Chapter 39: Too Happy

I think I might take back my earlier statement that Thursday is the worst day of the week.

Nah.

It's still the worst.

Was I a bit scared to come back Monday? Maybe. Will  people be talking about me more than they already do? Totally. Do I care? No, no I actually don't. It's been going on for so long you just learn to tune them out.

Well most of them.

I walked into school with my ripped jeans, a baggy beige sweatshirt, and a messy bun. As if it were planned, everyone stared at me. Why when my brothers get in a fight people still look at them the same? Why when they come back after missing a week of school no one talks. Why?

Well I guess we'll never know since the attention always has to be on me. No one else. Always on me. Always and forever. But that's the problem, I don't want it to be on me. I want it to be on someone like Casey or James or Mrs. Gray. Not me.

But it's always me.

I could see my peers look at me then turn and speak to their friends. At least try to be discreet. No wonder those Florian pricks hate these kids, they're bullies. Even the ones who get bullied are bullies! Now don't get me wrong, I still hate Florian Private School, but I also hate my school so it kinda crosses each other out.

The first time I walked through those doors I made the mistake of listening to the conversations. Over time I've grown, and know that's bullshit. So when I walk through those doors I'm reminded of the fight, but for some odd reason, it gives me adrenaline. Like adrenaline as in 'I can take a thousand punches' adrenaline. It was freaky.

My head held high and my loyal servants following behind me, I stalk over to my locker. "Well what's got you in a good mood?" Asks Audrey.

"I don't know, maybe because I totally beat Keith in the fight." I said.

She playfully shook her head and her pink hair swooshed to the other side. "No, I think it's something else. No one can be this happy on a Monday." She replied.

To change the subject I tried to shut down our conversation. "Where's Evan? Is he sick or something?"

"No, he's probably just skipping and smoking weed under the bleachers. Nothing to worry about." She explained.

"Ohhh okay. That explains why he always smells like a marijuana farm."

She nodded her head. "Let's walk to class. Maybe if we pronounce all our words correctly Mr. Fennec will let us take a nap."

I scoffed as we walked down the hall in interlocked arms. "Probably not, but it's always good to hope!"

She peeked over at me with a weird expression on her face. We entered class and I wasn't even fazed by their looks. French was boring, as usual. The rest of my classes were boring. Like. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

But it didn't matter because my good mood could not be destroyed. Not by the judging looks, not by the mean teachers, not even by accidentally smashing my hand in my locker.

"Okay this is freaky. Why are you in such a good mood?" Audrey demanded as we were by my locker, getting my stuff so I can go home.

"What? A girl can't be happy?" I raised an eyebrow.

She crossed her arms and raised her own eyebrow. "Not if it's a Monday and especially not if it's you."

"Excuse me! I am too happy! In fact, I'm always happy." I huffed.

"Yeah sure okay. Believe what you want but if you don't tell me why you're in such a good mood I'll have to go to your brothers and ask them." She threatened.

I gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"

She smirked. "Oh, but I would." She said and slowly turned to the front door.

She began to walk and not wanting to be interrogated like I was the last time I told them something, I yelled at her, "Fine! Okay you got me but you have to promise you won't tell anyone. Okay?"

She mumbled an okay and I started the totally not dramatic, not over exaggerated, retelling of my weekend.

"Okay so first we went to a store to pick out the most gorgeous dress for my first ball! Or gala. Or gathering. I really haven't fingered out the details but carrying on, I-," I began to rethink my decision, "well me and Ian danced together. Like actually danced. Not a night club dance but an actual, old time-y dance. It was so amazing! I felt like the Belle of the ball!"

She smirked. "So my best friend finally has herself a boyfriend eh?"

My cheeks were heating up. "Wha- no. No we just danced. It was amazing and felt amazing and I'm pretty sure it looked amazing but-," I could see her smirking even harder out of the corner of my eye, "it felt good okay? That's why."

She jumped up and down and ran to me with open arms. I just stood there, dumbfounded. Never in a million years would I think that Audrey, my bestest friend in the whole world would do something as girly as that.

"Did you dance with your crush too? Why are you acting like this?"

She pulled back and smiled. "Oh no reason. Hey have you asked Luke about a sleepover?" She said, obviously changing the conversation.

"Well yeah but also no." I said.

"How can you ask someone something, but at the same time not ask them something?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well I did ask him, but... it was a like a month or two ago."

She gave me a blank stare. "Seriously Lidia? A month ago? Well at least tell me what he said."

"Well he said no, but only because I was sick so I'll ask him again. Promise." I smiled and held out my pinky finger.

She intertwined our pinkies. "You better."

I heard James's car horn blaring at me so I waved and walked to James's car. "Took you long enough." He mumbled.

That comment wasn't processed in my brain while the car was being  started and I watched the trees go by.

The thought of the fight came back to my mind. That anger that I felt, the hatred towards Keith. Every single one of the emotions like that went into those punches. But it felt good. Like I never wanted to stop good. Why had it felt so good?

I promised myself I wouldn't ever be like Carl or mom but here I am, thinking about how great it feels to feel my knuckles colliding with some poor saps temple.

"Lidia? Sis, we're home." Jesse asked with concern.

I shook out of my daze and smiled at him. "Okay." I got out of the car and held the straps of my backpack and walked into the house. I sat down at the dinner table and did my homework while humming.

Lukes's POV

I left one of my many warehouses with blood splattered all over my white dress shirt. I don't know why people have to have so many pints of blood.

I drove to the house since I'm not willing to take a shower under a hose. Only a hillbilly would do that. I certainly am no hillbilly.

I strode into the house but immediately stopped after I heard humming. Not wanting Lidia to see blood splattered all over me, I quickly buttoned up my blazer and turned the corner to see Jesse, James, Zack, and Caden watch Lidia do her homework in the dining room.

I raised my right eyebrow in question but Jesse held his finger to his mouth and shook his head. He pointed to Lidia in question. The boys were clearly flabbergasted as to why their sister was humming. In fact, they were even concerned. She had never did anything like that before so this was all new to them and me.

I gently shook my head and leaned on the wall separating the main hallway to to dining room. "Curly, what are you doing?" I asked her.

Her head popped up in surprise but softened when she saw me. "Oh nothing. I'm just doing my homework." She said and smiled at me.

"If I'm not mistaken, I thought you loathed homework."

She stared at me with her beautiful gray eyes and smiled. "Well I do, but sometimes you just have to accept the fact that it's nonnegotiable."

I was certainly surprised. Never would I have thought that any of my siblings would ever say that homework was 'fun'. "Okay then, that is very mature of you to say. Are you sure there's no specific reason for you to be cheery?"

"No, not really." She said, still smiling.

"Okay then. I guess I'll leave you to it then. Goodbye." I have never not known what was happening with one of my siblings but this takes the cake. I genuinely have no idea as to why she is acting like this and it frustrates me.

"Oh um Luke?"

I turned my head back to her. My full attention on what she was wanting to ask. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if Audrey could stay over this weekend. I asked you a long time ago but I wanted to ask you again. So can she?" She asked.

In almost every conversation we have had she has stuttered, yet today she hasn't. This is confusing me even more. What on Earth has her so confident?

"Well that should be okay as long as you don't get into any fights." I said. She giggled and nodded her head.

"Okay! I'll tell her she'll just come home with us. Thanks Luke!" She smiled even wider. I nodded my head and walked out of the dining room.

The boys were looked at me in question, no doubt wondering what I had gathered from our short conversation. "Well," Jesse whispered, "what did you find out?"

I looked down in question and racked my brain for what could be making her this happy. I finally looked up and said, "I have not a clu-" I began but realized how the answer was right in front of me.

"Fuck"

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