Same Experiences

Chapter Three

Two years later

As I was staring at my face in the mirror, I felt repulsion. Acne was capturing every bit of skin it could find and on top of that, there were pimples when I got my periods. I tried to pop the one on my chin, but it didn't work.

I sighed in exasperation and went back to sit down on the bed. I took the hot water bag and kept it on my stomach again.

Ahh. Inner peace.

I picked up my headphones and connected them to the phone. Then I hit shuffle on my favorite playlist and sat back. I got my sketchbook and pencils out. If I wasn't going to school after eighth grade, I had to do something for a living after growing up. And I'd decided what that would be.

Even though at the start of the new year, Daniel and Marissa had sat me down to talk about my school, I rejected it. They already have three kids to take care of, I wasn't going to make things harder. They'd already done so much by taking me in and caring for me, I wasn't going to let them do more. Plus Luke's college would start next year. They need money for that.

So I said that I won't go to school, I'll just do something which will get me through life. I hope. They agreed and were kind of relieved. Good for them.

Lucy was pissed about it. She had been looking forward to school with me in there too, but I explained it to her. I don't know if she was still pissed but she was a little bit understanding at least.

I was fine with it, I was kinda happy to not have tons of homework on my head, but it does get boring at home without everyone.

Suddenly I heard the door open. My brain immediately shut down and I slowly tiptoed out of bed to the door and pressed my ear to it to listen. I heard footsteps and I panicked even more. I looked around for a weapon and the only thing I could think of was breaking the bookshelf down and making a stake.

"That's fucking fiction, Georgina. This is a human," I muttered to myself.

My eyes finally stopped on a hardcover book. I took it out slowly. "Sorry Luce, but I can't find anything else in here," I muttered.

I tiptoed out of the room and came out into the hall just to hear movement in the kitchen.

I took quick steps and burst into the kitchen with the book raised to throw it at whoever it was.

Brent looked up from the fridge with confusion. When he saw the book in my hands he snorted. "Were you gonna throw a book at me?"

I pouted in annoyance. "Hardcovers hurt. Especially the corners. If I did throw it, you probably would get hurt. And if I'd thrown it at your face or your eyes, it would've brought me time to get something that's more of a weapon. Like a knife. What are you doing here by the way?"

"I didn't feel good, so Dad dropped me home," he said. I tilted my head to the side and looked at him.

"Ok I don't know if it's just me, but you kinda look fine to me," I said. Brent closed the door, biting down on an apple. He shrugged and said, "I don't feel good."

He went out to sit on the couch. I sat beside him and said, "What's wrong?"

He sighed. "Only Linda knows this. Promise you won't tell anyone."

I made a motion of zipping my mouth, putting a lock on it and throwing the key away.

"I might be gay. Might," he said. My mouth formed the shape of a circle. "Oh. Is that good or bad? Like, for you? I mean, how do you feel about that?"

"I don't know right now. I'm just mostly confused right now. I think I'm fine with it either way, but it's people I'm worried about." He said, not meeting my eyes.