I looked at the clock beside Sean’s bed, 1:30. It read and I patted the space next to me, until I was convinced Sean wasn’t here, I titled my head and heard voices downstairs. Even though it wasn’t my right to listen in I couldn’t help it. I went to Sean’s bathroom door and grabbed the robe I left here the other night and slipped it on. I tiptoed toward the door and opened it; wrapping the robe around myself I started down the steps, stopping when the voices increased in volume.
“You spent one hundred dollars on a vase?” It was Sean’s dad, and when I peeked down I saw he was yelling at his wife.
“Me? You think I’m the only one doing things! You just came home with a new car.” I flinched back at the anger at her voice and she wasn’t even yelling at me.
“Do you guys seriously need to fight now?” Sean’s voice rang out, wobbling.
“Stay out of it Sean your mother needs to learn not to just spend money like it comes from trees,” his dads sounded really angry I thought nervously.
“I do not do that!” His mom’s voice was higher pitched.
“You spend a five hundred a month to get your hair dyed, then almost every weekend you go out without a care in the world to buy a set of earrings you need, or shoes, or you just have to have a new purse.” When I peeked down I saw Sean’s fathers face red and a tear running down Sean’s face his mother’s face was going back and forth between pink, red, and green.
“If you don’t like why don’t you leave! This is exactly why Jaguar left, I don’t even need to guess why, and you were a horrible father to him! His mother yelled and his father stepped forward his hand raised. His mom flinched back, and I gave a little squeak, I realized this had been going on for a long time. But what Sean’s mother said was a low blow, Sean’s dad always felt responsible for Sean’s older brother running away. I ran back to Sean’s room before they looked up at me and from what I heard their fight was far from over. But I drew the line at the sound of a scream, I leaped up from the bed and rushed downstairs to see Sean’s mother on the floor holding a hand to her face, Sean standing protectively in front of his mom, and his father with his hand still raised angry color rising in his cheek.
I gasped, and saw everyone turn toward me. Sean had a shamed look on his face, his father’s face looked like what I imagined a teen caught sneaking out would have, and his mother looked like she was still in a daze. “Riley…” Sean’s voice trailed off and I felt my eyes widen as I saw the forming bruise on his mother’s cheek.
“I think I better go, Sean.” I turned and nearly ran toward the front door. Hating the look of pain on his face and seeing his tears. I shifted form to a hawk and flew quickly toward my house. I shifted back and rushed into the house ignoring Derek when he got up to knock on my door. I sat on my bed, holding a pillow to my chest, and rocking back and forth. I was shaking and my stomach cramped. So when Derek knocked again, I finally let him in, and then climbed back onto my bed holding a pillow to my chest.
I guess seeing Sean’s parents fight, triggered my own memories of mine, their fights, their smiles. Everything, right up to when they dropped me off at Derek’s and headed to the airport when I was 13, that was three years ago. But the memory was as clear as day. I felt the burning in my eyes start, and the shuddering, and then the tears streaming down my face. I let Derek sit beside me, hold me, I knew he was crying to. I let him stay with me all night, crying, sharing. Like we should have a long time ago, if only I’d let him in.
The next time I woke up sun was streaming through the window and Derek was stretched out on some of the bean bag chairs. I hauled myself to the edge of my bed and tapped his nose, once, twice, three times before his brown eyes popped open, he rubbed his eyes groaning. “What time is it?”
