The Loony Garden (StemxStud)

14

(Soo I sorta wrote this the best way I could imagine based on when I drift off into space and me swimming underwater literally😂😂 👍🏽)

I woke up in my clothes from the day before upset that I would now have to clean my sheets.

I snatched the sheets off of the bed and anything else that was on it and stripped off my clothes, opening my window to allow sunlight in. I dropped everything in the laundry basket and my clothes in my dirty clothes hamper (das what I call it so das what we gon wit) and ignored my rumbling tummy. I stole an old gingerbread cookie wrapped in foil off of my dresser and started a bath.

I decided I would soak then shower and relax for a few hours since I had woken up early. I had a extremely vivid dream about sheets choking me that's why I had woken up. I always had odd lucid dreams like this. Any time I dreamed honestly. Matter of fact, I only started dreaming more about the time of maybe seventh or eighth grade but before that whenever I dreamed it was rare. I wonder if all I had been through had triggered that or if it had merely been school stress.....that had perhaps triggered more?

I fell into my tub and placed my head underwater. Unlike many others, I could think I was the best in the world but still not drown from not being humble. I admired that about myself. I brought my head up and closed my eyes so that soap wouldn't sting them and sucked in a breath as little water droplets travelled down my narrow throat. I kept my eyes shut and took in peaceful breaths. I would be a new person today.

I opened my eyes and heard ruffling from my bedroom.

I slowly rose from the wetness, naked as water only clothed me and peeled through the bathroom door to see D rifling through my things.

"D? May I help you with something?" I called out and she froze.

"I needed tampons," she blushed and turned around to expose a giant red mark across her bottoms and a large splotch on my carpet.

I stared at her coldly, my mind becoming distant.

What should I do about this? She's already ruining things here and it's hardly been a full day if you genuinely counted the hours.

"Clean that up," I told her my eyes still glazed then I forced myself refocus and give her a weak smile. I slid back into the bathroom and enjoyed the lukewarm water sliding across my frigid skin.

I met my sister in the kitchen. When I had gotten dressed I hadn't even bothered to look at the carpet. I knew she had cleaned it up. I just knew. She was in better clothing, but in mine. So of course it was better. I held my head as my mind seemed to plunge underwater. I couldn't breathe but my body calmed itself. I leaned against the island in my kitchen. I knew that much.

Why didn't she just scream at me from the bathroom? Oh, I said no loudness. But I also said no messing up what was already fine. And why did being around people always affect me like this? Especially her. My head emerged and I loosened the grip on my head. D stared at me, bewildered as if this was the first time she had seen me in such a state.

I took in a deep breath, oxygen filling my nostrils and lungs. She looked away and gave me a shaky smile, "I wish I could hold my breath that long." Me too. I was the worse swimmer in the world except in these episodes.

I smacked my hands into the counter too with a light thump and smiled at D. "Do you want breakfast here or at Starbucks?"

"Starbucks," D answered quietly.

D and I left the house in casual wear since I had an hour or two before scheduled time for me to even start getting ready. I pulled into the drive thru and ordered us a heavy breakfast and waited at the window after paying. D sat quietly in the passenger seat, quietly thrumming her fingers over the window part. "What jobs have you looked at?" I asked as easy conversation.

"It hasn't even been a-"

"Did I mention not to argue?" I asked sternly, then the woman handed me over the food.

D took in a visible breath besides me and I told her to hold our drinks in the cardboard container.

"Sorry, sister," she whispered.

"It's okay," I told her in a breezy tone, letting the hot bag reside on my lap.

"I'll help you look for jobs. Oh! I forgot, our brother got you a position at the place I work at."

Her hands fidgeted around the cups, seeming to slide down them with the combined water and her sweat. "But-But why?" She clamped her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean to ask a question. I'm sorry."

"It only really applies in the house but thank you for apologizing, D," I told her with a wry smile.

"Come with me to work today. And we'll also get you some clothes and things since I understand you have been living off of a sugar daddy."

"A sugar mommy," she whispered.

My mouth fell open and I braked at a yellow light as soon as it turned red. "Wait, for real?" I asked.

"It was only for the money, Laila," she whispered, playing with the cup again.

"Please don't do that, D," I told her as she fidgeted, "Fidgeting is a sign of nervousness and nervousness is a sign of weakness. You have to learn this type of stuff. You have our father's smarts but they're over clouded by your mothers stupidity."

"Sorry," D nearly sobbed, her chest contracting into a hiccup for air.

"Don't cry. That's weakness too," I told her coldly, and pulled into the driveway for my home.