Despite our Differences .

Chapter 24

Chapter 24// Confusion

It was almost ten o'clock at night and my mom had been in her room since Sophie and I had got home. Not once did she come out. Sophie had did her homework, went outside, and bathed all in between that course. The most my mom said was "hi Sophia" and kissed her head, patted my arm, and then closed the bedroom door back.

"Car" I heard a little voice. I turned and Sophie was standing in the entrance to the living room. I was watching America's Funniest Home Videos kind of hoping my dad would walk through that door any moment and everything was just a dream. I didn't want to see my mom or Sophia hurt.
"Why's Daddy not home yet and why is mommy being weird?"
I gulped and patted a spot next to me on the couch.
"Um well Soph... right now they're going through something okay. It's okay though because you and I are so strong we can conquer anything. Especially you."
"Going through something like what?" Her eyebrow raised.
"That's something we'll have to see." I didn't want to tell her dad cheated and was having another child. Sophie was only a child herself and I've never seen her truly hurt.

"Are you sure? Mommy seems really weird"

Geez she asks a lot of questions.
"I'm sure. One day soon she'll let you know. Soon okay? Just let mommy be for right now and don't ask too many questions..."
Sophie let out a sigh and pulled the throw from over the couch onto her tiny body.
"I'm staying down here with you" she stated.
I smiled small and we finished our night watching AFHV together.

***
I woke up to the sound of the door unlocking. Sophie and I must of fell asleep downstairs because she was curled up on the other end of the couch. I got up and peeked around the corner to see my dad coming through the front door.

"Hey dad." I got up and met him in the foyer. He stopped in his tracks like he had seen a ghost and just stared at me. He looked rough like he forgot what sleep was.

Dad just patted my shoulder and kept walking.
Well damn. That was cold.

I couldn't really understand how he'd be able to just walk past me like he didn't know me, but he began to teach me that people can switch up on you in a heartbeat. I stood there shook. A cold feeling trickled over my body and I just shook it off and went back to the living room. I checked the time and it was 5:41 in the morning. He's only here so early to just avoid seeing Sophie and I before we had to get up for school. That's probably all it is.

About twenty minutes passed by and he came back down the stairs with a tote in hand. He walked right out of the door. Didn't say bye or even acknowledge my presence. Wow.

*******

I walked down H hall to class ultimately not in the mood to be here today. I skimmed homeroom for a familiar face and there she was .. Jasmine. Seeing her sort of lifted my mood and she looked up and smiled at me. I smiled back and sat next to her.

"Hey hey" she said, "how are you?"

"I'm doing okay. Especially after yesterday". I lied a little.

"Me too. Thank you again for apologizing. I really needed something positive at least to help me get through the night I had."

"You had a rough night too?" I looked at her face and she did seem a little lost.

"Yeaaaah" she shrugged, "same ole, same ole. You too huh?"

I nodded and looked away. For the first time, a part of me felt like I was going to tear up and this definitely was not the time nor place.

The bell rung and Ms. Anderson came in more gleeful than ever blabbing on about some community service opportunity that was coming up soon, and the status of the spell bowl competitions that had been occurring.

I looked around and I never noticed everyone so zoned out and in their own worlds before. I guess everyone has their own reality, and sort of issues they are dealing with at home.

Wow.

The bell finally rung again to dismiss us, and Ms. Anderson waved and did that overly happy smile she always does, and all I could wonder was is that a mask she wears to work everyday to try and uplift our spirits and get away from her own reality? Or is she genuinely this happy 24/7?

Every one began to file out, including me, and I felt a hand pull me back.

"Hey, do you want to maybe talk later on?" Jasmine looked up at me still sitting.

I looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, maybe during lunch?"

"Perfect."

******************

Lunch came around and I just waited in the student center near the cafeteria doors scanning the area. I pulled out my phone to try to look occupied.

"Hey cutie."

I looked up and it was the she-devil herself. Samantha.

"What do you want?" I crossed my arms.

"I wanted to make it up to you silly." She trickled her fingers across my arms. I backed away. "I'm not going to hurt you. I don't bite..." The most hideous laugh came out of her and she crossed her arms.

I raised my eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you recently just tried to use me for your own pride and personal ga-"

"Shhhh" She put her finger on my lips. "I did some long thinking, and that was not the real me. I want to make it up to you. You, me, my place. Later on, say 8 o'clock? And bring swim trunks."

"Yeah, I think not." I pushed her finger out of my face and walked away.

That girl is insane.

"Carter!" Ugh what now?

I turned and it was Nicole looking worried.
"Hey what's wrong?" I asked.

"Have you seen Jas? I haven't seen her at all today."

"Only in homeroom, why what's up?"

"I think somethings wrong with her. I can just feel it because I would've seen her at least by now."

"That's true, and we were supposed to talk at lunch. She had a rough night."

Nicole made a face at me, "Y'all we're gonna talk, but I don't even-" she dropped her face, "hm weird ok."

Whatever that means. "Well let's find her."

"I think I know where."
Nicole began to walk and I followed behind her.
She seemed sort of on edge too, and probably because I told her Jasmine had a rough night, and she seemed to know nothing of it.

We walked into the gym and behind the bleachers, and sure enough there Jasmine was sitting under them with her headphones in.

Nicole ducked her way under them, and I followed, although I had never been under them before. Jasmine looked away and a tear fell down her face. I stopped in my tracks. I felt the urge to cry too, but I bit the inside of my cheeks and sat next to them.

"Probecita, what's wrong?" Nicole hugged her. "Your beautiful brown eyes get so big when you cry like a little puppy."

Jasmine chuckled a little but shook her head and cried some more. I sat there and tried to not stare too hard. I had no idea how to comfort her, but I wanted to.