TRAPPED

3

Celine

My father returns, alone, a couple minutes later. When he sits back down, he seems to be able to read the question in my eyes, and he answers it with a small, happy smile.

"Your mother is up in the guest room." He tells me. He glances down at my empty plate again. "Are you sure you don't want any food? You haven't eaten anything."

     "No thank you." I say quietly, even though my stomach aches with hunger. I haven't eaten at all today; that'd be a waste if I began now.

"Are you sure?" He questions.

I nod.

His expression seems to soften. "Alright." He says. "How about you go into the living room with some of your brothers?" He suggests.

He looks over at Camilo and Léo. The latter nods. "Sure." Léo says. "We'll go with her. We can watch a movie, if you want." He directs the last portion of his response to me.

I swallow the lump stuck in my throat. "Actually, I think I'd like to go to bed. If that's okay." I say nervously, hoping that I don't come across as rude.

"It's only eight." My father replies. He lets out a small breath. "But if you want to, then that's alright. Do you remember where your room is, or do you want me to show you again?"

     "No, I remember." I say quickly. I stand, and I notice people look at me again, but I don't return any of their gazes. "Thanks." I add, turning around before anyone has a chance to ask me any questions. Scarlett looks like she's about to, but I rush past her, then out of the doors.

     I let out a relieved sigh when they shut behind me. It's finally quiet again. I stand there for all of two seconds before I find my way back to the stairs, up them and down a hallway. I pause at the familiar door, opening it to reveal my bedroom here.

     I'm about to shut the door when someone catches it. A pale hand circles the edge, and my mother steps out from behind it. She doesn't look happy, though when has she ever?

     She crosses her arms over her chest. "Get your bag, we're leaving."

     I furrow my eyebrows. "But—"

     "Now, Celine. Or do you want to stay in this house? With these rude people?"

     I shake my head, frowning. I walk back over to my bed, grabbing my bag, but pause when I turn back around. Scarlett is standing there, but my mother has no idea.

     My brothers girlfriend clears her throat. My mother gasps as she turns around, surprised.

     Scarlett smiles. "Like you were told, no one cares what you do. But everyone cares if Celine goes with you. So if you want to leave that badly, then leave. But Celine is staying here."

     My mother scowls. "The hell she is."

"Are you forgetting that, according to the court-appointed schedule, she's supposed to stay here today anyway? Without you? You should be grateful that he wants to make her feel more comfortable, instead of dragging her into all this. Or would you rather her have to stay here the whole week, like planned, with people she doesn't even know?"

Scarlett's gaze travels to me, and I notice it soften. "Not that we don't want you here. We just understand that you're not going to feel comfortable around people you don't know as soon as you meet them. Not comfortable enough to stay here alone, anyway."

She doesn't wait for me to say anything before narrowing her eyes at my mother, though hers are already peered into a glare when my brothers girlfriend turns to her. But then another pair of footsteps sound from down the hall, advancing closer to us.