Fighting Fire With Fire

-1-

I sighed, glaring at the blank pages before me. I had been intending to actually write a proper paper rather than just stupidly hold my pen but that wasn't the way things had decided to work out.

The paper that was supposed to have already been finished was for one of the many classes I was failing, aka English. Which was rather stupid, considering all we did was read a portion of a book and then write a paragraph and repeat.

The principal had very clearly stated that if I didn't start doing the work I could possibly be kicked out or made to get a tutor. Primarily a tutor due to the fact that he wasn't willing to give up the tuition that he got from my uncle.

I wrote my name before stuffing the paper back into my folder, that was clearly enough work for one day. I gathered the useless books that I had spread across the table in order to make it look like I was accomplishing something and shoved them onto the corner of the table. The librarian could deal with that herself.

I threw my bag over my shoulder, ignoring the mumbled complaints of the people around me as the heels of my boots made my presence known.

Annoying peasants.

~

"Uncle Paul!" I shouted as soon as I stepped through the door. I needed to know whether he was home or not so I could figure out my evening plans. If he was home, I wouldn't be; if he was out, I would invite a few friends.

Normally when he went out on a Friday he wouldn't make a reappearance until the next Monday.

I figured that he had a secret girlfriend but I could never confirm due to the fact that he refused to share that portion of his life with a rebellious teenager that would end up spreading it across the town like a wildfire. Uncle Paul was much too secretive to tell anything to me, seeing as I would just tell people to be obnoxious.

After waiting a couple minutes for his response, but getting none, I established the fact that he was indeed out. I pushed the second number on my speed dial and impatiently waiting for my favorite cousin's voice to answer.

"Sky! Baby! How is you doing?" I rolled my eyes as Chris's already drunken tone yelled out to me, judging by his outburst of giggles after he spoke it was surprising that he could even read the caller ID.

"Grammar. There is a special thing called grammar you idiot." I couldn't help but laugh along with him though.

"Uhm, rude as hell yo" I heard him inhale, probably from a death stick. "So what's up baby cuz? In need of mah services?"

"One: yes I need your so called 'services', two: learn how to speak properly and three: gather some friends and meet me at our uncle's house in thirty." I could tell that Chris was getting sobered up enough to do as he was told, I could just picture him nodding and sucking on his death stick.

"Of course baby cuz, I'll make sure not to invite the ones that broke the door last time." I laughed and simply hung up, knowing that he was gonna be coming around with the deed done.

Chris was my older cousin but the uncle I resided with wasn't his father. He was always up for a party, always up to getting wasted just to put on a show.

I put up some of the more valuable things, made sure the pantry was locked and that the cupboards were properly hooked before I headed upstairs.

Uncle Paul was rich, there was no denying that. He had a pool, a car collection, a massive boat, maids and workers. He had it all I suppose.

I had been raised by him from a young age, so living "his way" was the only way I knew. My parents hadn't wanted me, all those years ago, and Uncle Paul had refused to let them give me to the system. So he took me in, he raised me, he loved me; even with my rebellious ways he cared about me more than anyone else ever had. I was thankful for him.

Although that never stopped me from doing things my own way.
~

"Hey Sky?" I spun around to face a drunken guy that I didn't really recognize but apparently he knew me, not to brag but just like everyone else.

"Uh- yeah?" I watched him skeptically.

"Nice ass." He then proceeded to burst into hysterics, nearly falling to the floor with his booming laughter. I rolled my eyes but smiled at him.

It was about an hour into the party, the music was thumping and the air reeked of liquor. I found the chaos comforting, being surrounded by so many people was like being around family. With the addition of finally being able to block out my own thoughts. The only real difference was that you didn't know anyone properly.

"Skylar Marie!"

Nobody ever, ever, called me by my full name. Hell, no one even knew my middle name except for-

Crap.