Never Bend

Chapter 1: Life, eternal flow

time,

we can't hold it in place,

we can't rewind it.

Every second is precious.

MJ1

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    ¸.•✿Annie✿✿•.¸¸
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Summer vacation is over, life is back to its usual pace, but this time is different from previous years. I am not going to school while my friends are.

I help my sister with her homework and worry about dinner. It has to be made, and Mom hasn't shown up yet, unless she doesn't want to. All summer we hoped to see her and spend time like we used to, but it never happened.

Feeling lost, I move a few feet away to wash the few dishes in the sink to keep from sinking further into my feelings. One thing is for sure. Mom doesn't want us anymore. Whenever she is here, she yells and orders us around as if we were her employees instead of her children. The list of my chores and obligations grows with each passing week. Now even our stomachs are paying the price. She forgets to buy food or give me money to buy food. Are we such a burden that she wants to get rid of us?

We have not had a father since he left when I was eleven, and now, six years later, my mother is ready to do the same. Can I take care of the three of us?

As I dry my hands, I notice that Julie is chewing on the tip of her pencil. The corners of my lips turn up. I walk back to her and run my fingers through her hair, making her stop.

Julie is starting her third year, and it's proving to be an ordeal with so many classes, especially when this little one keeps distracting her from the task at hand.

"Annie, why can't Mommy help me with my homework?" She looks me in the eye and lifts her chin. She has so many questions about the inconsiderable amount of answers I can provide.

"You know she's working, come on, let's get this done and warm up the bed so Mom can sleep in it with you," I ride a piece of my nail away. I hope to make her forget the subject.

She looks at me for a split second, then grabs her pen and starts writing the answers in her book.

The sound of a zipper makes me look up. Luc has finished his homework.

"I agree with Julie. Mom is overworked. We hardly see her these days. What are we going to do? I have papers to sign. At this rate, they'll end up sending Child Protective Services our way." The deep voice reminds me that he is slowly becoming a man. It is hard to decipher from his voice how he really feels about all of this.

Actually, that thought had crossed my mind as well, but I pushed it away, too afraid of it. My hands waved in the air, searching for a strand of hair. "Leave the form on the table. I will wait for mom. I'll have it signed by tomorrow, I promise," I say, knowing I might not get a look at her.

"Whatever." He said, walking past me and hurrying to his room.

The main floor is small, with just enough room for a sofa and a table. The open concept allows us to see everything going on upstairs. In the middle of the staircase.

I let out a deep sigh. He is almost as tall as me now and his behavior has been a roller coaster, especially since Mom started spending less time with us.

"Annie, why can't Dad come back and help?" She asks, eating her pen.

As if a jolt had hit me, I stand up to get a glass of water and take a few gulps. As she continues to look at me for an answer, I have no choice but to respond.