Cold Coffee and Stale Cigarettes *on hold*

Chapter 15

                “How good are you with babies?” Dalton asked, eyebrow quirked as he leaned against the door frame of his house. I had come over after he had texted, wondering if we could hang out at his place, seeing as Rachel wasn’t home and my house was off-limits. Tara’s mother was visiting. It was better for me to get lost. I was the other woman’s child. So, after my shift at the book store, I had driven over to his house, expecting we would walk around for the rest of the evening per usual routine. Instead, I was being suckered into babysitting his niece. Fantastic.

                “Absolutely horrible.”

                “Better than clueless.” He jerked his head into the direction of the house, beckoning for me to enter.  

                “Anna’s sleeping right now ‘cause Rachel only just left but I’ve never really babysat before.”

                “Well, I’m the youngest child so I’m no help.” I don’t say I had never babysat kids either. Around the time most people started babysitting, I was already sinking into a depression so deep I still couldn’t claw my way out of it. Shit happens.

                “Great.” He muttered, running his fingers through his hair with a sigh. The air smelt clean again. Fresh. Like vanilla. It was almost too strong, as if they were trying to hide the smell of stale alcohol that had been tainting the air before.

                “So…” I trailed off, hugging my arms to my chest. I had never really been in Dalton’s house before, expect for one I had brought him home from the party. It was strange. Shaking my head, I focused on the T.V, seeing the evening news chattering on the screen, thoughts drifting.

                My parents hadn’t said much in terms of my suspension and hadn’t made any specific statements saying that I was grounded. The only rule that was an unspoken agreement was that I would not leave the house during school hours. Tyler had found out about the fight from one of his friend’s, whose brother saw the whole thing. He kept asking me how I did it and wondering how bad it hurt and flaunting how cool it was too have a badass for a stepsister. I didn’t find the appeal nearly as thrilling. Punching someone one time did not back you cool.

                “So… what?” Dalton broke into my thoughts. I felt myself jump and shook my head.

                “Never mind.”

                For a moment, his eyes lingered on my expression, but he shrugged it off and asked no further questions.

                “Do you want to know what they talked about?” Dalton leaned against the back of an old, green sofa.

                “Who?”

                “In the principal’s office. You’re parents and my sister.”

                “I didn’t realize they said much.”

                “Rachel told me everything and said it was up to me whether or not the information went back to you.” The blankness had enveloped his expression, cool and calculating. I felt my spine stiffen.

                “I didn’t know they said anything.”

                “That was the point.”

                “Fuck.” I sighed, rubbing my face tiredly. This was why I didn’t let people find things out. They knew things. They figured you out. It was terrifying. I didn’t want to be opened. I wanted to be the ancient, dusty book in the back of the library that no one bothered to touch.