Where The Sad Teens Go

CHAPTER THREE

“I might drop out of school,” Jupiter offers offhandedly, trying to break the silence. Whatever effect she was hoping for, she didn't get it. It doesn't help that her eyes were focused on what's in front her instead of her brother. Jaime's hands tighten on the thin metal steering wheel. She continues to shift through the shiny condom wrappers, coffee stained papers and skittles that have melted into the exterior of the glove box across from her faintly muscular frame for no particular reason at all. Maybe boredom. Or maybe to avoid her brother’s gaze.

“Repeat that again, Purr.”

“I said I might drop school.”

The car swerves slightly which causes Jupiter's body to slam into the car door and her head to smack against the window.

“The-fuck! No! Purr! ” Jaime gawks at her as she rubs her head, glaring at him and mumbling profanities under her breath. Jaime sighs in frustration, scrunching his face up.

“My grades are shit” Jupiter remarks after a beat of silence. She slumps back into her seat.

“They used to be great” Jaime responds tentatively. His eyes are sad. He seems to deflate a bit which makes Purr narrow her thick brows and purse her small mouth, worry clear in her own eyes.

“A lot of things ‘used to be great’” She breathes, quickly turning to look out the window of the truck. Clusters of spidery trees surround the side of the road. They sway slightly and the sky swells into a soft bruise-a watered down violet and blue. Similar to the ones under her tiredly droopy eyes. “Now it's not. There is no changing that.” Tears threaten to spill but Jupiter won't let them fall.

Girls like her don't cry. Bad girls don't cry. Sad girls do.

“Look-”

“No. You look. I refuse to try when they won't. Those teachers are more interested in straight girls. Girls with straight noses, teeth and sexuality. I'm not interested in getting an A if it means I have to fuck them for it. This town is disgustingly degrading. You know what they do. I just want to get the fuck ’outta here. You and dad are the only reason I am still even here.” Jaime clenches his fists and Jupiter sniffles a sob, still staring out the window. A roll of thunder rumbles and a silvery line cracks across the sky. The trees smack against each other harshly.

The truth is, Jupiter is an 'all of the above' girl. She is sad, bad and mad along with everything else. She is poison in a teacup.

Jupiter is the kind of girl that'll put you in ruins with just the arch of a thick but groomed brow. The kind that'll make you, with just a brush of her forever small but so full red lips, forget your not supposed to kiss girls, or fall in love with them because you weren't raised that way. The kind of girl who cries inside because she'd rather drown in her own self pity then let you see it. But every now and then, she cries on the outside, just to breathe a little. Because she doesn't care if she drowns but she won't create an ocean.

“I know” Jaime says hoarsely, then coughs to try and cover it up. People degrade him as well. For being adopted, being darker, liking the ‘devil's music’ or being Jupiter's sort-of-kind-of brother; he simply does not know which of these facts make them hate him so much. Maybe he a 'all of the above boy'.

Jaime also tries not to care. But people around here make you care. They corner you behind rusty red sheds and make sure you care what they say, what they think of you and your sister. They make you care when they beat you unconscious and or just watch, laughing. They make you care when your sister finds you, terrified for you.

You, the one who is supposed to be protecting her.

As Jaime pulls into a small hotel, the weather calms but the wind is still harsh. The hotel, it's a masterpiece of chipped cat-puke-pink paint, too long windows and faded red doors. The horrendous thing stands six stories, a sign, similarly colored, next to it blinking LOVE LUSH MOTEL. Crows caw from the roof and spindly trees, heads twitching, eyes dead.