Caught in the Middle [A Malcolm in the Middle Fanfic]

Chapter 9

This chapter is long overdue.

The warm sun rays begin to glimpse through the blinds directly onto my face. Ever since my parents woke me up, lectured me, then just left after my slight break down, I haven't been able to sleep. I've been sitting here on my floor making myself useful by gorilla gluing my gnomes back together.

I huff rubbing the drowsy haze from my green eyes angry at myself for thinking out loud. I've been trying not to think about what my parents are going to say about the boys across the street… they might actually go so far as to move. I shake my head, "nah that'd be crazy." Besides it's not like they can stop me from going to school with them. I decide it's not worth stressing over at the current moment. Although, I lift Cornelius up gently, letting the light flash across his ceramic face, he's the doctor of the family of gnomes I've acquired; smiling at my handy work with the glue, I set him down. Although I should be more concerned about who smashed by beloved gnome, the voice in my mind growls as I glare at the house across the street.

"I know it was you," I accuse in hushed tones, watching three boys scurry out the house and down the street. I feel downhearted when none of them look my way, very clever, "but not clever enough."

I jump up dashing to my closet finding a suitable outfit for the day. I throw on a jacket covering up my exposed skin and rush to my bathroom I scramble around, makeup brushes flying about burning myself on the curling iron. Getting ready for school or just mornings in general have always been a hassle for me, just like any normal person and especially days when I know it's gonna suck makes me dread getting on with it even more.

I leave my house without a word to my parents; they didn't seem to mind as I slip past them in the kitchen, "I don't need breakfast anyway." I whisper angrily to the cracked cement below my booted feet. The weather today is surprisingly chilly. Since I've only resided here for a few months, I'm not completely accustomed to weather fluxuations, me being from the far south states where the weather is pretty consistently warm. I've heard about how crazy the temperature can run up north but never like this. Late September and it's already getting cold. Isn't it supposed to stay warm for at least a few more weeks? I blow a breath out expecting to see a cloud in front of my face but there is nothing. I tuck my hands in my pockets after a cold breeze brushes against my exposed skin, I groan, I'm gonna hate this weather.

"At school… again." I mutter with sarcastic enthusiasm stepping up to my locker. I spin my combination in as quickly as possible, keeping an eye out for any one that may approach me. I'm definitely not in the mood to socialize, not with so much on my mind. Maybe I should leave, or call off? Mom probably won't go for that especially with my detention and car impounded. Parents usually aren't as relaxed and understanding when their child has been deemed a troublemaker recently. I sigh heavily pressing my forehead to the edge of my locker door, "Mm, I'm so exhausted." I moan tiredly.

Suddenly a rather boisterous voice brings me crashing down from my thoughts of escape when Trish comes bouncing up and pushing me away in what she calls 'playful teasing'. I hold back a growl that's building in my throat and shoot her a hard look of 'back the eff off'; she complies but doesn't completely turn away clearing her throat.

"So," She starts off timidly fully aware of my sour attitude, "How did it go telling your 'rents about the mess you got yourself into." I shoot her another glare making the short teen shut up on the spot but I feel my expression soften as her face turns a slight pink color and she nervously twiddles her thumbs near her chest as if her entire character transformed into some blushing, anxious child, not unlike the ones you see on those anime shows.

I give a reassuring pat on her shoulder, "Not as great as I had hoped, I made the mistake of leaving a note for them before I went to bed instead of waiting up. Not my best decision," I state as we head down the hall to my first period class.