark figure standing over me holding my blanket. I scream. I scream loud. I hear laughing. I recognized that laugh from anywhere. My mom turns on the light and I put my pillow over my face, embarrassed. My brother and dad walked into my room, confused. Mom explained everything and they joined mom, laughing up a storm. I could feel my cheeks warm up and my face turn a deep red, a sign of my "issues". I finally pull the pillow of my face and groan, here it comes.
"Mom! Why do you always do this to me?" I ask. I start to get a wave of emotions and start to cry, like the baby I am. I'm a very sensitive person, always have been all my life. Depression my specialty. My mom climbs into the bed and hugs me, dad and brother stop laughing and show sympathy for me. I hate that. The sympathy they show. It gives me more reasons to cry. I let the tears roll down my eyes, never letting them stop. Never wanting them to stop.
"I'm sorry, Ariel." Mom says, hugging me tight. She wipes away the tears from my face and kisses my forehead. I sit up, loosening the grip my mom had and looked up at my brother and father, pointing to the door. They take the hint and walk out, closing the door behind them. I'm left with my mother, still hugging me tight, whispering sorry silently.
"It's fine mom." I say, getting out of her grip completely. I get out of bed and wiped the remaining tears from my face. I walk to the bathroom in my room and look at myself in the mirror. I'm just a mess. I grab my toothbrush and brush my teeth. Mom walks into the bathroom while I'm rinsing my mouth out.
"Ariel, you sure you're alright?" She asks, with a worried tone. I look up into her eyes, hazel with a hint of dark brown, and stare back down at the running sink water that I turn off. I walk past her into my room, rolling my eyes. She knows I hate that question, yet she asks me all the time. She follows me into my room. Hadn't I told her I'm fine? I roll my eyes again, walking to the closet looking for a pair of jeans.
"You know I hate that question." I remind her. She looks up at me and I look back, staring into her eyes once again. I'm the first to break away, being the coward I am. I find my favorite pair of jeans and place them on the bed, walking to the dresser to find a shirt.
"I know. I know. But, I have to check on you. Your my daughter and I love you." She responds. She tells me this all the time, 24/7, all day and everyday. I continue looking for a shirt, silently. I find my black tee and wear my usual black sweater to go over it. I look up, to only find my moms pair of hazel with a hint of dark chocolate eyes. I walk over to her slowly, staring into her eyes. I place my hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes.
"Mom, I'm perfectly fine. I'm ok for right now. I know, I have issues. Trust me mom, I know. But, I'm 17 now and you and dad and Austin can't keep babying me around for the rest of my life. I'm ok right now. That's all that matters. I tell her, trying to hold in the tears threatening to spill. I walk to my bed to get dressed and see mom still standing there. I point to the door, a hint to leave for privacy.
"Ok." She says, walking out the door. Slowly shutting it. I know shes still standing behind the door, listening out for me. Someone has to listen or watch out for me when I'm in a room by myself because of my "issues". I change into my clothes for school and wear my black and white, everyday converses. I grab my backpack and phone, swinging the door open. Like I guessed, mom standing by the door. I roll my eyes, fighting back a scream, walking down the stairs. I place my backpack by the door and walk into the kitchen. Austin sitting on one of the stools eating cereal, sympathy in his big green eyes. Just like dads.
"Don't give me sympathy. I don't like it." I say. It comes out harsher than I wanted it to. I feel bad inside, but never show it. He quickly looks down, continuing to eat his cereal. People showing sympathy for me makes me feel crazy, I don't even like my bestfriend to show me sympathy.
"Sorry...I forgot." He says, his voice soft and sweet. Bringing a small smile to my face I nod my head to say 'I forgive you'. I walk to the cabinet and find the food and snacks put in there specifically for me. I find my box of granola bars and take it down, pulling one out and unwrapping it. I take a generous bite out of it and hear a knock on the door. Austin is quick to jump up but I hold my hand up, telling him I got it. I already knew who it was, my bestfriend, Summer. I walk to the door, unlocking and opening the door and see a smiling Summer.
"Hey Ariel!" She yells, unnecessarily loud. I glare at her, shaking my head. She mouths 'sorry' as I grab my backpack and keys, walking out the door. Ariel is the only one that truly know about my "issues", not even my family knows. She comes over when I feel depressed and cheers me up to her satisfaction, she texts me 24/7 to check up on me, she keeps me whole. She keeps me, me. I smile to myself knowing shes the only one that cares for me outside my family, I'm a "freak" to everyone else.
"What happened?" She asks, serious now. One thing I like about Summer, she doesn't show sympathy. If she knows I'm not in the mood she'll be serious about it.
"Mom, trying to pulling a prank on me. Gone wrong." I explain, feeling the tears returning, stinging my eyes as the scene replays in my mind. She watches me, which only makes me try harder then I was to hold back the tears from spilling.
"I told you, come live with me. I'm the only one that understands you. To know when you're in the mood or not, to protect and listen to you when you want to be heard, to boost you up when you feel like giving up, to keep you, you." She says, in pouty tone. I listen, soaking in every word, knowing it's true. She has been wanting me to move in with her for the longest, ever since I told her about my issues. I want to move in with her, I really do. Unfortunately, mom thinks she won't watch and protect me like she says. She doesn't know Summer like I do. She doesn't know me like shes suppose to. Why keep me here when you don't watch and protect me here?
"You know she won't let me." I say, rolling my eyes. I realize we were still standing, I sat on the front steps and Summer sat with me.
"You need to stomp your foot down." She says, stomping her foot on the step. I laugh, and think about it.
"Yeah, maybe I should." I say, stomping my foot down, smiling. I look at my phone and see the time, gasping.
"What?!" Summer asks. I look at her, eyes wide, mouth open.
"We need to get to school!" I say, standing up.
"Shit! We can take my car!" Summer says, running to her car. I start running with her, hearing her engine roaring to life. I hop in the car and we ride to school.
