/ "You remind me of her. But you're older, and sadder."/
I wrenched myself out of my past and focused on my algebra. Dumb math. It's so useless it makes my mind wander.
Who said that?
The only person I actually connected to, the only person that could actually see through my disguise. The one that understood.
The one that's gone.
Oh, well. I knew I'd eventually be alone again.
"Ariadne, I don't understand! I've taught you this math principle over and over! Why can't you APPLY the things you learned here?"
"There's like ten thousand principles, and algebra goes against math itself."
"No, YOU'RE the one making it make no sense!"
"How does that work?"
My mom crossed her arms and sighed. "You are going to eat humble pie when you find out you'll need this in the real world."
Seriously?
Algebra?
Like the negative × negative = positive algebra?
Nah. That's never coming into play when I grow up.
"I'm going to pick up your sister. Do your work."
She closed the garage door.
I picked up my phone. "Yes, and no."
After pulling up some music, I pushed my earbuds into my ears.
It ruined my concentration, but who cares? Maybe I'll get algebra done an hour later than I should have, but really, who cares?
I knew I still had to do my ASL lesson, but I finished everything else! ASL can wait. I need a break. I'd forgotten to do algebra yesterday, so I had to do SIX pages. SIX.
I'm in sixth grade okay? Give me a break.
I need chocolate.
My stomach rumbled when I thought of the Snickers bar I'd been saving.
We were going to get apple fritters later, couldn't I just wait?
Or I could eat part of it...
I turned the music up higher and blasted Ed Sheeran's 'Photograph' in my ears, attempting to get my author side turned on.
When it gets hard
You know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing
That makes us feel alive
Times forever frozen still...
If only life was a photograph, right?
But then life would be EXTREMELY boring.
<~><~><~><~><~><~><~> time skip
I look at the clock. Mom had been gone for over two hours.
What?
The school isn't far at all, I could walk there if I really wanted to.
Hmm. Whatever.
A knock sounded at the door, but Mom always used the garage, so I didn't answer it.
My phone dinged with a new message.
+1 555-765-2916
Open the door.
What the heck?
They knocked again.
My heart stepped up it's pace.
+1 555-765-2916
Please, Ariadne.
Oh heck no. Not happening. How did this stranger get my name? I don't let people even take pictures of me if I knew I'd be accessible for people I didn't know personally.
+1 555-765-2916
OPEN IT NOW!
I bit back a terrified scream as something heavy crashed into the front door. I heard a cracking sound as it splintered open.
Oh.My.Gosh.
I dove into the most secure hiding place I could think of.
My father's office desk drawer.
It was more of a tiny cabinet, and I used it all the time when I was little. But since we moved here, nobody knows that.
"ARIADNE WE HAVE TO LEAVE!"
Holy Helium.
The voice I thought I'd never hear again was calling for me.
Him.
Brandon. The only one who understood without any experience to learn from.
I emerged from the cabinet.
"Brandon, what the-"
He grabbed my arm and started sprinting.
"Your family's okay, but we need to get you to them before they leave."
"Leave? Where?"
Brandon stopped, his pale blue eyes locking into my brown ones.
"Someone's bombing the city."
YOU ARE READING
Broken
FantasyAriadne Thorn is an average girl in junior high with severe "mommy issues". She hates her life, her situation, and closes herself off to almost everyone. She bears the pain alone, in hopes that she won't get hurt trusting someone to take part of the...
