"So...wait, if your stepdad is such a jerk, why don't you just leave?" He inquires, leaning against the wall above his bed.
I mimic his actions, sitting on the opposite end of the bed. "I can't, Harrison. How do you not understand that I can't leave my little brother to fend for himself?" I ask, exasperatedly.
The whole point of dealing with Samuel is because of Sky. If I didn't have a little brother, I wouldn't stay. There is no way I would keep myself in that environment.
"Take him with you." Harrison states, like it's as simple as pie.
I don't think he understands that I've thought out everything before. There is no way Sky and I can live on our own together. I don't have the money, the time, or the proper schooling to get a good job that will support us.
"It's not that easy," I respond quietly, looking over at him. "I need money before I can get an apartment; I have to be eighteen before I can adopt him legally; I need a car before I can drive. There are all these things I have to think about. Life won't be handed to me on a silver platter, you know."
He sighs and nods his head solemnly. "I guess so. Optimism is a curse of mine." He chuckles nervously, which causes me to wonder what's making him so on edge.
I decide a change of subject would be nice. We've been way too serious the whole night. "Think we should go to bed yet?" I ask, glancing at the digital clock by his bed, six AM.
Running a hand through his wonderfully curly hair, he shakes his head. "I think we should keep talking. I feel like there's more to you than you're letting on.."
I can't help the teasing tone that takes over my voice. "Hmm, I'm pretty sure I'm not an open book. You'll just have to wait, like everyone else."
He sighs. "Should have seen that one coming." I hear him mutter more to himself than to me.
"Let's sleep. We can talk tomorrow...er, later today." I suggest, a yawn directly following my words.
He can't stifle his yawn that puts mine to shame, and I giggle at how funny he looks, which earns a scowl from him. "How are we doing this? Mom is most likely awake, which means you can't leave my room. So.. uh, I'll sleep on the floor, okay?"
"No!" I blurt out, mentally hitting myself for being so forward. "I-I mean, I don't care if you sleep up here...you know, with me. As long as we're on opposite ends of the bed."
He chuckles softly. "For such a solemn girl, you sure are cute."
I mimic his actions, sitting on the opposite end of the bed. "I can't, Harrison. How do you not understand that I can't leave my little brother to fend for himself?" I ask, exasperatedly.
The whole point of dealing with Samuel is because of Sky. If I didn't have a little brother, I wouldn't stay. There is no way I would keep myself in that environment.
"Take him with you." Harrison states, like it's as simple as pie.
I don't think he understands that I've thought out everything before. There is no way Sky and I can live on our own together. I don't have the money, the time, or the proper schooling to get a good job that will support us.
"It's not that easy," I respond quietly, looking over at him. "I need money before I can get an apartment; I have to be eighteen before I can adopt him legally; I need a car before I can drive. There are all these things I have to think about. Life won't be handed to me on a silver platter, you know."
He sighs and nods his head solemnly. "I guess so. Optimism is a curse of mine." He chuckles nervously, which causes me to wonder what's making him so on edge.
I decide a change of subject would be nice. We've been way too serious the whole night. "Think we should go to bed yet?" I ask, glancing at the digital clock by his bed, six AM.
Running a hand through his wonderfully curly hair, he shakes his head. "I think we should keep talking. I feel like there's more to you than you're letting on.."
I can't help the teasing tone that takes over my voice. "Hmm, I'm pretty sure I'm not an open book. You'll just have to wait, like everyone else."
He sighs. "Should have seen that one coming." I hear him mutter more to himself than to me.
"Let's sleep. We can talk tomorrow...er, later today." I suggest, a yawn directly following my words.
He can't stifle his yawn that puts mine to shame, and I giggle at how funny he looks, which earns a scowl from him. "How are we doing this? Mom is most likely awake, which means you can't leave my room. So.. uh, I'll sleep on the floor, okay?"
"No!" I blurt out, mentally hitting myself for being so forward. "I-I mean, I don't care if you sleep up here...you know, with me. As long as we're on opposite ends of the bed."
He chuckles softly. "For such a solemn girl, you sure are cute."
