Exposed (#wattys2016)

chapter twenty-seven

I sat at the kitchen table and ate breakfast with Levi, spooning cereal into my mouth anxiously. I kept thinking about Caspian and his pledge to take me on a real date, which for some reason made me apprehensive.

"Gina is coming home today," Levi said with a smile while he flipped pancakes on the stove. When I didn't say anything, his eyes looked up to meet mine at the table,
"is something wrong?"

I stared at him for a while before forming a fake smile on my lips.
"No, no, I'm just happy for you and her," I said after swallowing my cereal and setting the spoon in the empty bowl.

"Cool, thanks man, I appreciate it," Levi nodded and placed the pancakes on a large plate. I could tell that he was studying my expression, the same way he did in the hospital when I got anxious and stumbled against the wall. The same way after I slept for four days.
"I'm gonna get the kids up," Levi headed towards the stairs and I looked straight forward into the kitchen at the fridge, neglecting to give him a sign I was even paying the slightest bit of attention.

A knock started to come from the front door and I cautiously got up to investigate further, since anyone could literally be at your door in this city. Peeking through the small glass circle on the door, I saw two men in suits who held clipboards.
Fuck.

I twisted the doorknob because I had no choice.
"Hello, we'd like to speak to Melissa Malister. Anonymous tipping suggests that there is no parental supervision in this household," the man on the left said as he tried to catch a glimpse inside.
"She's, uh, not here right now. Thanks." I nodded at the men to close the conversation, doing the same with the door.
A hand on the door stopped me.
"If you do not prove parental supervision in 72 hours, minors will be put into the foster care system."

My heart dropped, like it was free falling through my body. I felt my pulse course throughout my head, nothing but a forced smile on my face, "Thank you," and this time they let me close the door. I turned around and leaned against the back of the door, my breathing getting quicker before my body gave out, and I slumped down the door and onto the ground. How the fuck are we going to pull off this?

I heard everyone piling downstairs into the kitchen, which caused a wave of anxiety to roll through my stomach. I stood up, though, and walked into the kitchen.
"Listen, guys, Missy needs to be here or you're all going to foster care."

Levi stopped what he was doing and looked at me, his eyes wide with the same fear I have. "But I'm eighteen," he stuttered slightly. I laughed quietly and shrugged, looking at him, "Don't matter Levi, you're not their parent or their guardian."
Levi put down his glass of orange juice and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Am I gonna have to live with that old man again who can only eat soup?" Danny chuckled and smile widely, as if that was an enjoyable time.
Levi just shook his head to stop him from talking any more.
"Last time this happened, we had Missy to get everyone back together," Levi said as he seemed to ponder this a little more, "But shit, I don't know what we do now."

I started laughing at the reality of it all, looking inside the kitchen at the five faces I called my family, the only family I had. I hit my fist against the wall, letting my forehead lean against it next. I was going to lose everything, again, and this time I would have nowhere to go.

"What are we going to do? 72 hours, Levi, what are we going to do?" I spoke to the wall but Levi was right by my side now.
"We can't do anything," He quietly mumbled under his breath before changing the topic, "I have to get Gina from the hospital now."

I smirked with annoyance, backing away from the wall to head inside of the kitchen. Everyone was eating their breakfasts.

"Can we get Missy to come back?" Joyce raised her eyebrow and adjusted her thick framed glasses.
I shook my head.
"Doubt that, but we can only imagine," I responded as I filled Lilly's glass with more orange juice.

"Where is she?" Lilly innocently tilted her head up to look at me.
I sighed and twisted the cap back on the orange juice, "I don't know, Lils."

She tilted her head in confusion, "Why not?"

I tried to think of a way to answer her question as bluntly as possible, but Danny interfered before I could even say anything.
"Shut up, she's gone forever and you're never going to see her again, and that's why," he elaborately said before slamming his glass down on the counter.
I watched him angrily get up from his seat and stomp over to the door to grab his book bag, noisily heading outside. Actually, everyone watched him.

"I feel like that wasn't executed as powerful as he thought it was," Joyce said while she rubbed her chin in thought.

I shook my head due to lack of words, putting everything back into the fridge.
"Everyone just get out and go to school," I spoke into the fridge and heard chairs rustling and scooting across the linoleum. I waited for the door to close fully, my back resting against the closed fridge, my face and body heating up as I started to feel dizzy.
I just wanted everything to go away.