Four.

I dash right for the stairs as if my breakfast was going to disappear. My left foot landing on my right and I lost my footing.

"Good morning Alex!" Alisha chirps once I topple down the flight of stairs.

"I think I broke my nose." I groan into the carpeted floor at the end of the stairs. I was all grumpy since I woke up but I think it has something to do with me not being a morning person.

It has been almost two weeks since Ryder drove me home on his rusty cycle. He made it really, really clear that it doesn't make us friends or anything because he resumed being dickhead Ryder the next day.

Whereas, Alisha is our maid. She's always in the house 24/7 because if you haven't noticed yet I live alone.

My mother is a fashion designer who owns her own clothing line and company and still handles my late fathers architectural firm. And my brother Chase is writing his last exams before graduating out of college, he is an Architect. 

And my father....well, long story.

"Oh come on! Even I would throttle from these stairs and not feel it." she chides helping me up. 

"You're 54 years old Alisha, you'll die." I deadpan walking straight to the kitchen. 

"I made toast and eggs and bacon and waffles and pancakes for you." she says helping me with my chair. 

Have I mentioned that she knows the way to a girls heart?

"I can move my chair Alisha," I roll my eyes. "Isn't there any chicken or mashed potatoes?" I ask immediately downing my fully plated breakfast. 

"That is so unhealthy but there is chicken, I can pack some for you and the twins." she says taking out a medium sized container. 

"May would be ecstatic," I muffle due to the painful amount of food I have in my mouth. "And you know I don't care about the shit I eat as long as it's edible, you should probably lecture May about the amount of sweets and chocolates she takes per minute everyday!" I say once I've swallowed. 

"She never listens!" Alisha exclaims placing the container in front of me. 

"And she probably never will." I huff gulping down my orange juice.

"I have never seen a girl that eats as much as you." Alisha said, awe struck.

"That's why you met me," I said with a toothy grin.

Once I've slipped my plate in the sink I grab my bag and the packed lunch before heading to school.

~*~

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

"Puh-lease stop munching like a donkey!" May groans, slapping my back.

I ignore her and continue chewing my apple open mouthed, walking as slow as possible not to get to Art class on time. My mood still hasn't brightened since morning and it's definitely worse since I miss my family already.

"Would you please thank Alisha for packing lunch with us today? Never mind I'll do that myself." She smiles. 

"I miss Chase Robert Anderson!" I whine leaning on her shoulder.

"You guys argue like the world is suffering from nothing but your problems and now you miss him?" she huffs pulling me. 

"No we don't!"

She let out a sigh of exasperation and intertwines her arm with mine and starts walking fast.

"I'm lonely." I hum letting her drag me "Tired, retarded and lonely."

She throws me a disappointed look and shakes her head. She soon starts ranting things about how unicorns and marshmallows are signs of angels, also mentioning something about how One Direction broke her heart.

Halfway to class we were interrupted by two huge figures completely blocking our path.

May crashes into Blake hitting her nose but she doesn't notice because she keeps trying to budge whatever's stopping her from moving.

I am friends with an idiot. 

I groan internally when I see Ryder and Blake. Way to redamped the mood. 

"Hey guys!" Blake waves at us grinning from ear to ear while Ryder leans on the wall with a bored expression. 

Well hello motherfucker. 

"Hey." May chirps acknowledging their presence.

Blake stares at me for a quick second waiting for my greetings before taking his eyes off me. He looked disappointed. 

Sorry to disappoint, or not. 

"'Sup big guy." May forges a deep voice whacking Blake's chest, hard. His face scrunches in pain. "Such a loser." she says shaking her head in utter disgust.

"What do you want Brad." I cut in rubbing my temples, purposely tripping on his name. It's either that or May embarrassing the shit out of me any second because she's already sizing Blake. 

"It's Blake," he tells me as if I'm suppose to know that.

"Yeah, the dude that brushes his hair a thousand times, I don't care." I say nonchalantly.

Why am I mean to him? 

I dunno and I don't really care right now.

"Uhm ok," he chuckles nervously.

"You have something to say? Or are we just hallway cruising?" May asks rocking on her heels.

"I'm throwing a party and I want you guys to come. Please." He blurts out.

"Did you say please?" Ryder was suddenly active as he blurted the rhetorical question.

Fuck off tad face. 

"Pssh tad face" May snickers 

I quickly clamp my hand over my mouth.

Ryder simply rolls his eyes and says to Blake, "They're not coming Blake, I've wasted enough ample time."

"Of course we'll come Brandy." I say ignoring tad face. 

"Blake," May corrects.

Totally forgot his name this time.

"I still can't believe you said please." Ryder scoffed eyeing my friend and I.

"Sucks to be you." I said sticking my tongue out at him. 

Call me childish. I dare you.

"Don't be a–" he starts but I cut him off.

"Scurry to class Winnie––the pooh" I smirk stressing the last word. 

"Uhm guys? I better get to history class before history repeats itself." May winks at us expecting us to laugh at her lame joke and somehow, she reminds herself that it's not even funny. She quickly turns around––her hair whipping Blake's face in the process–– and hurries to class. I stifle a laugh.

"See you later Blake!" I chuckle waving at him.

"Yes." he fist pumps the air, happy that I got his name right.

My eyes meet with his cold icy ones when I turn around. He's staring at me intently. I flipped my hair, a little more careful than May did though, before walking straight ahead to art class. 

"I don't like you." he mumbles but I heard him. 

"I don't too, but you don't see me complaining!" I quicken my pace, now ready for Mrs McQueen's detention.

~*~

"And when I got back to say goodbye your flight already departed––" I pout "––you didn't even say goodbye."

She takes a sip of her coffee the blue rim of her glasses making contact with the mug.

"No Alexandra," I cringed at my full name "––you went out to tan your tongue remember?" 

I smiled at the memory.

Ah, Good times.

I look a lot like her except she's an older version of me and her eyes, they're grey unlike my boring brown ones.

"And you tried to killed me just an hour ago," she huffs sipping her already cold coffee more.

I didn't try to kill her.

I tried to kill a burglar. 

I found the front door open and dirt was lying on the porch leading straight to the kitchen. I grabbed my brother's baseball bat and walked stealthily towards the kitchen only to find someone wolfing my jar of cookies. I'm about to paint my kitchen with brain and blood when the figure quickly turned, freezing their hands in the air. I thought it was a burglar, I mean who walks in with dirt? 

Who even creeps in their own house?

Well, surprise, surprise, my mother!

I love my mom who doesn't? But she has to be the creepiest person on earth. 

"Why was your hood up in the house? And you were being so quiet and way too suspicious." I mutter pouring myself a glass of milk.

"I don't know, cause its my house?" She says in a duh tone. 

"Another reason not to break into it!" I point out rolling my eyes. "So you're staying for a week?" I ask gulping down the content in my cup.

"I'm stay for the rest of the year!" She squeals.

The last gulp chugs down forcefully down my throat and the liquid goes through the wrong route spraying through my nose.

I choked.

"Oh my god Alexandra are you okay?" She asks, casually sipping her own drink. 

"No––I'm––not!" I said inbetween coughs. 

I quickly grab a half full bottle of water on the counter and chug it down. 

"There's something over there." she points at the edge of my mouth. "You might need this." she pulls out a handkerchief from her pocket and throws it to me, it lands slowly on the floor.

"Thank you so much for saving my life mom." I scoff making sure I step on the hanky before making my way out of the kitchen. 

"I asked if you were ok!" 

"Was I mom? Was I?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"You were?" She said, uncertain. 

"This is pointless." I mutter under my breath. "You know what mom? I'd love to stay and be you're victim of torture tonight but I've got somewhere to go."

"What? Where? Why?" She bombards jumping from the stool at once. 

"I'm going to answer the last one Ma and its because I can." 

"Ok." she sighs 

Just like tha-

"I won't stop you from going anywhere Alex, it's you're life that's what teenagers do. What I will tell you is that as long as you step out of this house you're officially grounded for a month." she says pitifully.

"What the–"

"I'm not stopping you," she shrugs blocking the rest of my words "They're just consequences for going."

I stare at her, stunned, I shouldn't be fazed because this is my wierd mother but... She is impossible!

"Why! Mother, just tell me why! There is no sensible reason for this!" I exclaim.

"There is a sensible explanation to this, it's like adding chilli powder to a pancake mix."

I stared at her.

"That doesn't even make sense–– Why? Just why are you home Mom?" I ask through gritted teeth.

She blinks once, twice and starts fiddling with her finger.

I groan loudly and take her hand in mine. 

"You left the modeling agency without notice again." I tilt my head to the side.

"I wanted to take a break Ally, I missed you guys so much. I miss home. I miss us. I just wanted to spend some time with the two of my only kids. Is that too much to ask?" She gives me the puppy eyes.

"It is too much to ask if you keep being creepy," I smile looking into her eyes and she rubs small circles on the back of my hand. "Enough of this sentimental shit. Let's have funnn!" I whoop. "And please refrain from calling me Ally ever," I say keeping a serious face. 

"Girls night in with Ally." she shouts, clearly ignoring my last statement. "We're going to have a sleepover," She adds enthusiastically, throwing her fists in the air hitting my left arm in the process.

"Ouch," I mouth to myself. "That's too much energy for someone your age." I mumble rubbing my arm. 

"I'll be right back." she says grabbing her keys.

"Where are you going?" 

"To get some snacks," she says in a duh tone. 

"God please make it stop." I muttered under my breath.

"I love you too baby. Bye!" she plants a kiss on my fore head before rushing out.

"Yeah. That's what I said, I love you." I say tiredly. 

I hear the door slam shut followed by clicking sounds. "She had to lock me in," I scoff. 

~*~

In my room lying on my back, my phone vibrates on my bed side table. I check to see who it is. 

April: Are you bailing out? Party started 30 minutes ago

Me: *sighs* Mom's home.

April: I understand your situation, say no more.

Me: Thanks for your concern.

April: See you at shopping tomorrow. 

Me: TomorrowApeana *kissy faces*

April: Apple magnet.

I chuckle leaving her on read knowing that it'll mean war tomorrow. I sigh, leaning deep into my pillow, it's been almost two hours since mom left. I'm about to take a settle for a nap when I hear the door downstairs open. 

I pinch the bridge of my nose muttering words that even I don't know what they mean. 

"Honey! I'm home!" She yells.

I roll out of bed, crashing with a loud thud on the carpet, cursing myself for not thinking twice. I stand up and change it my PJs then walk to the door. I take a deep breathe then open the door.

"I'm ready!" I shout. "Let the night commerce." I say to myself before rushing downstairs. I pray Chase doesn't come back anytime soon. 

*******

••••

Maryam M.B ❣