She's A Hurricane

Chapter Thirty Seven

I fell back on the sofa feeling rather numb. The house was quiet now, but I imagined that upstairs Charlotte was still crying and whining incessantly. All I could hear though was the rhythmic ticking on the clock on the living room wall. And after a few minutes it was driving me completely insane.

I exhaled loudly and sat forward again. What was I going to do now? I couldn't exactly go and get the necklace back because the evil witch of the west had the check, but I also couldn't stay in here and be driven to insanity by the silence.

"I heard everything you know?" Lucas said casually entering the room and making me jump. I turned my head quickly, and saw the smugness painted across his face. For a twelve year old, he was very sly. I didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.

"Good for you" I mumbled glumly.

"You really fucked up..."

I should have been surprised by his use of language but I was sort of used to it by now. He said a lot of things you wouldn't expect a twelve year old to say.

"Don't you think I know that?" I retorted, glaring at him in annoyance. I didn't particularly want to talk about it with him, but he wasn't letting up.

"My mum never even wore that necklace though... She just kept it because it's the only thing she had of her grandma's"

"Is that meant to make me feel better?"

"No but maybe I don't want you to feel better... you did make my mum cry after all..." He said. I detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice though, which confused me. What kind of game was he playing?

"I'm joking..." He laughed, walking so that he was stood by the armchair opposite me. "I actually do like you Kat, you're cool"

"No I'm not..." I sighed, although I appreciated his compliment. I didn't want him looking up to me or anything. I had messed up already without corrupting a somewhat innocent kid.

It was strange that he was being so nice to me, because that didn't happen a lot, if ever. But I guess that's what little brothers are for.

"Yeah you are, a bit bitchy sometimes but still, you're alright"

This warranted the smallest smile from me. I knew he was only doing his best to cheer me up, although I'd absolutely no idea why. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as I first thought.

"Thanks..." I replied doubtfully, tilting my head in confusion.

"Okay, okay... I saw you snogging my brother outside behind the tree" he admitted.

My eyes widened in shock and I immediately felt embarrassed. I can't believe he had seen that. Why was he watching us anyway? What else did he know? Had he been spying on us the whole time? It was safe to say I was rendered totally speechless.

"So I guess I'm being nice to you because Jamie liked you so much and... I think he'll forgive you eventually."

"You think so?"

I can't believe I was receiving comfort from a kid but he seemed to know more than he let on, so I just went with it. Besides maybe he was right. If Jamie really did love me like he said he did, perhaps he would forgive me, in the end.

"Yeah sure" Lucas shrugged, before his attention was suddenly moved elsewhere. I heard the sound of deep footsteps coming down the stairs and I recognised them to be Greg's.

He entered the living room with a solemn expression etched across his stubbled face.

"Lucas, go look after your sister for me" he said. Lucas rolled his eyes begrudgingly,

"One day I'm gonna be old enough so you can't boss me around..."

He then gave me a subtle thumbs up and bounded loudly up the stairs. Even though I didn't want to admit it, I was starting to like Lucas. But then that's the effect this whole family seem to be having on me. I had been so determined to hate them in the beginning and yet I found myself liking them, despite the bitch wife from hell of course.

"Kat... We need to talk..."

Greg lowered himself down on the seat next to me, causing the sofa to dip down slightly. I somehow felt like I was in another therapy session. His face remaining dull and dreary and I knew this wasn't going to be good news.

"Now I don't want you to get angry but... I've called your mum"

I opened my mouth to speak but he quickly put his hand up to stop me, "She's coming here tomorrow."

My heart dropped into my stomach painfully and my blood ran cold,

"Y-you're sending me home?" I stuttered in disbelief. No this was wrong. He was supposed to be on my side. He wouldn't do this to me, would he?

"I think for now... It's for the best..."

"No, no you don't understand! She did this, she threatened me and-"

Greg shook his head firmly and cut me off , "Kat I wanted to help you, really I did, but I've got to put my family first and Charlotte is my family"

My heart continued to shatter into thousands of pieces. I had come to view Greg as a father figure and now I find out he only sees me as a problem child that needs to be fixed.

"T-then who puts me first?!" I cried, choking on my words yet making sure no tears came, "No one ever p-puts me first! Not my mum or my dad or my friends... Or you! I thought you cared about me!" I knew I was breaking, but crying wouldn't help the situation at all.

"I do care about you"

"Then why are you sending me away!? Why does everyone want to get rid of me as soon as I make one mistake?!"

"Kat... please calm down..."

"Calm down?! Don't tell me what to fucking do, we're not in therapy now Greg! I am allowed to make mistakes!"

"Yes and you have to live with the consequences of them!" He argued, anger growing in his face. I hated the way he was acting towards me. I suddenly felt so very alone. It was as if I was shrinking into a tiny speck of insignificance.

"I-I do! My whole life has been a fucking punishment! Everyone... Everyone who I have ever cared about has turned their back on me... And so I turned to smoking and partying and stealing to fill some kind of fucking hole, but you know what? It's still there! It's always there!" I screamed, finally ready to get all of this off my chest and he could do nothing but listen.

"You don't know what it's like... with your perfect house and your perfect family and your perfect life! You have it all! You're so fucking lucky and you don't even realise it! What have I got though? A hovel of a house, no dad, no friends, a mum who cares more about her job than me and now... A whole other family who fucking hate me, all because I didn't want to be pushed around... Well you know what? I'm done! I'm so done with all of you!"

I then headed towards the front door, slipping on the nearest pair of shoes and grabbing my jacket off the hook. I couldn't stay here for a moment longer. Even though Lucas had made me feel a tiny bit better, knowing Greg had called my mum to take me home sucked that all away.

A few months ago, I would have done pretty much anything to get my mum to collect me from this awful place, but now I didn't want that, or did I? I was so confused.

I yanked open the front door forcefully and felt the cold night air blow past my face. I shivered, before turning my head,

"You can all fuck off!" I shrieked loud enough so Charlotte would hear me from downstairs. I really hope she did. I hope she was up there crying her little eyes out. I wish I could do that too but I knew if I started now, I probably wouldn't stop.