Beyond Childhood
AJ
Beyond childhood lies the loss of innocence. When children are no longer children, the monsters in the closet cannot be chased away by Daddy or Santa Claus. The sins of the adult world remain. (Dark and somewhat graphic. Be ye warned.)
AN: While I'm writing this as a series of short stories, I can't promise consistent updates. Sorry about me jacking everything up, by the way. It's just kind of fun sometimes, that's all.
Story One: Angelica's Story
"Oh, Drew, look at her! Fifteen and watching the house all by herself!" Charlotte Pickles squealed to her husband. He frowned, tugging at his tie nervously.
"I don't know, Charlotte. Angelica is only fifteen. Do you really think she's mature enough to handle taking care of the house by herself all weekend?" Drew asked skeptically. The teenager in question put on her best "mature young adult" face, barely able to conceal her excitement.
"Daddy, I'll take care of everything. You guys don't have to worry at all. I'll be fine!" She insisted. Drew sighed.
"Princess, taking care of the house sounds like fun, but it's a big responsibility. I just want to make sure you'll be safe," he said.
"Drew. Really?" Charlotte frowned, her tone shifting from pride to annoyance. "She's fine. She's very mature for her age. She's not like other kids. It's not like she's going to throw a crazy party or anything." Angelica feigned surprise.
"A party? This weekend? But I have so much homework to get done…" she said, dragging out the word "homework" to emphasize the horror implied therein. Drew looked at his wife, then his daughter. He knew then that the cause was lost. No matter what he said from that point onward, Angelica had the house to herself for two and a half days.
"All right, all right. Now listen, sweetie, if you need anything at all, Aunt DeeDee and Uncle Stu are just a phone call away and can come get you, ok?" he ceded. Angelica smiled sweetly.
"Okay. Thank you for trusting me, Daddy," the blonde teen said, opening her blue eyes wide. Drew smiled and opened his arms. His little girl hugged him obligingly.
"Come on, Drew. We're going to miss our flight if you keep getting sentimental like this. Let's go before you whip out the old Polaroid." Charlotte complained, looking at her watch and tapping her foot impatiently. None of her original sweetness remained, lost in the guise of a deadly C.E.O.
Angelica watched her parents pull out of the drive, her arms folded over her chest. The smirk making its way across her face was one of pure satisfaction. As she watched her father's SUV turn the corner, she pulled her phone from her pocket.
"Did it! The rents are gone!" she texted to Tiffany, a girl in her class. She hadn't even made it back into the house before her phone's screen lit up with her friend's reply.
"OMG! When is he coming over?" Angelica read. She giggled to herself.
"Not soon enough!" she said aloud. A disgruntled looking cat paused in her walk across the living room to give the victorious teen a sidelong look and a warning meow.
"What are you moaning about, Fluffy? Darryl's coming over and I have the house all to myself! What could go wrong?" Angelica retorted. Fluffy grimaced and meowed once more before continuing on into the kitchen. Angelica watched her for a moment, then shook her head.
"Stupid cat," she muttered. "What am I worried about? Darryl's coming over! To see me!" Angelica shrieked with pleasure before racing up the stairs to her room.
The amount of clothing that Angelica Pickles tried on and discarded during the following two hours is somewhat irrelevant and will not be recorded in whole. Let it suffice to say that her temperament swung hard and fast from glee at the way a certain skirt hugged her hips (which were beginning to fill out nicely, she thought) to despair at the realization that none of her shirts quite accented her fit arms and her decent bosom at the same time. Angelica stomped across the room growling that her father hadn't left her his credit card, then danced back the other way when she found the right tank top. Then she crawled into a corner, crying that she had no earrings to match the tank top. But she began to laugh when she realized that if she wore her jean jacket over the top, everything would be fine.
By the time Darryl arrived, Angelica was dressed to kill. She had Darryl's favorite movie sitting nonchalantly on the coffee table, with his favorite band in the stereo as she spread some homework rather convincingly across the floor.
"This is it, Fluffy!" Angelica hissed, seeing Darryl's car pull up to her house. She swooned a little at the thought of having a boy over who had a car…albeit a rather beat up car. But it was a car, and therefore the epitome of maturity. He was, after all, sixteen. Angelica took a deep breath and sat in the bay window with a textbook, where she was sure he would see her as he walked up to the house. She bit back a shriek as he rang the doorbell.
"Count to five…" Angelica reminded herself, then got up and walked over to the door, book still in hand. She opened the door and looked at Darryl, feigning surprise.
"Darryl? What—" she gasped, putting a hand to the side of her face, making sure he saw her freshly painted nails. "Oh god…I totally forgot you were coming over tonight! Ugh, how embarrassing!" Darryl smiled at her.
"Aw, I'm sorry. Should I come back some other time? Are you busy?" He asked. Angelica pretended to think for a moment, glancing back into the house.
"Well, I don't have anything planned. I was just going to make some pizza and watch a movie tonight…I don't want to bore you…" she said hesitantly. Darryl laughed.
"No, that sounds like fun," he assured her. The track on Angelica's CD changed, and Darryl looked up in surprise. "Hey, are you listening to Eternal Helium? Dude, I love this song!"
"You like Eternal Helium? No way, I love these guys!" Angelica grinned, grateful Anna had let Darryl's favorite band slip at her last sleepover. She stepped aside and Darryl walked in. He flopped down on the couch, then glanced at the coffee table.
"Angie, you're killing me. Tell me this isn't the movie you were going to watch tonight." He picked up the DVD case on the table. Angelica closed the front door, knitting her eyebrows together in concern.
"I was going to, but if you don't like zombie movies, we can watch something else…" she trailed off uncertainly.
"Something else? What else is there after Braaaaains: The Prequel?" Darryl grinned. "Put it in!"
Minutes later, Angelica found herself sitting curled on the couch next to the boy she had had a crush on for the past three year of her life, watching the opening credits to the perfect make-out movie. When the first zombie appeared, Angelica jumped, reaching for Darryl's arm. He looked down at her in surprise.
"I thought you loved this movie," he said, raising an eyebrow. Angelica grinned sheepishly.
"I do, but it scares me, too. Pretty dumb, huh?" She replied. All was going perfectly to her plan. Darryl smiled at her warmly, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"It's okay, Angie. I won't tell anyone." He winked at her. They both began watching the movie again. For a few minutes, they sat in silence. Darryl looked down at Angelica, then over his shoulder, toward the stairs.
"Hey, where are your parents?" he asked suddenly. Angelica smiled up at him.
"They're out of town for the weekend. I get the whole place to myself." She purred. A light lit behind Darryl's dark eyes. He smiled back at her.
"Really. Well in that case, we should hit the lights, shouldn't we?" He suggested, his voice suddenly smooth as silk. Angelica's eyes widened only for a moment before her "cool" attitude dropped back into place.
"Good idea," she agreed. She stood, glancing flirtatiously over her shoulder at the entirely adorable boy on her couch. "Don't go anywhere," she teased. She walked over and flipped off the living room light, then made her way in the darkness back to the couch. She settled back in to her place under Darryl's arm and looked up at him.
"Better?" She asked. He smiled at her, his face aglow from the television.
"You tell me," he murmured, leaning in to capture her mouth with his own. Angelica rose a fraction to meet him, her heart pounding. She closed her eyes, enjoying his lips moving on hers, reaching up to clasp her hands behind his head. He leaned down further, his tongue entering her mouth. Angelica was in ecstasy.
The movie forgotten, Darryl shifted, laying Angelica back on the couch cushions. With all the frantic ardor of a sixteen year old boy, one hand made its way up her carefully chosen tank top to grasp her breast. Angelica's eyes flew open.
"Darryl," she gasped around his mouth. "Wait…" Darryl paid her no attention, leaving her mouth to kiss her neck, her shoulder. His hand squeezed and moved. Angelica's heart beat even faster, fear lacing her excitement. Parts of her brain shouted at other parts.
It's just second base. Get over it, Angelica finally snapped at herself, allowing herself to enjoy the boy's touch. She entwined her fingers in his hair, moaning softly. Darryl moved his hand down to her thigh, making his way up her skirt. She gasped again when he brushed the edge of her panties.
"Wait! Darryl, wait!" she cried.
"Come on, Angie." Darryl murmured. "I really like you." He began to slide her panties from her hips.
"I…" Angelica stopped mid-protest, her mind working frantically, weighing her options carefully. Darryl took her silence to mean that she consented, continuing his previous task. He had his own pants undone before Angelica made her choice.
"Get the hell off of me, Darryl!" she shouted in her mother's best "Angry C.E.O." voice. Darryl stopped, surprised.
"What?" He asked stupidly. Angelica moved out from under him and got to her feet, straightening her skirt and her top simultaneously.
"What are you doing?" she demanded. "You think I wanted to…to…"
"Come on, Angie, stop playing. You're killing the mood," Darryl said, sitting back. Angelica stared at him, her eyes wide and furious.
"Killing the mood? You just tried to—to—" She couldn't say it. Darryl made a face.
"To screw you? Yeah, so what? It's not like I'm your first, right?" he said matter of factly. The color drained from Angelica's face.
"W-what?" she stammered.
"Yeah, 'cause you're like, kind of a slut, right? I mean, that's what everyone says," Darryl said. "So can we, y'know…I mean, I feel kind of stupid with my pants—"
"You came over so…so you could screw me?" Angelica murmured. Her hands shook. "You don't actually like me?"
"What? Of course I do, Angie. You're super hot, you're funny. Except when you do stupid stuff like this. This isn't funny. Cut the crap already!" Darryl complained, beginning to look annoyed. "Are we going to do this or not?"
"Cut the crap? Cut…You cut the crap, Oldham! Get the hell out of my house! And tell your stupid everyone that I'm not a slut!" Angelica screamed. Darryl just stared at her, his mouth falling open. "Go!" She repeated, stomping her foot.
"God. Didn't think you were a psycho, Angie," Darryl said, shaking his head. "I'm out." He stood, fastening his pants and walking out the front door. Angelica stood staring at the door until she couldn't hear the engine of his run down car anymore. Then she fell to the floor, sobbing.
Two streets away, Susie Carmichael was picking out a jacket to wear to a movie her sister was taking her to in an hour. She almost didn't hear her cell phone ring over her stereo.
"Hey, Angelica, what's up?" Susie said into the cell, turning town her music. Her face clouded over. "Are you okay? What happened? Y—yeah, of course. I'll be right there." Susie hung up the phone and ran down the hall to her sister's room.
"Hey Sis, one of my friends is having a girl emergency…can we go to the movies tomorrow?" She asked. After securing her sister's assent, Susie walked to Angelica's house. She knocked on the door. No one answered.
"Angelica?" Susie called, but received no reply. She tried the door, going inside once she found it unlocked. A light shone into the upstairs hallway. Susie made her way up the stairs cautiously, not sure what she would find.
"Stupid clothes and stupid shoes!" Angelica screamed. Susie jumped, running up the last few steps. She entered Angelica's room—or what had been Angelica's room. Susie stared at the vortex of designer clothing that was strewn all over the floor and furniture. In the middle of it all was Angelica, wearing a large t-shirt and old, ragged, dirty jeans that Susie was pretty sure Tommy had left there at some point. Tears ran down her face, streaking her makeup as she ripped dresses and tops from hangers, throwing them to the floor in fury.
"Angelica?" Susie said softly. Angelica stopped and stared at the other girl. She stumbled over to Susie and threw her arms around her. Susie, not knowing what to do, patted Angelica on the back as she sobbed into her shoulder.
"I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't know who to call." Angelica blubbered.
"It's okay, Angelica. Here, let's sit down. What happened?" Susie led Angelica over to her bed, concern etching her features. Angelica sat down, her head in her hands.
"Am I…am I a slut?" she asked. Susie was taken aback.
"A slut? Angelica…why would you ask me that?" She wanted to know. Slowly, agonizingly, Angelica told Susie the whole story. When she finished, Susie could do nothing but stare.
"God, I'm so sorry," she said, meaning it. "That must have been so scary. At least you stood up to him though! That's awesome, Angelica." Angelica shook her head. She had cried herself out a while back and now just looked at Susie with tired eyes.
"Look, do people really say I'm a slut? Please, Susie, I need to know. What am I?" she asked. Susie bit her lip, looking at the floor.
"I've—I've heard that you're the kind of girl who will do anything to get her way. I've heard that you can get people in trouble if you want to, and that you've slept with some of the guys so you could get invited to parties," she admitted. "But they—I mean it's not all that. They think you're not afraid of anything. You'll do whatever it takes to get your way, that's all."
"So it's true. Thanks, Susie. I needed to hear it," Angelica said. She stood, then, and began to quietly pick up her clothes from the floor.
"Angelica? Are you okay?" Susie asked, watching the blonde girl move mechanically. The two of them had known each other since they were toddlers. Though they had never been close, Susie was worried. She had never seen Angelica this way before.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need to pick this stuff up. And I have to do my homework," Angelica replied, her voice sounding distant and dreamy. Susie frowned.
"Do you want me to stay? I could probably sleep over if you want," she offered. Angelica turned and smiled at her, though her eyes were dull.
"No, that's okay. I'm sorry I ruined your night. I bet you had plans," she said. Susie shook her head.
"Nope, no problem. No plans," she lied. "Are you sure?"
"Get outta here, Carmichael," Angelica said, sounding almost like her old self.
"O-okay," Susie replied, standing. "Call me if you need anything."
"Thanks," Angelica replied, meaning it.
"Yeah…" Susie murmured as she left. She wondered what she would see on Monday as she walked away from Angelica's house. Angelica was not the same girl she'd seen in class that day.
"Thank God. Home at last!" Drew breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled into his own driveway. Charlotte rolled her eyes as she put the finishing touches on the e-mail on her Blackberry, then sent it.
"Let's just get inside so you can stop worrying about her. I'm sick of listening to you," she snapped. Drew got out of the car and unlocked the front door.
"Angelica! We're home!" he called. He heard music playing from his daughter's room. Some sort of punk band he hadn't heard before. He smiled with the ordinariness of that sound—teenagers and their always changing music habits. He climbed the stairs and knocked on his daughter's door.
"Hey, Princess, we're home," Drew said, opening the door. He blinked at the sight of Angelica's room. She had changed it. Several posters were missing from the walls and many of the cute, girlish things were missing from the shelves. His eyes widened further when he saw his daughter sitting on her bed, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, and her face was without makeup. Most surprising were her glasses, perched upon her nose.
"Hey, Dad," Angelica said, looking up from her book. "Did you have a good trip?"
"Yes, we did. Sweetheart, what happened? Did you lose a contact again?" Drew asked. The last time Angelica had lost a contact, she had locked herself in her room until they could order more. She refused to be seen in glasses. Drew doubted that anyone who went to Angelica's school even knew she needed glasses.
"No, I decided I like my glasses. Contacts are so…stupid. What's the point in pretending you're perfect? Nobody is. And you'll waste your life just trying to keep up with the corrections," Angelica replied matter-of-factly. Drew stared at her. He had never heard her talk like that.
"Did something happen, Angelica? Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned. Angelica nodded, smiling.
"Yeah, Daddy. Everything's awesome. I just discovered a new me," she said.
"Okay, Princess. I have to go help your mom with her bags. What do you say we order Chinese for dinner?" Drew asked, naming Angelica's favorite takeout. Angelica smiled, nodding in agreement. She returned to her book. Drew glanced at its title before he left the room, The Birthmark, by Maya Angelou. He shook his head, walking away. Angelica set the book down and stood to go help her parents. She glanced down into the wastebasket by her bed. A broken doll with most of her hair missing stared up at her accusingly.
"What can I say, Cynthia? This is your fault. I'm not you. Not anymore," she whispered. "And if they hate me for it, well…they never liked me anyway."
With that, Angelica walked away. She never looked back.