All around the miniscule town of Kinsville, everyone had been yaking about Payton Wells’ sudden death. Maybe it was because so many people loved her. Perhaps it was because her death was so sudden and unexpected. Maybe it was a small town with nothing else to do but gossip about the most recent and juicy news. Whatever the reason was for the constant talk of the now dead teenage girl, it didn’t matter to Maxine because it was getting on her nerves. Everywhere Maxine went, somebody was talking about Payton and how “wonderful” she was. Payton will be missed. Payton did this, and Payton did that. She was such a caring friend. A helpful student. A loving daughter and sibling. She was the perfect girlfriend to many boy’s now broken hearts, mourning their “lost love”.
Bullshit, She would think to herself as she gave the idiots a scowl while walking by. They wouldn’t spare her a sideways glance, nor notice she was there, but she didn’t really care. She didn’t want them to see her. It’s all Bullshit. If only they knew how she really died. They’d be as pissed as I am, or maybe they’d see how fake and selfish she was.
When the news had gotten out that Payton had a pill overdose, everyone felt sympathetic for her. They all wondered what caused her to end it. Everyone except Maxine Lemmons. Instead of feeling pain, sympathy, or general upsetness, Maxine felt anger. Pure rage filled her chest and she punched the wall everytime she thought of Payton Wells’ overdose. The mere thought of Payton triggered her, and she hated that the girl had such power over her emotions. There were now horrendous holes decorating her gray walls. It was Payton’s fault they were there, not Maxine’s. That, of course, was her reasoning. Everything was Payton’s fault, especially now that she’s dead on her own accord. Maxine hated her for it. She hated everything about Payton, and she made that well known.
Death is such a morbid word. She threw a miniature, cherry-red ball into the air and caught it as it fell back down again. She lay sprawled on her bare mattress in nothing but an old, stained oversized t-shirt and a bra. Her choppy golden hair effortlessly laid out underneath her head, earbud wires tangled in between strands of her hair. The bandages on her knees were peeling off, and the fresh wounds underneath began to show. I would love it if they would just call it a permanent vacation with no return. Then maybe people will shut up about Payton Wells and her ‘unfortunate mishap’.
While she laid there in a semi-peaceful state, excessive alternative music blared mercilessly into her ears, drowning out all of the outside world. Her chest rose and fell steadily and she closed her eyes tightly. Her bare feet tapped along to the beat of her music. The bed squealed and groaned with every little movement she made. It was not because she was too heavy for the bed, because she was underweight and she was well aware of that. Her bed was older than she was, but she wouldn’t dare ask her parents for a new one.
It isn’t like they would give a shit anyway. The only things worth their money and time are their weed and alcohol. I don’t entirely blame them at this point for the never ending desire to feel- to be numb.
Her eyebrows furrowed together as she attempted to think, but the only thing that filled her head was the senseless music coming from the earbuds connected to her phone. An overwhelming tingling numbness filled her entire body and the only thing keeping her grounded was the music. A burning sensation followed the numbing and she arched her back slightly, grinding her teeth. It wasn’t painful, but it was most definitely uncomfortable. Gulping down air into her dry, and constricted throat, she realised what time it was. It was already five o-clock in the afternoon. She gnawed at the sensitive part of the inside of her lip as dread filled her chest. She knew Dave, her Stepdad and Mom would be home from work soon. Their return home would ruin her sense of peace, or whatever this burning numbness could be called. Instead of the electric guitar riffs and overuse of drums and bass from her earbuds, she would hear the wailing and screeching of her parents.
As if on cue, the front door slammed shut and obnoxious footsteps followed. Click-clack click-clack. She could hear her mother’s bright red high heels from her room. Maxine listened in silence as her mom threw her purse against the couch and stomped her way to her kitchen. She could only guess that her mom was on her way to eat the rest of the chocolate that Maxine bought a few days before. Maxine didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she was going to eat it anyway. She didn’t feel like listening to her mother’s rant about how fattening chocolate is, or how it’ll make a person fat. Maxine chewed at the inside of her cheek and she turned away from her door, feeling irritation rise within her.
She’s such a hypocritical bitch. She chuckled to herself as she subconsciously laid both of her hands against her flat stomach and pushed against it. Zoning out while staring at her floor, she ran a finger of her ribs, counting each noticeable bone lining under her thin, unnaturally milky skin. Her body shivered at her own icy touch. The silence of the household was interrupted by the shoutings of her mother, wailing Maxine’s name.
She snapped back to reality with a startled jump that nearly knocked her off her bed and ripped her quivering hand away from her midriff. Shaking her head in utter disappointment as she stood and walked towards her door, she mumbled, “Momma taught me well.”
With one swift movement, she threw her legs over the side of her bed and pushed herself up. Her bare feet hit the wooden floor, and the dirt and grime rubbed against it. She scrunched up her nose and opened her wooden door. Liquid eyeliner and splatters of paint decorated the door, hiding the chalky white the door once was. The doorknob jiggled as she turned it and she held back a wince as the door scraped against the wooden floor as it swung open. Clearing her throat, she poked her head out of her room and peered around the corner into the living room. Her mother wasn’t in the living room or anywhere in sight.
“Yeah? Mom you called?” Her voice sounded gruff and gravelly due to its lack of use for the past few hours. Her mouth felt dried out and her throat constricted as she tried to gulp down the small amount of saliva in her mouth.
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She watched as her mother came into her view. Her mother stood in the living room, giving her a glare that would make Satan himself tremble in fear. Her chocolate brown eyes radiated rage and her nostrils flared. Her spray tanned skin seems darker in the dimmed lighting of the house. The tight, black dress she wore accentuated her phony breasts as she stomped into Maxine’s sight, causing them to wobble. Her mom pushed her midnight black, curly hair behind her ears. Her false diamond earrings glistened in the dim lighting, and despite the excessive amount of jewelry she wore, Maxine noticed that there was no ring on her hand. She bathed in her cheap perfume daily, causing a forced immunity to the god-awful smell for everyone in her household, but even so Maxine was still disgusted by the overuse of the scent.
Similar to a passenger on a crashing plane, she braced herself for the impact.
“You ungrateful little shit!” The venom in her mother’s voice almost made Maxine shrink away. Almost. Instead, she hardened her expression and straightened her back. Her mother clacked her heels with all her might as she got closer to Maxine. “After all I’ve done for you-all the money and time I’ve spent on you!”
Maxine rolled her head back with an audible groan. She crossed her arms and dug her nails into the skin of her forearms. Noticeable red dents began to form where she was digging her fingernails into. As she rolled her head back to face her mom, she raised her eyebrows and gasped for dramatic effect. “What now, your majesty? Did I forget to shine your shoes? Oh, Lord have mercy and spare my soul!”
“My God, do you ever shut up?” Her mother placed her hands on her hips. Her bright cherry nails became a little overwhelming for poor Maxine.
“No not re-” She was interrupted by her mother letting out an irritating groan, as if done listening to her speak. Maxine shut her mouth in an automatic response. Maxine internally cursed at herself for doing so.
“All I ask you to do is a few things around the house-the house we have so graciously provided for you-and you can’t even do those things without complaining,” Her mother raised a hand to take off her earrings. Holding the two “diamond” earrings in the palm of her hand, she put her hand out towards Maxine, gesturing for her to put them up. Maxine just stared at her hand with a seemingly vacant expression. Her mother opened up Maxine’s left hand and thrusted the earrings into her hand. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes tightly, “Are you slow? Am I raising a SPED idiotic brat? Just...put these up, will you? God, can’t you do anything? I have to do everything around here, all for you just to sit around and..”
Maxine drowned out the rest of the rant, attempting to guard her heart from the hurtful words her mother let out of her heavily painted lips.
“I’ll put them up. I’m sorry,” Maxine gave in and sighed. Maxine avoided her mother’s eyes, which had a sudden change between pure fury into sadistic satisfaction. Maxine suppressed a violent wince when she felt her mother’s hand push stray strands of golden hair behind her ear. She could feel her mother’s phony Cheshire Cat grin beaming down on her, causing her to squirm under her touch. Her hand moved from her ear to her cheek, caressing her soft, yet ice cold cheek. Maxine figured her mother wouldn’t shiver at her daughter's chilled skin. Her mother wasn’t able to feel anything.
“What a good girl,” Her mother purred. Her voice transformed from bitter to sweet like honey. Maxine felt as if she would hurl right then and there. Instead, she removed her mom’s hand away from her face and turned away. She shoved her away hand and shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. She shook her head in a discouraged manner as she walked towards her mother’s room.
She could feel her mother’s intense chocolate eyes staring her down as she opened the creaking door of her parent’s room. My birth giver and the-wannabe-dad’s room, she corrected herself with a dry chuckle, refusing to call them her parents. In turn, she was not their offspring. She did not want to admit to herself that she even lived with the two revolting people. They weren’t even considered human to her, and calling them monsters would be but an insult to actual monstrosities. Dracula and Frankenstein would be oh so offended. They would probably cry bitterly if compared to them.
The door closed behind her as she entered the dirt-free room. There was no indication that anyone ever stepped into this room. It looked as if this room was never slept in at all. The carpet floors were nauseatingly clear, and the bed was made too neatly. The walls were spotless, which was odd because they were milky white. Light from between the window panes shined graciously into the room, and there was no indication of dust in the air as Maxine eyeballed at the beams of light. The plainness and tidiness of the room reminded Maxine of an ill decorated hotel room.
Maxine walked to the other side of the room to where the light wood dresser laid. A small, shiny box laid on top of the dresser. Maxine opened up the box and scowled down upon the multitude of silver and gold jewelry in the box. The tiny, hoax diamond earrings were placed into the box. As she closed the box, she yanked open the top drawer of the dresser. In the drawer was one of her mothers many leather purses, and in that purse would be a red wallet.
Maxine forced her hand into the purse and pulled out the wallet. As she did so, she glanced behind her at the door. She could hear the door handle jiggling, and her heartbeat picked up. Shoving a $50 bill into her hoodie pocket, she placed the wallet back into purse and slammed the drawer closed. She turned her head back to the box as the door opened.
“What are you doing in my room?” Her stepfather’s voice slurred behind her. She scrunched up her nose as the stench of alcohol hit her nostrils. Turning around to face the beer bellied, balding man, she put on an innocent grin.
“I’m just putting up mom’s earrings,” She walked towards the door, putting her hands up in a surrendering gesture. Her palms were open and above her head as she neared the man by the door. He towered over her with a death stare. His eyes were red where they should have been white, and his black pupils were dilated.
“Is that all you were doing in here? Why did she make you do it?” His voice sounded dry, as if he needed water desperately. He leaned down over the smaller girl, grabbing ahold of her wrist in a swift move of his arm. He turned her arm over, glancing at both sides, as if she was hiding something on them. She attempted to rip her arm from his tight grip, but failed miserably at doing so. His icy blue eyes narrowed down into her eyes, sending a shiver down her spine and her chest to constrict. “Why didn’t she do it herself?”
“Because she wanted me to, ok? Let me go,” She squirmed and clawed at his hand with her free hand. His grip tightened and he pulled her closer to him. The stench of hard whiskey and vodka filled the girl’s nose and she resisted the overwhelming urge to gag. “Dave stop it! You wreck, man! Your breath could raise the dead. Let me go!”
With one more suspicious glare and a huff of his vile breath, he let go of her wrist and shoved her away. He wiped his hands on his jeans with a sneer. As she pushed herself back into a sitting position, she sent a defiant glare up at him, seeing that he had wiped away her touch. “Don’t worry, I’m not contagious.”
“Get outta my room,” He barked at her as he moved out of the doorway and pointed harshly into the hallway. She bit her lip to keep from spitting on his feet as she exited the room. She put her hands into her pockets and gripped the money tightly in her childlike fists. A small smirk spread across her face as she walked back to her room with the stolen cash in her hands and her stepfather behind her, glaring daggers at her back.