Violet

Chapter 42: Strangers in the Halls

Two weeks after the incident, I was able to return back to school. I could go on about how the students didn't respect my personal matters. They attacked me like hungry leeches. You'd think people in school would have sympathy for you, feel sorry, and know that you don't want your business mentioned. Not at all! People who never talked to me before had come up to me and asked me about my mother. Questions like, "Is your mom an alcoholic?" or "Is she in a mental home now?" or "How often does this happen?" 

It was embarrassing.

I dreaded waking up in the morning to go to school. However, through all this happening I did have one friend. I had Mariel. She was there for me, telling people to leave me alone. Liz and Desiree had no interest in me anymore. Actually, the three of them had no interest in each other. Desiree sat at another table with some of the popular girls. Liz would sit with the lacrosse players since she stopped playing soccer. Sometimes if I saw one of them in the hallway they would speak to me, but since Mariel and I became closer throughout the months, Liz and Desiree became regular faces in the hall.

I could never regret telling Mariel my secrets. I told her everything that had happened to me. Everything. My dad, his obsession with live art, his obsession that he had with a book, Rosemary, the eye, the spiders, Abby and you name it. I had cried the entire time talking about it and you know what Mariel had said?

"I believe you," was her reply to what I had told her. Of course, she had millions of questions, some I could answer and some I couldn't. Since then, we've talked about it a lot. She owned many books about things that couldn't be explained in life, mysterious events, myths, religions, and the world of the unknown. My stories were like medicine to her and she was addicted to hearing them. Talking to her about it made me feel better. I had someone on my side trying to figure out my story. 

While Mariel and I were becoming good friends, Ryan kind of drifted away. He sat with us sometimes, but not always. He stopped coming to breakfast every day, which was weird. I didn't see him around school and if I did, I'd catch him in deep thought. Since the incident with my mother, he's just been...distant.

"Hey, Violet," Denise said when I walked into the house.

 I gave her a quick smile, then waved. Before going into my room, I stopped and looked at my aunt. "When is she coming home?"

"She has three more weeks to go, dear."

My mother has been in an alcohol rehab treatment center for almost three months. "Okay," I said. I was about to head back to my room when Denise walked up to me and took my hand. She eased me onto the couch, then sat next to me.

The smile on her face was the smile she always made before asking me to visit my mother. I sighed. "I don't want to see her."

"She misses you," Denise's smile vanished. I knew she had been fed up with me not wanting to see my mother. "I talked to her. She's getting better, but she won't forgive herself for what she did to you."

"Mhm," I murmured, not wanting to hear it. I've been hearing explanations my whole life. I didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Violet, your mother loves you!" She shouts so loud that her children opened their doors and peeked out at us.

I stared at her for a second, then did something that probably wasn't necessary. I placed my hand on top of my scarred forehead and gave Denise a fake smile. "I can see that she does," I said, then I got up and went to my room, glad that Denise didn't try and stop me.

***

I helped the boys with homework and played with them throughout the night. April stayed in her room, avoiding me. She didn't like me, but I could have cared less. 

After I was done playing with the boys, I walked into my room and saw April crying on my bed. "What is it?" I asked her.

She sniffed a few times before replying. "I don't want to be in the bad club anymore," she cried.

"What bad club?" I raised an eyebrow.

"My mom's going to be so mad at me," she said.

I rolled my eyes, then walked over to my bed and sat next to her. "What are you talking about?"

She didn't reply to me. Instead, she ran out of my room and closed the door. What the heck was that about?

***

The next morning, I saw Ryan sitting at the breakfast table. Mariel wasn't there yet, so I walked over and sat next to him.

"Hey there," he smiled. "How're you feeling?"

"Better," I said. "You?"

"Things are great!" 

"That's good," I opened my chocolate milk. "My mom will come back home soon."

"Really? That sucks. I mean, do you want her to come home?"

I thought about his questions. It was a yes and no answer. Yes because she was my mom and I did love her.  No, because I was afraid of her and my father too. "I don't know," I said.

Mariel sat across from us. She didn't have a breakfast tray in her hand. "Not hungry?" Ryan asked her, but she didn't reply. She put on some headphones and stared at her hand that rested on the table. 

I looked at her. She never looked happy, but today she just looked completely down. Worn out. Torn apart. I could tell she had been crying. She didn't even bother wearing her bracelets today. Ryan gave me a look like, "Should I go?" I shook my head, indicating that he could stay.

He ended up leaving anyways before breakfast was over. "Mariel?" I finally said. 

She took off her headphones and crossed her arms. "I hate my mom. You should have seen how she acted when she dropped me off this morning. Four teachers had to dismiss her. She came here drunk."

"Wow," I said. "I'm sorry. That sucks."

"I wish my dad was still alive," she whispered. "Don't tell anyone I said that." She quickly responded.

"Never," I said. I wondered if this was her way of opening up.

"Can you come over today?"

"Yes," I smiled. I loved going to her house, but when her mother didn't bother us.

"I have something I want to show you," she inched her head towards me. "And it's about your father."

Now she had my full attention. By the look on her face, I could tell it would be shocking news. News I probably didn't want to hear. 

I was right...

*Point out any mistakes so I can fix them:)*