Four White Walls

Chapter 3

    I push open the giant  double doors leaving the school. Breathing in the crisp, fresh outside air. Its so much different than the stuffy air thats trapped in the school. I’m glad to be free from that prison. And today is special. Because today is friday, which means two whole days free from the torment of school. Even though I have nothing planned, its still nice to have a feeling of no responsibility.

I see my mom pull into the pick up lane and start to walk over when I hear somebody call my name. I turn around and see Daniel running over to me. “Hey! Wait up!” he yells. “We still good for tomorrow?”

“Whats tomorrow?” I ask, having no idea what he’s talking about.

“Remember? We were gonna hang out, maybe go see that new movie.Ive heard its supposed to be insane!” He says, looking really excited. Now that he says it, I remember making plans earlier this week. As long as I get to sleep in, anything is fine.

“Oh yeah! That sounds good. What time?” I always ask, so I know when to get ready, and because I have to give all the details to my mom.

“Um, I’ll have to check when the movie starts, but I’ll be at your house around six, that ok?”

“Yeah sounds good!” I say, and he runs off. I’m actually looking forward to this. A night in town, with no adults breathing down our necks. This opportunity doesn't occur often. So with a smile, I turn around and head towards the car.

I sit my bag in the backseat, and hop in the passenger’s side of the station wagon. “How was your day?” the usual question I get everyday.

“Good, nothing special.” The usual reply I give her everyday.

“Any homework?” she ask, pulling out of the school parking lot, and on to the the main road that leads to the highway. I nod my head, and give a slight groan. I have homework from two classes, not including the paper that I have to finish by Monday. Just thinking about it gives me a feeling of dread. “Well then you better get it done early, instead of waiting till sunday night.” she warns me. She’s right. If I wait till last minute then I just dont do it. But I push away the thought of school, and focus on the weekend.

                      ~-(+)-~

I throw my bookbag in the corner of my room, making sure it is far away from me, and kick off my shoes. I change out of my jeans, and exchange them for a pair of old shorts that I would never wear out in public. I go use the bathroom, and walk downstairs. As I’m walking into the kitchen, my sister comes through the front door, grinning. “What's up with you? Kiss your ‘boyfriend’?” i tease. She instantly goes from being an innocent child to a demon.

“NO! It’s none of your business, Flea-li!” She screams, stomping her foot. How could she possibly know about that?

“Excuse me? What did you just say?” I ask, my temper rising with every word. She should not know that word.

She starts to dance around the room, “Flea-li, Flea-li, Flea-li!”She sings.

Thats it. I will not have this follow me from school to home. I still don't understand how she knows that name. I run towards her, chasing her into the living room. She tries to hide behind the couch, but I start to climb over the couch when she darts up the stairs. I almost catch up to her when she slams her door in my face, locking it behind her.

    “Will you two stop?!” I hear my mother ask from downstairs. I guess the slamming door was just too much.

    Annie barely opens her door, “Eli started it!” she yells down to our mother.

    “Eli!” I hear my mother call. Great, thanks Annie. Now let me go and attempt to explain what happened. So I start my dissent downstairs. Annie is always doing stupid stuff like this. Blaming everything on me, even though she starts everything. But mother never sees that part. Annie the angel is always right.

    “I find her in the laundry room putting dirty clothes in the washing machine. She finishes the load, and pours in the detergent and fabric softener, then looks at me.

    “Could you not torment her for one day?” she says. Ive heard her say this a million times.

    “Mom, she keeps calling me names! She started it all!” I try to defend myself, but it looks like she won't listen to my reasoning. She start to fold clothes fresh out of the dryer, not paying attention to me anymore.

    “Just stop fighting, okay?” She asks. I nod my head, and go back up to my room. She never listens and she rarely defends me when Annie and me fight. I just get sick of it sometimes.

    I close the door behind me, and sit down at my desk. I open my laptop, and pull up the browser. I might as well work on the stupid paper. I plug my headphones, and start to play some music to drown out the world, and help me focus.

    Before I know it, Ive got two pages typed. I bob my head to the song and start to review what I have so far. What I got looks good, and I decide to take a break. So I take out my headphones, and lean back in my chair.

    “Dinners Ready!” I hear my mom yell from downstairs. I stand up, and close my laptop. I push open my door, and I see my sister standing across the hall in her door. “Its you.” I think. She looks away, and goes downstairs, me following. We walk into the kitchen to find meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Along with a few glasses, and three plates.

“Go ahead, Annie.” My mom says. She gets her food then me and mom get ours. We all make our way to the dining room. I sit down and we all eat in silence.

    Finally, Annie speaks, “Hey mom, can I go over to Sarah’s house tomorrow?” Sarah, Annie’s irritating little friend. She has the biggest crush on me for some odd reason.

    “No, sweety.” Mom replies.

    “What? Why!?” she almost yells. Im laughing in my head at her inconvenience.

“Because I got a note from your teacher. She says your grades are slipping.” Mom explains. Im still laughing hysterically in my mind.

“Thats not fair!” Annie says. Poor baby didn't get what she wanted. Boohoo. Then under her breath, she says “Dad would have let me go.” I stop

laughing. She knows better than to bring up Dad. Especially in front of Mom.

Our dad died in a car accident three years ago. He was on his way home one night, from his job as a security guard from the local prison. It was a foggy that night, and the guy who hit him was druck. He had a head on collision going around a curve. Everytime we go around that curve i think of him. Actually, he crosses my mind everyday, no matter where I am. Mom had the worst time. She didn't sleep for a week, and cried for hours at a time. So he isn't brought up often at our house.  

Mom pauses for a moment, and then resumes eating. For the rest of the meal we dont speak a word. We finish eating, and I wash dishes. By the time Im done, Its around 8 o'clock, and mom walks by. She gives me a hug and tells me goodnight. annie’s comment must have upset her, she never goes to bed this early. But I Tell her goodnight, and hug her back.

    As soon as she walks off, I begin to feel sleepy too. So I follow her upstairs, and go to my bedroom. I pull off my shorts,, and crawl under the covers. I turn on the TV and find a show that I like. One of the many paranormal shows that I love is now on the screen. I reach over and turn off my lamp, and let the light of the TV shine across the room.