My feel crunched through the newly fallen September leaves. I could hear laughter coming from a distance, and a cool breeze made me pull my jacket tighter around my body.
The houses I walked by each looked the same. Brick stone. Concrete driveway. White garage door. And depending on the watering skills of the owner of the house, green to dead grass. My house was on the very end corner of the street.
Today was the first day it finally felt like fall, and a smile ticketed my lips all the way until I reached my home. My mothers red Volvo sat in the driveway, and my smile quickly vanished. She usually didn't get home from work until 6:00. I tried not to think of the reasons running through my head.
My feet carried me to the back door in which I let myself into very quietly. Sadly, this didn't help like I thought. Mom was sitting on the couch with a can of V8 watching her favorite local news station. She was running her hands through her red hair, with her feet up on the coffee table.
"Hi mom," I said carefully.
"Hey honey, how was school?" She asked.
"Good thanks," I answered.
"That's all you have to say to me? Sometimes I wonder why I even had a child if they can't even speak to me properly."
Used to it, I just turned my around and headed to my room.
"One more thing!" My mom called after me. "Ron is coming over tonight so wear something nice!"
Ron was Mom's annoying boyfriend who ate all of our food and talked about boring things that I didn't understand.
Most of the time, I don't even think mom even understood what he was talking about. I belive she only liked him for his money.
I have been wary about men for a long time. I suppose it's because my dad left us.
I was only 6 years old when I came home to my mom crying on the floor. Things were obviously missing, and even though I was young, I could understand what was going on.
I guess Ron has been Mom's rock throughout this mess. He's not that bad I guess.
My room is significantly clean. I think it's because it's the only part of my life I can really clean up.
It's purple, my favorite color, and there is one window above the bed. Most of the time the shutters are closed. My room becomes dark. I like it that way.
Looking in my closet, I searched for something that would be 'mom-and-Ron appropriate.' I spotted a black knee length dress and pulled it off the hanger.
There is a mirror hanging beside my door. I never bother to look in it anymore. I pulled the dress over my head and flopped on my bed.
