I do as Jupiter's mom instructs and place my arms straight out in front of me. The bandage on my right elbow itches as I move and it becomes even more annoying when Jupiter's mom tells me to turn my hands over. She looks at my elbow and then up at me. "How many times did you fall off your bike today?" she asked. I know that she's trying to be light and funny but she sounds deadpan serious to me. "Three times," I reply quietly. She playfully tsk's me and again I feel like I'm being judged. I look at my feet, feeling unnaturally uncomfortable. I find myself hoping that Jupiter with get downstairs soon.
It's as if my thought summoned him, because the moment I look up he's standing in front of me holding a blue towel. His mom carefully takes the bandage off my elbow, cleans it, and then puts on a fresh bandage. She glances over at Jupiter and he hands me the towel. I swing my head forward and then wrap the towel around my hair, like I do when I get out of the shower.
I lift my head and straighten my towel-turban and see that Jupiter and his mom are staring at each other. Jupiter shakes his head and I feel like I'm intruding on some silent family conversation. I look down at my bare arms and legs and feel stupid. How could I have fallen that many times? Sure I was distracted but I...
My thought trails off as I look up to see Jupiter and his mom staring at me. The mom smiles and I can't make myself do the same; she looks too much like she's forcing it. "So, dear, what's your name? So that I'm able to address you properly," she asks. She must be an actor, I think. No one could fake being kind like this. And boy is she faking. "I'm Carmen," I say firmly.
The mom nods and looks at Jupiter, who takes a look at her and then smiles kindly at me. Unlike his mom's, his smile in genuine. He sits down on a stool behind him and rests his arms across the back of my chair. Where is arms touch the back of my shirt I feel sparks. I shiver once and shake my head. I can feel his mom staring at me and I open my eyes and stare up at her coldly. She looks a little surprised for a moment but then bends down to inspect the cuts on my legs.
"You won't need any stitches," she says ten minutes later. She has cleaned and bandaged all my cuts. She leans on the counter and looks at me. I stare back at her defiantly. "But be careful ok? The roads around here are pretty slippery when it rains, and if you go off you go into the woods." "I know that," I say. She's talking to me like I'm an idiot. Please. I may only have been here for about a year, but I know my way around better than most life-timers.
Jupiter places a hand on my shoulder and stands up. "Thanks Ma," he says to his mom. She nods and purses her lips. "I'll be upstairs if you need anything. Don't stay up to late and make sure she gets home alright." She takes a quick look at me and leaves. I groan and place my head in my hands. "Carmen?" Jupiter asks. "What?" I reply. "Were you serious when you said that you have nowhere to go?" I nod mutely and I can hear his foot tapping on the floor. "Maybe you could stay here?"
AN: I love every single person that has read this! This story has skyrocketed to become my best story ever posted on here!
Mafaerie: If the only issue is that my chapters are too short, than that's great, concidering how many other things you could say. But I'd prefer to keep the chapters short.
Also, I cant really change them. Seeing as though this entire story up until chapter 30 is prewritten. I wrote all this a couple months ago but just decided to put it on here about a month ago. So yeah! Whooo! I LOVE YOU ALL!!