Hollow Hatred

Chapter Two

I waved at him and gave him a small grin. Jasper Kane is the badass of Sallisaw. Like Seth, he started his adulthood off with small petty crimes. The difference was Seth was in Fort Smith, a big town were news travels by television, and Jasper is in Sallisaw, a small town were news travels in line at the deli. Jasper became the police stations worst nightmare, and a big pain in my rear end. On top of that, he's my step-brother. Well, he used to be. His father was my mothers third husband. Now she's working on divorcing her fourth. Like his dad, Jasper doesn't use his brain.

I watched him walk up to the counter and order his food. After shamelessly flirting with the cashier, he turned around and sat opposite of me. It's hard to describe Jasper. He likes to bleach his clothes, dye his hair, and put extra holes in his face. He has snake bites and two piercings on his left eyebrow. Today his hair is bright orange. The only thing that didn't change about Jasper was his sense of style. He always wore dark clothing, except whenever he bleaches them. I don't get that.

Living with Jasper was worse than living with Seth. Jasper doesn't pick up after himself, he has a new girlfriend that he brings home every week, he doesn't have his drivers license so he made me drive him everywhere. He's nineteen and counting, and he towers over me at 6'1. When I left home, we weren't on good terms. Jasper is one to hold grudges so it made me wonder - why was he talking to me?

"So," He said. "How's living with Seth?"

"It's good." I replied. Lie. "How's living with my mom?"

"It's a pain in the ass." I chuckled at his response. Yes, it is. "She tried to kick me out last week."

"And?" I said.

"And she failed."

"Good." I said. "Maybe it'll teach her a lesson about marrying stange men with who have strange children."

Jasper smiled at me. "Oh, shut up, you miss me."

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Oh, yes you do." He taunted.

"Maybe a little." I admitted.

He playfully kicked me shin under the table. "I knew it."

The cashier called out my order number, and I stood up.

"Aw, don't go." Jasper told me.

"Bye Jas."

I walked over to the counter, picked up two the three big bags, and hauled myself out of the building. As I was juggling the three bags, shifting them from one arm to another, I thought about my used-be-step-brother. Before I left, we had a huge argument, and he's the one who kicked me out! Of course, I didn't listen to him then but two days later I decided it was a great idea. I couldn't take his irresponsible ways, or my mothers whoring around, or my step-fathers flirting. I already take enough grief at school bcause of them, yet they annoy me at home too. So I left.

I was halfway to my house when I saw Mrs. Shepherd outside weeding her garden. She was a older woman with the body of a pencil. She was vegetarian and ate what grew from her garden. I'd taken a liking to her, and sometimes I worry about her health.

"Hi Mrs. Shepherd." I greeted.

She turned around to meet my eyes. "Oh, hi Ari." She tried not to grimace at the KFC bags on my arms.

"What'cha doin'? I asked her, trying to make conversation.

"Oh, just weeding the garden." She said with a shrug. "Hon, you know you have a some mail on your doorstep, right?"