Through the Tunnel

Chapter 15: It's All Fun and Games

Looking at my house with wide eyes, it never looked so homely.

It felt odd to be back. It felt... different somehow.

I walked through the door and was greeted by my dad who wrapped his arms tight around me.

"How are you?" he asked, looking at me with caution.

"Fine" I said, trying hard to believe myself.

I was okay... not fine... fine implies that there is nothing wrong, that everything is fine. But I was okay, not fine but good enough.

I left my family and stumbled up the stairs. My room was exactly as I left it, but it didn't feel the same. I sat on my bed and felt the sheets on my fingers.

I jumped at the sound of a light knocking on my bedroom door.

"Knock, knock" she said. I'm still not sure why she feels the need to say that. I know she's knocked, I heard it.

"I was going to make some lunch, do you want something?" she asked.

"Are you cooking it? Or preparing it?" I asked, remembering her cooking skills.

"I was going to warm up some soup, no cooking involved really, just following some microwave instructions" she said, smiling.

"Okay, I'll have some" I said, attempting a smile back.

She left and soon I heard the faint sounds of the microwave buttons being pushed. Beep, beep, beep.

I laid down on my pillow and smelt the fabric that had not long been washed; my mums doing most likely.

My hair fell in front of my face and I noticed how unwashed it was. Maybe a bath would be a good idea right now, we were having guests for dinner after all.

I made my way back down after hearing the buzzer go off on the microwave.

"Is it ready?" I asked, sitting at the table.

I rested my arms on the table and felt the urge to throw my head down and rest.

"Yes, how much would you like?" she said placing a bowl in front of me and holding a spoon over the soup to pour some into my bowl.

"Not loads, half a bowl maybe" I said.

"Sure." She poured mine and then hers and my dad's and took a seat beside me.

"Oi!" she called, in a humorous way.

"'Oi' what?" he said, walking in and sitting beside her.

He kissed her quickly and began eating his soup.

"Anne-Marie said Lauren is coming as well" my mum said.

"What?" I said.

"They're all coming over, I thought that would be nice" she said, clearly worried this was a mistake. It was a good thing actually, I did want to see them.

"That's cool" I said, smiling for real this time.

I finished my soup and wandered back upstairs, it was 1 o'clock now and I decided to go straight in the bath.

I undressed in the bathroom as the water slowly filled up the bath and the steam filled up the room.

I didn't think I was cold but now being so warm I realised how cold I was before.

I sunk down into the water and let my head fully submerge, letting my hair absorb the water and my ears become blocked with water. I listened to the eco underwater as I moved my hands beside me, creating small waves.