Somewhere On Planet Dexter

Chapter 1

The wind rolls around me like I am flying as I skate board home. I put my arms out and feel the breeze hit my face and body with grace and elegance. My clothes ruffle and my basketball jersey a size to big acts as wings making sure I don't go to fast.
Number 1 is stamped on the back and front of my jersey along with my last name. Young. I finally see the familiar house I call home. With the fence in the back. I can already hear the waves in the back.
The kids laughing and screaming as the cold salt water touches their bare skin. The tree leaves rustling like they are speaking to each other. A place I like to call home, the ocean and the trees, sand, shells, fish, water.
When I was younger my mom called me a mermaid. I was always in the water and when I wasn't I was called a monkey due to how easy I can climb trees. I took up parkour doing this as well and now I am more called monkey then mermaid but they have their fair share.
I go to the front door and grab my house key. I unlock the door and walk inside.
"Mom!" I call from the front door. I have some big news to tell her and I am really excited. I walk through the house. I can't find her. The house is dark and cold, I hear the cat rustle around but no mom.
I turn some lights on and go to the kitchen. I find a note on the counter that I know has to come from her. I pick it up and look at it.
      Rebel,
Had to go into work early, dinner is in the fridge.
                      Love,
                           Mom
I rip the note up my body now filled with rage. I don't know why though. I should be used to it. She is a single mom that has been raising me since birth.
My dad had nothing to do with me the second he found out my mom was pregnant so he hit the road. She works at the local hospital to support me and she is called in at anytime. She isn't guaranteed a day off when she needs it.
That leads to her missing a lot of things. I have gotten use to the empty seat at my basketball games and karate meets. I have gotten use to the soft purr of the cat and the sounds of the tv being the only other human voice.
I have gotten use to the heated up left overs and pizza rolls. The dark cold house is my welcome home most days and the notes on the counter is the only way she speaks to me. She won't be home until 2 in the morning and even then she will be asleep when I go to school.
The rage that filled my body turns to numbness as I fight back tears brimming in my eyes. When I need her to most she isn't here and it makes me mad. Once I am over being mad I go numb. I cross my arms over my chest suddenly feeling cold and lost.
I walk somberly down to my room and take my backpack off. It drops with a heavy thud to the ground due to text books that take up the space and makes it feel like a ton of bricks is weighting me down. I change my clothes and throw my jersey into my back pack before going to the kitchen yet again.
I put some left overs in the oven since we don't have a microwave. I set the timer and go to my room. I grab my homework which isn't much and sit at the table in the middle of the square shaped kitchen. I do the rest of my science homework then I start my math.
When I finish that I put my books into my bag and the oven goes off. I pull my dinner out and put it on a plate. I sit at the table alone yet again kicking the wooden side of the table. My legs to short to reach the ground in the high stools that surround it.
Halfway through my meal I lay my fork down and get up. I grab my phone and think about texting her. I might get her in trouble though so I don't. I finish eating then I put my dishes in the sink and wash them. My friends are not allowed over when she isn't home, so I never really have anyone over.
I watch the sun set through the window above the sink as I wash the dishes. I finish washing them and sit on the couch to do nothing. The cat follows and lays on my lap. I stroke his head and watch the tv.
     "It's a little lonely tonight, isn't it midnight?" I say and he just purrs in response. His black fur blends in with my pants and I only know he is there by the weight on my lap. Finally I get up and put some pjs on.
I brush my teeth and lay down in bed setting my alarm for the next morning. I cuddle under my blanket and stair at the wall for what seems like forever before I am able to fall asleep.
I wake up to the screech of my alarm go off wanting to throw my phone at the wall. I hate waking up, throwing my phone is out of the question though. I throw the covers off my body and shiver before yawning and stretching.
I put some clothes on and use the bathroom. I go to the kitchen expecting to find an empty, cold, dark place to make a small breakfast before heading to school. I find my mom sitting at the table. She has a mug in hand and steam rises from it as she looks at the wall.
I lay my bag on the ground and walk slowly to her. I lay my hand on her thin frail arm that is covered by long sleeves. She doesn't look up and she doesn't move. She keep staring at the wall then the steam that rises out of her cup. She doesn't drink it and she doesn't move it. I think it's just there to be there.
"Mom, are you okay?" I ask her and she doesn't respond. Much like me she is hard headed and stubborn making it impossible to get her to talk or do something if she does not want to.
     "Mom! Are you okay?" I ask once more and once more she doesn't give me an answer. I ignore it and grab my bag.
     "Did you eat any breakfast?" She asks me still watching the steam rise from her cup. It's like she hasn't even noticed my appearance in the room at all.
     "No." I say, I raise an eyebrow. How did she not even know I was in the room when I was standing right next to her talking to her. She comes to me with a granola bar, any trace of sadness and gloom now gone.
She has a smile on her face and is back to herself. This makes me raise an eyebrow yet again at what just happened. I knew she won't tell me and I also know that there is something going on I just don't know what.
I still haven't told her my news and I don't think I will. She lays a kiss on my cheek before I walk out the door and grab my skateboard. I stand at the edge of the sidewalk and listen to the sea crash on the cold sand, the wind chimes tinker together in the breeze that blows ruffling my hair and sweater.
I listen to the trees, their branches blowing around like a song only known to them before I lay my skateboard on the ground and start pushing myself off the school. The sounds of wheels on gravel fill my ears instead of sea and trees.
The wind blocks out everything else as it whips by my ears and whistles at me. I see the school and slow down and jump off my board catching it and walk up to my friends.
     "Rebel, saw you at practice last night, that half court was great." John greats me.
     "Thanks." I say smiling. Conner comes to me as well.
      "I am so excited for that game next week! You are going to kill it if you can make that shot again!" He says really excited. I roll my eyes at him and the bell rings. We all hurry into the school and head to our first class.
I pull my notebook and pencil out. The teacher writes things on the board I should be copying but I don't. I keep wondering what happened to my mom. Why was she so down and now all happy?
What could be going on? Did she lose her job? Did we lose the house? Is she sick? I don't know and she probably wont tell me until she wants to if she does at all. She doesn't want to worry me but she will either way.
I will wonder what has her so down if she don't tell me and if she does then I will worry about whatever she told me. I guess I just have to roll with it. I go to my next class. After that I go to my locker to put my stuff away for gym and Anthony leans against my locker.
He likes to think we are buds but really he is just a pain in the neck to me.
"What do you want?" I ask putting my science book in my locker.
"Do you know what we are doing in gym?" He asks me.
"Why would I know? Why would I care?" I say slamming my locker shut and walking away. He chases after me.
"Why are you so down?" He asks me. I just keep walking. I take a turn and walk down the stairs.
"I don't want to talk about it." I say, he stops in his tracks as the flow of kids become less and less as they make their ways to class. I walk to the locker room and walk past all the other boys hitting and wrestling each other.
I change my clothes quickly and the teacher yells at us to be quiet so he can give instructions to us before we go outside to the field. I feel different somehow. We walk out of the locker room and Anthony comes up to me yet again.
I ignore his consistent demands to know why I am so upset. I just ignore him, I have always been faster then him so I just run my laps and leave him in the dust. He gives up and I finish gym class before we go back inside.
I finish school and go to basketball practice. Conner meets me there and John stays after while he waits to be picked up by his dad. He is being raised by a single dad because his mom walked out to be with someone else before his first birthday.
He hasn't seen her since. When practice is over I leave to go home. I hop on my board and skate all the way home with the wind around me yet again. I just want to be in the trees watching the people from up above.
They don't know I am there and that's just what I want. I like being mysterious and hiding out. I like watching the kids run around and play, dig in the sand. I like hopping from branch to branch.
My favorite days are when it's just rained and the sands wet. The air is salty and sky is grey. The birds crying out. The trees are letting rain drops fall off them. The sun is still hidden and the clouds are all over like a blanket covering the sky. Before I know it I am home.