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"You know what this reminds me of?" he asked.
I shook my head, feeling the rush of our jump stir in my belly. "Being on stage?"
"Roses," he said. "When we ended up at the bar where your parents met, and...
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Chapter One
***Update: Nora's sibling, Shae, pronouns are them/they. However, I did not explicitly address this in the story at first. Since it has confused a few people, I have added a scene. If you see someone using the wrong pronouns in the comments, it's probably because they didn't know and read this chapter before I made the edit. Thank you.
When I was a kid, and I colored outside the lines, my parents praised me for being creative, but once I learned to color inside the lines, it was a game-changer. It signified a turning point. I wasn't just getting older, I was learning. I understood the concept of coloring, and soon, I'd understand the concept of so much more.
I started matching my clothes, learning right from wrong. I strived to make good grades, stay out of trouble, and always, always, always, listen to my elders.
Because, for kids like me, you'll never forget the first time you didn't.
I forgot to tie my sibling's shoe. They fell, scraped their knee, and my father said, "You the oldest. They depend on you. Always keep them safe, and don't ever let me down."
From that moment on, I vowed to never color outside the lines again.
But coloring within the lines can get repetitive, and doing what's expected of you is a full-time job. There's no escape, but you can call timeout. Among our family, the bathroom was our unspoken agreement. Whenever the day became too much, anyone was allowed a moment of peace. And today, I needed it.
Warm water glided down my hands as I scrubbed the soap away. Our broken faucet knob squeaked at the touch, and then it was quiet. The silence warped my ears, but I could still hear the low rumble of the customers downstairs.
I dropped the seat cover and sat down. I cherished the moment my legs nestled into themselves. "I'm very dedicated and hardworking. Meeting deadlines is my special—ouch!"
My band-aid ripped from my skin when I forced my sock down. I caught the oozing blood with a handful of toilet paper. It was impossible to practice at this point. "Collard greens, napkins, hours, food."
