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Surrender. :part1:
"Hello?" Ailey called out into empty foyer as she pushed the door closed with her foot.
There was no awnser, her words just rang out and ricochet across the walls. With both arms filled with groceries she walked to the kitchen. The house was eerily quiet, as usual, and she payed absolutely no mind to it. Absently she started unpacking the bags. It was slightly comical how much she did to keep the house running. She shopped, did laundry, cleaned and cooked. Sometimes it was overwhelming, but then again, any teenager would be.
"Hey." A voice from behind her rang out, she snatched a knife from the counter.
As she turned, however, she saw her roomate Jonathan, and her grip loosened. He grabbed an apple and took a bite, making her scoff a bit beck becasue if it werent for her there would be no apple for him whenever he pleased.
"How was the market?" he asked her.
"Fine, it was pouring out though."
As she zoned back out he continued to talk about the rain. She didnt care much for what he was talking about, Jon tended to be a bore to her. It seemed that when ever he was around her he got uncomfortable and rigid. Not like it bothered her much, she kept to herself most of the time.
She didnt have any friends. She lived with Jonathan and his sister, Veronica, who was the one who brought home the money. Looking at the pair was confusing though, because you would never know they were brother and sister. Veronica had wildly curly red hair, deep green eyes and a cold spirit; while Jon had wavy blonde hair glassy brown eyes and he tried to be compassionate. But they werent her family, and that was fine by her.
Ailey didnt remember her family, in fact she didnt remember anything past a few years ago. According to Jonathan she had shown up, dirty and worn one night a while ago. Unfortunatly, the only thing she could remember was waking up in a cold sweat and looking over to see Jon asleep in an arm chair next to the bed. Ever since then she had only known one thing, taking care of the house. And that worked for her.
"Ailez, Ailez are you even listening to me?" Jon chimmed.
"What? Oh, sorry i zoned"
Aileys response was drowned out by the fact that Veronica had breezed into the room. It was like a cloud looming over them whenever she was near.
"Hey V! you going out tongight?"
"Bye" She responded to Jons innocent question in an icy tone.
In fact it made Ailey jump a little and step away from her. She had a way about her that was simply sinacle. Nevertheless, with all that said she just flew out again.
"She still makes me uncomfortable..." Ailey said quietly.
"Yeah shes my sister and she makes me feel weird..."
Without a word she walked out into the hall and up to her room. A dismal comment on her life, Ailey's bed room walls were a shade of gray, her bed was a dulled gold frame with a tattered quilt drapped over it. The floors shine had throughly been worn away, and the curtains were a dead looking lace. Most of the house was bleak like her room. Ther really was no expression or life in anything. As was most of her life...
Weary as it was, she some how mananged to get up every morning with a smile on her face. Because like most teenage girls she was swayed into the conception that if she always kept a high spirit that one day everything would change for her. In fact, she was convinced that someday a prince chamring would save her from the wretched place she called home and sweep her off her feet. Unfortunatly thet only time she ever saw boys was at passing in the market and Jon. And Jon, was just awkward.
"Ailey what time is dinner?" Jon was standing outside her doorway, probably with his face pressed to the door.
"Soon Jon, I've been busy all day give me a break."
"But V just left....and now im starving!"
She sighed and got up from her bed. Sometimes the 2 of them could be so demanding it drove her up the wall. But they were kind and generous to her so she did what they wanted. When she opened her door Jon was already gone and with a begrudging sigh she walked down to the kitchen. Not only did she not want to cook anything she didnt want to be left to the task of deciding on what to cook, becasue that was a hard enough task when it came to what Jon would and would not eat.
"Jon do you have any suggestions?" she called out, but recieved no awnser back.
With that and a grumble she started to make chicken. The smells must have filled the house quickly becasue before she knew it Jon was by her side watching, commenting on every move she made. Thankfully she had the ability to drown him out in her thoughts. And as much as he complained, he always ate what she cooked with gusto.
"Veronica already left so your staying down here with me." he muttered over his food after she set it on the table.
"Your so lame, we dont have to tell her."
"She'll know! And then I'll be in trouble for not keeping you safe"
"Shes paranoid, whats gonna happen?! Its not liek we''ll be attacked or anything!"
She didnt know what she said but Jon got rigid, so she dropped the subject. The Hitchings were so odd about keeping each other and Ailey safe. She was sure that they were paranoid. But in odd way it made her feel loved. Because when V went out Jon took on the roll of big brother and the 2 bonded. Unfortunatly bonding means sat in what ever room Jon felt like and watched television or read.
Jon put his dish in the sink, obviously expecting Ailey to take care of it, which she definatly detested doing. She got up anyway, and walked over. In the absent mindedness of chores she looked out the window. Something moved in the woods just behind the house. And although she didnt give it much thought, brushing off to just be a deer, she looked over her shoulder at Jon.
"What?"
"I think theres something in thewoods... Its probaably just a deer. I dont know why I mentioned it."
Almost instantly he grabbed his phone from his pocket and called Veronica. The two talked quietly, they always did. She was pretty sure they didnt want to spoke her but as soon as Jon hung up he ushered her into her room and locked the door behind them.
"Hey! I wasnt done the dishes!" she protested.
"I'll do them later..." he muttered and looked around, "could your room get any more drab?"
"With what time do you want me to decorate?! Im sorry my room isnt lively enough for you!" she snapped.
"Woah.. calm down..."
She had never snapped at Jon or Veronica before, and he was quite taken back by it. After a moment or two of hesitation she sat in a red chair, that had obviously seen better days, and rested her face in her hands.
"Sorry... I dont knwo what came over me." she mummbled after a moment or two.
"Its fine..." a bit of concern lingered in his voice, "are you unhappy ailey?"
"Shut up Jonathan."
"No Im serious!"
"You dont need to play the concerned friend with me. I know I'm just here becasue I wound up on your door step. And if you honestly believe that a few nice words here or there will get me to be happy then you need a lesson in the truth. All I do all day is cook and clean. Am I unhappy, no, becasue I crazily manage to cling to one last shard of hope. Dont you dare patronize me."
"....oh, okay..."
His shocked and confused expression gave her a shallow and smug sense of joy. She didnt understand how he could live the way he did, day after day in their house, which by Aileys standards was not a home, and be happy. He never had the need to branch out! Or even to leave the house. After an uncomfortable length of time he sat on her bed and started looking throught the books she had on her night stand.
"Are these all from our library?"
"Yes...why?"
"These are very girly, I had no idea we had anything like this."
"You would if you ever went in there..."
"Your probably right, I dont ever go in there..."
He picked up one of the books he had just so slyly basked and began to read it. She wondered what he thought of it, but his face was utterly blank, in fact it made her chuckle a bit. She got up to open the window, it was a tad stuffy in her room and even though the night was cold and rainy, the reliefe was welcomed. She sat on the small window seat and looked out as she pushed on the window panes. THey opened with a terribly loud screech.
"Shut that!" Jon commanded as he looked up from her book.
He was acting so strange tonight. It made her wonder what was going on, but she didnt question to much into it, she figured it was best to just let him act weird. So she closed the window and put her cheeks against the glass. It was icy against her, and she smiled.
Out of her periferals she could see Jon slowly ease back into reading his book again. His chin rested against her bed spread, the pillo was propped up against the pillow. He looked like a reguilar school girl and it made her giggle a bit.
"Come away from there Ailey... I'm afraid your going to fall out."
"...Fine..." she huffed and then lied next to him on her bed.
"What are you doing?" he raised an eyebrow.
"My bed."
"... you're weird."
"Im glad you think so"
It was funny how sarastic that sounded in her head, and how little jon reacted to it. Maybe he didnt notice, or maybe he just didnt care becasue of the book that seemed to have a compelling hold on his attention. For all she knew, and all she cared, he could be boiling on the inside, ready to burst. Fortunatly before that could happen she closed her eyes and let sleep come.
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