Her Foxes

Chapter 5

For the next few weeks, I try to stay out of Mr Fox's way. Just dialling down the late appearances and the mistake spotting to not writing my notes and daydreaming. Even I have my breaking point. A.K.A no dinners and added chores and one sided shouting matches. But I still have detention.

It's better than being at home, I guess. Julian is unbearable - vandalising my locker, throwing stones at my head, pouring some slimy concoction on me and stealing my sports bag off the shelf above my locker. My weekends mainly consist of dusting and washing, and any other chore Mr Fox comes up with to keep me tired and suffering. Most of them are fine, but some days the door just happens to be locked and I have to spend the night outside after hanging the washing late, or a snake has somehow gotten inside the rubbish bin I have to clean.

Inessa and Beckett have noticed the eye bags, the fingers covered in sores and the smaller and smaller school lunches. They've tried to ask what's the deal, but I keep scraping them off my back and saying I'm fine. And I am. I'll get used to it. At least it hasn't come into Mr Fox's mind to hit me or something.

***

The cold April air swirls around me as I walk along the path with Inessa and Beckett. My hands are tucked into the pockets of my hoddie. Inessa is blabbing on about a recent French test and Beckett is riding ahead of us on his hoverboard. There's no one on the path and the multitude of trees on either side make me feel like we're the only humans alive. One with nature, surviving only on wits and luck. A band of friends that against all odds survive for years in the forest...

'There we go!' Inessa exclaims and Beckett turns around and is riding backwards with ease. 'I finally got a smile out of you! We haven't seen one of those in weeks, Ella.'

'Yeah, well...' I trail off, realising that my daydreams have taken over.

'Well what?' Beckett groans. 'What is up with you El? Got the winter blues already?'

'No!' I laugh and push away the arm he had draped over my shoulders a moment before. With this hoverboard, Beckett was at least a head and a half taller than me and Inessa.

'So you're gonna tell us what's up?' Inessa smiles.

I consider this. I could just lead my friends to my house, open the door with a bang and a taa-daa and let them look inside. They'd guess pretty quick. My house is what, half a kilometre from this very spot, just go to the end of the foresty-like bit and then up the path to the left and down a few streets and there you go. I could complain all I wanted to them then. It'd be like a weight off my aching shoulders for me to tell my best friends and for them share the burden that is the almighty Mr Fox.

But no matter how many times I start this conversation, I never finish it. And I guess today's not an exception.  Instead we walk in silence. We walk past the path that leads to somewhere near my house, and onto the little-used bridge. I peer into the murky water down below. I see a tiny reflection of myself - large blue eyes bordered with lack of sleep, a wreath of blonde fly away hairs and a mane of wild long hair tumbling down my shoulder. Nothing new. My reflection breaks when Beckett throws a stone into the river.  He hands me and Inessa a handful each and we spend the rest of the afternoon throwing them into the water. The ducks have long gone and the sand on the bottom has now made the water even murkier. It's the best time I've had in ages, just me and the two people I trust most.

But apparently not enough to tell them the worst thing in my life.

As the sun paints the river a golden yellow, we part ways, me walking up the path to the left, Beckett over the bridge and Inessa back the way we came. My watch says it's 5:18, and I should have been back home ages ago. I trudge up the road to my house, and see that the letter box is crooked. I'd ask Carter or Julian to fix it, but as they both say, 'Not my house, not my problem', I've given up months ago and just try to fix these things myself. Honestly, if I weren't looking out for the place those Foxes would have turned it into ruins. I roll my eyes when I turn the door knob. It's locked. I knock loudly and wait in the biting chill.

They usually lock me out. Don't know if it's to annoy me or because they're genuinely scared of thieves, but I'm willing to bet it's the first option. I'm ready to knock again when I hear loud footsteps behind me. I whirl around and see Inessa running towards me.

I instantly get a flashback to those times when she'd come over almost every day. When we'd play Barbies in prep, and do homework in year 6, and make a million friendship bracelets every school holiday. We'd make cookies and my mum would help us, and sometimes Inessa brough her dog over and he'd run around sniffing every corner of our house, then loll on our laps while we gave him belly pats. I smile at the thought. If only it could be like that now...

'Hey!' She puffs hard as she approaches. She looks me over. 'Were you locked out? Forgot your key?'

I panic. Why today, of all days, must they dawdle to open the door? On second thought, don't open it now. 'Uhh, something like that, yeah.' I say and smile.

'Doesn't sound good. Anyway, I forgot to ask you, can I borrow your maths text book? Mine got lost and the online version is glitching for some aggravating reason and I need to finish my homework.'

'Oh, yeah, sure. I'll just wait for someone to open it and then I'll go get it.' I fiddle with my fingers nervously.

I almost jump when I hear the lock turning. I don't even get a second to act when Julian opens the door. He's shirtless, showing his muscled torso, and his sweatpants are clearly too long for him.

'Ugh, Ella. Can't you just go in through a window or something?' He groans, not even looking at me.

'Yeah, yeah, sure.' I say and squeeze past him into my room. My heart is racing, and my fingers are shaking. I'm hit with a dizzy spell, and I'm sure adrenalin is the only thing coursing in my veins.

Why, why now must she find out, and like this...

I fish out my textbook and sprint to the door. Julian's gone but Inessa is staring into our house when I come back. It's definitely not what it used to be. The furniture is all dusty and the floor is littered with Julian's stuff. I remember how it looked a few years back. My mother insisted on cleaning the house every week, and my father would always make the garden look nice. Now it's as if the soul of the house is gone, and only me, a mere guardian of the home is left.

Inessa is staring at me with wide, conflicted eyes, opening and closing her mouth, and in my absence, I have no doubt, was staring at Julian. I cringe.

'Why is Julian Fox in your house?' She whispers.