Ariel's Downfall

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"What the fuck do we need to do for you to listen to us, Ariel? Please tell me because frankly, I am running out of ideas!" My father's red, puffy face bellows as he strides back and forth in front of me.

I shrug and stay seated in my position on the couch, eyes downcast. When my father gets like this, angry beyond belief, I know it's better just to sit down, be quiet, and let him have his angry tantrum. Otherwise I could get in even more trouble than I'm already with. It doesn't matter that I didn't purposefully ditch class or that all I did was sleep, he doesn't know that I fell asleep and overslept sitting on the ground in a lonely corner in school because he doesn't know that I don't sleep anymore at night. And when I do sleep, I take the luxury to try and sleep as much as possible.

After I had been sent to the principals office for violating my contract, they called my dad and had a short meeting with him explaining that I would have to participate in in school suspension because of my violation. He went over the consequences if I violated the contract again (suspension, expulsion, etc) and then they sent me home for the day.

He had been quiet the whole ride home, sizzling with anger, if his white knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel were enough to go by. I knew I couldn't defend myself, I was at fault here. Yes, falling asleep at school had been an accident but in the end, it was my fault and I had to be held accountable.

"Do we need to send you back? Is that what you want?" He continued to yell and I bit my quivering lip.

"No," my voice came out hoarse, since I hadn't said a single word after I had apologized to my theatre teacher for being late (and then him sending me to the office with a look of disappointment). I cleared my throat, "No, dad."

"Well you better get your fucking act together," he screams and stalks over to his office where he slams the door shut.

I jump at the resounding slam and sit there for another minute or two until I can hear him talking on the phone with someone. Then, I climb upstairs to my room and bury myself in the messy covers of my bed. The curtains are drawn shut but a stream of light comes in through the side and illuminates the whole room. I struggle to take my shoes, pants, and bra off, but when I do, I close my eyes and wait for sleep to come to me since I am so goddamn tired.

But it doesn't come.

***

I could hear my sisters laughing in the room next to me, along with a few other of their friends. Groaning, I tried to concentrate on my calculus homework again but was interrupted for a second time when they burst out laughing again. With a groan, I got up from my nest of papers on my bed and passed their room downstairs to get a drink of water.

Had it been last year, I would've probably been in there, laughing with them. Yes, I very much didn't like my sister's group of friends and I had already had my own circle of friends, but I had grown up with some of them so occasionally they would invite me into their little gossip circle. Not anymore.

They all ignored me like the plague. Yeah, most of them didn't know what had happened but just the fact that my own sisters stayed clear of me was enough for them to not even glance at me.

As I was climbing back upstairs with a bottle of water in my hand, someone exits the bathroom. He jumps a little when he sees me. "Oh, um hi, I didn't see you there."

I pinch my eyebrows together, "Do I know you?" And then realizing I sound rude, I add, "Sorry it's just I usually know all of my sisters friends but I don't think I've ever met you." Come to think of it, I hadn't even seen him at school and looking him up and down I realized I would have noticed his presence in our school, although to be fair, I had only been going to school for a day and I hadn't really been on the lookout for hot guys.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh yeah, I met your sisters at a party and they invited me and a few other people over to hang out. I'm Nich, by the way." He holds his hand out and I shake it, feeling his rough hands squeeze my soft one.

"Ariel," I mutter. "Well, you should get back to your friends, Steph and Nicole wouldn't like you talking to me."

He gives me a quizzical look but I wave him off as I walk backwards to my room, "Long story," I turn to open the door and then call out over my shoulder, "Bye, nich." I shut the door and stare at my bed, where papers stacked upon papers wait for me to complete them. "Fuck me," I whisper in agony.