disguise - hs < DISCONTINUED >

2

When I get home, I change into my comfy clothes such as sweatpants, over-sized tee-shirt, and fuzzy socks then have some water. Usually, I drink tea but today I think water is the appropriate substance. As I pick out a clean glass that doesn't have a water stain on it, I'm very picky okay, I hear the front door open. Oh no. The brat is home. Ugh. I'll just have to deal with it...like I do...every single day. I pour some water into the glass then add strawberries and ice, for some taste then I head up to my room. I go on twitter for a while, stalk some people, then go on my laptop. Okay, this isn't going to work. I'm like describing everything I do. Jeez. What is this a "After school routine" or something? Whenever, I get home from school I'm always frustrated and just, I don't know...irritated. Well anyways, I start on my homework and finish all of it except for math. I really hate math. It frustrates me so much that I wait til later so my uncle can help. My uncle comes over every other day to visit and 'talk' with my mom. His name is Richard, we just call him Rick. Not even Uncle Rick, just Rick. He has issues with alcohol and he's suicidal. My mom is really good with advice so she picks him up and brings him here. We don't let him have a car since, alcohol plus suicide plus cars equals not very good things. Rick is actually really smart for his conditions. That's why I wait for him to help me with math. He's like a math genius. But only I know that because he wants to keep it a secret. I don't know why though. It could help him in life.

I start to read my favorite book, but of course I get interrupted. Kaitlin crashes through my door.

"Kaitlin! What are you doing?!"
"Mom wants you."
"Why?"
"It's Uncle Richard." Only Kaitlin calls him that.
"What's going on?"
"Enough with the questions! Just go!"
I get up and run downstairs.
"Mom! What's going on? Is Rick okay?"
She's covered in tears.
"I'm afraid to say no."
I slowly sit next to her on the couch. I stare.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"You're uncle. There's been an incident, and I know how you two were very close, so I-"
"-Just tell me already. What's going on?"
"Rick has passed Lexi. He's gone."
"No.. You're lying. There's no way. No.."
"Lexi.." "Why is this family so fucked up?" I scream, rushing out of the room. "Lexi!" My mom calls out for me and I'm glad it's not to scold me for my language, I hope.

I can't believe this! No! I run back upstairs and push Kaitlin really hard out of my room and she starts to cry. So do I. She wasn't as close as I was to my uncle, and now he's gone..for good. I slam the door shut and cry into my pillow. I lay there for hours and finally hear someone open the door.

"Go away Kaitlin."
"It's not Kaitlin."
"Go away mom."
"It's not your mom either."
I take my face away from the pillow and wipe my tears from my eyes so I could see. I find Christina. I run over to her and hug her and cry into her shoulder. She's the only one who knows how close Rick and I are...were.
"Hey. Everything's going to be okay." She says with a gentle voice.
"No it's not. My life is ruined even more than it already was!"
"Don't say that."
I cry some more, this time into nothing. I just stand there. I'm so glad that Christina is in my life, I'd probably be even worse right now without her.
"How did you find out?" I wonder.
"Kaitlin called."
"Kaitlin?" Why would Kaitlin, out of all people, call my best friend to support me?
"Yeah. I don't know why but I'm in your family's emergency contacts."
I push myself passed Christina and run into Kaitlin's room.
"Wait! Where are you going?!" Christina says before I leave the room.
I enter Kaitlin's room.
"Hey." I say while leaning on her door frame.
"What do you want?" She's sitting on her bed, nothing in front of her, besides her knees to her chest.
"To say sorry."
"For?"
"Pushing you."
She stares at the ground.
I continue.
"And for being the worse big sister you could possibly have."
She runs up to me and gives me a long hug.
"You're the best sister I could possibly have."
"Okay well don't think I'm always going to be this nice to you."
"Oh trust me I won't."
I give her a rub on the head, messing up her hair and go back to Christina.
"Are you okay?" I ask. I know she wasn't as close but she still loved him as much as I did.
"I will be for now."
"Okay, well I have to go." I smile and watch her grab a book.
"Okay. Bye." She's taking it really well. At least she's smiling.
I go back to my room to talk to Christina.
"Chris, you still here?"
"Yeah I'm still here, what's up?"
"Just..Thank you."
"No problem." She smiles then walks
away.