The Darkness in her Eyes

7

Somehow in Bree's world of wars, she won the battle with my dad. I was to ride the bus home with her and leave my mom's car for her at home. As far as my dad was concerned, Bree needed emotional support and I would stay the night with her watching movies, under the watchful eye of my aunt and uncle. My mom knew, which means he might still find out. She had a habit of letting stuff roll out of her mouth; it was just in her nature.

I get through most of my classes with little thought. I notice Bella sitting on the bench for lunch. She waves me over as she casually tries to wipe something off her shirt.

"Hey Annie".

"Hey Bella" as I sit down and grab my books out of my backpack.

"Do I even want to know?" I ask, shaking my head, staring at her shirt.

"No, probably not", Bella says laughing.

"My cousin has got her hands into another mess".

"What did she do now,'' Said Bella as the rest of her milk spills over the bench.

"Apparently, I'm going with Andrew to homecoming".

She looks over and points at Andrew. I swatted her hand away, so he wouldn't realize she was pointing at him.

"He'll fit in with us".

I nod and eat some of my lunch. "Craig stopped at my house last week".

"The one you told me about?".

"Yeah, he wants me to give him another chance?".

"I don't think you should, but again I don't know him". Bella says as she glances at Everett.

"Everett is so dreamy, I wish he'd just notice me".

"That boy is annoying, during my Physics class he throws random scraps of paper at me, while I'm reading,". "Plus, you are only a freshman and he's a senior, he's even too old for me". I pan out.

"I can still dream, Annie,'' she says as she puts her hands on her chin and right into the spilled milk on the bench...

"Hey, I need you for a minute,'' Bree stares at Bella and rolls her eyes.

"I'll be back in a minute.

"So, are you ready for tonight, did you pack everything?".

"Yeah, I have all my stuff, stuffed into my locker. I have nothing to wear though".

I chew my fingernails, I'm not sure I can go through with this.

"Dude quit doing that". "My mom already got you something that I wore a couple years ago for something, you're set".

Bree smacks my hand away. "Has he said what time he is picking us up, Derrick will have to be picked up along the way". "Never mind, I'll go ask him".

She seems pushy today.

I watch her walk over to him and he looks at her with pure terror.

Me too Dude. Me Too.

I shake my head and go back to spend the rest of my lunch with Bella. She mostly focused the conversation on Everett's butt and the beanies he wears. I get through the rest of my classes in a blur. What if I mess this up? What about Craig? He seemed like he genuinely missed me.

I head to my locker and grab my overnight bag, which has been thoroughly searched by my father himself. He made sure that I wouldn't be a bad influence on my cousin today. What did he think I would book her to death?

"You ready, we have to go now to get on the bus.''

"Yeah, I think so,". "Bree, do you really think this is a good idea?".

I chew my lip and stare out the window.

"It will be fine, what had you so nervous, anyway?".

"Well, you remember the last dance, I tried to go to?".

"That will not happen, you dad doesn't even know to pull you out of there".

"And, Craig came by last week, he wants another chance".

"Stop, right there,". Bree puts her hand by my face. "Why am I just now hearing about this?".

"I don't know, we really have had little alone time and you know my dad randomly checks on our phone conversations".

"Okay, so give me the details". I ran over what happened last week. Bree shakes her head.

"I think you are the only one that touched his soul. That boy goes through so many girls, I have never seen him, come back to one of them".

"Maybe".

As I get to Bree's house, I realize how different I compare her world to mine. Occasionally, she would come over to my house and I would come to hers when my father was feeling generous.

Bree lived with her father and my uncle doted on her. He had a bit of a drinking problem, but he was an awesome uncle. His new wife was a hoarder that had about twenty cats. My dad had the largest respect for them, more so than the rest of my mother's family.

We settle into Bree's room and the smell just overpowers you, Aunt Lyn has forgotten to change the litter boxes. Uncle Joe has settled into the kitchen table reading a paper with a beer in his hand. Bree's younger brother, John, is in the living room playing a game.

My house was never the cleanest, because of my mother's condition. I did the best I could, but it was never as bad as the smell of those litter boxes.

I grab an ibuprofen from Bree's table and flick through a magazine she has.

"Do you remember when we went to the NSYNC concert, that was so much fun!" Bree says as she stares at her old and frayed poster. Bree was obsessed with Justin like most girls when we were younger.

"Okay, so mom has found these two dresses to try on".

I look at them and they are bright pink. I try to hide my embarrassment. I shrug to myself. Beggars can't be choosers.

I try on both dresses and Aunt Lyn and Bree like the second one. Aunt Lyn assures me that if my dad calls, I will be in the shower or helping Uncle Joe outside with some chores.

I hear my uncle chuckle. "Be nice if someone did some damn chores around here".