My Little Murder

Chapter 3 - Home Before Midnight

"Mum's home, why is Mum home?" I murmured. We had just pulled up out front of my house, and my mum's car was parked crookedly in the driveway. It was only five o'clock; what the hell was she doing home so early?

"Is that not normal?" Rye asked as he pulled up on the side of the road, pulling the handbrake up before dropping his hands from the wheel, the car still running. I shook my head.

"No, it's not," I muttered, reaching down to grab my bag. "Thanks for the ride," I added as I went to open the car door. As I got out, I glanced back at Rye, who nodded at me.

"I'm gonna wait here," he told me. "If Charlie's in there, tell her I'm out here, yeah?"

Now, I wanted to ask him why he was really staying, but I couldn't. To be honest, his presence was kind of calming, when he wasn't shooting me questions I wasn't ready to answer. He was starting to grow on me, and I had only known him for a day.

And plus, I was pretty sure his step-sister was still inside anyway. That was probably why he was waiting.

So I nodded at him before I went to walk up the driveway, a little nervous about what was waiting on the other side. Maybe it was nothing; maybe I was being paranoid, as usual. Maybe Pax and Charlie had snuck in while Mum was upstairs, sleeping off her day-drinking.

Maybe there was actually nothing to worry about.

I opened the door to my house slowly, feeling tension in the air as soon as I stepped foot inside. Gradually, I began to feel where it was coming from, and I was led into the living room. There stood a very annoyed Pax, a very awkward Charlie and a very, very drunk mother.

She looked different. Her hair had greyed, her eyes had been worn down, and the beauty she once held had been drowned away in alcohol and tears. All that was left was sadness, a pathetic sense of loss and another emotion, one that I was too afraid to name.

"What's going on?" I squeaked from the doorway, and Pax flicked his head up to me, eyes wide. I shouldn't have entered this house. I haven't seen my mother in a few years; I didn't even know if she was aware I had come home at all.

"Liv, get out of here," Pax warned, and I flickered my eyes back to Pax at his rushed words. "Quick, get out; now!" But I hesitated, and my mother whirled on me, that one dangerous emotion flaring up in her eyes as they saw me.

"YOU," she screeched, and I stumbled back, eyes wide at her ferocity. Charlie, who didn't know what to do before, immediately saw the danger and leapt forward, grabbing my arm before my mother could reach me.

"Let's get you away from here," she muttered in my ear, dragging me towards the doorway. I stumbled slightly, throwing a glance over my shoulder as more screaming followed.

"YOU'RE A DISGRACE!" she cried, wailing in Pax's arms. "YOU DARE SHOW YOUR EVIL FACE HERE AGAIN?! YOU'RE A-"

But the rest of her nasty insults were cut off when Charlie slammed the door behind us, hurrying me quickly to Rye's car as she spotted it.

My insides churned and my brain was fried. I couldn't remember- was someone shouting at me? Was this what shock felt like? It felt... calm. Quiet. I was all alone in my head now, with nothing to interrupt. It felt nice. I wanted to feel like this all the time.

"What's wrong?" Rye demanded as soon as we reached him. His eyes were wide and full of worry. "I heard someone shouting; what happened?"

"Don't worry about it," Charlie shot back, pointing a finger at me. I stood there, not knowing what to do. I felt like floating away, and never coming back. My mum didn't love me; she wanted me gone. She wouldn't care if I never came back. "Get her in the car; she's staying with us tonight."