Jane

four

|Daughter| •Jane •

As I slam the door shut, I hear my mother pull out the driveway and back to her stupid job. I was glad she was gone but it hurt that she didn't care what people say and she didn't care to ask me how I felt. The office women at school, could probably tell how much she didn't care. All she cared about was her job, and Adam and Gabe and Kate. But no not Jane. It's never Jane.

I walk up the stairs, and head to my room but my mother's room caught my eye. I'm the only one in the house that isn't allowed to enter her room and since this is my chance, I'm taking it.

I creak the door open and slowly flip open the light. The ceiling fan turns on and I take in my surroundings. It still looks the same as it always did. Ever since we moved here three years ago. I sat on her bed, and it smelled like her. She always smelled good, how could someone so cruel smell so sweet and lively. I stand up and touch her jewelry on her vanity. The first time I touched her jewelry without it injuring me from her strikes.

I look at the pictures of Kate and Adam and Gabe. A family picture with my face half hidden in the thick frame on the side. The failure of the family. I turn away, and look at her bed side table. There was a picture of my mother and father. I try not to look into his eyes but my mother's. She looked so happy. She never looks that way, not even with Kate. I sigh.

I open her closet door, and I find a picture of her and Sean. He was my step father. I hear someone behind me and fear kicks in. I turn around quickly to Adam.

"Its okay, its just me." He says.

I walk to him and hug him tightly. I tried holding back tears. I wasn't going to be weak. I wasn't going to get his shirt wet for the hundredth time in the last five years. I wouldn't. I won't.

"I'm sorry. Don't tell." I say, my voice cracking.

He hugs me back.

"I'm not." He says.

"Adam?" I hear come behind us.

I see Andrea peeking through the door in confusion. She sees my head as I stop hugging Adam.

"Sorry, my baby sister was in here." He says.

I smile politely.

"Hey Jane." She says, with a smile.

"Hey." I say, quietly.

Andrea was a senior at my school. She's a year younger than Adam so she's 18. She was one of the prettiest, most richest girls at school but also the nicest.

"Why aren't you at school?" She asks.

"My mother picked me up." I say.

Adam looked at me concerned.

"Mom picked you up?" He asks, looking at me.

I could read his eyes. What did you do?

"Yes." I reply.

He gives me a tell me later look.

I nod.

"Well, we are going to my room now." Adam says.

Andrea laughs. "See you around Jane." She says.

I nod and wave as they walk out and I walk downstairs. I grab a drink, and sit in the living room and turn the TV on. I could hear Adam and Andrea above me laughing and listening to music.

I smile, I wish I could have somebody that made me laugh.

Nobody knows or likes Jane. Jane's a failure. I sigh and watch the news on mute. I was really listening to the happiness of Andrea and Adam.

I eventually close my eyes and fall asleep.

I wake up to Kate shaking me.

"About time you woke up. Supper is in thirty minutes." Kate says.

I stand up and see Gabe cooking in the kitchen.

"I was getting up." I say.

He smiles. "I know." He says.

"You didn't have to cook. Mother doesnt like when others cook she said its my job." I say.

He shrugs.

"You cooked some pretty good hamburgers if I do say so myself." He says, and winks.

Kate winks as well.

"Right." She says.

I smile.

"So Jane why'd you leave school early?" I hear Adam behind me.

He walks beside me waiting for my explanation when mother walks in. I stiffen and walk over to the table quickly. Gabe had all the food on the table, and he was already eating.

"Jane did you cook this?" Mother asks. I nod slowly.

She looks at me with a side glance. She didn't believe me.

"She did, mom! Its good!" Gabe says.

"Yes mommy." Kate agrees.

She smiles and sits beside Kate. I take a seat across from them and Adam sits beside me. They all eat and talk about their day but me and my mother was having a silent war with our eyes.

I watch as they all are on their third hamburger and I'm still on my first.

"You need to eat, Jane." My mother snaps sarcastically.

I out the hamburger I my mouth and eat it. It tasted dull, I knew I was turning pale.

"Are you okay Jane?" Adam asks, with a worried expression.

I could see my mother's angry expression at Adams caring for me. I nod quickly.

"You slept all day." Gabe says.

"No I didn't." I say quickly.

"Jane slept all day?" My mother asks, raising a brow.

My hear pulse quickens as I look for them to help me.

"No! Its just exaggeration." Gabe says, with a laugh.

She takes a bite of her hamburger.

"Okay." She snaps.

I feel the blood rush to my head. I began to feel weak. My heart beat ringing in my ears. I lose conscious.

My eyes open to Adam and Gabe looking down at me. I sit up.

"Are you okay?" Gabe asks.

I nod.

"I think so." I say.

"Are you sure?" Adam asks.

I nod once more.

"She's awake , okay everyone get ready for bed its already 10 o'clock." My mother says.

Kate walks with mother to the stairs. Adam helps me up and I walk with him and Gabe up the stairs.

"Goodnight Jane." Gabe says.

I nod and waves. Gabe leaves and Adam walks in my room with me.

"You need to go see a doctor." He says.

I shake my head. "I'm just tired." I say, weakly.

I then noticed how tired I was.

"What happened at school?" He asks.

"They just put a bunch of insults on my locker that's all." I say.

He looks at me sadly. "Jane, you don't deserve this." He says. I shrug.

"I'm Jane and that's my life." I say. Failure.