Perfectly Wrong

Chapter 2

"Are you sure?" My father's voice came from the dining room where he and my mom were acquainted at.

"Ray, you spent all summer here. I can manage the kids. And besides, you can't call off work anymore." Mom's voice followed after.

I sat in the living room watching old re-runs of Drake and Josh. I purposely set the volume on low to eavesdrop the conversation my parents were having in the next room. I wouldn't call it eavesdropping considering they knew I was listening.

My fingers played with my dark hair as I stared off into the distance. My phone kept buzzing but I paid no attention to it. I knew it was a bunch of friends texting me about the first day of school tomorrow. Which I have been dreading ever since they let me out of the hospital. I was not excited to reunite with most of those who texted me. It wasn't me being cruel. I honestly hated the fact that I had befriended so many people during junior year because I wanted to keep it on the low this year. The second reason I dreaded the idea of going back to school was the guarantee of sympathetic faces politely giving their condolences to me.

Charlie's death wandered in my mind the whole summer. It hurt the most when it first slapped me in the face. Especially when I walked around the house and noticed the missing presence of my overprotective brother. Sometimes I walked into his room, expecting him to be there so I could annoy him. But instead, I walked into an empty room. His belongings still there, but the soul of the room wasn't, the emptiness creeping in.

However, whenever Ayla came over to check up on me, I felt better.

But I still couldn't get over the fact that she was handling the situation a lot better than I was. I can't imagine what she must've been through. Charlie and Ayla, everybody who knew their relationship knew that they were going to get married. You can just see it in their eyes. It wasn't the normal, 'the way they looked at each other' it was as if whenever they looked at each other, their eyes promised a future filled with everlasting love and success following a wholehearted laugh from both of them afterward.

Ayla helped me mourn over the death of my 21-year-old brother surprisingly well and for that, I will love her forever.

"Vanessa?" I looked at my mom who stood by the TV next to my dad, wine glass in both of their hands. I shook my head to rid off any wandering thoughts that clouded my head at the moment.

"Yes?" I scratched the back of my neck and pulled the blanket tighter to me. Maybe I should've worn pajama pants to bed but hey, booty shorts and an oversized t-shirt is the comfiest.

"You should get some rest, 1st day of school tomorrow." Mom smiled at me and gestured for me to head upstairs.

I sighed and pulled the blanket off of me and took it into my arms with my glass of water that was on the coffee table. Mom turned off the late-night run of Drake and Josh but I knew I would continue to watch it on my laptop once mom and dad fell asleep.

I thought I would have more freedom once I hit senior year but with my family situation, mom and dad treat me and Gavin like babies. Which I appreciate but sometimes it's a little much.

Approaching my parents, they embraced me with a goodnight's sleep.

I made it halfway up the stairs before I turned to look at the adults who stood at the bottom still talking about the current living situation.

"Dad?" Both their heads turned to me as I stopped their busy conversation.

"Yes, Nessa?"

"Will you be here tomorrow?" I hoped he would say yes. Seeing my parents together, well not really but you know what I mean, made me feel better. They finally knew how to behave around each other after the divorce.