badnews { jace norman }

seventeen

I wake up.
I'm at home.
In my bed.
Many months have past.
I'm not allowed to go out.
I haven't been to school in three months.
I haven't had social contact in three months.
This was a way of my parents flushing my bad habits.
I was bad news.

The first month or so was rough. I'd peek through my drawn curtains and watch as Brit would come, then go when there was no answer at my front door. A girl, I'd never talked to before came every Wednesday. And Jace, not once.

Everybody at school thought I moved to Canada or something.

I was home schooled now. Spent my days locked away in the highest room in the tallest tower. Not allowed to make human contact with anyone.

It used to be that I got my meals taken to me. At first it was okay, because I could only take so much contact from the people that treated me as a prisoner anyway. But they each started going on trips. Separately. Like I didn't understand what was going on. And the more they were away, the more freedoms I got.

It used to be no tv
Only leave your room to go to the bathroom, sort of things.

Really, now I could walk outside and no one would know. But I had never worked up the courage for it.

It was morning. Just waking up from more than plenty of hours of sleep, I gleamed to know that it was Saturday.

I got out of bed energized and grabbed my silver laptop from the desk. If I got at least some of my school work down now, I'd have less to do Monday.

I walked downstairs and to the bulky couch. I plopped myself down and set my computer aside, switching through the channels.

Once I found something I turned the volume down and opened up my computer.

I had no distractions at home. No rumors to set straight, no judgments, no people to lose myself to. Just under half of my grades were advanced classes now. I was in Algebra two. Something I wouldn't even believe.

I sat for a minute. Old memories hitting me like I was a helpless dog in front of a fast traveling bus.
One of the first days I had met Jace, I made fun of him for being in Algebra two. When things were so simple.

I glanced over at the kitchen counter.
My phone laid against the harsh wooden counter top. Mocking me.

I hesitated, watching my computer. What if.... But I couldnt. Technically I could. No one would know. No harm in what you don't know. Is that how the saying goes? Its something like that.

I set my laptop aside and crept into the kitchen. As if someone was home with me, watching.

I squeezed the button, turning it on. I hadn't had it since we moved here.

The Apple sign outlined in white glowed up the dimmed kitchen.

It turned on, and I waited. Not quite sure what exactly I was going to use it for.

I watched the screen.

Text message from: Unknown number

Kyle (7)

I slid the screen and read down the messages from Kyle.

Hey babe
September 27, 2016

You there?
September 30, 2016

So you're ignoring me now huh.
October 21, 2016