The Brains and the Bad Boy <Editing>

Aunt Diane

Another week with the Salaways, it feels like it's been forever since I've been home. I have to go home for today, my Aunt Diane is visiting and I need to clean up the house so it seems like it's been normal at home. "So why is your aunt coming to visiting?" Keith asked as he was fixing something on his bike. We head back upstairs. "She comes to visit every year around my mom's death day." I said.
"She was my mom's best friend and she likes to check up on us and visit mom." I added, Keitnodded.
"I'll go with you."
"Nah, you don't have to. It's not like he can do anything when she's there." I assured him and he didn't seem to care.
"It wasn't exactly a question, princess." He smirked.
"Princess?" I questioned with an "oh really now" look.
"Keith! What is this I'm hearing about two boys who are claiming you beat up?!" Ms. Salaway shouted from the kitchen but you could hear her from the balcony. "Want to leave now?" Keith asked.
"Sure." I laughed and we left in a hurry. I kicked over a toolbox that next to Keith's motorcycle. "What's this for?"
"The brakes broke, I fixed it this morning." He said casually.
"Dude, if the brakes are broken, I'm not getting on it."
"I fixed it, you worry way too much." He scoffed.
"If I die, I blame you." I mumbled and reluctantly hopped on behind him with a death grip around him. "Lighten up, I fixed it. It works fine." He tried to reassure me but I wasn't too sure. We pulled up to my house and I opened the door that was left unlocked. A note was on the wall when I walked in. Two hours to clean up this shithole, get it done. I crumbled it up and threw it in the trash. "Can you get me the vacuum from the closet over there?" I pointed to the closet with a free hand while I collected bottles from the floor. "Sure." He moved it over by the kitchen.
"Can't even throw away a fucking bottle..." I said under my breath with some other things that I wouldn't like to repeat. I made sure none of them broke when I placed them in the trash.
Vacuuming was a nightmare, I think I vacuumed up some of my dad's "stash" of drugs from under the couch. Don't ask why he likes to keep his cocaine under the couch, it's just where he thinks it's "safe"... After an hour, the house was pretty clean except for the bedrooms which were so untidy I decided just to lock the doors and hide the keys. They indescribably gross.
My dad came home 15 minutes before Aunt Diane showed up and we did get into a screaming match, it didn't get physical but my throat was hurting like a bitch. I heard a car door slam and we both shut up. "I'll get the door. Both of you, sit your asses down so I can let in Diane." He grunted and glared at me. Keith was leaning against the mantle, his jaw clenched. "Let's get this over with." I said with a forced smile. Keith sighed and mumbled something under his breath but I didn't bother to ask what he said. "Alice, sweetie!" The high-pitch excitement was evident as my Aunt Diane bounded over to greet me.
"Hi Aunt Diane, how are you?" I smiled in response.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. My goodness your getting so tall!" How clique.
"Thanks."
"Who's this?" She looked to Keith who was staying quiet.
"That's Keith." I introduced and he gave a slight wave, not uncrossing his arms. The woman can talk for hours. She started wanting to know how we know each other and how she actually knew his mom in high school and all that. "How's your mom? I haven't talked to her in decades!"
"She's good, a lot has changed since you last talked though."
"Oh really? I'll have to call her." She said, puckering her lips, which is something she does when she thinks. She stayed and had dinner which I had to cook. "So are you two dating or just friends."
"Friends." We said at the same time a bit too suddenly.
"Hum, ok? You both just get along so... Well, I guess I shouldn't assume." She laughed awkwardly and she went on making small talk with my dad on how everything has been. "Why does everyone seem to think we're dating one way or another?!" I whispered.
"I know, I'm way too hot for you." He replied with a cocky grin. I smiled at him and kicked him hard in the leg. He didn't even flinch though he did kick me back. "Oh, you think you get away with kicking me back?" I asked with a "oh really" look. I elbowed him in the rib, and he gave me a shove with his forearm. I slapped his arm and he pushed me again. "Asshole." I said lowly.
"Yet you still stick around."
"Shut up."
"Can you two not argue?" My dad interrupted and I gritted my teeth. I will not let him tell me what to do. "We aren't arguing." I bit, with a death stare. Dad was staring me dead in the eye, furious but I knew I would be getting away with everything today. After a few seconds he backed down and cleared his throat, "So, how's Iowa?" I asked knowing that Aunt Diane could talk for hours.
"Oh, honey, you need to come visit! My girls haven't seen you since you were a freshman. I was actually talking to your dad here about you staying with me just for the summer! There is so much to do, it'd be fun!" She exclaimed and I was a bit dumbfounded by the sudden news.
"The whole summer?" I choked.
"Why of course! What do you say?" She asked.
"I, um, don't know. I'll think about it." I said quietly. I looked over to Keith who was just watching quietly, I don't wanna go I mouthed.
How bad could it be? He mouthed with a slight shrug.
Her daughters talk more than her, and they hate me.
They can't hate you more than the kids in this town.
Gee, thanks. And they might not hate me as much but I'll be living with them for 2 and a half months!
What? He mouthed back and I rolled my eyes.
They do, and I would have to live with them. He gave a slight shrug and I got up to put my plate in the sink. "This sucks because if I say no, my dad will force me to go or she will guilt me into it!" I said once I noticed that Keith was leaning on the countertop behind me. "Then go."
"Last time I was there, Alex and Riley put a Rattle snake in my bed!" I pointed out.
"I'll go with you if you want." He stated casually.
"Really?"
"Think of it as I'm repaying the favor of you going with me to Minnesota." He smirked and I gave him a hug.
"Thanks."
"No problem, Red." He said, ruffling my hair.
"Hey, it took me forever to straighten it." I fussed with a pout.
"Are you sure they aren't dating?" I heard a whisper as we made our way to the table.
"Who cares, Diane? It's not like it'll last, we know that first hand." My dad doubted and we pretended like we didn't hear them.
"I think it'd be nice to go visit you." I told her and she clapped her hands together.
"Yay!" She cheered and everything after that was pretty quiet and relaxed. And at around 6:00 when Diane left, I just had to put away the dishes and leave. "How could you embarrass me like that?! You made me look like a fool in front of your aunt!" My dad was yelling at me.
"Oh, give it a rest! You are the one who tries to order me around, I don't even live here anymore!" I shouted back at him.
"It's all because your a useless little wench who is only good for cleaning."
"Your mother would be ashamed at what you've become." He spat at me and I froze and stiffened.
"You mean what you made me? Mom would hate you if she saw what you've done since she's left. You do 10x the drugs you did when she was around and you've become a fucking psychopath! It should've been fucking you!" I shouted impulsive out of pure rage.
"You act like I don't know that! You think I still want to be here after it was my fault your mom died?! Are you that stupid to think I don't care?!"
"If you care so much, act like it! A real father would never hit or order around their own goddamn daughter like a fucking slave! A real father doesn't kick their daughter out because she was late. A real father would give up drugs and liquor when it causes the death of his fucking wife!" I yelled, a plate falling out of my hand and smashing to the floor.
"I'm not cleaning this up." I seethed, my throat was burning from the screaming back and forth. His fists were clenched and he looked like he was crazy by his expression. "I loved your mom, I hate you." He said, the final word. I was a bit shocked by it at first, he's never been kind to me since mom passed but he never told me he hates me. "The feelings are mutual." I said, my voice strained and cracking. I marched out of the room, crunching glass as my converse smashing into the floor. "We're leaving. We're leaving now." I said, not sure if I was upset or angry. Keith at first looked a bit startled by my sudden burst. "I'm not driving until you stop hyperventilating." He told me and I calmed down a bit.
"Can we leave now?" I asked, slightly annoyed with him.
"Sure." He said shortly and we left, my dad intensely watching as we met. I sat behind Keith, he revved the engine and we left. When we got to the complex Keith parked and got off. "Red, are you coming?" He asked, looking back at me but I was kind of sitting there, my legs hanging off the side. "Even my dad told me he hates me." I mumbled.
"What did who say?" Keith asked, getting closer.
"My dad told me that he hates me before we left." I said, my hands were tightly holding the front and back of the seat, as if it's the only thing holding me up. "Alice." Keith sighed and I looked up. Why was this bothering me, I've always known he never loved me but he's never said it. Keith sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose for a second, "com'ere." I stood up and he wrapped an arm around me, I buried my head in my chest and felt a few tears finally fall. "It's okay, you're ok." He told me, a bit awkwardly, he's not exactly the comforting type. We made it to the door and as Keith was about to open it it was opened by Zack, who must've come home for the weekend while we were gone. "The slut is still living here?!" He complained and I was not in the mood. I shoved past him and locked myself in the empty bathroom. "Nice fucking going." Keith told Zack who was ignorant to everything. I noticed the shadow of Keith's shoes under the door, he started knocking (more like banging) on the door. "Alice." He called and I ignored him.
"You locked the fucking door?... You do realize I can easily unlock this." I didn't respond again, I wanted quiet but I obviously wasn't getting that. I slid to the ground and hugged my knee to my chin, crossing the other one.
It was a while before the click of the door made my ears perk up. He picked the damn bathroom lock. I looked up as the door opened, "are you coming out or do you plan to keep everyone from using the only bathroom in this place?" Keith asked me and I unclasped my hands and offered one to Keith so he could pull me up. I got to a stand and walked out of the bathroom I've been in for 45 full minutes. I laid down in a ball on the couch and shut my eyes. "What's her deal?" Zack asked in a quieter voice.
"Her aunt came to visit her and her dad. Let's just say once the aunt left, it went pretty bad pretty fast." He answered him.
Keith's POV 😱-
"How do you mean, it went pretty bad pretty fast?" Zack asked.
"Alice and her dad got into a fight and he said he hates her so she's a borderline wreck for the time being."
"Ooh" he winced.
"Yeah. So I had quite a day." I said sarcastically and running a hand through my hair.
"I feel sort of bad now."
"Uh huh." Mom and everyone else got in the door. "Mom, they are within 10 feet of each other and they aren't fighting! It's a miracle." Lauren cheered irritatingly. I told her to shut up and she got offended and left the living room. "Fuck you too." I said to myself and Zack left to help my mom with the few bags of groceries she was putting away. "Keith, try actually being of use?" Lauren questioned.
"I don't know, Lauren, can you try to actually be pleasant to be around?" She rolled her eyes at me. I turned on the TV and waited for Alice to wake up. "I'm guessing someone had
A bad day?" She questioned as she looked to Alice.
"You could say that."
"What happened?"
"Why do you think I'll tell you?"
"Because I'm her friend and I can't ask her if she's sleeping."
"Ask her when she wakes up."
"That might be hours from now."
"You can wait."
"Fine." She said sharply and left for her room. I laid my head on the back of the couch. Its been a too fucking long day.