(I Just) Died In Your Arms ~ Stanley Uris

031

Julia's POV

"What the hell were you thinking?!" My aunt shouted loudly, so loudly that the walls could've caved in.

Any sane parent would be distraught if their kid don't turn up for a day and a half, but the thing is, I never had any of those. So when I stayed the night at the treehouse, I didn't expect my aunt to be so furious. I used to be able to walk in and out of the house without caring, but I guess now I have to.

"I fell asleep! I swear. You weren't home when I stopped by." I defended, but I didn't actually sleep. Not well at least.

"You're supposed to leave a note or something! I had no clue where you were for twenty four hours! Just because your parents didn't care doesn't mean I won't!" She pointed at me as I yelled, feeling myself get smaller and smaller. But it wasn't the way my dad made me feel. It was good.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, providing no more excuses. There wasn't a point, because Betty was still livid, and no excuses would fix that. In fact, it would probably make her angrier.

"Good. You're grounded. You have to learn that it isn't okay to come and go as you please."

"What?!" Her of all people should understand that having an actual parent wasn't a normal thing for me, and she still punished me like I had known better. "You can't do that!"

"Oh yes I can. Go to your room." She ordered,  pointing up the stairs. I stopped for a moment, deciding between complying or being complicated, and I chose the ladder.

"I will not." I spat, grabbing my walker from the counter and clutching it in my right hand. "I'm sorry that I made you worry, but I'm not going to sit on my hands like I knew any better. I don't deserve it."

Her eyes saddened, and she looked pitiful for me. I hated how no one ever looked at me the way they used to. They either give me sorrowful or accusing looks, but before they barely looked at me at all. I missed the way how life used to be. Borderline horrible but still had the friends who kept me standing. But where were they now?

"I'll be back. Is that better?" I slammed the door behind me, feeling regretful the moment I stepped outside. She was just trying to be a parent for me, and I was shutting her out. I wasn't letting her be a rightful guardian.

I was too stubborn to open up that door again and apologize, so I slipped the headphones over my head and cranked the volume all the way up. Snow was falling from the sky and clinging to my hair, snowflakes landing on the very tips of my eyelashes.

The first place I thought of to go to was the fence that separates Derry from the rest of the world. Just outside of it was this building built in the 1800's that was once used as a water mill and then a beaver slaughter house. It stood so tall, taller than it should be, because it also sitting on the belly of a rolling hill. I called it the Quiet Place because all you could hear up there was the chirping of birds in the distance. Today I wouldn't be climbing up the steep staircase to the top because the bottom of them would be covered in a layer of slick ice. Too bad though, I really enjoyed it up there.

I still wanted to enjoy the view of the white hills that had nothing on them but a thin slick road leading to the next town over. That town was just as small as Derry, and I never could remember it's name. It wasn't important though.

I skipped to the tune of Karma Chameleon, avoiding the asphalt because black ice formed in abundance in Derry's Roads. I tried to stay positive because I had been so sad the last couple of days, so instead of paying attention to everyone else I focused on keeping my head up high.  If I looked like I didn't give a fuck, maybe they would think I didn't.