AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You know it's rude to just stare and not respond when asked a question," Seth said in annoyance.
"Seth," Dad warned, but Seth pushed on.
"What? She can't say hi?" Seth turned to Skylar. "Are you mute?"
"Seth!" Mom snapped when she turned to him, but he shrugged and walked to the kitchen, muttering under his breath.
"I'll talk to him," Mom said as she followed behind Seth.
Dad glanced between Skylar and me. "Doodlebug, did you want to show Skylar your room?"
I nodded, unsure whether I wanted to be left alone with someone who looked at me like she had poop underneath her shoes.
Dad smiled at me and then turned to Skylar. "Skylar, I'll be right back."
Skylar stared at him, not responding. Then Dad turned to me and kissed my forehead. "Love you, bug."
"Love you too, Daddy."
As soon as Dad left, I was the first to speak. "Do you want to see my room?"
She scoffed. "Why would I want to see a little girl's room?"
I shrugged. "I can show you the rest of the house?" I offered.
"Why?" she said with attitude. "I'm not going to live here. Mom said we're moving out of this town, so I'll never see you guys again."
"Oh," I said, feeling deflated. I wondered if Dad knew she was moving. This whole interaction was nothing like I hoped for.
When Mom turned the corner and spotted us standing around, she said, "Girls, it's time to eat." We followed her as she gestured for us to come along.
Upon arriving at the table, Skylar was seated opposite Seth and me while Mom and Dad were at the far end. However, Skylar barely uttered more than a single word. Her scowl never left her face, and she answered questions from Mom and Dad with curt yes or no responses. It was as if getting information from her was like pulling teeth.
I held out the basket of warm rolls. "Here," I said with a friendly smile. "Mom's homemade rolls are the best."
But as Skylar looked at the food, her expression turned sour, as if she had just seen something disgusting. "No, thanks," she said, her tone dripping with arrogance. "Too many carbs."
Seth grunted in response while Dad cleared his throat. Though Mom didn't show it, the annoyance on her face betrayed how much she had been holding back. Despite our efforts to make small talk, Skylar remained distant and uninterested. She was clearly holding onto bitterness or resentment, and I couldn't help but wonder why.
The evening was spent at the carnival, where Skylar met with her friends. As we were getting ready to leave, Dad pulled Skylar aside for a talk, but Skylar didn't seem to care and rolled her eyes, which only made me angrier.
"Is Skylar staying overnight?" I asked Mom as we were walking to the car.
She turned to check on Dad and Skylar and answered, "No, her mom will pick her up in two hours."
"Good. She's a freaking nightmare." Seth said, looking up from his phone.
Mom gave him a warning look, but he continued. "What? You know she's a bitch, mom. The next time she looks at Scar like she wants to rip her face off, I'm going to punch her in the face." His words were laced with anger and frustration.
"Seth!" Mom whispered sharply. "Watch your language," she scolded him, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.
The drive home was eerily quiet, with only the sound of Dad and Seth discussing their favorite sports filling the car. As soon as Dad parked the car in the garage, I hastily jumped out and darted to my room, eager to escape the overwhelming presence of Skylar. She was cold, and her words were sharp and unkind. I longed for a connection with her, some kind of sisterly bond, but I only felt distance and animosity. The thought of spending more time in her company filled me with dread, and I felt relieved knowing that I wouldn't have to see her again.
I went straight to the bathroom and changed into my comfortable jammies. After brushing my teeth, I returned to my room and found Skylar standing before my mural.
"Let me guess, you're daddy's little princess, and Seth is your knight in shining armor, am I right?" she asked with a hint of accusation.
I didn't respond.
