TWINSANITY

Chapter 2: No Sweat

KALISIA

I wanted my mother back. That was the only way I could go on.

"Maybe we could play some pool together... do you play?" He was trying so hard, but I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"I HATE you, and I HATE this place!" I had to get it off my chest. It was going to keep building up if I didn't. He winced as if the words pierced through him like daggers.

"Honey, you're just grieving. I love you, please, give me a chance!" He begged, but was still motioning as if he'd been slapped in the face.

Oh no, he just didn't! I'm not grieving; I'm living in a lie. He doesn't really care about me.

If he had cared for me all of these years, than why did he never come see me? If he cared for me, no matter how bad my mother was to him, he wouldn't have let anything stop him from seeing me.

"I'm going to my room, and I'm never coming out!" I wanted to say deathtrap instead of room, but I felt I had been brutal enough with my tone.

I took off running out of his little play room and down the hall, tripping on my own feet in the process, nearly falling onto my face. I couldn't stop the tears, and I couldn't tell where or which way I was going.

I needed to get away from him; I couldn't stand to look at him any longer.

Where was my room at? I had no idea. I was just running to run for the sake of it, but then I caught a glimpse of the ridiculous ugly pink door and knew that was it.

I could hear him running behind me trying to catch up, but I didn't care. I darted into the room and slammed the door shut behind me.

The tears were flooding at this point, trailing down my cheeks. Although I had locked my door, I leaned up against it like he could still get in somehow through the lock. I melted onto the floor in pure agony.

I wanted him to disappear. I wished he was dead and that he was the one that had died in a car crash. I wanted my mother, and it took everything in me not to scream out for her.

I could hear him gently knocking on the door behind me.

"Please, just talk to me." I could hear the hurt in his voice.

It weakened me and made me feel guilty, but only for a moment. I was insistent on making his life a living hell like he'd made mine for forcing me to move in with him.

My mom had a sister, who lived in New York that I'd never met. I wanted to go live with her, but he fought for me. Why? I was a nobody to him, so why would he do that?

I barked back hoping that would make him leave, "No!" My voice came back cracked and broken whilst tears flooded my cheeks.

Why did I agree to start school tomorrow? Why? I was clearly not ready for it.

But if I stayed home, he was going to take off and stay home with me, and being alone here with him was the last thing I wanted to do. Oh well, high school, here I come.

MR. CROSS

I didn't know what to do with a child. I mean, I teach children every single day, but to raise one? Karen made sure I had no part in Kalisia's life since the day she was born.

I tried everything to be apart of her life, but she was very persistent on being alone. I knew that she had mental issues, but I abandoned her... for Karen.

I loved Karen more than I had ever loved any woman. I only wished I had found out how bipolar and scared she was to live life before I mistakenly got her pregnant.

I was too full of life to let her destroy me. I love Kalisia more than anything, but I don't know how to let her know that.

She's been so sheltered and is completely broken from the death of her mom. I'm a horrible deadbeat I know, but I did what I thought was best for her.

I sat staring down at the whiskey bottle sitting in front of me at the bar, It screamed my name.

Why not? It'll help me escape this madness at least temporarily.

KALISIA

The sun's luminous rays beamed through the window brightly lighting up my new room. I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep. I must have pulled myself onto the bed in the midst of my emotional storm and had passed out.

I was still dressed in my mourning clothes I had worn there.

My pillow was drenched in drool and sweat. I guess I needed to sleep that bad since I hadn't slept in days.

I had found out only four days ago while I was in the hospital for minor scrapes and bruises that my mother didn't make it in the crash.

I had to find out about my mother from overhearing doctors outside of my room discussing how they were going to tell me my mother had passed. Apparently, she was trying to pass in the far left lane, which caused her to smash into the guardrail. From there, our car spun around a few times until a large truck crashed into the back side, resulting in her being ejected from the vehicle through the windshield. Which then caused another large truck to slam into the passenger side of our car that ended up driving over top of her lifeless body in the middle of the road. It was a gruesome tale wish I had not overheard.

I didn't see any of it, but I think I was glad that I hadn't. Yet I still replayed the entire thing over and over again in my mind like clockwork.

"Kalisia! Wake up! It's time for your first day of school! If you're still up for it?" I heard him yell from down the hall behind my closed and still locked door.

At least he gave me my privacy and left me be instead of breaking down my door like mom would have, but a part of me thought that if he cared enough he would have done it.

My stupid brain sometimes. I couldn't make out what I wanted anymore. Did I want to be alone? Did I want him to want me?

I don't know, but one thing was for sure... I did NOT want to be stuck in this house with him alone for days. I was going to school.