Celine
My phone dings with a message from my father at eight o'clock, when I'm comfortable in bed and watching a movie on my small TV across from my air mattress.
ADRIEN: Do you want to go get some of your school stuff tomorrow?
ME: Have too unpack the rest off my stuff.
ADRIEN: Oh, okay. Are you gonna go with your mum?
ME: Idk.
ADRIEN: If not would you like to go on Thursday instead? You still need your uniform.
ME: Whatevz. Probably won't go anyway.
ADRIEN: To school?
ME: Ya.
ADRIEN: Why wouldn't you be going to school?
ME: Got better things too do.
ADRIEN: You need to go to school, Celine.
ME: Noooope.
ADRIEN: You don't think you need an education?
ME: Not good at anything their anyways.
ADRIEN: The twins will be there tomorrow.
ME: Why???
ADRIEN: Because part of the court deal was that they spend time there with you and your mum too. They're excited. They can talk to you more about school.
I squint as I try to read the paragraph. I struggle when a bunch of words are clumped together.
ME: CBA reading that.
ADRIEN: Camilo and Léo will be there with you tomorrow.
ADRIEN: And you have to go to school.
ME: Mhmmmm let's see.
I turn my phone off before climbing off the air mattress. I walk downstairs, into the kitchen where my mother is drinking from a bottle of vodka. She slurs: "you need something?"
"Camilo and Léo are coming tomorrow. Did you know that?"
She sighs. "I forgot. They can sleep on the couches, we don't have any more air mattresses."
I nod, then turn away. I'm about to leave when she says my name.
"Yeah?"
"Come help me get to bed." She says, beckoning me over. I frown as I walk to her. She sets a skinny arm around my shoulders and leans some of her weight onto me. My eyes sting with tears as I begin to direct her to the stairs, and we slowly advance up them with much struggle.
Once we get to the top, I bring her to her bedroom—the only one that actually has a bed. I stay beside her until she collapses onto it, passed out within a matter of moments.
I sigh as I look down at her before returning to my own bedroom.
I open my phone, finding a text from Joey there.
JOEY: Hey.
ME: Hi.
JOEY: What're you doing?
ME: You're dad. [winking emoji]
YOU ARE READING
TRAPPED
Teen FictionCeline Monet has lived alone with her mother ever since she was five, when her parents got a divorce and only one won custody over her. But finally, eight years later, her father wins shared custody. After moving across the country and settling...
