Chapter 1: Unnoticed

I walk off of the school bus and dread walking into my house knowing my brother didn't go to his classes today. Why he didn't go? I have no idea. I woke up this morning and saw him sleeping in his room, but I didn’t bother to wake him up, he wouldn’t do the same for me anyways. After we moved houses a few years back James changed into someone that was very mean. He turned into someone filled with so much hate that I hadn’t realized until we got into a big fight a few years ago and I guess I just steered away from him at that point, to scared to do anything that might trigger his anger.

I walk my way up the steps to the front door and sigh before I open it. My room was the blandest room in the house. It is my fault because I decorated it, but it obviously wasn’t the best job. The white colored walls made me feel like my room was bigger than It actually was. I had black shelves that included some random items that I liked to have displayed. Luckily, I have a queen-sized bed that I need for how crazy I can sleep sometimes.

"I am tired of it, James!" I hear my mom scream. This seemed to be a common occurrence but since we just started school recently it was kind of a surprise. Just kidding it wasn’t. this happened every day.

"I told you I wanted to stop going to classes a while ago." I hear my brother say back. I roll my eyes and walk up the stairs to my room. They can continue this fight for hours and honestly, I couldn’t be bothered.

"I don't care! You have one job, one job! And you can't even do that?! I pay an arm and a leg for you to go to class just for you to say you don’t want to go? Do you think that money grows on trees James?" Yup my mom was angry. The classic money trees line is always a staple of this conversation. Thank you, Kendrick Lamar.

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to!" James stated as a response.

"Then get out of this house!" That’s all I heard before I closed my door shut and started my homework. I shove my earbuds into my ear and put the volume at the highest level I could. Would this hurt my eardrums? Probably, but at this point anything was better than listening to my mom and brother screaming at each other.

I looked down at the math homework I pulled out of my book-bag while sitting at my desk and instantly wanted to cry. Math was the hardest class of the year and honestly, I didn’t know how I would pass it. I breathe a little before I actually focused onto the homework. May the Lord help me get through this homework and this day.

After a few hours had passed I finally finished my homework and was starting to feel the hunger invade my senses. I needed food and I wanted it now. I quickly changed into some sweats and put my large curly hair up into bun and walked down the stairs to the kitchen hoping there was either some food or a bowl of cereal.

Upon my arrival into the kitchen I saw my mom and stepdad sitting at the dining room table and some rice and chicken on the stove. I didn’t feel like eating chicken today, so I decided to make myself a bowl of cereal instead.

“Lexie how was school?” My mother asked me while looking down at her phone. She was usually always on her phone, so I wasn’t too surprised.

“It was good. My classes are still pretty easy.” I say quietly as I grab a spoon from the drawer trying to get out of the kitchen quickly.

“What now our food is to nasty for you?” My brother James asked me as he walked into the kitchen. I stayed quiet in order not to have to respond to him and start another argument in the house today.

I walk past my brother and walk my way back up the stairs when I hear my brother and mom talking about something before I closed my door, sat on my bed and played Netflix on my laptop and started eating.