Fragile Bones

Chapter Twenty

I decided that I had had enough of school and all the drama it seemed to bring me. It wouldn't kill me to take a day off, and just have some time to myself. After what happened yesterday, I really didn't want to face Spencer or Lindsay. Spencer for obvious reasons, and Lindsay because she would probably use what happened against me somehow. All in all, I just wanted to stay at home and watch tv all day. I felt really bad that I had gotten Asher suspended for a week; I wondered what he'd be doing to occupy his time during that. Well, whatever he decided to do, it was of no importance to me.

After Asher had dropped me off at home yesterday, the house was empty. My parents didn't end up getting back until quite late at night, and never said a word to me, even though I was still awake. To be honest, I hadn't slept much at all last night. I couldn't stop  thinking about what Spencer had almost done, and how Asher had defended me from him. Sure, Asher was technically the one that pushed me into that closet in the first place, but he didn't know how evil Spencer truly is.

Letting out a sigh, I pushed myself out of bed and padded over to the bathroom, pulling out my scale. The numbers brought me a little comfort, at least something in my life seemed to be going right. My diet was really the only thing I was in control of right now, everything else seemed to be spiraling. Although, Asher brought me comfort too.

I walked back out of the bathroom, sliding the scale underneath the sink like I always did. Since I didn't want to remain clothed in the pajamas I slept in all day, I changed into something cleaner, but equally as comfy. I slid on some plaid cotton shorts, and a grey t-shirt. I added some socks to the luxurious ensemble, and called it good enough. No one would be seeing me today, so it really didn't matter what I looked like. Running a brush through my hair resulted in more hairs falling out, and I made a mental note to buy a new brush later. A softer one, one that wasn't so damaging.

I hopped down the stairs to see an empty kitchen, the clock on the stove reading 12:57. I inspected the living room, which was also empty. This meant that both of my parent were at work, which was good news. At least I wouldn't be tackled with questions about why I was staying home from school. The last thing I wanted to do was tell them about Spencer, and also about how I've fainted twice now at school. I was slightly concerned that the nurse would call my parents, but I couldn't afford to have another thing plaguing my mind right now. I sat on one of the stools surrounding the island in the kitchen and lazily drummed my fingers on the countertop, chin propped up in my hand. Glancing at the apples sitting there made my stomach grumble, probably upset at the lack of nourishment it had been getting lately.

Don't worry, it'll all be worth it soon.

I turned away from the beckoning fruit, and decided to actually do something productive before my day of laze, and go get the mail. I slipped my feet into some vans and opened up the front door. The air was chilly, and my shorts weren't exactly helping keep me warm. I quickly jogged down the driveway to our mailbox, wanting to return to the warm comfort of my house as quickly as possible. Fate had something else in store for me though.

"Hi!" I heard a cheery voice yell. The woman who had moved in next to us was waving at me, and started walking down her front steps towards me, leaving the front door open behind her. I really didn't want to talk to her, especially in this freezing weather, but I mustered up a smile and waved back. "It's Madeline, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded in confirmation. "And your name was Emily? Er, Mrs. Hansen, I mean." I just wanted to slap myself, that must have sounded so impolite. I opened up the mailbox, and pulled out the few letters that were resting inside. Eyeing her front door, I debated whether or not I should mention it was wide open.

"Either way is fine. Aren't you cold out here?" She asked, looking at my bare legs and arms. Shifting my feet in discomfort, I looked at what she was wearing. A puffy jacket and what appeared to be workout leggings. An odd pairing, but definitely more suited for this weather than me. At the same time, I had only come out to get the mail. I would already be inside by now if she hadn't stopped me.