CHAPTER ELEVEN: FAMILY?

I tucked my sleeves and pulled at my shirt, trying to ascertain exactly what was holding me back to the mirror for a running 30 minutes straight, something I'd never done before. Was it the shirt? It was my favorite, probably the nicest thing I had in my bag. And the pants were denim and ripped, just the way I liked them. My hair was held back in a ponytail like always. What was wrong? Why the feeling that it wasn't enough? I wasn't dressing to impress anyone was I? Miranda reed never did that. I didn't need to do it. there was no one to impress. 

 Brushing the whole thing off as first day in school jitters, I tucked stray locks of my hair peeking out though the back and ran the scissors through some awkward bit growing around my face. By God only monsters kept hair this long and it wasn't that I hadn't tried to keep it in check. It just grew back each time I cut it, even longer than before. 

Eager to put the terrible dream behind me, I reached out for my bagpack, one that stacey'd consistently bugged me about decorating. she'd insisted that it looked like a 'dead man's breakfast in broad daylight and forbade me from going to school with it or watch her perish so unwillingly… as always… I let 'decorate' it as she claimed she would. It was still the same bag, only, not really a bag. She'd gone on and given it large fluffy PINK ears, drawn stars and probably a dozen cartoon characters across the back and pasted some huge picture of Justin beiber, making me out like some crazy weird stalking fan who goes about carrying people's faces on my bag. Just when I was hoping to have an uneventful day and probably stay under the radar. With a bag looking like this I was certainly gonna get the most weirded-out looks before the end of the day. I reached out for my navy blue bag, slung it over my shoulder once more and pulled at my shirt, parting my bangs to the right. Then to the left. Then to the right again…

" Damn it Mira just let the poor hair be!" I yelled at myself, frustrated. I forced my eyes off the mirror and trotted downstairs for breakfast. Ian sat, perched over the counter with a sausage roll in cheek while stacey pranced about worriedly, squealing like every five seconds. Ian just sat, watching her like something right out of a sitcom. I shot him a look and he laughed. 

" What's up with her?" I asked, drawing close. I grabbed the large loaf of bread on the counter and reached out for the butter, still watching stacey do some weird freak-out dance. 

" She can't find her hair pin…"

" Hair pin?" Stacey yelled, glaring. Ian groaned and threw his head back as she stomped up to him " that, is a fashion masterpiece expertly crafted for the head's enjoyment!" 

" Otherwise, a hair pin" 

" Its a head band ian. Not that you'd know anything about it! You boys never know anything!!!" 

" Stacey calm down" I said, munching on my bread and adding a little peanut butter to some crackers off the counter " we could find something else for you" 

" we can't! That's the best hair band I ever had!!" 

" That's what you said about the other 100 hair pins you have…" 

" 102" she shot, glaring hotly at him " and for fuck's sake they're hair bands Ian! Hair bands!!" 

" Yeah. I've got a band that doesn't have hair behind it. Big deal" Ian said, voice dripping with sarcasm. I nudged him and he laughed while Stacey fumed. 

" Fuck off Ian!" 

" Hey wait!! You could use mom's safety pins. They practically do the same thing!!" He yelled after her and she gave him the finger. I let out a breath, running my hand through the circles under my eyes. " you look tired. Did you get enough sleep last night?" 

" Yeah. Just exhausted that's all" ian leaned close and I ducked back slightly only to see him reaching out for a glass cup. I half heaved a sigh of relief as he filled his glass with juice. 

" You could skip school you know. Get some rest" 

" No. I've been here for over a week now. I've gotten more than enough rest" I looked up at Stacey's room, listening to the colossal crashes booming through. I turned to Ian. 

" What's she's doing there? burning her stuff?"

" More like tearing her room down. Stacey's a bit of a wimp at times, especially when she's angry. But don't worry. She'll get over it soon" 

" How soon is soon?" I asked, looking down at my watch " cause we're gonna be late" Ian's eyes popped so wide I staggered back. 

" What?" 

" Oh nothing." He laughed, shaking his head " you want to wait for stacey? She doesn't get to school till third period's over" 

" What?" I gaped " why?" He shrugged and said nothing " won't she get punished or something?" 

" I think everyone in school's used to it now. She's committed to her looks I can tell you that" 

" Yeah" I let out a sigh " apparently" 

" Hey," he said, leaning close " don't let Stacey smother you ok?" I quirked my brow curiously. 

" Smother me?" 

" Yeah. She gets like that sometimes. She may seem…" 

" Overboard?" I completed " demanding. Sometimes just incredibly annoying." I nodded " I know that. From experience that is" he laughed and tossed his hair back. 

" I guess you're right. But she doesn't mean any harm I can assure you. She just… loves people. And she's always wanted a sister"

" Mona's here" he gave me a look and I bit back on my lips. 

" You know how mona is. she doesn't even look anyone of us in the face. and with you here, stacey might be in and over her head on the whole sister thing so just take roll with it ok? I'll talk to her later ok?" 

" Its ok, really. I like Stacey. She's cool and fun to be with. And she's not smothering me. Not at all" 

" Sure. If you say so. You doing ok Mira? I don't know, you look sick to me. Pale" 

" Its my skin color ian" I said, gripping hard onto my bag " and I'm fine" he looked at me a while longer doubtfully and shrugged. 

" Fine. If you say so." He held me back when I moved to go and I shivered " you'll always tell me what's wrong with you right? Me, Stacey, mom and dad? You'll tell us right?" I gulped and swallowed the urge to be sick, knowing I was lying through my teeth. I bit back the urge and nodded.

" That's good. We're family now Mira and family always stick to each other right?" 

" Yeah. Sure" I slugged my way out and shot him a sideward glance. He was watching me. Discreetly but definitely. 

 I shook my head and pushed the patio door open, stepping out into the sunlight. 

Family always stick together. If only I knew what that means.