Miss Popularity (Editing)

Sleepless

"Mom's got this argent meeting so she couldn't come..." Then she added softly, "Again"

I was sitting in my hospital bed, the pillow propped up behind me, and Scarlet was chatting to me. Everyone else had to go to school and Mom barely visited anymore.

"The doctor said you'd be out on Monday" Scarlet said, playing with her fingers.

I frowned. When I first met Scarlet, she was bouncy and happy but now she was acting mature and sad.

"What's wrong, Scar?" I asked.

"Well..." She said slowly, "I feel a bit scared"

"You?'' I asked, surprised, "Why should you be scared?"

"Your the only family that spent allot of time with me. Mom's always on her business. If your gone..." She trailed off.

I decided to ask something that was nagging me since I met her. "What about your Dad?"

Scarlet took her time answering. "Mom...Mom left him too. Like your Dad. I also had a brother..."

"A brother?" I stared at her. I have a half-brother, I don't know about?

"Yeah," Scarlet nodded, "Step-brother, actually. My father had adopted him"

"Why did Mom leave your Dad?"

Scarlet glanced guiltily at the door. "Look, don't ask Mom anything about it. She hates talking about my Dad"

I nodded, eager to find out.

"When Mom had me with Dad, we were happy. But after a few months, Dad got a job promotion, we celebrated, he got drunk. He yelled at Mom. Pretty soon, he started to abuse her. Once, he punched me," She traced her cheek as if there was a scar there, "Mom went berserk. She divorced him straight away."

"What about your brother?" I asked quietly.

Scarlet sighed. "I was really little and Mom didn't want to let me in the courtroom, in case I got scared. She told me she wanted to take us-me and my brother- both but since Dad had adopted him first, the judge said we had to be separated. I don't even remember his name..." 

There was silence and a tear fell into Scarlet's lap.

I took her hand and smiled kindly."Look, Scarlet, I'm going to be right here. No one is go-"

Suddenly the door burst open.

"Hi, Violet!" Jinx said happily.

"Uh...hi?" I answered, raising my eyebrow at the sudden energy.

"You want coffee?"

I opened my mouth to answer but she cut me off.

"Yes? OK! Come help me Scar!" And she dragged Scarlet out of the room.

"Wha-?" But she was gone. I sighed. That was weird.

"Hi" said Jackson, appearing from the shadows.

I jumped violently and accidentally hit my head on the head board.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Jackson apologized.

"Na, it's okay" I gasped, clutching the bandage on the head.

"You okay?" He asked, sitting next to me on the bed.

I nodded. There was a silence. Jackson seemed determined to stare at the floor while I looked directly at him.

"Why aren't you and Jinx at school?" I asked casually. Honestly, I was happy we were alone.