The Runaway

15:// Pot Brownies

"So... Bisexual?" Adeline asks me, standing in my doorway.

"Yep." I answer.

"How old were you... You know, when you lost your v-card?" She asks.

"14, 15?"

"To who?"

"Ashton." I reply. Her eyes widen in disbelief. "Yeah, he didn't know either. I played it off as some chick from his school. It was his first high school party and I happened to be there and he happened to be very drunk. He's very smooth with hit-ons when he's drunk." I tell her, smiling slightly, easily answering the questions of my homework.

"Damn." She laughs slightly. "Can I come in?" She asks gently. I nod twice. She sits on my bed. "I'm sorry." She says.

"For what?" I ask.

"For being such a bitch, for being so blind and not questioning it more when you had a swollen cheek. I'm sorry it took us all you leaving to realize you're such a great fucking person. I'm sorry." She cries, tears streaming down her eyes.

I grab onto her and pull her to me, hugging her because I couldn't stand the sight of her crying.

"It's okay, sis. It's okay."

"Except it really isn't! God, and now you have - no offense - so many emotional issues to deal with and its our fault because we were such a shitty family to you and you deserve so much better than what we could ever give you." She says in a rushed voice. She pulls away, wiping her eyes. I shut the door and walk to my dresser.

"Don't tell mom and dad." I say strictly, and pull out a bottle of whiskey. I grab my favorite glass out of there and pour it. I put the bottle away and sit down with my glass on the shiny wooden floor.

"I find it weird that when we were bad, you were good. And now that we're good, you're bad." She says.

"You were never truly bad. You didn't honestly do that much illegal stuff. You guys only drank and smoked like twice. For like three months. You guys didn't actually enjoy it." I state.

"And you do?" She asks. A sinister smile takes over my face.

"That's what I've been trying to say. I like the way I am. I'm not going to change back to the person I was before. I think that being bad is it for me. I love it, A. I love drinking, smoking, and not having anything serious. Having a job and being independent. It was great." I tell her.

"Weren't you lonely though?"

"I was never alone. Not for long. I can't take being alone, I had to be with people."

"That's weird, you were introverted before you left." She says. I shake my head.

"No I wasn't. I was forced into being like that because you and Genevieve made everyone think I was a loser. Mom and Dad didn't pay attention to me. I don't look like you and Gen, I'm just kind of the outcast. But, that's okay. This is who I'm meant to be, and I've accepted that." I tell her honestly. Her eyes well up with tears. She looks down at her lap.

"You've always deserved better than us. I knew that. I used to think about how perfect you were, and how you should have been given a nice family. Not us." She says. I nod once, looking away for a moment before refilling my glass.

The door opens, and she turns her head towards it.

"What the fuck, why are you letting her drink?" Ashton asks Adeline. They both look over to me as I stare up at the cieling. I wipe away a tear really quick.

"Um.. thank you, A. I needed to hear that." I say, giving her a brief fake half smile for a moment, before it disappears again. I finish my glass and put everything away.