The Upside Of Us

Part 17

*Jonah's POV*

"Can you quit that shit?" I mutter annoyed, putting my headphones in as I hide my face in the book I've been trying to read for the past 20 minutes.

"You're really picking a book over paying attention to me?" Kalen exasperates as he fakes tears, I roll my eyes. "I'm basically giving you my all, I'm giving Kurt Hummel in glee and you're so ungrateful."

Who? I ignore him. It seems like Kalen's whole purpose was to annoy the shit out of me today. I'm trying not to feed into it, he'd love that too much.

I see Xina throw her head back from the driver seat, a snickering laugh pouring out of her loudly.

She turns to face Kalen momentarily, "I love you I swear I do but it was giving more Fergie singing the national anthem." I can't help that my lips half lift to that, Kalen has been basically singing the whole ride claiming this new talent sprout over night and hasn't shut his mouth since.

Key point: there was no talent. Zero, nada, niente. I could say it in every language I knew and he still wouldn't shutup.

He huffs, "Mila would appreciate it," He says glum. "She'd even be my own personal groupie so fuck you guys."

I drop my eyes at that, staring numbly at the book in my hands suddenly weight less and uninteresting. Mila hadn't come to school today and weirdly enough the day hadn't gone quite as right as it usually did.

It was fine though, she had texted she had just slept in is all and she'd be back tomorrow.

I wouldn't lie but maybe just maybe I missed her pestering as much as I hated it because truthfully I never did.

Xina stops right outside a familiar white house, my house. The weight of the day finally lays on me and I find myself okay with being home.

I get out, I ruffle Xina's hair as she mutters curses at me as I leave before Kalen sticks his tongue out at me in goodbye. I flip him off smiling right before his face scrunches up and I turn not waiting to see what he thought of that.

I get the key from under the doormat and clasp the door open. From the lack of noise I think if I'm lucky enough I might just be left alone.

Though I've never really been lucky so why start now. 

"Jonah, how was school today love?" I hear Clara's soft voice like a sweet caress. I hate questions like these it's not like my answer will change much over a day.

I look at her, her warm brown eyes looking at me expectantly.

"Fine." I don't know how to talk you.

"That's good sweetie," Her hand mid air as if to touch my shoulder but retracts her hand in futile effort hoping I didn't notice but I did. "Are you hungry? I was just setting the table for dinner. Your dad and sister are almost here."

My skin starts to itch, I can't do all this. I grip my school bag closer for a bit of distraction.

"No. I ate at school." I say as I start to make my way up the stairs, I can hear her footsteps behind me as though to try to convince me to ... stay? Act like a family I don't feel deserving to be in?

"That's okay," I hear her let out a sigh. "Get some rest." My grip on my school bag gets tighter as her words loosen and there no longer audible along with her retreating footsteps.

I feel my muscles relax at that, no longer tense with anticipation of letting Clara down again with my constant no's and her hopeful smiled filled yeses.

I push my body against the door opening the door lazily, I walk tiredly to my bed and just plummet.

I'm met with unmade sheets and darkness.