Falling in Love...with a Murderer

Chapter 2

Somewhere along the walk home, the newly-found dead girl decided to leave. Yeah, she just disappeared--something I was entirely used to from her kind by now, but I'm sure she wasn't. So, there I was, nearly twenty minutes past my curfew. I slowly creaked open the front door and peeked my head through, being met with the empty living room, and nearly letting out a sigh of relief when I didn't see my mother. I quietly tup-toed through the door and turned to face the door, slowing shutting it so it wouldn't make a sound.

"You're late." A voice from behind me caused me to jump as I turned around to face a very pissed off looking mom.

"Hi, Maria," I said, giving my best grin, and taking in her scowl when she heard her first name.

"It's 'Mom' to you. And, Carter Ann Mir, when I tell you to be home at a specific time, you be home at that time." I remained quiet, having been here way too many times, and knowing saying nothing is just better in the end. She let out an exhausted sigh as she began to rub her temples. "I have had this conversation with you one too many times. You are grounded."

"What?"

"You heard me. No phone, no tv, no computer, no friends."

I glared at her as she scowled back at me. This was so unfair. It wasn't my fault. I was just trying to help out people here! But no, I have to get punished for being the good samaritan.

"You don't have to worry about that last one, Mom. She doesn't have any friends anyway." My oldest brother, Conner walked by as I smacked him in the head.

"Be nice to your brother, Carter." My mom warned as I stared at her, shocked. I should be used to this type of treatment. This was what always happened. Out of the five of us kids, every single one of them were succesful. My oldest brother Conner, got a full ride scholarship to NYU for football, yet he still lives at home. My second oldest brother, Caleb was a freaking genius. My little brother, Cam, was the all around good guy. Even though he was just in eighth grade, it was easy to tell he was going to be successful. And then there was Cam's twin sister, Carly. She was the youngest by thirty minutes. So not only is she the baby of the family, but she is beautiful. She already has guys my age hitting on her at the mere age of thirteen. I can't even get that, and I'm seventeen.

And yes, aside from the fact that my parents thought it would be clever to name every child of theirs something that started with a C, which I never thought was, all of my siblings were, well, amazing. They were all going to go far...and then that left me. The middle child. The junior in highschool who still had absolutely no idea where she wanted her future to go. The one who was grounded almost every week, the one who could see dead people, yet didn't want to tell her family because if she did, she would be known as the sibling that ended up in the mental hospital.

"Your brothers may be out tonight, so make sure you watch the twins," Mom warned me before heading over to grac her purse and jacket. She worked the night shift as a nurse, and I don't know if the fact that she had five children, all teenagers, or the fact that she was up all night made her tired and tense, all I know is she never smiled.

She walked out of the house without another word while I stood there with a glare on my face. My eyes headed over to the kitchen only to find my dad leaning against the counter, his eyebrows raised, and his arms crossed. I sighed as I walked over to him.

"What?" I asked, moping.

"You're too hard on your mother."

"Me?" I asked, bewildered. I mean, did he not see what just happened? "She's the one who hates me because I'm not like all the other kids in this house."

"She doesn't hate you." He said as I went over to the fridge to grab a water.

I let out a snort. "Could have fooled me." I mumbled as I made my way out of the kitchen.