Virtual Attraction [COMPLETE]

21| Demon Children

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Most of my classes at Manhattan Dalton Prep were going well enough. Without Brooke, Payton and Khloe as distractions, I was able to pay attention while Mr. Maloney taught us about permutations in math class. It was amazing how much you could actually learn at school.

But on the days when I still had a chapter of Six Skinny Bitches to write, I was an unfocused mess in class. It was a wonder how I'd managed to test into Manhattan Dalton Prep with such a short attention span.

The only class I was actually enjoying was Mrs. Reggae's English class. The periods Adam and I spent working in the boiler room were still awkward, but since we were nearly done, I often spent the time working on my Fable story.

When I arrived in the apartment that day, Mom was sitting on the couch beside three children. I recognized each of them as my neighbors Ashley, Jade and Demetri. I'd only met them a couple of times before, mostly at the 6am condominium breakfast specials. But, in all the years of knowing them, I'd never seen their father. I could see why the mother; Evelyn Banc had been so exhausted that day in the elevator. Her children were tyrants.

Mom's shoulders were slouched into a defeated ball on the couch, but her body lifted up when she saw me. I forced my body into the apartment living room, despite every part of me wanting to turn around.

She had that look on her face—the one that meant she was about to ask for a big favor.

"Blaze," said Mom. "You're home!"

"Y-yep," I sighed, my stutter was in full force tonight. Today was going to be a nightmare.

"I need to run off for a couple of minutes," she started. "Can you watch the kids while I'm gone?"

"I guess..." Why did I always say yes to my mother? I mean, it's not like I actually had anything better to do. I'd already cancelled the date with Elliot, if it was even a date. But that didn't mean that I could allow her to use me whenever she saw fit. I could find something to do and leave her to clean up her own mess for once.

Where had she been these last few weeks? It had been my first month at Manhattan Dalton Prep and my mother was nowhere to be found. Sure she'd asked how my first day had gone once, but after that it'd been like she was a ghost, or some supernatural presence that only made itself known once a month.

Like a menstrual cycle—minus the consistency.

"Ugh, thank you so much honey!" she said.

Her face brightened and the sight filled me with a little bit of hope. It was futile, but I still hoped. Maybe being a better daughter—the perfect daughter—would help my mother love me like other mothers loved their children. Not in a see-you-once-a-year kind of thing, but an everyday, consistent kind of love that only a doting mother could give.

"Wait—" I said, stopping her before she walked out the door. "Why-y are they here?"

"Their Mom, Evelyn Banc asked me to babysit tonight," she explained. "And I said yes to be nice...But they're just...Anyway, I owe you big time!"

Why would she owe me when she was just going to be gone for a little while?

Before she had even completely shut the door, a loud scream pierced through the air. It was a terrible sound. One that only an angry little girl could make. "We have to do the rag doll ballet song!"