Everything Ripples

02

Chapter 02
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{music for the chapter:// Holland by Glass Face}
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I blink at him, unsure if he's being serious.

"We're going to Grandma's?" I ask.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"The whole summer," he replies nonchalantly.

I stare at him, his statement dawning on me.

"Plus, it would be good for the whole family, after last year. Your mother still hasn't recovered," he says, placing food onto his plate.

"N-no," I stammer. "I don't want to. I want to stay here."

"Well, you don't have a choice in the matter, Sydney."

I slump into my chair, a scowl forming on my face. There is no way I'm going to Grandma's this summer. This was supposed to be my holiday of fun, just before I left. Instead, I'm stuck in that miserable hellhole with the weird neighbors and murky lake.

"I hate you," I grumble under my breath at my father. It's like he does everything in spite of me.

"Sydney, sit up," scolds my mother.

"We didn't raise you like that," my father adds, and anger boils inside me.

"May I be excused?" I ask between my teeth, hatred raging inside of me. My mother glances at her husband and nods. I dash out of my seat and clean up my plate before running upstairs. I can't stand being in a room with him for more than five minutes. He has hurt me, and for that I will always hate him.

The moon casts a pale glow onto my bedroom floor as I lie staring out my window. The stars sparkle, a bright contrast to the dark sky. It's ironic, how something so bright and beautiful can end up somewhere so dark and unforgiving. But, I suppose they serve a hidden meaning, being up in the darkness, that light is everywhere. I wish that were true. But light is not everywhere. There are corners and spaces light can't enter, and the darkness sucks away any feeling of light and happiness. Nothing is perfect, not even the stars. I always tried to find the positive things in life, but ever since last year, nothing is happy. Nothing deserves the amount of positivity I had for the world, especially my family.

I roll onto my back, tired but not able to sleep. It's two in the morning, and I can't close my eyes. Maybe it's how my mind is whirling over the plans for the summer. Maybe I should run away. Running away would help me get away from this dysfunctional family, but I have nowhere I could go. No one to run to.

I can hear rain pattering on my window, and I slowly walk to it, staring out into the wet abyss. Water streaks across the dirty glass, like tears. The moon and stars are now completely covered by dark clouds, their bright light gone till tomorrow night. Rain calms me, especially now. The steady rhythm of the rain landing on the earth pulls me into a trance, one where I feel completely relaxed and at ease with myself. It's a wonder how I fall asleep, considering I always seem to have things whirling through my head.

A car door slams, and I peer out my window. A black Mercedes pulls out of our drive, my father in the passenger seat and laughing to a beautiful blonde woman next to him. My rage bubbles inside of me, threatening to expose itself. The nerve of that man. I quietly tiptoe out of my room and down the stairs, stopping when I hear my mother talking on the phone.

"No... No, we're leaving for a few weeks," she says coolly. "Yes I realise, but this isn't something I can veto.... I know, I know."

She pauses, and I can just imagine her fiddling with her hair.

"I promise I'll see you first thing when I get back.... Promise." I'm becoming intrigued as to who this person is. "Miss you too.... Do you want me to come over now........ Okay, I'll be right over baby."

Closing my eyes, I wish I hadn't heard that. Sinking to the step, I hold my head in my head, trembling in disbelief. Both my parents, having affairs, and they don't seem to care about the effect on me.

I've known about my father's for a while now; ever since he started to get back home late and going off in the middle of the night. But my mother's was an utter shock. I didn't think she had recovered from last year, but she seems to be doing fine. Her monotone voice was gone, and she had giggled in the conversation. I wish I was recovering that quickly.

My face starts to become damp, and I realise I'm crying. Brushing away the tears, I sneak back upstairs, collapsing on my bed.

"Why is life so complicated?" I whisper to myself, all alone in my room. Another car door slams, and I don't even bother to get up and watch my selfish mother drive away. It's still raining, but much lighter now; just a faint drizzle.

There's always a faint drizzle in my mind. It's like a haze, where I blur all my thoughts together to clear my head. That's what's happening right now, and it calms me. I slowly walk back over to my bed and fall down, landing on the soft material. My eyes start to shut, fluttering before they close completely. I fall asleep, not awake to hear the car in the driveway, or the crashing downstairs.