Lakehouse

Chapter Thirteen

It's been a week. A whole seven days, a whole hundred and sixty eight hours since the broadcast was televised, and I'm starting to get extremely impatient. I call the police station every day at noon to see if there has been any news about my supposed birth parents, but with every call they tell me that there has been no feedback. Not one person has contacted their officers claiming to be my mother and father, and it makes me so angry. 

Is anyone even trying to make an effort besides me? The police haven't gone on a search or held interrogations in days (besides one with Jake, in which they filed him a restraining order so he can't act like a dumb ass around me anymore), Lou and O'Brien are too busy mourning and trying to make me feel better, Theo and his family is fixated on the whole "be patient, they're going to call" story, and the people from around town who have heard about all that has happened are too afraid to get involved. My attack is to blame for that.

But, even though I really want to do something that will help us, I can't. I'm prohibited from leaving my house unattended, and my attack is to blame for that too. I can't even walk to Theo's— I have to have someone drive me. I think its ridiculous, even though the risk of someone trying to hurt me again is high. Being under this rule makes me feel like a preschooler. 

I've spent the last couple of days feeling bored. It was Christmas a few days ago, which was nice, I suppose, but it was different this year. I didn't get woken up by Levi storming into my room blaring Christmas music from his cell phone carrying cookies and milk in his hands like he used to, despite how much trouble we got into by our past foster parents. I didn't get to build a snowman outside with him like we used to when we were kids. I just ate chicken and mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with Lou and O'Brien and their relatives, sitting silently, wishing that Levi was there to accompany me.

Lou started returning to work every weekday after that, so she didn't exactly know how I spent my lone hours of daylight. She doesn't know how bored and restless I am. Lou did suggest going to school again until something happens, but I declined. Not because school is, you know, school, but because Jake would be there and people would be all over me with questions and apologies and it would be so awkward around Miss Newton, my geometry teacher who I skipped out on to go see Theo that first day.

Among the confusion and chaos that is going on in my head, I realize that today is special. It marks three weeks that Levi has been gone, and the first week since the national news about him was broadcasted. It makes my chest ache as all the numbers swirl in my head- days, hours, minutes. It's driving me insane. It wouldn't be as bad if occupying myself were an option, but it isn't. 

"You look like a demon," says Lou as I trudge down the stairs and sit down at the kitchen table beside her. "Your eyes are so lifeless."

"Maybe because I have no life right now," I say. "I haven't done anything for days."

She smiles sweetly. "Sorry. I promise we'll go out and do something today, okay?" she says, taking a sip from her coffee mug. 

Thank God its Saturday, I guess. Lou and O'Brien are both home, so it doesn't feel as lonesome in this house of theirs. All Snickers ever wants to do is sleep and eat. But, I do want to go out today, just not with them.

"Uh, I was kind of hoping I could do something with Theo today," I say, tapping my fingernails against the tabletop.

Lou glares at me. "You'd rather spend the day with a boy than with the good old folks who take care of you and feed you and keep a roof over your head? I am highly offended, Sadie," she says, flashing a small smile.

I stifle a laugh. "Sorry, I just haven't seen him in awhile. You know, because I'm under house arrest?"

She rolls her eyes, taking another sip of her coffee. "Oh be quiet, it's not house arrest. It's for your safety. We don't want you getting hurt."