14 Years Under

Splash. Squish. Squirt step step.

Splash. Shush. Squirt step step.

By far the worst part about living in Vancouver was the rain. I mean give me a brake, a 3 kilometer walk home and I can't even enjoy the sun. It's not that I hated the rain, I just hated the way it made me feel. The sadness and grey clouds that filled me when I step out of the apartment doors, skipping over puddles and bearing my heavy umbrella over my shoulders as I walked. Things would be so much better if the days were sunny.

But today, no. Today something great was going to happen.  Ok ok, I'm a bit dramatic but that's not my fault. My father was an actor before he died. He was even in the titanic movie. As a stunt double of course, but never the less he was in it.

Yea yea I know what your thinking. The poor girl whose fathers dead. I mean sure, it's not a happy topic but there's nothing I can do about it. So why bother?

I watched my feet as they splashed through the puddles. Even without looking up I could tell where I was. On the cracked concrete I was in front of the seven eleven, when I got to the rubble I was near the elementary school. The crosswalk obviously meant I was crossing the street to my home. And the distinct electric blue brick road was a sign that I was finally home. I lived in the blue brick motel with my mom and my older brother Dylan. We moved here six months ago when dad died. Mom said it was a new start, but it seemed terribly old to me. We werent even supposed to be allowed to live here, but i think mom has sex with the manager to let is stay. or something like that. The entrance of the motel was musty. There were fake plants in the windows with a thick layer of dust covering them from top to bottom. There were pink seat cushions and a faded green carpet in the lobby. Irene, the front desk worker was always pasted in shimmering pink lipstick and dark foundation. She had to have been in her seventies, but had the body of an 18 year old girl.

"Good day at school Lennon?"

I nodded at her and smiled. She tossed me a mint.

I walked down the long navy blue hallway and reached room 18A.

I knocked 5 times, paused... And knocked again. This was our signal.

Dylan's broad muscled arm welcomed me by opening the door.

"Hey"

he said, paying no attention to my soaked sweater and water stained boots.

"Hey" I replied

"I didn't see you at school today Dylan"

He opened the fridge and took a slug of juice right out of the carton.

"Didn't go, moms sick again"

I felt a my mood drop. Moms always "sick"

When I say it like that, it doesn't mean like a cold or cancer or something.

It means she's either hungover or withdrawing from something.

I guess Dylan saw the look on my face and smiled.

"Eh don't worry about her ok? Go start your homework and I will order a pizza later ok?"

I smiled and nodded.

I loved Dylan. He was the kindest person I've ever met. He was awfully handsome too. Light brown hair and blue eyes. He had freckled across his clear face and when he smiled it made most girls giggle like nuts. I know this because whenever my friends come over that's what they do.

I walked into my bedroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I was tall for my age, but I was also skinny. Not the pretty skinny either, just thin and boring. I had dark brown hair that stopped above my shoulder, my eyes were green. I had a scar bellow my bottom lip from when I two and fell off a playground set. I had never considered myself ugly. But I had never considered myself pretty either.

I sighed and turned to see of profile.

I was completely flat chested. So you know how embarrassing it is to be almost 14 years old and have no chest? I despised the girls at my school with curves, the popular girls.

"Lennon Eliza Turner"

I said aloud. I think the most unique thing about me was my name. I was named after John Lennon. My dad was a huge music fan and that's why I'm Lennon and Dylan's him.

John Lennon and Bob Dylan.

My mom doesn't like my name so she calls me Lenny. I hate that name, makes me sound nerdy. 

I shut off my lights and crawled into my warm bed. Homework can wait.