Angel Of Clinia

6. False Claim

It was a warm day, and much more silent than before. There was a painful silence in our home so I took tender steps out of my room to not wake anyone up. Leo had already left for his second day of work. It left me the job to make breakfast that morning. I still felt sickly, and didn't even know how to ever message Jenny again- when I had to look at that being left on read sign.

I sat down at the counter and just set my head down on my criss crossed arms. I looked to the side and just stared out the window, eyes filling with bitter tears. I quickly wiped them away when I heard footsteps. "Mar?" Mom called down from halfway up the stairs. "Yeah?" I say without any indication that I was crying. "What are you doing?" She asks. "I'm still tired, I'm just resting my head." I say, faking a yawn. "What do you want for breakfast, darling?" "Chicken and waffles." I say, looking up, but that was a mistake, because my eyes were red. "What's wrong honey?" She sets her arm on my back. "Jenny hasn't been as talkative with me, and I think Leo is acting strangely." I frown, my eyes welling up again. "I noticed that too, as for Jenny, that seems really quick for her to suddenly move on. Maybe we can plan a visit. Remember you have those new friends too." She comforts me, sitting down on the chair beside mine. "Sounds good. Thanks mom." I smile, looking up again, the final tears rolling down my flushed cheeks.

Mom makes breakfast, and gives it to me. I get halfway through my food when dad comes downstairs. "Smells good," he says while adjusting his glasses. "Chicken and waffles this morning." Mom hands him a plate. "Syrup?" I ask him, getting up to grab some. "Yes please." He says. I listen to the crackling of bacon being cooked. "Almost ready," mom flips the bacon on the other side. "Here you go," I hand the maple syrup to my dad. He pours some in each little square of the waffle. He finishes and hands it to me. I pour it all over. "Save some for me!" Mom looks over to see that the syrup is being used with reckless abandon.

Another happy breakfast, and after digesting our food a bit, we all take a family swim. We couldn't play chicken exactly, but I got on my mom's shoulders and fought with my dad, of whom was alone but somehow still winning.

"Oh, I have to go meet Ella and them." I say, running upstairs to get ready. "Have fun!" My parents yell as I go out the door. "Hey guys!" I smile, running over to them. "Oh hey, want to go to the e-book shop?" Ella asks. I nod.

I once again got my bike and rode off with them to the e-book store.

"Look at all these books," Jackie marvels over them, meaning the store was new, and they hadn't been before.

"I don't even like reading," Declan whines.

"I could read all of these in a week," Emara brags.

"This looks so cool," Ella cheers.

"What should we look at first?" I ask the group.

"Everything!" They yell in unison.

We all scatter to look at the books. I hear a snicker, and I feel something touch my pocket, but I don't look, I figure it's just my imagination.

We spend an hour looking at the books, and when we go to leave the store, the alarm system begins to beep. The group says "Mar! Why are you trying to steal?! That's not okay!" "What?" I ask, looking around me. "Hey kid, you are coming with me." A large security guard approaches me and grabs my arm. Ella comes up to me and whispers "I put it in your pocket." And they run off. "Hey! Get back here! I didn't try to steal, that girl put it in my pocket!" I struggle and yell. "Likely story, I've heard it all." The man sighs and drags me off to the phone. "Call your mother." He says. I pull my arm away from him, and dial the number. "Hello?" My mom answers. "This man has claimed I have stolen, but Ella put the e-book in my pocket! Tell him to check the cameras!" I say quickly before the man can take away the phone. "Excuse me miss, your daughter has attempted to steal from the shop, please come pick her up before I contact the police." He grumbles and hangs up the phone. "You wait here." He points to a bench.

My mom finally arrives, and is fuming, but not with me. She knows that I would never steal, let alone an e-book. "Check the cameras, sir, now."

He obliges, and checks the cameras, only to see Ella slipping the e-book into my pocket, as I was completely unaware.

"Apologies." He sends me off with my mom. She doesn't talk at all in the car.

"Those little brats." She finally speaks, but it is in a very angry tone, and was so forced out of her throat.

"You see them again, and you punch that Ella kid in the face before I do." She tells me, daggers in her eyes.

I had never seen mom so angry before. This was not going to be a good day, I could tell.

We got home, and I sat down on the couch, and mom has already starting venting to dad.

He joins in the anger party. They aren't arguing, but their agreement has the same energy.

All I could do was wait for Leo to get home to diffuse the tension.