The three boys sitting at the table noticed that Gerard and I were standing there, and stared right at me for a moment.
“Mikey, Ray, Frank, this is Belle.” He introduced us. The tree of them said ‘hi’, and I just nodded. Didn’t I say I was bad at meeting new people? Gerard gestured for me to sit down, and I did without saying a word. There was an awkward silence for a moment before I stood up again.
“I’m going to get a bottle of water.” I announced, and walked away leaving my phone on the table, accidentally.
When I got back, Gerard was holding my phone.
“You got a text message. I didn’t mean to look at it, but I couldn’t help it. Sorry.” He looked down at the ground, like a little kid who had gotten yelled at by his parents.
“It’s fine.” I laughed, sat down and took my phone back. “Who was it?” I asked.
“Um, someone called Natalie.” He told me.
“Shit.” I bit my lip and looked at the text message.
hey belle i know youre at school but i just wanted to let you know im back at mums so um yeah i missed you and ill see you this afternoon?
“Um, I have to go.” I frowned and stood up again. “I have to cancel this afternoon, Gerard. Sorry but I promised my sister we’d do something when she got back from her dad’s house.”
“That’s fine.” He nodded. “Wait, you’re just going to skip the rest of school?” He asked.
“Basically.” It was nice to meet you guys.” I looked at Gerard’s friends. “See you later.”
When I was a safe distance from school, and had no chance of being caught, and getting dragged back, I lit a cigarette and decided to text Natalie back.
hey im on my way home now is mum still there??
(1) New Message
no shes not here did i miss the one time she decided to show her face around here?
I laughed. Natalie had always hated the fact that mum was never around. I preferred it that way, so it’s funny that she wasn’t home when mum was. I didn’t text back because I was almost home anyways. I dug around my pocket for the key to the house before I realised that I could just know.
“Hey!” Natalie grinned when she opened the door. “Ew, are you smoking again.”
“Yeah, sorry.” I said and put the cigarette out against the brick wall.
“You know I hate that.” She frowned.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I missed you heaps.” She threw her arms around me and gave me a tight hug. She loved hugs. Me? I’m big on personal space, but what am I supposed to do? She’s my sister. Well, my half sister. Her dad didn’t leave her completely. He left my mother, but at least he cared enough to be there for his daughter.
“How’s your dad?” I asked, when she finally let go of me. I walked into the house, dumped my bag on the kitchen table and got out a small bottle of orange juice, opened it up and had a big drink.
“Yeah, he’s good, you know, same old, um Belle? I think you missed your mouth a little…” She was staring at me. I pulled the bottle away from my mouth and looked down to see my top covered in orange juice. I put the bottle on the table and quickly pulled my top off.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I ran and put the tshirt straight in the washing machine, then went to the bathroom to clean my neck and whatever went through my shirt, and then I found a clean top to put on. It was just a plain purple top, but it would do. When I looked back over to Natalie, she was bent over in a fit of laughter. “Oh, fuck off.” I rolled my eyes, and threw a shoe at her.
“Ow!” She yelled at threw the shoe back at me. It almost hit my head, but I moved just in time, and it landed on my bed.
“That’s what you get for laughing at me.”
“Well, you have to admit; it was funny.”
“Okay, maybe just a little bit.” I giggled.
“Okay, okay,” Natalie breathe five minutes later. We had been laughing. Not really because of the orange juice incident, but because, I don’t know. I love her; she’s the only person I ever laugh with, mainly because I don’t want her to know about all my problems. She’s a perfectly happy fifteen-year-old girl. Who am I to take that away from her? I wish I had been as happy as her a fifteen. When I was her age, I was a complete mess.
“How’s mum?” She asked.
“Um, not sure.”
“But you said she was here…” She seemed very confused.
“Yeah, but you know me and mum. She yells, I don’t listen, I leave, and she leaves. It was like old times.”
“Aw.” Natalie frowned. It was kind of sweet how she didn’t understand how it really did not bother me at all. “Are you alright?” She asked.
“I’m fine.” I emphasised the word ‘fine’. “I’m always fine.”
“If you say so.” She rolled her eyes. “Do you want to go out and get some coffee or something? It’s too late to get lunch and it’s too early for dinner.”
“Sure.” I laughed, and stood up. “As long as you’re paying.” I grinned.
“Hey! You know I never pay! I don’t intend to start now.” She smiled.
“Alright, let me find some money.” I walked over to my desk and threw sheets of paper onto the floor in search of money. Natalie’s gorgeous face looked horrified. It’s funny, we’re only half sisters, but I don’t understand how she’s so gorgeous, and I’m so… not. She has bright green eyes, so young and full of life. My eyes are a dull green. They look worn beyond their years and lifeless.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“All your beautiful drawings, and all your lyrics and you’re just sending them flying!” She screamed.
“Calm down, they’re fine!” I sighed and went back to my search for money, until I found a fifty dollar note scrunched up in the tub with my guitar picks.
