What Pain Can Remember

Chapter 1: Darkness

So the Forgotten Hopes Prom is coming up, and me and my brother {Charlie} want to go, especially Charlie as he is graduating this year, him and his girlfriend Amy. So they want to go together. Understandable, right? Mom on the other hand doesn't think so, she hates it. That's an understatement. She despises the idea.

This is where it all started.We were downstairs in the kitchen eating breakfast, me, dad, Charlie, Eliana and mom. We were rushing like always but ALWAYS laughing, and Charlie, out of the blue, his face bright, says "Oh um, by the way, um, Amy said yes to going to prom with me,". The atmosphere instantly thickens as he realises what he had just said. Even then, you could see mom's face turning into a tomato by the second. Dad, luckily, stepped in first,
"Ho ho!" He says laughing, "That's great news son!" Me and Charlie smile, hopeful that mom had calmed down.
"PROM!" squealed Eliana, at the wrong time, and mom burst out her chair and stomped upstairs glaring at Charlie one last time before she disappeared upstairs. I exhaled.
"Well that wasn't too bad to be honest," I said, trying to lighten the mood, though Charlie's face was still dampened at the memory. I look at the time and my eyes widen."Come on, come on, come on.. we're gonna be late!" I gasped, scrambling my stuff into my bag. Charlie jumps up and grabs his car keys. We sling our bags on our shoulders and kiss Eliana on the head and give dad a hug, and dash into his blue Ford. He revs the engine and sets off with some speed. As the buildings and cars whizz by me, I silently give dad a prayer that mom cools off and is OK with him. We come to an abrupt stop in the students' car park and swing open the doors.
"Hurry!" He yells and we dash into school, panting. We go our separate ways, and I head for E3. I slide into my seat, just as Mr Headshrew calls my name out.
"Nylah Harbour?" He booms. And I reply with a smile and a wave,
"Here Sir!"
"Barely" he mutters and carries on. My friend, Lily Seevon, silently mouths,
"Where were you now?" with an exasperated and worried face,
"I'll tell you later," I mouth back.