Officially Us

2 - The black-eyed thug life.

My alarm sounded at seven o'clock because I didn't think to turn it off before I finally fell asleep. I didn't want to be awake and I definitely didn't want to be at school. There was absolutely no hope of me concentrating on work, and I didn't want to have answer the million questions that were about to be directed my way about my bandaged and probably now bruised face. I also didn't want to leave my mum alone.

I turned the alarm off and slowly crept throughout the house, moving from my bedroom to the bathroom and the kitchen. Normally Dad would be awake by now, readying himself for work with toast and instant coffee. But he obviously wasn't here, and for once I actually missed the smell of burnt bread and Vegemite.

I was debating whether I should just skip school and stay home with Mum when I received a text from Brooke.

Brooke:  Where are you? You're going to miss the bus x 

I'd been dating Brooke for a couple months. She lived a few streets away and we caught the bus to school every morning. That's how we got together — talking and walking to and from the bus stop. She was in my year at school and absolutely gorgeous. While she was nice enough, she was also a little lacking in the empathetic substance department, and I really didn't want to deal with explaining last night to her. I tried once to talk to her about catching out Dad when I was heading home that night last month, and all she really said was, 'oh, that sucks,' and then went on to talk for an hour about her parents separated when she was six years old.

I really don't know why I'm with her, to be honest. When it was new, it was exciting and fun; but spending more time with her meant that I got to know her better and what I learned wasn't all that appealing. I think she felt the same about me because she rarely actually engaged in any of the conversations I tried to start about the things I loved and wanted to share with her — my family, my friends, my footy, my surfing — when I actually got half a second to put a word in. She was polite and all with my parents, and while she came to my games, she was more interested in gossiping with the other girlfriends than she was watching me.

We both knew what this was, and it suited us both fine. Or at least it had, until now.

I texted her back.

Ruben: Slept in so I'll have to catch the next one. I'll see you at school later.

I wasn't deliberately trying to avoid her or anyone else at school. I just wanted to be here when Mum woke up. I couldn't stand the thought of her being alone after what happened last night.

I peeked into her room as quietly as I could, but that particular door always squeaked when you tried to open it slowly. She must have been barely asleep because the slightest sound of the door woke her. She looked over at her bedside table to check the time, then inquired as to why I wasn't already on my way to school. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Ma. I'm fine. I just didn't know whether I should just stay home with you today until you go to work," I said.

"I don't need a babysitter, Ruby. I'm fine. Now go to school and get educated," she said turning her back to me in her bed. She was still disappointed in me, then.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Get moving, you're already late."

Her coldness was in stark contrast with the generous, loving warmth that usually radiated out with every word she ever spoke to anyone, not just me. Now it just felt like that rare chill had solidified into ice picks and each word was a stab to the guts, through my heart and into my temples.