GUM

1

DELILAH DAY

"Hey! I'm Lilah. Delilah. Most people know me as Gum. The girl with fake teeth."  I huff, tearing my lined paper out of my notebook, screwing it into a ball and throwing it across the room and into the bin. I fiddle with my pen a little before another idea to pops into my head.

"My names Delilah Day, I was born with Anodontia, a condition where all of my teeth.. are missin-"  I screw up my next piece of paper, again, throwing it into the bin.

Another idea pops into my head.

I mess up.

I throw it into the bin.

Another idea.

and another,

and another.

I throw one last ball of paper over at the - now overflowing - bin with a huff, watching a few tumble down onto the floor. I stare up at the ceiling waiting for my brain to work before picking up my pen and beginning to write on my last sheet.

"Hi! My name is Delilah Day, you can call me Lilah. I'm 17, and I was born with a genetic disorder called Anodontia. It means that I have no teeth. Doctors are pretty unsure about what caused mine, but some others who have this condition have a known cause. I'm here today to talk a little more about-"

"Where's my chocolate bar." My sister Kas barges through my bedroom door.

"What!?"

"My chocolate bar. Hand it over." She says, holding her palm out right in front of my face.

"I don't have your chocolate.. I dont even like chocolate" I frown, standing up and closing my notebook with my unfinished speech inside. I awkwardly slip out from between my chair and Kas, hearing a light thud as I make my way over to the bedroom door to leave. I stop in my tracks.

"DELILAH!!" Kas screams as I turn to see her with her half eaten chocolate in her hand. It had slipped form my pocket. After taking one glace at her face (twisted in annoyance) I run, hearing her foot steps padding aggressively behind me. I sprint down the staircase and into the kitchen, grabbing my father and shoving him in front of me to shield me from my demon sister.

"Hey hey hey, what is going on!?" He exclaims.

"She ate my chocolate bar" Kas shouts.

"I ate half" I state.

"You stole it from the kitchen counter and-"

"Yeah well you shouldn't have left it lying around"

"I DIDNT LEAVE IT LYING AROUND"

"You did. Finders keepers. yo-"

"You know what.." My dad butts in to our argument. "look"

He takes out a tray of freshly baked cookies and slides them across the island counter.

"Cookies!" He grins. "I made 'em."

I roll my eyes, a sorrowed smile creeping up on my lips, Kas chuckling at our silly little dispute.

"Thanks dad" I smile, taking a cookie from the tray. As I attempt to put it in my mouth Kas snatches it from my hand and runs.

"KAZ!!"