Troubled

THIRTY NINE

CORA PHILIPS

I panicked, I don't know what he was planning on doing when he saw my mother, but the expression on his face was crazy. So I shove him into my closet. I place a finger on his lips in a final attempt to shush him. His eyes were wide and didn't expect I would shove him into a closet, me neither. I never expected I was going to shove him into my closet.

"You're not sleeping?" My mother asked.

For the few minutes I struggled with Kyle I had forgotten all about my hatred for her, or dislike. Once I see her, my wounds start to hurt all over again, it started to feel like I was being wounded by the woman she brought in again.

"No I'm not." I keep the hate out of my voice, I didn't want Kyle to do anything.

"I thought I heard someone else in here." She tells me as she swept the room with her eyes.

"It's just me." I say it loud enough so Kyle knows not to step out of there. Even if I used the bolt on it, I hoped he wouldn't break out.

"Do you know the owner of the car parked outside the house? It's a hassle to park with it there."

I clear my throat, I had forgotten about Kyle's huge car.

"Yeah yeah, the owner said something about going somewhere. He'll be back soon."

She nods. This was the longest discussion we've had since everything happened, I wish she'd leave me alone today like she does other days, I know she was feeling guilty, but was there a need to feel guilty? I mean she must have known the woman was going to use her whip on me since she even had dad take Cory to grandma's place. There was no need to feel guilty.

"Oh okay, did you take the pain relief?" Her voice was timid.

I nod, not wanting to keep up with the conversation, I wanted her to leave, there was someone in my closet before I killed him unintentionally.

"Okay, I have to run a few errands. I'll be back by night time I suppose."

I realize something there and then. She must have believed the whipping worked, it was so funny I nearly start laughing. She never told me where she was going, I usually found out from sticky notes, Cory or Dad.

"What will you like to have for dinner?" She asked.

My eyes must have fallen off from being so wide, I haven't heard that question from her in a while.

"I'll order something."

She nodded and walked away. I stare at her retreating back until she is out of the house.

A bitter long laugh escapes me as I collapse by the door. So that is all it took to acknowledge me as her daughter? An unknown woman whipping me so hard I bled. I take a look at the gashes on my arms, that's all it took? My life was the worst.

I get up with a new found strength, I needed to get the hell out of this house, I needed to leave. I open the closet and Kyle walks out, his face was pinched in a frown.

"I need your help." I tell him.

"Just like that? You're not going to apologize for shoving my ass into a closet?"

I wince,

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I panicked."

"You didn't want her to see me or?"

Was that what worried him?

"No, I didn't want you to see her, you were angry, I didn't know what you wanted to do."

The frown deepened.

"I wouldn't have done anything but talk. Even if she did that. She is still your mother."

"I didn't know what to do, I'm sorry. I panicked."

He smiled a little.

"It's okay, for a second I thought you were going to do something else."

"Something like what?"

He waved his hand dismissively and picked his backpack up from the floor.

"You say you need my help, what for?"

"I have to ace the talent hunt."

His eyebrows raised slightly.

"Okay, and?"

"You said it yourself, my drawings lack emotions. I need to know how to add them." I tell him.

He looks like he's trying to fight off a smile.

"I don't know how I would be of help to you, but I will help you, on two conditions."

I want to groan, but I had no other option, he was the first to spot the lack of emotion in my drawing, so I needed his help.

"What are they?"

"First, you do everything I say, no argument."

I open my mouth to argue, he placed a finger on my lips. I flushed, nobody dared to touch me, especially on my lips. Nobody had the mind to do that.

But he doesn't seem to notice that I had gone red, he only removed his finger and continued talking.

"You have to obey your teacher, how I can I teach you something if you won't listen to my instructions? Do you want to waste my time."

I ignored the tingling sensation I felt where his finger had been minutes ago.

"Okay okay, until you make stupid demands that is." I roll my eyes.

He looked like I hurt him.

"I don't make stupid demands. They are called commandments by the way, whatever I tell you to do are commandments. So you will abide by them."

This will take a while. I sigh.

"Yes Kyle, I will keep your commandments."

He beamed.

"Okay good, I'll tell you the second commandment during the course of our studies, for now, give me your phone number."

"You don't have it?"

"If I did, will I ask for it again?"

I don't answer, it was a good point, what do you say to that?

I shove my old phone into his hands.

"I still remember your password." He wore a proud smile.

"It would mean you were stupid if you don't remember."

He tsked at me.

"I have to go home, I have been rejecting my mom's calls throughout, she will soon send a search party for me."

"Okay then, see you in school tomorrow. Maybe." I say gesturing to my wounds.

"Make sure you treat them as soon as you finish taking a shower, don't neglect it. " He took a close look at them.

I felt so disappointed that he was leaving, my mouth hung open.

"You still have to be at Miss Suzie's, it's Friday tomorrow." I remember.

He nodded. I don't know if I was still supposed to visit her, but it was an opportunity to see him again, and for some reason I didn't want to waste it.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." I say more to myself than him.

The loneliness that hit me as soon as he leaves is something else. I haven't felt lonely in such a long while that I didn't know what it meant to be lonely.

I sit down and try to draw, maybe I wouldn't feel half as lonely if I drew, I was coming up blank. Unlike when he talked, I was flowing with ideas.

Don't tell me. Nop. Never.

His voice now helps me draw?