ETHEREAL

CHAPTER 25

Surprisingly, two months pass of solely working and hanging out by myself, with my parents or Damien. I can't believe that it is already May. Sometimes, I would rather be alone than spend time with people, like Justin and Damien, that just want to use me for entertainment and/or money, especially when they are committed to misunderstanding me. Two days before the hearing, I text Damien, "are you still going with me to the hearing on Friday?" I never hear back from him.

On the day of, Stacy picks up Justin and myself at 7 AM. I'm so grateful that she has agreed to drive us to Salisbury, then subsequently the beach, as she also has some things to take care of at the university, prior to the start of the fall semester. My parents have banned me from using the Scion for any long trips lately, for some reason. We arrive thirty minutes early to the hearing, and I wait in anticipation. I feel so nervous, but also my nerves are somewhat calmed by my anger towards Damien. Why would he promise that he would go with me, when he knew that he wouldn't? Why does he treat me like this? I think about this in circles until it is time to enter the courtroom. I have on my best courtroom outfit - a ruffled black and white blouse and black pants with dark navy jeweled, velvet flats. Next to Justin's cutoff bermuda, destroyed shorts (actually mine) and tank top, we are quite a scene in the courtroom, but hopefully, the judge doesn't get annoyed.

"Skye Valdis, please stand and explain why you were going 77 in a 55," the female judge sternly dictates to me.

I gulp and my mouth feels dry. "I don't have an excuse, Your Honor... but given my previously clean record, I ask that you don't add any points to my license... please?" I sound pathetic and desperate. I don't want my car's insurance to go up, because of this. I hope that I sound respectful, rather than mocking.

The judge frowns and sifts through my file. She shuffles the papers, and I feel like this will determine whether or not my parents find out about that ill-fated trip. "Fine. You will have to pay the $145 in full, today, however. You have the money, correct?" She raises one eyebrow, and I feel a slight tone of judgment.

"Yes, Your Honor." I feel like Waka Flocka Flame, with how many times I have said that. Jesus Christ.

She appears to be placated, and she brusquely moves onto the next victim. I sit down, and feel an intense, immense amount of relief. Justin hisses, "You should've gotten points on your license, and you should've had to go to a driving course, and your parents should've found out about this. And gotten your insurance increased." I wonder why I even invited him on this trip two months ago.

I hand the $145, carefully counted out, to the clerk downstairs and she hands me a receipt. I have only $11 left. I give the $10 to Stacy. "I thought you were gonna have more money? This is barely enough for gas, Skye," she complains, and she is right. I feel incredibly guilty. "I promise I'll pay you back." My stomach grumbles. What can I eat for $1, tax included? "Well, I didn't bring any money, so who is gonna feed me?" Justin is unbelievable. I know that he has money, but he blows every cent on new clothes. Then, he still wears my clothes with the new shoes and other various additions. "Well, I guess, let's go to Sonic," I suggest.

I order a hot dog, which will be my sole meal for the day, and somehow, I'm handed a chocolate shake. I'm so dehydrated and thirsty. Anxiety does that to me. I already drank all of the water that I brought for this trip. I feel like I'm parched in a desolate desert, and God himself has granted me this gift. I'm closing my eyes and savoring the cold, sweating drink in my hand, and sucking on the straw, as the perfectly thick chocolate shake starts to come up... And it is violently snatched out of my hands to fall onto the floor. "What the FUCK, JUSTIN?!" He slapped the drink out of my mouth and once it hits the floor, he quickly picks it back up, and runs to hand it back to the employee. With a scathing venom that I didn't know, or refused to see, that he possesses, he spits out to me, "You didn't fucking pay for that fucking drink, Skye, and that employee will get in trouble, because of you. It's always your fucking fault." He slurps noisily on the chocolate shake. "But, she let me keep it for myself." I feel like screaming and crying at the same exact time. UGH. Why are 99% of my friends so shitty?!

My stomach grumbles, and I walk away to Burger King, to beg them for a free cup and tap water. I blink away the tears welling in my eyes, and I feel like I already have heat exhaustion. The heat feels oppressive, and the humidity feels like it is pressing down upon me, from all sides. I decide that I'm going to enjoy the rest of this beach trip, hunger and thirst be damned.

Once we are laying on the beach and I'm staring at the lapping waves, I update my Facebook status to read, "love laying on the beach listening to Lykke Li." Damien immediately texts me, "you're at the beach?!" I can't tell if he is especially vapid, or if his memory is shot from all of the drugs and alcohol that he regularly consumes. On the way home, I reply to him, "yeah, for that court date that you promised to go with me to." He texts back, "I never promised." Wow. He thinks that he can gaslight and manipulate me into being submissive and cluelessly ignorant. What a catch.