This House Is Not A Home: Bleeding Heart (Scomiche) (Troyler) (Kavi)

Chapter 13 - Up in Flames

Hey long time no write :)

I'm in school atm so it's been difficult to update. I miss writing this though and I promise I'll get the next update up ASAP.

This is a flashback chapter. The next one will start up with Lights again <3

PS: I'm sure there are consistency errors, and I'm working on it. This entire book is being rewritten and I'll be fixing any loopholes/inconsistencies.

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Claudette's red hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail that bobbed when she walked. It was well into spring and the pollen was thick in the air, but she was unbothered. Her focus was on the end of the long road that was lined with thick trees. Birds chirped in the leaves above and she looked up every once in a while to see if she could get a glimpse of one of them.

She stuck her hands in the pockets of her black pants. Her top was a basic t-shirt that was stained from cooking in the kitchen. She wore a sleeveless jean vest over that. It was frayed at the arm openings and was starting to tear near her right pocket.

She sighed in relief when she finally reached the store. Her eyes were lined with black charcoal liner, bringing out her dark eyes, and her lips were painted a dark red color that looked vibrant against her pale skin.

Inside, the young boy at the cash register raised an eyebrow suggestively when Claudette walked in. She quietly sighed out of annoyance and began to look around. She knew what she had come for. She just had to lure 'Rich', as his nametag read, away from the register.

She grabbed a package of Hostess cupcakes and walked to the register, taking a few dollars out of her vest pocket.

"Will that be all today?" The boy smirked and Claudette shifted her eyes up to him.

"Yup." She said and handed him the money, then an idea sparked in her head. "Actually...I noticed you don't have any more..." She looked down at the candy counter beneath her, and saw that one was empty. "Necco wafers...think you have any more in the back?"

The boy looked eager to help her. "Let me check! One second, pretty lady."

She smiled after him and let the smile drop quickly once he was gone. She looked around the store once before leaning over the counter and snatching a pack of Marlboro's off of the shelf. She shoved the box in her pocket and waited patiently for him to return.

Rich came out with a full box and she took one sleeve, paying for her two treats and then leaving the store, giving the boy a quick wink before starting to walk back towards the house.

She lit up a cigarette with a match from the book that Catty had given her. She puffed in the smoke and blew it out into the breeze, watching it dissipate into the air before her. The house came into view eventually, and she put the cigarette out on a tree so Mr. Hemingway wouldn't catch her.

She walked right over to the side door and stepped up the stairs. Before her hand was even on the handle her name was called from the garage. She turned to see little Nathaniel Reichs standing at the entrance of the garage with his hand on the handle. He smiled sweetly at her but she knew what he was doing.

Nate, as everyone called him, was going to be thirteen years old. He was the oldest orphanage and it didn't seem as if he would ever get out. He had a baby face but Claudette knew to look past that. He was manipulative.