Holding On

Uh Oh

There she was; glaring at me through those thick eyelashes. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might jump out of my chest. I wished the ground would just open up and swallow me whole. Even that would be better than whatever my punishment was going to be.

"Well?" She asked rudely while tapping her foot.

I stayed quiet, not wanting to upset her even more. Although, what my fault was, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that the way Ella was looking at me right now; I didn't want her looking at me that way ever again.

"It is 5 p.m. Your school ended at 3:15 sharp. Where were you for the last hour and 45 minutes?" She spoke in her most calm voice, but I knew that was when I should be most cautious. Any minute now she would explode.

"I told you on the phone that I was with Roderick", I said in a low voice.

"And I'm guessing that makes it okay for you to miss your chores?" She asked in the same dangerously calm tone. I knew it was only a matter of seconds now before she'd leave that calm and blow up in my face.

"No! Ofcourse not! I was going to do my chores as soon as I got back." I told her reassuringly.

"That still doesn't mean you keep me waiting, you ungrateful brat", She screamed. I flinched. That was the explosion I was waiting for. I kept my eyes on the floor because I knew it wasn't over yet. I was right. She continued by saying, "I took you in my home. I give you food, shelter and clothes. I even let you go to this stupid school and just because you're paying your own fees, doesn't mean you shouldn't be grateful that I gave you the permission. But instead you repay me by coming late and talking back to me!"

I still kept my head down. Not from shame or embarrassment, but because I don't want to anger her even more than she already was.

"This kind of behavior is not acceptable in my house, and since you don't have anywhere else to go, you shall obey my rules. From now on you do your chores and then I don't give a damn whether you live or die." She said with an air of finality.

"Yes Ella", I said, keeping my voice and anger under control.

She seemed satisfied when she said, "as punishment, after you're done with the dishes, I want you to go to your room and stay there. You will have dinner in your room, and only come out tomorrow morning for school."

I was actually grateful for that part of the punishment; not like In wanted to have dinner with these people I had to call family.

"Yes Ella."

She left the kitchen with a smug smile, as though she actually enjoyed torturing me, which I'm sure she did. I knew-even if she never really said it- that's the only reason she still kept me there was because she needed someone to do her chores.

I started the dishes, and mindlessly hummed a song I'd got stuck in my head.

When I was done I went up to my room. It was 7 pm now and I could hear Ella screaming at the younger ones, telling them to go to bed.

I'd brought me soup upstairs and was having it while doing my assignment.

I was halfway through when I heard a knock on the door.

'Oh WHAT does she want now?!' I thought to myself, frustrated. Then I realized that if it really was Ella, she wouldn't be knocking; she'd probably just barge in.

"Come on in", I said.

A small head popped in the door. It was Hayley, one of the kids in the house. She was one of the more bearable ones; I didn't mind having her around.