sitting pretty ∞ h.s

chapter one

one

I look out the window that I had been seated next to, my eyes trailed down to the grass- catching a patch of growing gardenias in an instant. I've never seen a flower so beautiful, so natural, though it looked to be out of place- the surroundings of the flower weren't as beautiful as you'd think. Who would grow such a thing here? No doubt, the children that usually come out to play later in the afternoon would pick at them, step on them and plunk at their growing petals. How ungrateful, those children, mistreating the environment they live in.

"Charlotte, help me with the dishes, dear." My mother turned her head to look over at me. When she turned around, awaiting for me to be by her side, I roll my eyes. This is the third time this week, that I've had to do all of the chores. It certainly wasn't fair, being that my brother was in perfectly good shape to at least take out the trash.

He'd been in a fight, not too long ago- and if I weren't there to witness it, I would be quick to take up my brother's side. Though, I was there and it was his fault, completely. We hadn't brought enough money to buy the last of our groceries and he attempted to steal- steal, the last of it. Boy, is my brother crazy. He must've been out of his right mind to think he could just walk out of the store without paying for those items.

I obnoxiously scoot the chair hard against the creaking wooden floor, standing from my seat, "You know, you should be forcing Charlie to do the dishes. It was completely his fault that he's-"

My mother hushed me, "Charlotte, I know. We've had this conversation already and it's best if we don't say everything we said the last time." She huffed, scrubbing the dishes furiously as she hands them to me to rinse. I sigh, shutting my mouth and turning to face the window in front of us. This window was rusted, not giving me the best sight to look at. I could barely see the front yard through the window. I sighed again, looking back down at the dishes.

"Allow me to go get the groceries today." I rushed the words. I bite my whole bottom lip, afraid she'd yell at me like she did the last time I asked. All I wanted was to breathe the fresh air outside, though many people had been burning wood- the smell would only make my senses more cluttered, but I couldn't pass up a chance to be outside, "I could take the wagon along and find some burning wood." I considered.

"No," She said sternly, raising her voice slightly. I flinch, being sure not to look at her face, her face that I know must be burning with anger and annoyance. She inhaled slowly, "I will not send you out into the woods alone, Charlotte." She, then, gasped. I didn't say that I'd be going into the woods, I only offered to look for some.

"Okay," I said softly and turned my head away from her. She handed me several dishes at once and I hurried to rinse them off.

After we washed, my mother went to go check on Charlie. He'd been lying in bed for almost a week now with a fake temperature. The only reason he is burning with a high "fever," is because he's been piling covers over himself and refuses to open his window. Mother is too busy taking care of him to listen to me- she claims that she is stressed- but she's the only factor in this stress that she is in.

I lie down on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. I raised my shirt off of my stomach, preventing it from sticking to my stomach again. I waited patiently for my mother to return to the kitchen, I knew she couldn't be done in there.

When she did, she didn't go straight into the kitchen. She hovered over me with a concerned look on her face. I held my breath, hoping that her expression had nothing to do with Charlie. I sat up straight and she took both of my hands in hers'. I hesitated to ask why, terrified of her answer. Her lips parted and she closed them again. She, then, stood up straight and pointed a finger at me.