Only Human

Free

Marie and I stared at each other for a long moment before we allowed ourselves a slight smile. We could hear Dad upstairs, thumping around as he gathered the things he'd unpacked this weekend.

"Soon." I said.

She nodded.

"I'll make sure that they are looping you in about the plans for your mom." I offered.

She nodded again. "Thank you." She said.

"You'll let me know if there's anything you need help with?" I asked. "You can still ride to or from school with us if you want." I said softly. "The agreement between the two of us is just to recognize that I'll go ahead and get all my things out of my room upstairs and only would come stay if you invited me to."

She looked hesitant before replying. "I'll let you know. The rides will still be appreciated and I'll... I will work on being a nicer person to them." She said. "I know they've done a lot more for you than we have and I was annoyed at the attention you got." She admitted. "I don't think I would be inviting you over for sleepovers, especially after mom comes home." I shrugged slightly. "I know that you can't be around her. I delighted too much in watching her torture you. It wasn't healthy for either of us."

I reached out, touching her arm for a moment. "Okay. As long as you're not going to do anything like try to lure me here for her to torment again, we're good." I said. "And in six months, if for some reason she's not home and you have to move out, I'll do what I can to help you find a place and move." I smiled. "I have guys with muscles that would help you move if I asked them to."

She gave me a slight smile. "Thanks." We both glanced up when footsteps were heard coming down the hall and we both adopted frowns and leaned against the wall, glaring at him.

"Well, I'm off then." He said, a scowl on his own face. He studied both of us for a long moment before shrugging. "It didn't have to be this way and you know it, girls." He said, shouldering his bag and pulling out his car keys. "Don't come begging for money if you burn through it." He sneered at us.

I snorted. "Wouldn't dream of it." I said emphatically. "I don't intend on asking you for a damn thing ever." I said, chopping a hand in the air at him. "It's not like you've actually given me anything in my entire life." My eyes shot sparks at him. He looked about to comment back, to match me ire for ire but shrugged.

"You're probably right." He said, glancing at Marie for a moment. Her gaze was less than welcoming and he shrugged again before going out the front door to his car. We watched him go, both of us holding our breath until he'd gotten in the car, started it and drove away.

I exhaled slowly and glanced at her. "Is it okay if I just get my things cleared out of my room by the end of the week?"

"Sure." She nodded before giving me a slight smile. "Go on... I know you have people to see." She said, shooing me out the door.

I grinned at her and ran upstairs, shoving my feet into shoes and grabbing the phone that had been left for me before dashing downstairs and darting out the door. "Thanks Marie..." I called over my shoulder as I headed down the driveway. A look at the phone told me that they'd all gone to Nathan's once things were over and I switched direction from Kota's house to Nathan's house, picking up my speed until I was running.

The door at our house practically flew open at the force of my touch on it and I dashed into the living room, my gaze happy and a smile on my face as I looked at all of them. I was practically bursting with excitement that we were free to get on with our lives.

Free of torment.

Free of stepmonsters who caused nightmares.

Free of the stress and worry that the wrong word was going to result in a punishment.