heaven, purgatory, hell.

Chapter 1

"I have to go Zella, I have an important job interview. And if you dont wanna be poor forever I suggest you quit pestering me and help me find my cardigan."

"But I just need to-"

"Finally! I hope I can still fit this thing." She said with excitement in her voice while her eyes said different. She held up the worn out cardigan with tension in her body and her mind thinking about anything other than the cardigan.

I can see it in her eyes. You know how you see a person staring at the ground for a long time without blinking? That's my mom now. I can see all the stress, sadness, confusion, and nervousness in her chocolate brown eyes that are surrounded by bags and wrinkles. I know better than to think that her eyes are worried because of this interview.

Its because of my dreams, she says they add more onto her stress. Dreams are nothing more than dreams, dreams cant kill you, so theres nothing to worry about. She says I should stop messing with her.

Well, maybe if she didn't believe in demons or whatever she wouldn't be so stressed, I wouldn't have a baby sitter, my dreams wouldn't bother her so much, and I'd be going to a counselor to get professional help.

"But this is serious! It's about those-" She turned to look at me and said what she always says-

"You'll grow out of it by your birthday." With an unconvincing smile, and argument, she turned away and walked into the bathroom.

"I still dont understand what you mean by that!" She's been saying this since October, and here it is nearly June. I don't dig too deep into it because I dont want to add more onto her stress. Sometimes she has break downs because everything becomes too much for her to handle. I sometimes wonder if she's paranoid or just crazy.

"Jonah's coming by in 10 minutes!" She yelled from the bathroom.

I rolled my eyes, "No duh, he always comes. I'm almost an adult, so why the hell do I still have a baby sitter?!"

"Watch your mouth young lady. And dont worry if you still have a baby sitter. The only thing you should be worrying about is having enough food on your plate, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head. Everything I do is for your safety and health, which includes you having a baby sitter. And technically he isnt your babysitter, because you've been friends before he even started 'babysitting' you," even though I couldn't see her I knew she was putting quotation marks around babysitting, "and he doesn't even do that, he's just here to make sure that-"

"No one will try to hurt you, there are some sick people in this world. Blah blah blah blah blah," I said imitating her voice, "Oh look, I'm Helena. and I make sure my 17 year old daughter still wears a helmet and knee pads while riding her bike. I also mash up her food and make sure she has on a clean diaper. Oh and I cant forget to call Jonah The Hyena, oh Jonah! What a saint! God bless his heart. He was sent striaght from G-"

"If you don't stop it right this instant!"

"I have a job you know, which means I have enough money to live on my own, I'm about to finish highschool, oh and my birthday is in June. So, I dont have to live with you any longer. I could actually leave any time I want, I know people that can get me an apartment right now." I said in the most nonchalant way.

She popped her head out of the bathroom door, looked at me with a "really" face, and popped it back in. "We can talk later, I really need to leave." I can hear it in her voice that she's fed up with me.

"You already work 2 jobs, you don't need another one." I said knowing very well we needed all the money we could get.

"You know 2 isn't enough to support us." She said walking out of the bathroom giving me a kiss on the cheek, and leaving the house without another word.