Free Serenity by Ava O'Shay Page B

sprawled on the couch nursing a beer. “Why aren’t you at school?” she slurred.
    “I didn’t realize you knew I went to school.” Ren headed straight for the stairs. The house was a pit. Whatever they’d been up to this morning left clothes and dishes scattered everywhere. A strange smell filled the room and made her stomach feel queezy.
    “You need to be in school,” she muttered. “Education is important.”
    Ren turned on her. “Dammit Mom why aren’t you at work? Why are you home in the middle of the day instead of earning some money so we can keep living in this shit hole? Because if you don’t do something, we’re going to lose this place. And we can’t afford anything better.” She hadn’t meant to yell, but her voice got increasingly louder the more she talked. At the mention of a job her mom pulled herself from the couch and stood wavering.
    Before Ren knew what happened, her mom’s palm hit her cheek, knocking her to the side and into the corner of the stairwell. Her head cracked against the wall, and she fell to a knee.
    “Don’t you talk to me like that,” she hissed, spit hitting Ren’s cheek. “I’m your mother.”
    She braced herself against the wall and stood. Her face burned where her mom’s hand made contact. Ren’s temple throbbed where it hit the wall.
    “You’re not my mother. You gave that right away when I was ten.”
    “If you’re so unhappy call your stupid case worker and get out. It would make my life easier.” She took a swig of her beer.
    Ren clenched her fists, digging her nails into her hands.
    “Oh that’s right. You won’t call because they’ll take your beloved Quill away from you.” Her voice was so patronizing Ren wanted to punch her. But she was right. Ren couldn’t risk being put back into the system. She wouldn’t risk being separated from her brother.
    “You don’t know shit.” Ren grabbed her backpack and walked back to the door.
    Her mom grabbed her arm. “I’m your mother. I carried you in my stomach and gave birth to your sorry ass so I expect some respect from you.”
    “I will never respect you.”
    Her mom raised her hand to slap Ren again but stopped herself. A sad look crossed her face but was quickly replaced by one of resentment. “I tried to be there for you but do you know how hard it is raising twins alone? I needed help.” Her hand gripped Ren tighter. “Every man who came into our lives…every time I found someone willing to help you screwed it up. You stole them from me.”
    Ren pulled her arm free. “They were pedaphiles you stupid whore. They didn’t want you they wanted Quill and me.”
    -oOo-
    Ren had gone by the drug store and got a cheap bottle of concealer then stood in the store bathroom trying to hide the red welt her mom left on her cheek. She was thankful her head hadn’t split open when it hit the wall, but a purplish bump formed along her hairline. The concealer was too thick, and she ended up washing it all off. It was better to have a welt than look like she’d caked on the make-up. She hoped by the time she made it back to school it would fade.
    Jolin’s Camero sat in the front lot. The school ran a lottery for kids with cars to see who got the prime parking spots. It was rigged though. All the popular kids ended up in the front lot, especially the football players and the cheerleaders. Ren slid onto the hood of his car and settled in to wait. She wondered why the debate club never got preferential treatment. Weren’t they the future leaders of America?
    Ren knew the minute Jolin left the building. She felt the hair on the back of her neck tingle. She shifted so she could watch him walk across the parking lot. He was incredibly good looking. Although they hadn’t talked in years, if playground banter in fourth grade even counted, she knew as soon as she walked through the doors of the school who he was and the power he held. She’d also watched that power slowly fade after his injury. Brock’s