Mina

I'm Staying

I pushed through the front door, letting it close behind me as I kicked off my shoes. Not even two steps into the house and Penny was already talking.

"How was your day baby?" She asked, her voice too chirper.

It instantly annoyed me.

"Fine." I muttered.

"Just fine?"

I glanced up, eyebrows pinched in confusion as she smiled sweetly at me. I always told her my day was fine or some version of it. And even when I gave her an agitated fine like I just had she never pushed. Usually skirting past it fast so she could ask me to make her food or whine about something.

"Yes." I said hesitantly. "Just fine."

"Hmm." She hummed. "Interesting."

I narrowed my eyes, dropping my keys and book bag onto the dining room table.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked her, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling her odd behavior was giving me.

"Oh nothing baby." She told me. "I'm fine. Why don't you go take a rest. You look exhausted."

Everything in me was on alert, studying her as she picked up her remote and flicked through a couple channels.  I wasn't tired.

"Are you sure?" I double checked, knowing Penny she'd wait until I got started doing something and then suddenly she'd be famished and on the brink of death.

"Positive." She chirped.

I didn't know what was going on. But I knew I didn't want to sit out in the living room and find out why Penny was being weird. I didn't trust her.

So I pulled my book bag from the dining table and headed to my room saying, "a nap sounds good."

I'd just get ahead on some homework.

Sparing one last glance back at Penny, I started for my room. Maybe this was okay. Maybe Penny was just in a good mood. That never really happened but one could hope. I could get some homework done, study, distract myself from Owen.

I turned the knob on my door, staring down at the carpet as I stepped in and closed it behind me. But as I looked up, my heart jumped in my chest as I fell back against my door. I wasn't alone.

"Jesus Owen!" I snapped.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

I felt anger seep into my bones. Why was he here? Why didn't he get it? I wasn't going to talk to him.

"What're you doing here?" I demanded, dropping my bag on the floor beside me.

I couldn't look at him, sitting there on my bed. His chair to the side. He'd apparently been here awhile. The thought of him looking through my room made panic rush through me.

"You're shitting me right?" He sounded angry too.

"How do you even know where I live?" My voice accusatory.

He blew out a frustrated breath, running his hand through his hair. "I know what you're doing."

"I'm not doing anything." I argued. "Why are you here Owen?"

I folded my arms across my chest, trying to hold myself together. It hurt to see him there. His messy brown hair that he never bothered to style anymore, not like he had before his injury. Those brown eyes that seemed to have a direct line to my soul. Knowing that if I could just take that small tiny step forward he'd meet me the rest of the way.