Delicate ✔

Chapter Two

  Lunch is awkward. Dinner is going to be even more awkward because dad will be here too. I roll a meatball around on my plate, not really finding my appetite.

"Well," my mother says. "Today was very different,but tomorrow we should be back on schedule."

"Schedule?," Justin remarks.

"Yes," she exclaims. "Lily will go to school, I need to have Ella enroll you tomorrow, and Jeff and I will be at work," she explains. "Ella, can you go enroll him tomorrow for me if you and Aubrey get the time?"

"Of course," Ella says before taking a sip of her water.

"Aubrey doesn't go to school?," Justin murmurs.

Lily smirks. "No, Ella is also Aubrey's private tutor."

"Why is that?"

I glare at her from across the table. "Shut up."

"Aubrey has this condition--"

"What did I just get finished telling you a few minutes ago?," I ask her, my eyes widening in disbelief.

She knows mom doesn't like bringing it up. She cries every time I even get a razor burn. Jeez.

"That's enough, Lily," My mother clears her throat.

Justin looks confused. His brown gaze turns to me. He gives me a you're-going-to-tell-me-later look. But what do I know about people? The only person I've met that isn't family is Ella and my best friend, Sarah. I'm probably reading too much into his stare.I do know that is stare is intimidating... very intimidating.

Lily sighs. "He'll figure it out eventually. Aren't we suppose to treat him like family?"

My mom flat out ignores her, and nonchalantly takes a drink of water. The awkwardness in the room is about to kill me and I've lost my appetite. I want to hide up in my room... my wonderful room, and listen to some calming music, yes, and maybe drink a glass of iced tea.

"Excuse me," I manage to say while pushing away from the table.

I exit the kitchen after placing my plate in the sink. I bound up the stairs and frown at my door. I had forgotten that my mother had my dad take the lock from my door because of last week's incident. I had spilt hot coffee on my leg. I didn't really feel the pain of the burn, but my mom was freaking out when she found out.My door had been locked, until I opened it to let her in. The burn didn't look that bad though.

I guess I'll have my tea when everyone is out of the kitchen, or maybe later tonight after dinner. I'll take a shower then. She hasn't removed the lock from the bathroom down the hall. The worst that has every happened to me in the bathroom, was when I fell when I was fifteen. I had broke my ankle. I suppose it's a good thing I didn't feel the pain, but what if I hadn't noticed the bruises and didn't ask dad about it?

The pressure of the water feels good against my skin. I can't really feel temperatures, so my mom told me to never let knob that controls temperature to stray to far from the middle. I cautiously climb out of the shower and dab myself dry with my blue towel. I run the towel over my head and threw my brunette hair. When I'm dry, I wrap my towel around me. I reach for my toothbrush and toothpaste. I peer at myself in the mirror while scrubbing my teeth. Blue eyes look back at me. I rinse out my mouth, and then exit the bathroom; my towel around me.

I look down the stairs when I pass them.It sounds like everyone is still in the kitchen. I turn down the hall right in front of the staircase. Just as I turn my head,I feel my nose hit against skin. I step back in bewilderment. Lily is not that tall, or muscular. I clutch my towel around me as I frown up at the stranger in my house.