"Courtney, who was that boy at the store?" My mother asked. One simple question led to the end of my life.
"He's just a boy from school." I answered.
"He's not just a boy, that's Duncan." Shayne told everyone. Some of my younger sibling's looked wide-eyed at me. It was as if he had had an extra head they had only just realized.
"Oh." My mother managed to say. "So that's Duncan." She didn;t loo at me for the rest of dinner, she didn't talk to anyone just sat there attacking her food with the fork. I knew I had done something wrong. I knew I shouldn't have stopped to talk to him.
"I like him." Robin said proudly. I smiled at her, she always knew what to say to break the tension. A few of my other siblings laughed at her.
"What do you mean you like him?" My father question the five-year-old. It was the first time he had spoke all through dinner, his voice made me jump a bit.
"He gave me sweetie's." Robin told them. My father choked on the water he had in his mouth. He swallowed what he could and then turned to face Robin, who was siting next to him.
"You shouldn't take sweets off strangers, Robin. How many times do I have to tell you?" He scowled.
"He's not a stranger, he's Courtney's friend." She didn't let him scare her.
"It's my fault, dad. I introduced them." I said, hoping he'd lay off Robin. I hated to see her get shouted at. She's so innocent and too young to understand fully. My father gave a small grunt and went back to his food.
After dinner I stayed at the table. When my mother took my plate I buried my head in my arms on the table. Why did I have to stop and talk to him?It's not like I like him or anything, and now my dads mad t me and I don't know why. I hate it when my dad won't talk to me. It makes me feel so guilty, I have done something wrong but I don't know what.
"Niki, can you pass me the last few plates?" I heard my mother ask. "Niki, can you pass me the last few plates?" She repeated a few moments later. "Niki, I asked you to get the plates." She said getting angry.
"Niki's not here. I'm Jessy." The statement was followed by the clip-clopping sound of flip-flops leaving the room and then my mothers sigh.
"Courtney, can you pass me the last few plates, please." She asked me. I obliged by getting up and collecting the last stack of plates and dumping them in the sink. I wanted to ask my mother why everyone she and my father were mad at me, but Stevie was standing by the side wiping the dishes dry. The last thing I needed was her to listen in. I decided I'd have to ask her another time.
I went back up to my room and layed down on the bed. I stared up at my white ceiling and thought long and hard about what I could have possibly done to upset anyone. Nothing sprang to mind. I fell asleep still thinking about it all. It was hurting my head, all the confusion of what's right and what's wrong.
I was awakened by my door creaking as it was pushed open. I sat up and standing in the doorway was one of the twin's.
"What do you want, Jessy?" I guessed her name.
"So you finally got my name right then." She snapped at me.
"Answer my question!" I yelled back.
"I wanted to come see you."
"Well your not wanted here." I screamed, pushing her out the room and slamming the door shut. I crawled back into bed and fell asleep once more.
The next thing I knew it was morning. I got out of bed and made my way downstairs. Only a few of my siblings were there. I sat down by m nine-year-old sister, Sammy. She was combing her long blond hair and it was really irritating. In the end I snatched the comb off her and glared at me. I know I shouldn't take my anger out on the younger ones, but my frustration was getting to me.
"Quit doing your hair at the table. Some of us have to eat here." I told her, handing her back the comb. She got up and walked away, leaving Robin to occupy the seat. I ate my breakfast in silence. I didn't want to talk to anyone, or get involved in the many arguments going on around the table. My parents didn't stop the arguing like usual. It made me know that they were still mad at me.
I was about to say something when one of the girl twins came running into the room. She was a wreck.
"Jessy's missing!" She shouted. Here we go miss dramatic.
"She's probably in the bathroom or something." My mother told her, but Niki shook her head.
"I checked all the bathrooms, and all of upstairs." She replied breathlessly.
"Has anyone seen her this morning?" My father asked, his voice becoming frantic. No one answered.
"When was the last time anyone saw her?" My mother asked, voice was shaking.
"I saw her last night, I told her..." I trailed off.
"You told her what?" My father said. I'm sure if he wasn't so shaky form Jessy's disappearance then he would have screamed at me.
"I told her she wasn't wanted here. But I meant my room here, not here here." I told them all.
"Okay, everyone split up. Keep your phone on and call us if you find her." Everyone scrambled for the door. I grabbed my car keys and dashed to my car. I saw my parents take the three youngest and take them in the mini van. Sammy had her rollerblades on and Jake and Stevie were boarding down the street. Charlie, Shayne and Niki took off on foot in different directions. I sped off in my car. This was all my fault.