Notice me

28 | Criminal

But as we sit there, talking and joking around, I have to admit that Kane was right. We're together, and we can make the best of it. We come up with silly stories and jokes, laughing until our sides hurt.

The fun stops once the door opens and the teacher walks in.

Not her. I internally groan.

As we all sit in detention, we can feel the tension rising in the room. Our teacher, Ms. Johnson, sits at her desk, watching us with a stern expression.

Cheryl clears her throat, "Excuse me, Ms. Johnson? How much longer are we going to be in here?"

Ms. Johnson looks up from her book, "Until the end of the period, Cheryl. You should know that by now."

Dominic scoffs, "Well, that's not fair. We didn't even do anything that bad."

Ms. Johnson narrows her eyes, "You were all caught talking and disrupting the class. You know the rules."

Kane jumps in, "But Ms. Johnson, it's not like we were hurting anyone. We were just having a conversation."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah, a conversation that apparently was more interesting than whatever Collins was teaching."

Ms. Johnson stands up from her desk, "That's enough, Sienna. I won't tolerate disrespect in this classroom."

Cheryl speaks up, "But Ms. Johnson, we're not being disrespectful. We're just questioning why we have to be in here for the entire period."

Ms. Johnson crosses her arms, "You're in detention for a reason, Cheryl. I suggest you use this time to reflect on your actions and think about how you can improve your behavior in the future."

Dominic sneers, "Oh please, Ms. Johnson. You act like we're criminals or something."

Ms. Johnson gives me her VIP nasty look.

Oh. Ouch.

"Some of you aren't." She sneers. Her eyes were still on me. I grimace.

"Excuse me? What was that?" Kane's whole demeanor changes. His tone is strangely and deadly calm and steady. His eyes narrowed almost to slits.

Only if looks could kill...

Dominic and Cheryl are now giving her nasty looks too. As much as I want to say something I lower my head. She doesn't deserve any more of my attention or even a slight acknowledgment.

Ms. Johnson raises her voice ignoring Kane, "I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in my or any classroom. You will all remain in detention until the end of the period, and if you continue to disrupt, I will have no choice but to involve the principal."

They all fall silent, knowing that Ms. Johnson means business. As we sit in silence for the rest of the period, I can't help but feel annoyed by the whole situation. But I also know that we should have just kept our mouths shut and served our time quietly.

Kane squeezes my hand under the table. I give him a smile that does not reach my eyes and he notices.

He does. Always does. I smile more at that.

As the detention period comes to an end, I can't help but feel a twinge of relief when I'm away from Ms. Johnson.

"Same time next week?" Kane winks, and we all laugh as we make our way out of the school.

☆ ☆ ☆

I flip through the pages of my notes while sitting on the bed.

This is ridiculous. Why is procrastination real? I try to focus but I give up a minute after. I slam the notebook close and reach for my headphones which I put on.

I watch videos on my phone when I hear the front door unlocking. I lower my volume and pull the right side of the headphones away from my ear.

I listen closely and recognize it's my father. I scowl and continue watching videos but I leave the right side of the headphones away from my ear.

You never know.

A sudden shouting caused my heart to drop down to my stomach. I fully remove the headphones from my ears and turn to my door.

When the voices increase I leap out of my bed to the door. I grab the door handle and listen closely.

"You are a fucking whore!"

"You know what?! Grab Sienna and pack your things! Leave!" Mom sneers.

I feel as if I have been stabbed.

I stood up for my mom numerous times. And this is how she acts? By throwing me away with the person I hate the most?

"No! This is also MY house! Feel free to pack your things and grab Sienna with you while you are on it!"

I'm just a fucking thing. A thing that they don't care where it will end up. How will it end up.

I move away from the door and sit back on my bed. I shake my head. Holding back the tears that are threatening to spill.

But I fail at that. Just as at everything else.

Tears are streaming down my face. I could still hear my parents arguing downstairs, their voices rising and falling in a never-ending cycle of anger and frustration. I felt overwhelmed and helpless, unsure of what to do or how to make things better.

The sound of breaking glass echoed through the house, and I flinched, my heart pounding in my chest. I want to go downstairs and try to make peace, to somehow bring an end to the fighting, but I know that it will be useless. My parents were too consumed by their anger and resentment, too trapped in their pain, to see the damage they were causing.

I'm feeling like I'm suffocating, trapped in a world that was collapsing around me. I wish that I could make the pain go away, that I could turn back time and make things right again. But it is too late for that now, and I know that I would have to find a way to cope with the sadness and overwhelming emotions that were consuming me.

As the night wore on, I tried to distract myself, to find some solace in books or music. But the sound of my parents' fighting never seemed to fade, a constant reminder of the pain and turmoil that had taken over my life. I felt like I was drowning like there was no way out of the darkness that was consuming me.

Eventually, the arguing stopped, and I was left in silence. I lay in my bed, exhausted and drained, but unable to sleep. I knew that tomorrow would be a new day, but I also knew that the pain and sadness would still be there, lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to overwhelm me once again.

___________________________________________
A.N.

If you are in this type of household or worse...Just wanted to drop a quick message to remind you that you're not alone in this.

Your feelings matter, and there are people out there who care about you and want to help. Whether it's talking to a friend, family member, or seeking support from a professional, it's important to know that there are options available.

It's also important to remember that their behavior is not your fault. You deserve to feel safe, loved, and supported. You can heal from this and come out even stronger on the other side.

Just wanted to remind you that you're not alone in this, and if you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out.

Take care <3