Fixing Me ∞ Hood

Chapter 7 - Defensive

Jordan's P.O.V

I sat next to Maria at the Hood's kitchen table and Calum and Joy sat opposite us, Calum being directly opposite me, which makes it slightly awkward because he keeps staring at me.

"So, Jordan, tell us about yourself." Joy smiled at me.

"There's nothing to tell." I rolled my eyes.

"Jordan." Maria scowled.

I sighed. "Sorry. It's a knee-jerk reaction."

"That's fine." Joy said.

"No, it's not." Maria argued. "She needs to learn some manners and learn how to be polite. All these years she has been nothing but rude, selfish and so completely thoughtless and oblivious to everything anyone ever tries to do for her!"

"I'm sitting right here!" I threw my hands up.

"Well you need to hear this! You need to grow up and face reality." Maria yelled at me.

This whole situation is awkward enough without Maria yelling at me about personal things in front of total strangers.

"You think that I don't know reality? How about you live my life and then you'll see how hard reality hits me everyday!"

"You're 17, life isn't hard for you." She scoffed. "Stop acting like the world revolves around you. There is no reason in this world that can make up for you acting like a brat!"

"How am I a brat? I never ask you for anything! You don't know what happens behind closed doors, or open ones for a matter of fact because you never look closely enough at any of us to realise that we are the way we are because of how people treat us. You don't even know a tenth of what my life has been like!"

"Don't talk to me like that! I have done nothing but help you, and all you do is act ungrateful! Your life can not be that bad, but if it is, maybe you should just commit suicide then!"

I gasped involuntarily and my mouth dropped. That really hit a nerve because the sad thing is, I've already tried to end my life, multiple times, but someone has either saved me every time or I've been too scared to fully go through with it. Or it actually just hasn't worked.

I've never really liked Maria, but to say that I'm stunned by what she said is an understatement. I know that everyone judges me and always has insulting comments for me, but she just stepped over the line.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Calum raised his voice as he pushed himself out of his chair and leaned his hands against the table to lean forward.

"Excuse me?" Maria raised her eyebrows at him.

"You heard me," he snapped. "No one deserves to be treated like that! It doesn't matter who they are or what they've been through, you never know someone's story until you've lived in their shoes. Have you ever wondered that maybe Jordan hasn't told you anything about her life because you act like this? If it was me, I wouldn't even tell you what my freaking favourite colour is."

When he finished he drew in a long breath as he hadn't taken a breath for that whole rant. I stared at him for the first time with no guilt, I just stared. This stranger is defending me when I haven't even said a word to him.

His gaze flicked to mine and it stayed there, staring at me. For a second I thought it was kindness that I saw in his eyes, but really it was just sadness. It looks like he's looking at a pathetic child who isn't able to speak up for herself.

I don't need his sympathy, that's one of the main things I hate. Sympathy means that people feel sorry for you, and feeling sorry for someone means that you think they're weak. I am not weak.