Two Worlds Apart

Selene

Slowly I was resurfacing from a deep sleep, caused by some shuffling around my room and hearing something fall. One eye opened and I groaned, three faces grinning at me and a red dot shining in my eyes.

“HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY!” my siblings chorused and I covered my face, realising the red dot was part of the family camera. I didn’t have to look in a mirror to know that my hair was sticking out in all places and I had some drool smeared on my cheek.

“ETHAN, ERIC AND BLAIN WOLFF! IM GOING TO SKIN YOU ALL ALIVE!” I roared and took my pillow, swinging madly. They ducked their heads and I jumped up and chased them out, making sure the camera does catch my mismatched Hello Kitty tank top and unicorn shorts. I slammed the door shut and leaned against it, hearing their laughter through the wood. My phone beeped for attention and I smiled to myself, knowing who it was from already.

I walked to my desk and unlocked it, grinning as I read Miut’s message. I locked it again and hurried to get done before heading downstairs. Despite the fact that it was Wednesday, we always bunked school for our birthdays, but Miut had to be there for the first few classes to ensure that her stepdad doesn’t find out. I frowned for a bit before pushing my curly hair into a high ponytail.

“Morning Dad.” I grinned from eye to eye as I skipped into the kitchen, sniffing the air. The smell of fresh choc chip flapjacks engulfed the house, spilling out of the windows. I grabbed the biggest stack right out from under Eric’s nose just before he could dig in and danced out of his way before he could make a grab for them.

“Morning sweety,” Dad looked up from the pan and I noticed that he had newly formed frown lines. His smile was smaller than it usually was and his scent carried worry. I frowned, how could I smell that he was worried?

“What time will Miut be here?” I studied him as he asked, thinking back to when I first brought Miut home to spend the day with us in primary school.

Dad was furious, he refused me to be friends with her. This brought her to tears when she overheard and I yelled at him that I would never forgive him for making her cry. This, of course, was followed by me dragging her to my room and locking us in it, until Miut’s mom came to pick her up.

For the next week I was on a hunger strike demonstrated publically while I secretly ate the food I managed to sneak in my room when no one was looking. The boys backed me up, giving Dad the silent treatment until he finally agreed grudgingly. But he truly only accepted her into the family shortly after her mom died 2 weeks later.

“Earth to Selene?” Blain waved his hand in front of my face and I was brought back to the present.

“Huh?” I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts together.

“I asked what time will she be here?” Dad chuckled but it sounded rather forced.

“10 ish,” I smiled and stuffed more flapjack in my mouth. It seemed too good to be real. “Well, I’m gonna go for a jog while you three get to school. See you guys later.” I finished the last bit of breakfast and shoved my chair back, jumping up and was out the door before anyone could stop me.

I ran for 20 minutes, heading down to the lake near the mountain side. People were slowly starting to come to life at this time and I watched as the houses lit up one after the other.

I watched as a dog chased after a bird, trying to catch it as the bird took to the air from the tree branch. On the other side of the street, a toddler was rubbing his eyes as the mother tried open up the car door with her hands full of bags. They seemed to be heading out camping as I spotted a tent and a blue cooler box surrounding the toddler’s feet.