Chapter 5
“What took you so long?” Fay complained as I walked over to her. “Mummy said you were supposed to pick me up at five, it’s now ten past.”
“I... errm... got distracted with some homework.” I replied.
We walked back down the same streets I had walked down on the way to collect her, all of time she was babbling on about school but I wasn’t listening to any of it. I couldn’t focus. All I could think of was the feeling that I had experienced when I cut myself.
As we approached home, I unlocked the door and we both stepped inside. I closed it again behind us.
“I’m going upstairs to play in my room.” Fay stated.
“Alright, just don’t come anywhere near my room. I have some things to do.” I murmured in reply.
I slipped into my bedroom and took off my black jumper, sitting on my bed in only my skinnies and a bra. I looked down at my arm where I had cut into it less than an hour ago. I shuddered. Why the hell did I do that to myself? It looked such a mess. I put on a clean, long sleeved shirt and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I took off my skinny jeans and started to clean up the dried blood on my legs.
When I was convinced that my legs looked clean again, I replaced my skinny jeans and went back to my room. I felt like shit. I sat down on my bed and pulled up my sleeve a little. I couldn’t believe I had done that to myself. The cuts stood out bright red against my pale skin. Shrinking down into my duvet I let out a quiet sob.
**
I was unhappily woken by a shout from downstairs.
“I’m home!”
“Shit!” I whispered under my breath and pulled down my sleeve.
As I got up I heard Fay slam her bedroom door in a rush to greet Cam. I didn’t hurry; I took my time in my half awake trace, easing my way down the stairs. Cam stood in the hall waiting for me to greet her.
“Good evening Ingrid.” She snapped in a tone that showed she really didn’t mean what she had just said.
“Cam”, I acknowledged as I turned the corner and headed for the kitchen.
I didn’t say anymore to her as I got myself a drink and went back to my room. She was always this unsociable to me; she never asked if I’d had a good day because the truth is, she didn’t care. She’d talk to Fay for hours about what her day had been like but she never bothered with me. I was just another human to her, there was no relation.
“Dinner’s on the table.” Cam called up to me a good half hour later.
I trudged down the stairs once more and into the dining room to meet her unimpressed gaze as I took a seat at the small wooden table.
“I hear you were late picking Fay up.” She said with a hint of disappointment in her tone. “Anything could have happened to her while she was waiting for you.”
“I told her already I got distracted doing homework.” I answered.
“That’s no excuse!” Fay started, butting into our conversation.
“Well it’s nice to speak to you to.” I said sarcastically. “Now keep out of our conversation.”
“I’m guessing you didn’t have a very good day at school. You’re always like this when you’ve had a bad day.” Fay pulled a face trying to impersonate me.
“Actually today was pretty shit, thanks for asking.” I snapped.
I couldn’t put up with being at the table with them for any longer. They were driving me crazy. I didn’t feel hungry anyway so I simply got up and left. Fay started to protest but much to my surprise Cam told her to leave me to it. I went back to my room once more.
