Some People Change (Currently Editing)

Chapter Two

After watching my mother drive off, I went back upstairs to check on Joanne. She lay undisturbed and sound asleep in her bed. I leaned into her doorframe and smiled softly. Then I headed into my room and collapsed onto my bed, burying my face into my soft pillow.

I wanted to cry, but I knew that wouldn't get me anywhere. So, I just lay there and sighed. Today, life sucked. Tomorrow, life would suck. Life would always suck unless someone in my family was willing to make a change. And I had a feeling, if it were anybody, it would have to be me.

Joanne was too small. My mom was too consumed in her own world. Tom was uncaring and cruel. All that was left was me. If anyone was going to pull this family out of the ditch we were stuck in, it would have to be me.

I rolled onto my back and blew out a long, deep breath. I heard whimpering from the other room. Joanne wanted to come in with me.

Slowly, I raised myself out of bed and went into my little sister's room. She was sitting on her bed, arms outstretched. I laughed softly, and then I scooped her up and took her into my room.

In the morning, my mom still hadn't returned. Joanne was still asleep, and I let her rest while I went downstairs. The sight in the dining room scared me. Papers were strewn and tossed all over the place and my mom's wallet that had been there last night was gone. Tom had been here. He had probably stolen my mom's wallet for his own drugs. It made me sick to even think about him.

I cleaned up the papers and stacked them neatly on the table. Then the phone rang and I walked into the kitchen to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kayla." It was Billy.

"Hi, Billy."

"How are you?" His voice seemed more bitter than normal.

Billy was still probably mad about the previous night. He so wanted me to be as involved in the gang as he was, but I wasn't, and I doubted I ever would be.

"I'm sorry," I said softly.

"Would you stop that already! Look, I'm going to stop asking you to come join us. Now, I'm ordering you!"

"Billy, I can't! I'm not lying! I have to baby-sit Joanne!"

"No, you don't! You don't have to babysit your stupid little sister!"

I sucked in a long breath. I hated when Billy got like this.

"Yes, I do!" I replied, now angry. "My mom didn't come home last night and she's still not here. I can't just leave my little sister here alone!"

"Seven o'clock! Be there!" Billy shouted into the phone. Then he hung up.

I sunk down against the wall, too exhausted to do anything else. If only Billy could just understand! I had responsibilities! I had to take care of myself and my little sister! And I needed to track down my mom. I wouldn't let her get away with running away from her problems any longer.

For the next hour, I tried to find my mom. I called her cell about a hundred times, but she didn't answer. Then I called some of my mom's friends, and they said they hadn't seen her in over a week. I called Tom, but he hung up on me. I called my mom's boss, my aunt, anyone I could think of. It was like she had disappeared off the face of the Earth. I knew she had to be somewhere, but where? Oh, it didn't matter!

I wasn't going to leave Joanne, even if it meant my boyfriend was going to resent me for eternity. I wasn't going to let my little sister down. I just couldn't.

Suddenly, I heard a car screech into my driveway. I prayed it was my mom, but to my dismay it was Tom.

He came storming through the house, mumbling to himself. Then he noticed me, and it was like a spark of anger and hatred shot through him.