Epiphany

Chapter 2~Don't Go

"Alyssa, what are you still doing here?"

I lifted my head from the cereal bowl to meet my mother's dark circled eyes. I frowned; her eye bags were more visible than ever. She was barely taking care of herself these days. Long hair was now frizzy and tied in a messy bun; lips were chapped from chewing on them relentlessly; and eyeballs were tinged with red.

My father's absence was most likely to blame.

Despite her tiredness, she chuckled a little, speaking with a roughness in her smooth voice, "And who eats cereal in the early evening?"

I grinned, and milk streamed from between my teeth, staining my chin.

"Why aren't you outside with Luke and Julia? You told me last week you'll be going to the festival with them."

I wiped my chin with my sleeve and muttered, "I said so?"

To be honest, I just wanted to spend some time with my mother. Ever since school started, we haven't done anything fun together. The spirit of the house was dying, and it would be my fault if I let it.

So I decided to take my mother instead.

"Mama, why don—"

"Come on. Get outside, Alyssa. You've been caged up in your room for the past few weeks, working your fingers to the bone to earn this scholarship. It's only fair to relax a bit."

I nodded, and quickly said, "Why don't we do something today, huh?"

Her brows lifted a bit and before she could respond, the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be?" she asked herself in a mutter as she crossed the kitchen and went over to open the door.

"Good evening, Lisa," someone said as the front door opened. It was soon closed, and you couldn't help but laugh as you saw the person walking toward the kitchen.

He always entered a space as if he owned it and everyone was mere guests. You never knew whether he was feigning his confidence or if it was natural. It worked in either case.

It also covered up the way he looked—or what he wore. Without his confident demeanor, one might mistake him for a homeless adolescent who is afraid to talk to people. But when he held his chin high in the air, squared his shoulders, and buried his hands in his hoodie pockets, he gave the impression that people were afraid to talk to him.

To look decent, he should just wash both his dirty-looking jeans and his dark hair, which was sticking out of his hoodie like he hadn't washed it in a week.

"Well, well, well, the infamous Luke making his way to my kitchen? Oh god, what a pleasure." You smile.

"The pleasure is all mine, fellow peasant." He nodded my way.

I took it back. We were not guests at his home, but rather peasants.

"Now tell me." I looked him in the eyes. "What were you thinking skipping school like that without my permission?"

He finally broke character and grinned. "I had stuff to do."

I frowned. "This answer isn't satisfying."

"It doesn't have to. Anyways..."

I knew where that was going. He was about to tell me about the festival.

"Congratulations on the scholarship!" He surprised me by raising both arms in the air, and his eyes squinted as he put on the biggest grin I'd ever seen.

He then chuckled. It sounded like a nervous one. "Don't kill me though... I—"

The bell chimed into my ears. Again.

When my mother went to the door, an unexpected visitor entered, her high heels clicking on the wooden floor.

My jaw almost dropped as I saw Julia, all dressed up, approaching us. She froze in place, staring at both of us, but mostly at me, with a puzzled expression on her face.

"What're you doing? Where's your clothes? Why aren't you ready?" she bombarded me with questions that I myself couldn't answer. "We need to get there quickly before all the free food runs out."

"Julia, you can go and I'll follow suit."

She sent daggers at me, narrowing her eyes. "What does follow suit mean? I thought we were going together. You promised me last week."

"Okay... Imma go now..." Luke pushed his chair backwards and just before he could make his way past Julia, she stopped him.

"Wait," she said, lifting an arm in front of him like a barrier. "Help me get her out of the house."

"If she doesn't want to go, then she doesn't have to go. Simple, eh?" Luke said, a grim expression crossing his face. He always wore that same expression around Julia, as if it were the only way to get her to listen.

"Luke, where you going?" I called out, pushing my chair a bit backward. I assumed he'd want to drag me to the festival like her.

"About the festival..."

"Yeah?" I arched a brow.

"I'm not going."

Now that was odd.

"Why?"

He buried his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Kinda busy with schoolwork."

Schoolwork? Homework, he meant? We hadn't received any of those these past few days.

Okay... perhaps we did. But it should have taken no more than twenty minutes for the stupidest kid to finish.

"Why'd you come then?"

"To congratulate you. You worked extra hard after all."

I hummed in consideration. I needed that.

"We can all hang out later then?" It seemed like a question, but he didn't wait for an answer. "See ya later."

He started strolling out of the room but stopped in his tracks when Julia spoke again.

"God..." Julia scoffed, "Since when did you all get so boring."

Luke gazed at her—more of a glare, and just stood there.

I bit my lip upon noticing Julia's eyes wavering.

"What?" she breathed out, knitting her brows.

"Nothing."

She crossed her arms across her chest.

"See y'all." He sent us a wave before vanishing out of our sight, probably to avoid having another argument with the girl, like they usually do. It was always fun to watch them argue. Sometimes though. Other times it just gets super annoying.

When the front door was shut, annoyance slashed across my face.

For two reasons.

One for leaving me behind and the other for taking me with her.

Let's just hope we'll have fun. 

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I think y'all still have time to vote before hell could get the chance to break loose :)