Man in the Wall (Who is he?)

Chapter 2 - Thin line between love & hate

"Vivian! Oh my-"

"Don't you dare start with me again, Jess." I attempt to say sternly, except the words come out mumbled beneath my sleepy voice.

Without warning, the earth beneath me starts shaking before a gush of cold air sweeps over me. Startled, my body springs to the fetal position as my right arm attempts to grab any material fit for warmth. Soon there's a poke in my rib cage before someone yells, "You're going to be late for school, get up!"

What?

"Oh no". I jump straight out of bed heading for the bathroom to finish up, the blanket ripped from me mere seconds ago now decorating the floor.

"Sorry, mom! I thought you were Jess!" I yell before closing the door.

She finds humor in my confusion as light laughter escapes her before saying that she'll take me to school. Which means I have exactly twenty minutes or it's all shits and storms of back and forth arguments.

After a precise ten minutes, I exit the bathroom to find an outfit sprawled across my bed. Mom seriously has great taste. I get dressed, grab my backpack and head downstairs. Dad already left for work, his daily morning note plastered against the refrigerator reminding us to 'have a lovely day my sweethearts', a sweet gesture. So I lock up and walk over to mom waiting for me in the car. Once I'm seated and buckled up, the wheels start spinning and we take off.

"How are things at school?" she begins.

I inform her that they're going well and end up telling her about the pranks. She bursts with laughter, not at the fact that we pulled pranks, but more so that I had the willing courage to throw laxative in the soup.

"Of course he's going to punish everyone, Viv," she says through her laughter.

"I know. But hey, at least we made things interesting again. These past few weeks have been sort of bland and the place felt more like a prison." I reply with my head resting on my palm while staring out the window.

It's strange. I see these streets every day, yet somehow the minor details always seem to fascinate me.

"Even though I find this funny," mom begins, snapping me out of my trance, "You do know that I would've beaten your ass if you got caught!" Her facial expression dead serious.

"But since you hadn't, let's tell dad when he gets home." she finishes and we both end up in a fit of laughter.

The school building soon comes into view as we make a right turn at the stop street.

"So how are things with you and Nick? He hasn't visited in a while." mom questions out of the blue and I squirm in my seat.

She's rather inquisitive, but the Lord himself knows I cannot tell her what happened yesterday, she'll be furious. So instead I go from 'Honest Daughter of the Year' to 'Oh hey guess what. Nothing cause I can't tell you shit'.

I realize that I hadn't answered her yet when she looks over to me with great concern. "What? Oh, no it's great." Well, what else can I say really?

We finally pull up at school. I kiss her on the cheek and climb out the car.

"Bye honey, I love you!"

"Bye mom, I love you too. I'll see you later," I say closing the door.

"Laxative... This child... Can you believe it..." She mutters to herself, laughing as she drives away.

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"Vivian Harper Maldonado!" startled to death, I jump straight up when my name registers in the only part of my brain that seems to be functioning today.