The Difference Between You and Me

Chapter 10

Ammie thanked the lunch lady and went to sit at the far end. She had decided that for once she'd eat in the cafeteria and see what it was like. She was the only one at the table and she loved it.

Ammie looked around the cafeteria, munching on her fries. She noticed how everyone sat in their own little groups, it was like every student belonged somewhere. They walked around with labels that would classify them with a group of their kind, people who were like them and accepted themselves for who they were, separate and apart from everyone else. It was an interesting concept, like a society within a society. She observed how the students interacted with each other, and she couldn't help but smile at how happy they were; their laughs, it was almost infectious. Ammie like to see people happy, no matter how much she couldn't stand humans.

She noticed some girls occasionally glancing her way and ignored them. She knew they were judging her, but really didn't care. Ammie never cared what people thought of her, or what other's perception of her was because the only two people she woke up in the morning to please was herself and God.

Suddenly she felt a presence across from her. She averted her gaze to see a girl eating a bacon cheeseburger and glancing around the cafeteria. Ammie was beyond baffled at this, not only at the fact that this girl chose to sit at her table despite the few other empty ones around but that her lunch consisted of the same thing Ammie was having and her fashion style was like nothing she had ever seen. Ammie stared at the strange girl, the teal highlights in her dark hair, her septum piercing and the way her dark clothes contrasted to her extremely pale skin. It was a work of art.

"Dude, what's your problem?" the girl asked incredulously. Annie jumped and stared at her food. She must've caught her staring.

C'mon man, stop embarrassing yourself

"The name is Ammie, Ammie Brians," Ammie looked up, formally introducing herself

"Jade McCallister," the girl gave Ammie a nod and went back to eating her food and distracting herself by looking around and so did Ammie

"New here?" they both asked in unison then burst out laughing and a conversation ignited soon after.

---

Upon arrival from school Ammie went straight to the kitchen and began rummaging through the refrigerator. She found meat and cheese and decided to make a sandwich. While she ate, Jackson entered the kitchen, placed his backpack on the counter and went to the refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of water.

"What's up sport?" Ammie asked her little brother who looked very tired.

"I don't want to talk about it," he simply said and left the room

"Okay," She said to herself in a mocking sort of way

"Hey Cal, what do you want for dinner?" Annie asked as Calvin, who also seem to have just arrived from school, entered the kitchen. She wondered how come she didn't hear the school buses announcing their arrival.

"Where's mom?" he asked through gulps of water, ignoring her question.

"She must be working late today, as usual. So, what should I cook for you guys?"

"I don't care," Calvin replied leaving the kitchen.

Ammie furrowed her brows, half expecting Tristan to come in, get a water and be rude too. But he didn't, which was strange because the kitchen was the first place he always went after coming home from school to stuff his face. He probably went to his room instead which means he was not himself. She wondered what happened at their school why everyone seem to be in such a foul mood but didn't dwell much on it and decided to get started on dinner.

One hour later Ammie started serving dinner, which consisted of Lo Mein and sweet and sour chicken. After serving the last dish she placed it on the dining table, then poured some water in each of the four glasses and placed the container with the remaining water in the center.

"Jackson, Tristan, Calvin, dinner is ready!" Ammie sat at the table while she waited for her brothers to come downstairs so they could eat.

Ten minutes passed and she didn't see one of them. Ammie decided to go upstairs to see what the problem was. She first went to Jackson's room, he wasn't there. She then went to Tristan's room; he wasn't there either.

Weird, she thought to herself while walking to Calvin's room. When she opened his door, she heaved a sigh of relief. They were all there busily playing video games.

"Hey sis," Tristan glanced at her before focusing on the television screen again. Ammie went to stand in front of the television, knowing that is the only way she could get their attention.

"Hey, move!" they all yelled in unison, and despite their protests she went on to turn the tv set off.

"Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"No, what did you want?" Calvin asked rudely, annoyed that Ammie interrupted their game.

"Don't speak to me like that. And your dinner is downstairs getting cold, so I advise you three to get off your butts, wash your hands and get downstairs now," Ammie ordered.

She didn't have to say it twice because at the sound of food, Calvin, Tristan and Jackson rushed out the room.

"Don't start eating before you pray," Ammie shouted after them. She shook her head at their retreating bodies, turned off the video game set and clean up the mess they made.

---

Ammie laid on her bed and peered up at the ceiling wondering to herself what was so interesting about it. She would always read in books about how the characters gazed up at the ceiling of their room for hours. Her room door creaked open and in came her mother. She went back to staring at the ceiling and felt the bed sink. Frankly, she didn't want to be bothered.

"Your dad called," she heard her mother say barely audibly

"Oh my, and what does he want?" she asked coldly. Her attention remaining focused on the uninteresting ceiling.

"He just wanted to know, how you are doing. And he said, he'd like to be a part of your life if you'd let him"

Ammie let out a force laugh

"Listen, mom," she spoke up, finally looking at her mother as she sat up straight on the bed, "I don't want anything to do with that man, okay? He betrayed you and he betrayed me. I'll never forgive him for that, and I don't want to hear anything about him ever again," Ammie finished and laid back down, turning on her side so her back ended up facing her mother. She didn't wish to continue the conversation and didn't care for what her mother had to say further about the topic.

"But he's still your father," Katy said lowly, almost whispered. Ammie just stared outside the window until she heard her mother sigh and leave.