jasper | part two

chapter two

"I can't believe this," I muttered into my hands. 

My day had been pretty shit. I tried to look on the positive side.... key word is 'try', but it was hard considering I was such a negative person. Not only did my supposed sister vomit all over my bloody floor, but now I was stuck with this.

I looked up to Ariel who balled her fists in her lap, her brown eyes were sullen. I gritted my teeth in frustration. "Does dad know you're pregnant?" I asked.

She shook her head.

I groaned. "I can't fucking believe this! Where's your mum?" 

Ariel fumbled nervously. "S-she kicked me out..."

"I'll call Dad now. You can't live with me,  I'm too busy for this," I jumped up from the couch in search of my phone.

"No! You can't" She leapt up behind me and grabbed my wrist. Tears pooled in her eyes. "He'll be so disappointed in me!

I stared at her for a silent minute before letting out an agitated groan. A part of my stomach squeezed in what I'd guess was petty jealousy. It was pathetic, really but a part of me was jealous because she was able to grow up with my father in her life. And logically speaking, my father was a porn star, how disappointed could he really be? 

She was lucky, not only did she get my father's love and attention but she was also pregnant. Something I don't think I could ever be again. 

I shook the childish thoughts away. I was being a downright bitch, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't control the bitterness I felt towards my so-called sister. She was, after all the reason my family broke apart. 

It was weird to look into her eyes and think that those same eyes were somewhat related to my own. We looked nothing alike. I admit parts of her did remind me of my father, but then again I didn't really look like either of my parents. 

There was a stretch of silence before I replied. 

"Fine," I muttered. "but we're going give your mother a little visit and at least try to convince her to take you back." 

Juliana was getting married in a few weeks, I had been looking forward to it for months. We would be spending a week in her rich aunt's holiday house on the beach, I had brought a fancy bikini just for the occasion. I could not, would not take Ariel with me.

I glanced up and down at her dishevelled state. "You better have a shower first though, you bloody stink." 

---

"This place is a mess." 

I trekked across the patchy, dead lawn over to the old weatherboard house. Thick cobwebs laced the awnings as badly done graffiti covered the chipped, cream walls. Ariel followed me suit to the front door.  

I wasn't one to read emotions that well but  I could tell she looked uncomfortable with her hands balled tightly in her pockets and her brown eyes wide, almost fearful. I shrugged it off and knocked on the door. 

We stood in an awkward silence as we waited. 

"She's probably asleep," Ariel muttered bitterly. "Pathetic."

The tension wasn't opaque but I could still sense it. It had made me wonder about the relationship between Ariel and her mother. If her attitude and the state of her mother's house was anything to go by I wasn't expecting dazzling rainbows and beautiful butterflies. 

There was a muted thud before the door swung open. The thick, overbearing stench of cigarettes and liquor wafted my senses. I fought the urge to cough.