The Monsters My Family Are

Chapter 7: They Are Among Us

   Ugh, Mom doesn't understand!! She's so... ugh!! I pace around my room. I see a text from Tyler. Hey, r u alright? This was sent before the fight. I throw myself on my bed and stare at the ceiling.

   "Dakota, I want to talk to you," Mom calls.

   I ignore her and throw a pillow over my head.

   "Dakota?" I hear her footsteps and she opens the door. "Dakota?" she says in a sweet voice. "I'm done being mad at you."

   I sit up and look at her.

   "I have to talk to you; lay down some rules." She sits on my bed next to me. "First of all, I want you to stop seeing Tyler--"

   "MOM!!" I whine.

   "You can hang around each other but only for his business, which is protecting you. Second, I need your phone. I don't want you to have contact to Tyler."

   "But Mom--"

   "No buts. That's it."

   "How can he protect me if I can't contact him when I need help?"

   "He can feel you. If you try hard enough, you can feel him."

   "Mom you can't just take my time away from him!!" I whine.

   "I can and I will. I'm just doing this for Tyler. He's a kid who loves you. I don't want him hurt. If someone finds out and tells your Grandpa, he'll kill Tyler. I love Tyler as if he were my own son."

   "I love him, too but--"

   "Then you'll understand."

   Mom walks out of my room and I scream in my pillow. I'm such a drama queen, aren't I?

   ~MORNING~

   Tuesday. At least it's better than Monday. I hate Mondays sooo much. Who doesn't? I run down downstairs and see Tyler sitting at the table. I almost jump into his arms. He hugs me and kisses my neck. Mom clears her throat. I look at her and she's shaking her head at me. I push Tyler away and he goes back to eating his cereal.

   I grab a breakfast bar and start eating it when Angeline jumps on my back. "I want to go to the toy store after school today!!" she squeals.

   "Why? I'm not going to--" She holds out the piece of paper. "My car got taken away a year ago," I say.

   "Why'd you promise her that then?" Mom huffs.

   "It was an easy way out. She should've known that."

   "Here," Mom tosses my keys. I got my car taken away for crashing it into her car... on purpose. I was mad but now I've got my car back!!!

   "I'll pick you up after school and we'll drive right to the toy store," I say.

   "I can come with you if you want," Tyler offers.

   "Su--"

   "No, no, no, this is sister time," Mom interupts.

   "I hate you," I mutter to her.

   Angeline gets on the bus and I drive MY car to school. I love saying that: my car, my car. It's blue: my favorite color besides purple and black.

    I park MY car and get out. I meet Albert at the steps of the school. His face is all healed. "Are you alright?" I ask.

   "Yep, as good as new!!" he smiles but then his face goes hard, "So what happened to that Tyler kid?"