Paper Airplane [s.m]

Twenty-Two

Who thought it was a good idea to have a party on a Monday night? Tuesday morning is slow and exhausting.

I shuffle to the kitchen before I'm about to leave. There's a letter on the counter and my Aunt is standing at the sink with a mug of steaming coffee. I question her with my eyes before I open the envelope.

"Your first meeting is Friday afternoon." My aunt says putting her mug on the counter behind her.

"You can't do that." I say in anger.

"As long as you are under my roof, I can't do whatever I want." She says. My Aunt June is not an evil person. She's very strict when she has to be but she's usually very lenient. I know she just wants the best for me but I can't help but get angry at her.

"You need to be kept in line, you were getting out of control." She says calmly.

"Support group? Are you kidding me? Why do I need support?" I exclaim.

"I figured you were acting out because you're mom and brother. Maybe because your dad?" She tells me.

"I'm a teenager. I'm obviously gonna skip school and drink." I roll my eyes.

"I don't care, you're going to support group." She shakes her head. I glare at her before slamming the front door and walking to school.

I sit in first period and glare at the board. Thalia hesitantly sits next to me. I watch Reggie smile at us and walk over. He kisses Thalia's cheek and sits in front of us. I'm guessing they made up last night or this morning.

"What's with you?" Reggie asks raising a single eyebrow.

"My Aunt is forcing me to go to support group." I roll my eyes.

"What? Did something happen? Are you okay?" Thalia questions.

"I'm fine. She thinks I'm actin up because of my parents." I say with yet another eye roll. I'm gonna have a head ache by the end of the day if I keep rolling my eyes.

"What happened to your parents?" Reggie asks.

"Nothing!" I exclaim. They both shut their mouths and turn to the front of the class.

I don't belong in a support group. I feel like I'm bragging about my perfect family and my perfect life to people with no family or problems much worse than mine. Okay, my family may not be perfect but they're alive and I can talk to them whenever I want. I can't talk to my dad whenever I want but that's different.

I go through the rest of the day in silence. I even eat lunch in the library so nobody would talk to me. I've never even been to the library so I asked a couple freshman.

"Do you know where the library is?" I ask them.

"Um." The girls look at each other with questioning eyes.

"That way?" The blonde one says. She points to my left but I can tell she has no idea.

"Okay thanks." I chuckle.

With the way I'm acting, all my friends probably think I need the support group. By the time I get home I am ready to sleep. I have work again, so I just get dressed and leave the apartment.

Work is boring, Alex isn't here. I'm folding towels when I get a call through the intercom.

"Room 117 room service."

I only nod and start to walk to the kitchen to get the room service cart. Then I remember room 117 was Shawn's room. I hold a little bit of hope that he never left and I'm about to see him.

"Room Service!" I knock on the door.

The door opens and I'm greeted by a woman in her late 40's. She's wearing a tight black dress that goes down to her knees. Her outfit is complete with a white fur coat and black stilettos. I frown in disappointment as I roll the cart into her room.

"Thank you so much darling." She says in a posh British accent.

"You're welcome ma'm." I tell her with a fake smile. My disappointment is the only thing I feel.

I leave the room and get back to folding towels. Delivering room service to that woman was the only thing I did today other than fold towels and sheets.

When I get home my Aunt is waiting for me in the kitchen.

"Hi." I say without looking at her. I head straight towards my room at the end of the hall.

"Wait." She says. I turn around and wait for her to continue speaking.

"I have news." She says.

"I'm not going to boarding school." I say and walk to my room. She doesn't say anything else. I know that may be a little harsh but I'm still mad at her.

I sit in my room and stare at the wall before something catches my eye. My sketch book. It's open to the drawing I did of Shawn with the city behind him. I finished coloring the city but I didn't start coloring him. I reach for the journal and grab the colored pencils that I need.

After the drawing is completely finished and colored, I rip it out of the journal and put the picture underneath a pile of clothes in my dresser. I never open that drawer so no one else should.