Clopwyck River - revised version

Chapter Seventeen

I'm lying on my bed ignoring my rumbling stomach, as Daria and Andrew's raised voices float up the stairs. My door is closed but I can still hear what they're saying so they aren't trying very hard to hide the fact that they're arguing.
About me. Again.
​After I found the note, I couldn't face going to the rest of my lessons. The humiliation of falling over, and then running down the corridor as my face crumpled was just too much to handle so I carried on running right out of the school gates until I got home, or whatever I'm supposed to call this place.
​Unfortunately the first person I saw when I walked through the door was Daria. We both tensed at the sight of each other, Daria's mouth opening and closing like a goldfish until she smiled weakly at me as I ran up the stairs.
​I roll onto my side and trace my finger along the faint grey brushstrokes on the wall, squeezing my eyes shut each time Leo's confused face appears in front of me. Why did I react like that? I know he didn't send me that note; he couldn't have, he was just as shocked as I was. But why doesn't he want me talking to his Dad, or trying to help Ben? Even Ciara's jealous girlfriend act seems to have a bit more depth than I thought, and I really don't think she's been sending me notes. Using a pen might break one of her fingernails.
​A soft knock at my door interrupts my hopelessness. I roll over and sit up on the side of the bed.
​"Yeah?"
​"Demi, it's Andrew. Can I come in?"
​"Uh-huh."
​The door opens slowly and Andrew's head pokes in.
​"Is this okay?"
​I grab a pillow and fold my arms around it. "I said it's fine, Andrew."
​He walks into the room, and for a second I think he's going to sit down next to me on my bed, but he doesn't. He puts his hands on my bedside drawers and leans back on them, looking as uncomfortable as I feel.
​"Daria said you were home early."
​"Yeah.....early closure."
​I glance at him sideways and he raises his eyebrows at me.
​"Obviously we're not happy that you've skipped out of school early, and I don't appreciate you lying to me, but that's not why I'm here. Daria said you were upset when you got home, that she thought you'd been crying?"
​"Why isn't she up here, then?"
​"Do you want me to go get her?"
​I sigh, my lungs as deflated as I am. "No."
​"Didn't think so. Look," He grabs a chair and pulls it in front of me and sits down. "You can talk to us, you know? This must be hard for you, this whole situation with your Mum, leaving your friends, coming here. We want you to know that we're here for you, if you want to talk, want to cry, whatever it is that you need. But we don't know what that is, so you're going to have to give us a bit of guidance. This is a new situation for us, too."
​"I know it would be better if I wasn't here."
​"No, no, God, no, Demi, that's not what I meant at all." He leans back, rubbing his hands on his legs, looking around the room as if there's a script for how to talk to your orphaned sister-in-law taped on the wall somewhere. He looks back at me. "See what I mean? I'm hopeless at this. I thought I'd have at least ten years to prepare for having a teenager in the house."
​I throw Andrew a weak smile. He looks like he needs it.
​"All I'm trying to say is, don't feel that you have to hide up here if you're feeling down. You're not a guest here; this is your home and we want you to feel part of the family." He pauses, discomfort knotted through this forehead. "Do you want to talk about why you were upset today?"
​I shake my head. Where would I even start? Andrew's shoulders sink with relief and he stands up.
​"Dinner is in twenty minutes. I hope you'll come down and join us? I know Elliot will be pleased to see you."
​Damn Andrew using that cute little guy as bait.
​"Okay. I'll be down."
​"Great!" He balls his fists into a little cheer. "I did good, right? I mean I convinced you to come out of your room."
​"Yeah, you did great, Andrew."
​He beams at me. "See you in a bit."
​As soon as I hear his feet on the stairs, I slump sideways onto my bed, and watch the clock until it's time for me to go downstairs.
***
"Really, another game?"
​Elliot nods his head so hard it almost pops off his shoulders, and I finish washing my plate and sit back down at the table.
​"Please, Dem-dem. It's the best."
​"Fine. But it's not going to be the fridge again, is it?" He shakes his head, his ketchup covered chin twitching into a grin. "Promise?"
​Elliot nods and claps his hands, then recites the lines of Eye Spy, again choosing the letter F.
​"You said it wasn't fridge!"
​"S'not fridge, Dem-dem."
​I can feel Andrew and Daria's eyes on us as they go about putting the kitchen back together after dinner time. I list several things beginning with F from the kitchen, before I run out of options.
​"Okay, I give up. What is it?"
​"Fridge!"
​I jump up and tickle Elliot under his arms. "You cheeky little liar, you tricked me!"
​Elliot's laugh should be used as an antidote for life, each of his squeals of delight buoying up my soul.
​"Don't get him too excited, Demi."
​I glance at Daria and stop tickling Elliot. "Sorry."
​"It's okay, I just don't want him all lively before bed-time."
​"You have any plans this weekend, Demi?" asks Andrew.
​I shrug my shoulders. "Not really. There's a party tomorrow night, but I don't know if I'm going."
​"Party? Whereabouts?"
​"It's at the old church."
​"Oh yeah, I think Daria used to party up there, didn't you, Daria?" We both look at her as she wipes Elliot's hands. Andrew doesn't get a response from her so he carries on. "Why don't you think you're going to go? Won't that boy, Leo, be there?"
​"I don't know. I've not really been invited."
​"Do you actually get invites to parties these days? Isn't it more of a case of just Tweeting par-tay, hashtag smiley face, or something like that?"
​I cringe as Andrew does the air quotes with his fingers.
​"Don't encourage her, Andrew." We both look at Daria. "She's not going to any party."
​"What?" I frown at Daria who doesn't even have the decency to look me in the eye when she's telling me what to do.
​"You heard me. You're not going to that party." She's still wiping Elliot's hands even though they're practically sparkling clean.
​"Why not?" I look at Andrew as he asks the same question in unison with me. At least he's on my side.
​"Because. You're my sister. You're my responsibility and I don't want you going."
​"It'll do her good to go, Daria, she needs to make friends."
​Daria lifts up Elliot and storms out of the kitchen with him, glaring at Andrew as she passes him.
​I wasn't sure I wanted to even go to this stupid party, but Daria's reaction has made it the most appealing social event to ever take place here. I look up at Andrew, who interprets my downturned bottom lip just as I want him to.
​He looks over his shoulder then leans over the kitchen table. "I think you should go to the party. I'll talk to Daria."
​I smile. "Thanks, Andrew."