In The End

14: I'm Not An Owl!

I finish zipping up the suitcase, completely content. After the great news about my ankle this morning, Black Veil Brides decided to leave for tour today. I told Dad I had to go on a trip to The Philippines for school next year, and he just grunted at me and shoved past me. Hard.
I smile at the memory, because it was the funniest thing for me. If he'd actually cared about what happens in my life, he'd know I graduated a year early, and I don't have to go to school for my senior year. He would've known I was a valedictorian, and give the highest GPA in the state. He would've known I'm starting college next year, and not another year in high school.
    Mason thinks the same thing, because up until three weeks ago, he liked to use me as boxing practice. Basically, no body knows the truth. I'd tell my mother, but I can't trust her mind. She could tell Dad the truth and not remember it's a secret. I can't take that chance. 
    There's a honk outside, and I gasp. I'm not changed yet! I throw on my batman print shorts, my black tank, and put on my black winter boots that have fur inside the shoe. Finally, I don't have to  only wear one shoe. I also put on my Harry Potter Hufflepuff hoodie, quickly do my eyeliner and lipgloss before I'm content. Throwing my hair into a ponytail, I haul my suitcase down the stairs. Mom suddenly is at the door.
   "Who's that, honey?" Mom asks, glancing at my suitcase. Well, time to lie.
   "Just some kids who're going on the trip with me. They're taking me to the airport." Mom nods, and it's quiet for a moment.
   Suddenly, tears are pooling at her eyes. "Do you really have to go now?" She asks, her voice muddled. I sigh, feeling my own throat constrict and burn. I nod, and pull her into me for a hug. I don't trust my words now, because none will step up to the plate to comfort Mom. None could. 
     She pulls back, muttering an 'I love you' before fleeing away from me. I stare after her, knowing that I won't be able to find her until she wants to be found. Opening my front door, I drag my suitcase out, walking down my driveway, where Dad's car would usually be parked. Dad is at work, while Mason is at summer school. No one will be able to see me go.
    If Mom had looked out the window, she would've totally caught me in my lie. The tour bus sits quietly at my curb, waiting for me to board it. I see Andy coming out to greet me, and I grin. He takes my suitcase from me and
Pushes me gently into the be by the small of my back.
   I think about my family while we drive away from my house. They won't know where to find me if they need me. Mom won't know where to find me if she needs to find me. The only good thing is that Dad won't be able to hurt me.
   Nobody here knows how I actually hurt my ankle, nor why I'm always bruised. I don't really want them to know either. My eighteenth birthday is in two weeks, and I'll tell them then. I can still be put into a foster home without my mother until then.
Kaylee sinks quietly into the spot on the couch next to me, studying me intently. We sit in silence, with me watching the road and her, simply trying to figure me out.
  After a few minutes, we park outside of an apartment complex, and I, being my
Curious self, walk off the bus to see who we're picking up. Canon, looking pissed, fixes her gaze on me, and sighs.
   "We have a few extras coming with," she murmurs bitterly, stomping onto the bus wig her bag. I stand there stunned for a minute,
Before I turn around and walk right back into the bus, after her. She disappears into the bunk area, coming back seconds later, saying, "Three of the four vacant bunks are now taken by my fam. Kaylee, I put your stuff on the bunk below me."
    "What about Blade?" Kaylee asks softly,
Looking at me. I smile kindly.
   "I'll sleep in the couch or something. It's totally cool."
   "No you won't." Andy states from behind me, scaring me. When did he get there?! He scoops me up bridal style and runs with me past all of the bunks, straight to the back of the bus. He opens the only
Door there, and a small bedroom is there. He sets me on the bed and says to me, "this is your room." The girls are at the doorway now, both glancing at each other, trying to suppress their smiles. My mouth falls open.
   I stand up, taking Kaylee by the shoulders, and sitting her on the bed. "No, this is her room." Andy Furrows his eyebrows in confusion, both him and Kaylee asking the question. "What?"
    "This is Kaylee's room. I can sleep in a bunk or the couch."
   "You won't do anything of the sort," Kaylee argues firmly. I open my mouth to object, but Canon wraps her arms around my face, making sure I can still breath while also successfully shutting me up.
"Technically, you've already claimed the room. Your bags are in here, and you're the only one who minds," Andy points out.
"Even if the two idiots, who don't get a say in this, did have a problem, that wouldn't change anything," Canon gripes.
"Leave them alone, Can, they aren't even mean," Kaylee chides, making the blue haired moon child huff.
I sigh in defeat and slap Canon's arms away
From my mouth, sitting next to Andy, crosslegged on the bed. "Who?"
"You don't live with the monsters! They're annoying!" Canon complains.
"All siblings are," Kaylee says kindly. "You just have to let it go."
"Who? I try again, and Andy watches us in amusement.
"But they're not just siblings, no, we're 'unique' and 'rare.'" While Canon says this, she motions quotation marks with her fingers.
"You guys are goofballs," Kaylee giggles.
"Guys! I'm not an owl! Who?" I finally gripe, and they both look at me. Andy laughs and hugs me.
Suddenly, two familiar faces barge into the room, and I just stare.
"I can't believe you left us, Canon," Dakota snaps angrily.
"Yeah, little sis, not cool," Elijah adds, smirking. I'm still staring.
Canon stomps up to him. "By one and a half minutes you jerk face. And you-" she points at Dakota. "Half a minute."
"You're older than me by half a minute," I murmur, and everyone turns to me. The twins--or I guess, two of the triplets---stare at me in shock. Canon is surprised too.
"What does that mean?"
I stand up. "June Twentieth, 1998, at 1:23 pm. You're half a minute older than me." She looks wary.
"H-how did you know that?" I look at Dakota and Elijah.
"Hey guys. You took your vacation time too?" I ask. Elijah smiles and winks.
"You know it. "