Illuminate- The Only Way to Live is to Die

Chapter 5- Renew

The next day, I woke up to a thunderstorm. It contrasted with the rain from yesterday greatly; the pitter patter had returned and it was so loud that it shook the whole world.

I only had global warming to blame for the abundance of rainfall. Weather can't have mood swings right?

I swung my feet over the side of my bed, almost knocking over a filled bucket of water sitting neatly in the corner. It's close to overflowing since I never emptied it from yesterday. I ignored it and made my way downstairs.

My dad had situated himself around the kitchen table, taking up most of the space with a lavish breakfast he only cooked for himself. As I got closer to him, a woman came into my view.

I immediately got chills. It wasn't Officer Parker again, was it? I wouldn't expect a follow up interrogation to be so soon.

I approached the table and stole a piece of bacon from my father's plate. My eyes met the woman's. I tried my best not to scream in disgust.

I knew my dad had a lot of partners but he's never moved on so quickly.

A brunette lady, no older than thirty, laid her long manicured fingers on the slice of bacon I was holding. She plucked it from me and set it back on my father's plate in one motion. My dad continued to munch on his food paying me no mind.

She stares at me for awhile, fixing her bright blue eyes on me. I try to ignore her as I prepared toast for Jade and I.

She looked photoshopped and unnatural, like a model who refused to show themselves without a full face of makeup. Her hair was perfectly straight, her outfit perfectly put together. It scared me how unreal she appeared to be. And it scared me how fast my father fell for her.

I left Jade's toast on a plate for her and took mine with me when I left for school. I didn't forget to give the unnamed woman in my house the middle finger before I went.

I walked to school because I considered myself too cool for the bus, yet too poor to purchase a car. Besides, walking was good exercise.

School was a short distance away. I usually took this peaceful time in the morning to reflect and mull over events in my life. Today, the event of choice was Marina's party.

I wasn't aware that Jade was friends with Marina. Why would she be? Jade's still in eighth grade while Marina in a senior in high school. I wouldn't expect them to know each other as well as they seemed to.

And Jade's bruises. I couldn't think of anything that would have caused them to form in such a bizarre formation. I prayed that she didn't have anymore.

And surfer looking boy from yesterday. What was he doing in the bathroom? If I had to take a guess at what he stole from the cabinet, I would say that he took someone's prescribed pills. I planned to ask Landon next time I saw him, you know, if there was a next time.

I continued my way down my winding sidewalk until I heard a familiar sound behind me. I turned around to see a black pickup truck make it's way toward me.

I don't hesitate this time to open the door.

Landon looked more like a farmer today, and the truck really completed the look. He wore a striped shirt with black jeans and the same Vans from yesterday.

"Do you have any normal outfits?"

"What do you mean? This is a normal outfit for me." Landon answered. "What? Is it too punk for you?"

"What no." I replied a little bit too quickly. "I love punks. I mean, I'm a punk rocker too! I'm even wearing a punk shirt today!"

I pointed towards my Panic! At The Disco top. Landon shook his head.

"Have you ever heard of Blink-182?"

"Yeah, but I only know the popular songs." I said honestly. I knew next to nothing about punk music but I wanted to sound like I was cool. I think I just made myself sound idiotic instead.

"Sum 41?"

I shook my head.

"How about Green Day?"

Oh! Finally something I knew!

"My favorite album is American Idiot but I like Nimrod and Dookie too. It's funny how Nimrod and American Idiot were made a decade apart, yet they're still both amazing. My favorite songs would have to be Basket Case, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Good Riddance, and Holiday. I know those are some of the more popular songs but that doesn't mean they aren't good, right? My favorite member is-"

Landon cut me off. "You know what? You do ramble a lot. And you should be wearing a Green Day shirt instead of a Panic! At The Disco one if you love them that much."

"Nooooooooo," I whined, "I love Death of a Bachelor more than I love myself!"

Landon ignored me and popped a CD into the car radio. (Insert Twenty One Pilots lyrics here)

I was too busy thinking of my favorite bands to take note of what CD Landon had chosen for us to listen to.

The first song began to play and I failed to recognize the tune: I asked Landon what album it was.

"Oh, it's Enema of the State. The song playing right now is Dumpweed." He replied.

"Dumpweed... what an interesting name."

"I know right? I wish my last name was Dumpweed."

"I don't think Landon Dumpweed has a good ring to it."

"Well, it beats Landon Greene." He popped the CD out of the radio and placed it back into its case.

I was confused at first about why he stopped Dumpweed, but when I looked up, I realized that we've already reached school.

Huh, I guess time really does flies when you're having fun.

Landon parked but stayed seated in the truck. He gazed upon the swarm of students racing up the steps of our high school. He didn't seem like he was going to get up anytime soon.

I remembered his remark about his last name. I almost whispered my sentence, as if I didn't want him to hear it.

Maybe I didn't want him to hear it. I didn't want to offend him accidentally.

"Greene doesn't sound like a bad last name."

"If you're still analyzing last names by sounds, then I guess it's not. But trust me when I say that Greene is not a last name that you want."

"Why?" I asked, a bit fazed by Landon's wordy riddles. I wish he were the type of person who got to the point straight away.

"You seriously don't know why? I guess that's why you let me drive you here." He chuckled to himself and my eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" I was becoming more puzzled by the second.

"Just take your Panic! At The Club shirt and leave!" Landon barked, and I heed his advice.

I didn't say goodbye when I left the truck and zipped to my first class of the day.