School Bus [m. clifford]

12

Laura and Michael didn't talk on the bus ride home from school.

She got off the bus and headed home, and she sighed when she saw her stepdad's car in the driveway.

Kevin was the worst, in her opinion. He was constantly trying to act like her father, which he isn't. He's rude, and she just doesn't like him.

When she enters the house, Kevin is on the couch, watching tv and her mom is cooking dinner.

Laura's stepdad never helped her mother, and it made her quite angry, as he expects her to do everything. He seems to think they're still in the 50s, thinking his wife has to do everything for them. She really hated it, and him, obviously.

"Mom? Do you need help?" Laura asks, walking over to her mom as she cooks dinner for them. 

"No, honey. It's okay. You can go to whatever you teenagers do. I'll be about another half an hour." She replies, smiling at her daughter.

Laura knew that was a forced smile, her mother looked so tired and worn out. She knew her mom needed help with everything she's doing, but she didn't want to ask for it. Even if Laura offered, her mom still felt bad. She was too nice.

So Laura nodded before going up to her room, and dropping her bag by her door. She closes the door behind her even though Kevin always tells her to keep it open.

Pulling out her laptop, she opens her social media and her music. Obviously she was going to listen to her '2000s emos' playlist again, it was one of her favourites.

When there's a knock at Laura's bedroom door, she internally sighs, not wanting to deal with Kevin.

"Hey Laura." Ty smiles up at her. She smiled back, of course. It felt like he was the only sane person in this house.

"What's up?" She asks, moving her laptop away from her, but letting Fall Out Boy continue to play.

"I don't know. I just wanted to come see you. I don't want to sit with Kevin. How has the new school been for you?" Her brother asks.

She couldn't help but smile, Ty was so sweet. He's only ten, he obviously didn't go to the same school as her.

"It's okay, I guess." She shrugs, since it wasn't completely awful, but it wasn't that great either.

"Did you make friends? I made a friend. He's really nice." He says, sitting on the end of her bed.

"Uh, I guess? I don't know, kiddo. These things get more complicated when you get older."

"Do you talk to anybody?"

"Kind of. I'm not kidding when I say it's complicated." She lightly chuckles.

She didn't want to say she was friends with Michael. What if he just thought she was some loser? What if he only talked to her at lunch because he felt bad? They weren't even close to friends anyways, they just listened to music together and talked a few times.

"I hope you make lots of friends, Laur." Ty smiles, moving forward and hugging her.

She smiles, hugging him back, "You're too nice to me."

"You're still dumb!" He laughs, getting up and running out of her room.

She shakes her head, quietly giggling at him. He was nice to her often, but he always went back to annoying little brother.

Moments later she's called downstairs, since her mother finished cooking dinner.

Her mom smiles at her as they sit at the table. Laura sits across from Ty, and her mother and Kevin sit across from each other.

"Laura? How was school?" Her mother asks, looking up at Laura as she eats.

"It was okay, I guess." She mumbles, really not wanting to talk.

She didn't like to talk in these family conversations. There was always tension, everybody knew she hated this, and Kevin. It's gotten better since he first started living with them, though.

When they've all finished eating, and Laura helps cleaning up even though her mother protested, she goes up to her room.

She just listens to music and does homework until she's ready to go to bed. It's just how most nights go for Laura.

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thanks for reading. here was some info on Laura. bye.