Runaway

.02

I woke up early. When I left my room, Maddie was just getting out of the bathroom in her regular jeans and a t-shirt with her raggedy tennis shoes and brown hair thrown up. I remember the day she started wearing it up and it was all thanks to Savannah.

"I was just getting Natalie up," I said, knowing that Maddie would be heading that way as soon as she went and grabbed some pop tarts. Maddie nodded, her blue eyes staring at me like she could see through me.

We stayed in that duel for what seemed like an eternity before she looked away and said, "I'm sure things are okay."

I chuckled quietly, confused at first. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Maddie turned her cold eyes on me and nodded her head as if to silently argue. Then we parted ways. I was getting Natalie up in the nicest way that I could, and she was getting her stupid pop tarts before anyone else could get to them. Once Natalie was in the shower, I decided this was the perfect morning to just slowly get ready...and reflect.

I padded through my room, grabbing out the pair of jeans that she always said made my butt look good. Sometimes when I wore them, I'd catch her staring but play it off like I hadn't been looking for her. I slid open my t-shirt drawer and looked over what was on top before deciding to dig for it-for her favorite shirt. It was that dark green that wasn't too dark or too light, almost-what did she call it?-olive, her favorite color. I shut it up before opening my sock drawer and digging for my warmest black socks when my fingers brushed the pleather box. Suddenly the socks didn't seem like such a good idea so I grabbed a random pair and shut the drawer quickly.

"Are you hungry?"

I looked up quickly to see Natalie standing in the doorway. Her hair straightened, jeans on, and some graphic tee matching the ensemble. I'm pretty sure that the shirt is one of Maddie's old ones but I don't say anything. She's frowning now...what did I do wrong?

"What's wrong?" she asked while crossing her arms.

Perceptive, shit.

"Nothing...I didn't sleep good, I guess," I said with a shrug while moving to my bed to slip the socks on. Natalie nodded and repeats her first question. "Just some toast..." is my reply and suddenly my door is shut.

"I knew there was something wrong last night. Now you're awake early, a bit pale to be honest, and "Just some toast" for breakfast from you? That's real cute there, Ollie," She snapped and I flinched. No one called me 'Ollie' anymore. It was a basic no-no and the whole house knew it. "Ah ha! What'd she do?"

I rolled my eyes. Everything always pertained to her even a year after. If I didn't want to have chocolate milk, it was her fault. If my pickup wouldn't start, it was her fault. If I wasn't hungry, it was her fault. Today I might be a little shaken up because she wasn't at school but she could be vomiting everywhere.

"I'm just not that hungry, okay, Nat?"

Natalie rolled her eyes before leaving my room and going to help Maddie with breakfast. They liked making breakfast even though they couldn't cook to save their lives. I think it's because we were all too tired to really fight them on anything. Walking down the hall, I woke up Jack by practically dragging him out of bed.

"What the hell?" he hollered.

"Just some brotherly affection," I responded with a chuckle and went to leave.

"Hey jackass," he said in the quietest voice he's used in a while. His tone was laced with worry so I stopped but couldn't bring myself to turn around. "She never texted me..."

I nodded and left. Something was definitely up. It didn't matter how sick she got or where she was, Savannah always had something to tell you about. Jack always received the brunt of that now because most of her friends had left for college last year and...well, she didn't trust anyone in her class enough to be friends with them like she was with Jack.