My suitcase plops on the floor.
"Well, welcome home. Mi casa is-"
"This isn't my home," I state, cutting Shane off.
"Mi casa is.. your playground?" He steps into the kitchen. and his voice becomes distant as he mutters something about dirty dishes. "No.. Not playground.."
I step to the side of the door and take my shoes off.
"You really have the exact house I thought you would," I tell him.
"Yeah? What's that?" he asks.
"Single dude in his thirties."
"Seriously?"
"Dude, your TV is on the floor."
Shane walks back through with two bottles of water. "Let's establish some rules.."
"Rules?"
"While you're under my roof, you're not allowed to call me 'dude'. It is Sir-"
I snort.
"Officer Walsh, or Shane."
"Fine," I huff. I take the bottle and sit on the couch. "Shane."
"No guys are allowed- neither day or night."
I roll my hand, hurrying him along.
"You will be going to school-"
"Oh, come on!"
"Lori and Rick have agreed to letting you carpool with them when they take Carl. to school. You are to be up, ready, and out of the door by six-thirty every morning so you don't keep them waiting."
My head rests on the back of the couch and I close my eyes.
"Every other day, we switch tasks. You are to do your own laundry. But, we will trade trash and dishes."
"What about dinner?" I wonder.
Shane pauses. "Well.. I work late nights.. So, I usually just eat out."
"Do I get an allowance?"
He gives one single, drawn out, loud laugh. "Yeah, right."
"Okay, so if you're at work, the fuck am I-"
"Another rule, no swearing."
"Dude-"
"Strike one-"
"You fucking swear-"
"Strike two-"
I groan in annoyance. "What is a strike?"
Shane ignores my question. He didn't have any idea what to do for punishment.
"Starting this week, you will be meeting with a therapist-"
"A therapist?!"
"He works for CPS. He's doing it as a favor because he knows your story- he'll be defending you in court against your aunt. I want you to have three sessions a week with him or more."
I'm starting to think I'd rather share a hell-cell with Lori. Maybe Bitchass Bassett had a spare room.
"You want me to scrub your work boots with my toothbrush while I'm at it?"
"Don't get smart, Hyejin. If you respect me, I'll respect you. This is a give and get thing we got goin'. So, help me help you, all right?"
"Fine."
--
"And maybe when Shane is still at work, you can come hang out at my house! We can play video games and read comics and we can watch TV!" Carl continues to list off.
I place a hand on my temple, resting against the car door.
"And you can help me with homework! And I can see what kind of homework you have! And we can go to my cousin James' house- he has a big pool. Mom says we can't get.a pool because our yard is too small. I think it'd be cool to have a pool."
God, strike me down. Please.
"I've only been swimming one time when dad brought me to the river, but I'm sure I can learn. Do you know how to swim? I bet you could swim fast. Can you swim without plugging your nose? How does that even work? I once saw someone on TV try to use a clothespin to cover their nose when they were swimming. It was the La-Lympics!"
"Olympics, Carl," Lori corrects.
"Olympics," he repeats. "That's that sport thing every year. I don't really watch sports, but it's cool to see the Olympics! I think that ice -blading is cool!"
Carl was just a kid, I know that. He was, what? Seven, maybe?
But, goddamn I hate kids. And Carl.. it's like he never shut up. I'm pretty sure he waltzed out of Lori reciting some commercial he heard in the womb.
"Dad taught me how to ride a bike a year ago! I wanted to learn how to skateboard, but he said that was too dangerous. Do you know how to skateboard."
"Yes," I mumble, just wanting him to shut up already.
"You can skateboard?!"
Fuck me.
"Can you go really fast? Are you like Tony Hawk? What kind of board do you have? Who taught you?"
"All right, here we are," Lori says, parking the car.
Before she even turns the car off, I leap out of the door before Carl even gets his booster seat unbuckled.
"Hyejin!" Lori calls. "Make sure and walk Carl from his class to meet me outside! Shane will be home not long after you!"
I throw a thumbs up over my shoulder.
It was bad enough I was fifteen and still in middle school. Teachers didn't accept that I was 'absent' and 'failing' so they kept holding me back. It was even worse to be in the same school lot as the elementary kids and have to take this car ride with Lori and Carl every morning and afternoon.
Since I was in middle school, I got out an hour early. Does that mean I get to fuck around and do as I please? Of course not. I have to wait on the school grounds for a whole ass hour until Carl gets out of class and we can go on that fucking ride again.
I storm through the halls and straight to the bathroom. I slam the stall door closed, though I didn't notice I was doing it. I hadn't felt this angry in awhile. It's been a week since the arrest took place. A week since I saw Q.
I pull my pack of cigarettes out of my backpack and light one up with no hesitation.
Shane, despite smoking himself, didn't allow smoke in the house. Fucking hypocrite.
After my aunt was arrested, I got to go to my house and get certain belongings. I hid my two packs of cigarettes under a shit ton of pads so Shane wouldn't question it.
I had no idea what I was going to do when these two packs were gone. How would I get the cash to buy some? A fake ID after Shane found my old one and took it? The fucking time to myself where I could buy some to begin with?
My free hands runs stressfully through my hair and I take a long drag of the cigarette.
"Yah, Yoo Hyejin."
Not this bitch. I rest my head back and take a deep breath.
I told myself not to get in trouble for a good couple of weeks. Make Shane think I'm 'straightening myself out' like he wants so I can get more freedom and do the shit I want to.
'Fuck off, Carrie," I state.
"What? Don't want your ass beat today?"
I couldn't help but laugh. I was so overwhelmed with everything that had been going on.
"Yah, bitch. Open the door."
My aunt sitting behind bars.
Carrie slams her hand against the door.
Shane's house rules.
"Open it, fucking bitch!"
Lori's fake self. Rick's hero complex. Carl never shutting the fuck up.
"Yah!"
I place my cigarette between my lips and open the door.
Carrie looks me up and down and scoffs. "Welfie, whore. I heard you got arrested. What'd you do? Whore yourself out?"
I take a drag of my cigarette. I smile and grab Carrie's chin, shoving the still-lit stick down her throat.
She screams in protest and shoves me back. I kick myself off the wall and punch her across her stupid, bitchy face.