The Jesus of Suburbia

When I Come Around

The video loaded after twenty fucking minutes. I check it after two or three minutes.

Obviously no views yet.

I roll my eyes and go over to the mirror where I study my appearance.
I'm usually not very vain.
Not that I don't like the way I look. I dress and make myself look like this for a reason. The piercings and eyeliner aren't just to intimidate people though, believe it or not. It makes me feel... Invincible for a reason.
My differences seem to set me aside to such an extent that I can't be touched.

I move my bracelets around my left wrist to cover the puncture wounds from a few nights ago and grab my wallet. I'm being deprived of nicotine.
Quietly, I glance out into the hallway. Nobody is there, but I can hear Billie singing something by The Clash downstairs.
I retreat back into my room and look out the window.

There's a ledge right outside that I could probably walk across, then I could step onto the roof and get off at a low point.
Seemed easy enough.
I opened the window stuck a leg through tentatively where it rested on the ledge. No disasters yet.
After thirty seconds I'm completely out of the window and standing a long way from the ground.

If I jumped now, what would happen?

I shut the window and began to precariously walk along the edge to the roof section.
Soon, by some miracle, I was on the ground.
As we drove here I'd seen a 7 Eleven across the street. They had one of those outdated cigarette signs in the window and a some cheap looking things in the advertisements.
It was worth a shot.

A fake ID and a smoke later, I was headed back to the house. I'd shoved the cigarettes and lighter into my pocket.
If I smelled like smoke I didn't know, nor did I care. I could just shower when I got back inside. Getting inside might be a bit of a problem though...
The roof looked higher up from here then it did getting down.

Still, with some climbing up fences, I was able to get up to my window.
Just as I was pulling myself, I saw a sight that I didn't expect.
Adrienne was sitting on my bed with her hands in her lap, looking straight at me.
I cleared my throat and stepped inside, shutting the window.
"Uh, hello."

She looked down at her knees. It seemed like she was choosing her words very carefully. "Where were you?"

"Just sitting on the roof." I lie easily and swiftly. Apparently she saw right through it and gave me a look.
"That's not true."
Her gaze lingered across my appearance and I grew somewhat uncomfortable. My hands found safety in my pockets and I slouched my shoulders forward.

"You really shouldn't smoke." Adrienne continued, seemingly unfazed.

"I wasn't. Where'd you get that idea?" I ask nonchalantly, sniffing the air discretely.

"You smell like smoke."

She was right, but I was never wrong. My eyes widened and I grew indignant quickly. "I wasn't! I was sitting on the roof!"

At this point she looked tired of arguing and stood up, reaching an empty palm towards me.
"I want the cigarettes and the lighter."

I back up immediately and my back hits the closed window.
"What the hell?! You aren't my mom!"
My voice raises quickly to a yell which seems to take her aback.

She is quiet and backs up a step. If she was about to say something she didn't.
Without another word, Adrienne left the room. The door slammed shut and I didn't flinch. She deserved it.