Calm Before The Storm (A River's Edge Fanfic)

Like Always

The guys left at eleven at night, which got me nine hours of sleep. Before I went to bed, I did spray as much air freshener as possible to get rid of the pot smell to where the can was almost half empty. 

I woke up and got my chores done, we got a cat so I got a litterbox to clean out, it was in the living room so I could pretend the cat did a crap without burying it in litter so my mom and Brad could believe I used half a can of air freshener to get rid of the smell. I got my cat Cheetah when I was little, I call her Cheetah or Chee Chee because she's a Bengal. I do my own laundry. It's the least I can do to help out but when it's forced on me, especially by Brad, I'm less than happy! You know what? I'd rather live with my dad, my real dad, he was the absolute best man. Ever since Mom got full custody of me, she never let me see him, bad mouths him to my face. I don't know why they got a divorce but Dad's not a terrible person, she acts like he is to me. I never thought of my mom the same after the custody thing. 

I did my chores before sitting in the living room reading a detective novel, I like solving puzzles, playing Clue, the movie Clue is a favorite. I was thinking of becoming a detective or something like that. Mom and Brad walked in the house.

"Morning Skylar," Mom said.

"Morning."

Both of them looked at me like I did something wrong, as always.

"Skylar, aren't you going to say good morning to your new daddy?"

"Good morning Brad."

"Brad? No...Dad," Brad said.

"You will call him your father from now on."

"The only father I got is my real-"

"Your real one's worthless, he was a waste of my life, he's a waste on yours. Brad is your father now."

"Whatever."

She nodded and went to the kitchen, Brad started sniffing.

"The hell's that strong smell?"

"Air freshener, Cheetah took a crap without burying it, didn't want it to smell like poo."

"I'm gonna kill that cat one of these days."

Brad walked to the kitchen.

"Don't you fucking dare," I mumbled.

They didn't hear me though.

"Skylar, come here," Mom said.

I'm in trouble like always, I walked to her.

"What's wrong Mom?" I asked innocently.

"You didn't get the corners of the kitchen counter, so you get an extra chore. Remember what we talked about, every missed spot you get an extra chore for?"

"Yeah but what if I make another mistake which is ok to make, and there's no chores left to do?"

"Don't be smart!"

"I'm just asking you a question."

"You're the child, you do as I say, no questions asked."

"Yes em'."

"Good. Wipe the counters again, I want them spotless."

I started wiping the counters.

"Honey, you know the cat shit and the freshener smells like marijuana together?" Brad asked Mom chuckling.

"How do you know what pot smells like?"

"Don't question me, do as we say not as we do."

Well guess who's cat got out of the bag? Brad the former pothead.