Paint You Wings

Thirteen

I stare up at the ceiling, watching the ceiling fan go round and round. It squeaks every now and again, making me want to chuck something at it.

I look over to my right and see my alarm clock lit up with bright letters telling me its past noon and I should've been up three hours ago. My dads going to be pissed.

I look to my left and see the man I love.

Maybe dad being mad won't be so bad.

I scoot over closer to him and his arm wraps around my waist.

"Morning," He whispers in a sleepy voice.

"It's past noon, not mor-"

"Fuck! Noon? I have class in twenty minutes!"

"Aaron, you won't make it. It's a four hour drive back to Miami. Class will be over."

He pulls on his pants and searches frantically for his shirt. "Babe I'm sorry, I have to talk to my professor. She'll let it slide this time, but I still need today's work."

I sit up and pull my knees to my chest. "Okay," I sigh.

Aaron jerks the black t-shirt over his head and pushes his hair out of his eyes. "Time for a haircut." He laughs before walking over to me. "I'll see you later. I love you." He kisses me quick and passionately and then disappears out the door.

I groan loudly and lay back down. Alone again.

I hear footsteps outside my door and then Alice steps in. I know it's her by her strong perfume. She's been at her dad's for the past week or so. Same with Melanie.

"Can we talk?" She croaks out.

I focus my gaze back on the ceiling fan.

"About what?" I say dryly.

"Belle... I know you're mad and confused and upset."

I sit up and stare at her accusingly. "Mad? Confused? Upset? Alice, I'm fucking outraged, baffled, and disappointed! What you did was irresponsible and wrong."

She creases her eyebrows and shakes her head. "Don't be such a hypocrite."

I stand up and take three long strides toward her.

Even as short as I am, I'm taller than her by a whole head. "Hypocrite?"

She bites her lip and a look of fright glints in her blue eyes, and then gets lost at sea. "Yes, a hypocrite. I'm not stupid, Belle. You've cheated on partners. You've slept with multiple people. You're just a slut, but refuse to admit it. You don't love Aaron. You don't love anyone but yourself. You didn't even love your mom."

I don't know what I'm doing until she's against the wall and my hand is around her throat.

"You know nothing!" I roar into her face.

"Annabelle? What the hell?" My dad grabs me around the waist and pulls me away from the black haired bitch. She gasps for air as my grip is released and she falls to the ground.

"You bitch!" I yell, trying to get free of my dad. "I did love my mom! She was better than your mom. I loved her!" Tears are streaming down my face now and I no longer have the energy to fight my dads grasp. "I loved her! I didn't want her to die. I loved her." I fall to the ground in tears. My dads arms are no longer around me. I saw him back away through the tears. I can feel Alice's wide-eyed stare. I put my head in my hands and cry. My body racks with sobs and I end up gasping for air myself when I'm crying so hard I forget how to inhale.

"Belle?" My dad asks from behind me.

His hand is on my shoulder and I jump to my feet. "Get the fuck off! You don't care! You never fucking cared!"