Rejected At First Sight (Spinoff Series)

13

Ashlyn Jesse

I threw the empty take out containers in the garbage can and walked back to the dining table to pick up the 8 empty fortune cookie wrappers that Sage and I had gorged on completely by ourselves.

Throwing those away, as well as the bad fortunes that were really much more bad quotes, I packed up my half finished homework.

Before I headed up to my room, I peered in at my dad. He was sleeping on the couch, rolled over onto his belly and was clutching a throw pillow to his chest. I grabbed a gray and pink quilt from a woven basket placed at the arm of the couch and draped it over him. I placed a glass of water and two advil next to it and grabbed a spare piece of paper.

Skipping run today. Rest up. Love, AJ

I lightly kissed him on the forehead and started walking away.

My dad suddenly mumbled something, incoherent. I looked back at him over my shoulder and smiled.

"Iris." He grunted and I froze.

It had been months since my parents had spoken her name.

"You can't run from the pack." He said and turned over, the blanket tangling in his legs.

He was fast asleep then, nothing else came past his lips. I tried to make sense of his drunken slumber words, but nothing came up.

Pack? Like traveling? Something in me told me that wasn't right. My head swung to the window, looking out at the moon lifting itself in the sky, the last rays of the sun long sense hidden behind the trees.

Like a wolf pack?

Something inside me hummed.

I shook it off, deciding that the feeling was uncomfortable. Walking up the stairs, I stop by my mom's room and let myself in. She was sleep in her bed, the entire comforter wrapped around her body. Burrito style. Mother like daughter.

Creeping in, I snatch up the empty contents of the white container and sneak back downstairs, careful not to disturb anyone.

Tiptoeing around my parents as if the slightest creek in the floor would kick start a fight.

I throw the trash away and sling my bag over my shoulder and quietly head up to my room.

Feeling weariness in my system, I save my shower for the morning. Sage and I agreed to meet at school a whole 45 minutes early. I knew that my mom wouldn't be up for leaving for work that early, so I decided that I would be walking to school. Since I wasn't going to run without my dad anyways, I would have extra time to get there. It was only a few miles anyways.

I shut my door and strip down to my underwear, walking over to my window and staring into my mirror.

A tortured sigh leaves my lips.

I looked like a reverse oreo. My legs and torso squishing against the chocolate cream of the mirage of bruises centered around my hips.

If anyone saw my naked body like this...

They'd probably think I had fallen from a plane. Or had an abusive relationship with the hulk. Or maybe they'd just think I had a skin condition.

Whatever the case, I'd be a freak.

I wonder if I went to the hospital if they would be able to tell me whats wrong. Should I trouble my parents for a visit?

Iris.

No. That wasn't an option. My parents might think I was harming myself or in some sort of trouble. They shouldn't have to worry about me.

Something inside my head reminded me that it was a parents job to worry about their kids. I immediately shook that off and walked over to my bed.