Haunted Beasts

CHAPTER 28

I eye the phone for about twenty minutes, debating whether or not I should call Sky once again. I had initially called him with the intention of inviting him to dinner but I also wanted to vent to my boyfriend about what went between my father and I. The fact that he brushes me off so easily left me with no choice but to talk about one of those things.

To make things worse, our conversation didn't do anything to improve my mood. Intact I feel like he's pulling away from me. I don't know if it's paranoia or not but something felt off about or conversation. Sky sounded distracted on the phone and I have watched enough romcoms to know that it's never a good sign when the guy is distracted. I don't want to think the worst but my mind won't stop thinking the worst.

I want to call him, to ask him if he's really at home and not with someone else but I decide against it. It's probably best not to smother him. I don't want to come across as the clingy and obsessive girlfriend. I switch off my phone, deciding to give him some space.

Alice is genuinely disappointed when I tell her that Sky won't be able to make it to dinner after all. She's polite about it though, as she promises me that Sky will always be welcome in our home. My father on the other hand is thrilled to know that he won't have to sit through dinner with the boy he's daughter is currently sleeping with his daughter. I ignore him, determined not to avoid another argument.

Inspite of Sky being a no show, dinner goes well or maybe it's because he didn't show up, I'm not really sure. To an outsider's point of view we look like the picture perfect family. No one would ever think that just yesterday my stepsister found me groaning on the floor as I got my wings and that later that same day my entire family was convinced that I was going to jump off my balcony.

It's probably good that I have them in my life. My life is so crazy that this kind of normal feels like heaven. I put the negative thoughts aside and start listening at Ronnie who is going on and on about her job at the library. I swear no one loves books like this girl.

I wake up early the next day as I'm anxious to get to school. I know its a little crazy to be excited about going to school especially on a Monday but I feel like I had the longest weekend and I want to put most of it behind me.

As usual Alice and my dad are already up and having breakfast, I briefly wonder if they sleep at all. I greet both of them before helping myself to an apple.

"Good morning honey." Alice quickly kisses my cheek. "You want pancakes?" She asks and I shake my head no.

"I will just stick to the apple." I reply her before taking another bite.

My father doesn't approve of my choice of breakfast but thankfully he doesn't get into it, well verbally that is.

Ronnie joins us shortly after and like me she decides on fruits rather than actual breakfast. I glare at my father, daring him to give Ronnie for not having an actual 'breakfast' but he just raises his hands in defeat, probably knowing he won't win this argument if he gets into it.

Minutes later my dad is dropping me off to school. I don't talk much on the way, what's the point really, knowing what they are thinking is good enough. But it's not only that. I'm still anxious and I'm struggling to understand why. Why am I nervous about going to school? Is it because of Sky? I can't say for sure but I guess I will find out soon enough.

As soon as my dad drops me off I know the answer almost immediately. It's not me with the problem, it's everyone around me! Well technically it's my problem since I'm the one with the weird gift of reading people's minds. But right now it doesn't sound like a gift, it's more like an irritation.

I stand still outside school premises feeling hypnotized by these people's thoughts. It's like I'm trapped in their minds. All hundreds of them. But it feels like it's more people in there and I can hear everything and I mean everything. I feel like I'm having an internal battle with all of them and worst of all I'm losing! Who knew people's minds could be this noisy? I sure as hell had no idea I could get a headache from this. Why didn't the Rosemont sisters warn me about this? I want to scream, to beg then to stop thinking.