𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐀 | k. murdoch

𝟖| 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈

"We smile just to make up, we hurt just to break up. We head for disaster, but live for the danger,"

"We count,

"One Mississippi, you're here, lovin' me with your whole heart. And two Mississippi, we scream, to watch each other fall apart. Three Mississippi, you're gone, sayin' that you're done, you don't want it no more. And four Mississippi, you're home, like nothin' ever happened at all."

"I hate the way, that you set the scene, the way you breathe in your nicotine. I hate the way it burns when you don't say goodbye. I hate the way it hurts when you screw with my mind. Am I fucked up that I think it's the norm that we shouldn't get scared when the sirens come? We smile just to make up, we hurt just to break up. We head for disaster, but live for the danger,"

"We count, one Mississippi, you're here,"

"Lovin' me with your whole heart."

"And two Mississippi, we scream, to watch each other fall apart. Three Mississippi, you're gone, sayin' that you're done, you don't want it no more. And four Mississippi, you're home, like nothin' ever happened at all."

I hummed a little.

"One Mississippi, you're here, lovin' me with your whole heart. And two Mississippi, we scream,to watch each other fall apart."

"One Mississippi, you're here,"

"Lovin' me with your whole heart,"

"With your whole heart,"

"And two Mississippi, we scream"

"Oh,"

"To watch each other fall apart."

"Ohh,"

"Three Mississippi, you're gone, sayin' that you're done, you don't want it no more. And four Mississippi, you're home,"

"Home,"

"Like nothin' ever happened at all."

I sighed, happy to get all of those words spill out freely. Looking up, I was coming up to my house, and I turned onto the walkway, coming up to the door. I saw that my dad's car was gone, meaning he's out.

Before I could even open the door, my mother appeared in front of me with a beat-up face. I gasped at the sight, not knowing what to think.

"What the hell Charlotte?" She breathed out. Tear stains on her cheeks made her hair stick to her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, a result of no sleep and crying. Her blue towel robe was torn, probably by my father, and her nightgown was stained with food and makeup. Her hair was up in the messiest bun ever. It looked like it was about to unravel.

"I-I-" I started, not knowing what to say. She pulled me into a huge hug, not bothering to let me inside. I hugged her back, thankful she doesn't hate me.

"Charlotte! You can't just do that. Your father was furious." My mother wiped her under eyes and smiled sadly at me.

"I'm so sorry," I said. "I went to a sleepover."

"With who? How did you make friends so quickly?" She asked, ushering me in and closing the door.

I laughed. "Beats me." My mom stopped behind me, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, at least you're home." She walked into the kitchen, talking while putting away dishes. "Speaking of which, why are you home so early? Isn't school supposed to be over in three hours?"

"I dunno," I said, running my hands along the linoleum tiles of the counter. "I just wanted to see you, I guess."

She smiled at me. I looked around and noticed that a lot of our stuff from Brooklyn still haven't been unpacked. Of course, we only moved in a day ago, but you would think that the essentials would be unpacked.

"Well, you got enough of seeing, eh?" My mother smiled at me.

"I guess," I chuckled. "I'll go in a few hours, I don't want to deal with school right now."

I don't want to deal with Rizzo, that's what it is. I know the boys will be there after school fixing Kenickie's car. They won't question anything, right?

After two hours of unpacking, talking and getting a bag together to take with me to Kenickie's car, my mother shoved me out the back gate when she heard my dad come back. Weird he'd be back this early, but this isn't Brooklyn.

I ran down my drive, trying desperately to ignore the screams and hits and yells that came from inside. Glass shattered, furniture thrown, the whole thing. If it weren't for my mother making me swear that I'd never once look back if she told me to run, I would've gone back to help her.

Once I figured I was far enough away that I wouldn't be chased my my father, I slowed to a walk. It took me some time, but I managed to make my tears not fall down my face again.

The school came into view and the kids were milling around, going home. Oh well, I was late for seventh period. I went to the garage, knowing the boys were already there.

"We just gotta bang out the dent," I heard one of them say as I got closer.

"The problem's not in the dent."

"It's in this rubber band engine," I heard Sonny say.

"The problem's in your mouth," Kenickie shot back. I got in full view and saw that there was a good sized dent in Kenickie's car. How did I not notice that?

"Yeah, well where are you gonna get a new carburetor?" I heard Doody ask. I walked in and saw them all hovered over the car.

"Ever heard of borrowin'?" Kenickie said, in Doody's face.

"Hey guys!" I said, trying to pull off a happy, nonchalant attitude.

"Hey! Charlie!"

"Mamba, how you doin'?"

"Hey, Charlie. Where were you?" Danny asked, leaning against the car with a knowing look in his eyes.

[EDITED]