Innocent Murderers

[2] an offer i could definitely refuse

The door shuts behind us, but I am numb to the noise. Not because with the rising sun came the end of the music, but because I am full of butterflies and drunkenly giddy even though I didn't drink any alcohol. Mel is hanging on to my elbow, singing Lady Gaga loudly in my ear but it doesn't make me annoyed like it usually would. I am on cloud nine, completely and utterly in love.

I have a boyfriend.

The thought sends another burst of butterflies and imaginary alcohol ricocheting through me at an impossible speed and I almost forget that we have two minutes to get home before Mel's parents get up for church.

"Well I'll be a bitch," I mutter as I turn on my phone. Mel, now running happily beside me, cocks an eyebrow.

"What?" She asks, then her eyes light up, "Ooh, did you just realise you left your virginity at Noah's house?"

I turn to look at her in shock, and she bursts out laughing and hiccupping.

"Oh, come on you drunk piglet we have one minute and thirty seconds to get to your house."

She screams and sprints off leaving me out of breath and still giddy. I sigh, grin, and sprint off after her. Again, thankful for the worn-out and soft shoes on my feet. In about a minute, we manage to sprint back to Mel's house. Like the other houses in the neighbourhood, it has whitewashed walls and a perfectly pruned, 'minimalist' front garden. The cross hanging above their door reminds me of our deadline and I tighten my fists as I wait for Mel to unlock the door.

What I'm expecting is an empty house for us to sneak back into.

What is actually waiting for us is a completely different thing altogether.

Four disappointed and very much angry faces look back at us. My parents, still in their pajamas, and Mel's parents. Also still in their pajamas.

"Boitumelo Kopo Atang, what in God's name have you done?" Mel's mum asks, tense and resembling a kettle about to boil over.

Mel just giggles in response. I elbow her and she giggles more.

"Are you drunk?" Her father asks. I clasp my hands together and look at the floor. This is not good. Being a traditional African-Christian family made her parents forbid alcohol in their house, or in their children.

"Kennedy Harper, what do you have to say for yourself?" My father speaks next, his usually kind voice icy and loud, echoing off of the Atang's 'minimalist' interior.

"I'm sorry." I mutter, just barely loud enough for them to hear.

"We're going home. Mr and Mrs Atang, we greatly apologise for the... kerfuffle, our daughter has caused." My mother states, and grabs me by the shoulder. Mel sends me an apologetic look and I smile. She smiles back and waves me goodbye.

==

The car ride home is silent.

I can feel the disappointment in the air, tense and thick enough to cut with a knife.

"I said I'm sorry." I say again, cringing at the sudden weakness in my voice.

"We raised you better than this," My father says, voice quiet.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Kennedy, you ran away to God knows where last night without telling any of us, or even asking for permission." My mother says, "Sorry is hardly a way to redeem yourself."

We pull up outside my house and even the creepy angel baby statue is laughing at me.

"Then how can I redeem myself?"

"You're grounded, stay in your room for a week, please."

"But, that's not fair!" I protest.

"That attitude isn't going to get you anywhere," My mother chides.

"Maybe I wouldn't have this attitude if you actually let me be a teenager instead of keeping me locked up in my room half the time!" My voice is progressively getting louder, and my hands start to shake.

"We're just trying to protect you!"

"From what?" I ask, stepping into the house, "The monster waiting for me outside the front door?" I shock even myself with the sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Go to your room," My father says, scarily quiet. It's then I know I've crossed the line. He's never gotten angry at me before.

My knees are weak as I trudge up the stairs and into the attic. I slam the door shut behind me and start to cry. Tears hurl themselves down my face as I realise I've never had a real argument with my parents before. And the more I think about it, the more I realise I was right in what I said. They have never let me be free, be a teenager. I have a boyfriend, who became my boyfriend at a party. A real, high-school party. But I can never tell them because all that would happen is they would get even more angry.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, and turn it on.

Three missed calls from Mel. I wipe away the tears and contemplate answering them. Instead, I pull up Google and ask the internet how to politely ask your parents to let you be a person. As I absentmindedly scroll through the results, I notice through my still blurred vision the articles littering WikiHow boasting all-in-one trips to New York. At first, I scroll past them but as more and more appear, I stop and click on one out of interest.

Scamder Youth Hostel. I chuckle lightly at the similarity between the name and the name of my first and only pet, Scamper.

And then a thought pops into my head.

If my parents don't let me be free, I should let myself be free.

==

Yay! Chapter twooooooooo. Anyway, I know this version is probably even worse than the original but it was just sooooooooo bad and cringy and if you haven't read the original Innocent Murderersyou're probs so confused but please don't read it.

Kay bye.