As I left the house, it was dark out but the neighborhood was quiet and nothing moved. Creepy shadows danced on the empty manicured porches and light glowed from the houses but there was no sign of life. No cars or people meeting their buds. I shuddered when my eyes landed on a familiar house with a wooden rocking chair on the porch and the red flower garden. Thalia left the door ajar to her house as I raised a brow. The door opposite us, two houses away come out.He placed his hands on his wrinkled forehead as he narrowed his eyes. I debated whether to look for the nearest bus stop and train station but my memories was muddled, I forgot my house address for a second and I felt like a zombie. With sagged cheeks, hollowed eyes and limp hands.

"Boy, you alright!" The old man screamed, "You look like you met a ghost or looked--- no punched at Death in the face, "I snapped my head to him as he waddled towards me across the empty street regardless of the quiet air but it was oddly cold. However, it was empty. He placed his thin and bony fingers on my shoulders. I only gaped. I wondered why the man who looked about seventy lived by himself.

"I-I'm fine." I lied. It was an understatement. The old man style looked weird with suspenders over a plaid shirt and long striped red and green socks. He had a mad but creative glint in his eyes and wild grey hair kept under a felt cap.

"You sure? "He asked again, concerned. I nodded grimly but inside the house, a loud agreement spread fourth.

My eyes darted to the door as I asked a question. "Does anyone hear the arguments? The neighbours, you?" As if on cue, they yelled even louder and screamed.

I cringed as the old man smiled all teeth. "Yeah," He replied calmly, and nodded, "but people don't pry or investigate. They just listen or ignore it because between you and me some guy was so curious and concerned but after found prying. He was warned and found dead on Highway 9."He replied as my blood ran cold.

My shoulders tensed and I echoed," Dead on Highway 9."

I was taken  aback.

He nodded. "Yeah, his head was found on the other side of the highway, he was dragged and his potbelly was mauled open as if a wild animal had clawed him to death. Huge gashes across his body. Woo we, it was gross and disturbing."

I staggered as my heart hammered in my chest. Dead, the hell? I pointed at the door at the door and saw Thalia stood hunched with a sad look on her face. Tears stung her eyes as her mother stood between them with a scowl on her face. The whole time I was there. Her mom glared at her husband and cast glances at me. She forced a smile, but her eyes were wild with thoughts. Her knuckles, clenched around a cold glass of apple juice.

"What did you do? "She demanded; her voice rose after I left the house.

"I did what I had to do." He replied calmly.

"Stop it, "she yelled her eyes blazing." just stop it.Stop it. The entire we ate that boy looked pale and sick. He sweated, he trembled and he looked like he wanted to shit himself or vomit."

"All these boys want one thing from my baby. I had to do it. I had too. You are my wife. You should support me." He argued loudly with a lopsided smirk.

The woman scoffed with widened eyes as he tapped her feet impatiently on the floor not noticing the ajar door. Thalia cast a few glances at me with a frown.

She wanted me to watch.

"Thalia is a smart girl, she records, she documents, and she draws. She left the door open and hoped you could hear." He sighed heavily, shook his head and pressed his fingers to his temple, "but it's not enough. It doesn't go the way it was supposed to go." My eyes landed on the old man who towered over me. Should I trust him? He seems to want to help me.

I nodded. "Yeah, she is."

"Now, I'm your wife. Call Lizzy, Juan or better yet The Goddess because I'm now your wife." She yelled at him. Her nose touched his chin as she shook her hands and jabbed her finger on him. His chest heaved up and down as he clenched and unclenched his fist. Thalia's eyes darted to them as she staggered.

"The boy was a pest." He defended.

"He said he came here for lessons. You can't keep traumatizing boys. They have a life too. For God's sake. He's the fifth one. I can't keep watching this. You are hurting her and girls are scared to befriend her. Thalia cannot socialise. She is scared and her friendships are important. "She yelled in frustration.

He breathed in hard. His eyes landed on me his expression hard as a gasp escaped my lips. His sharp teeth glinted as his eyes widened with bulging veins webbed his neck.

"Thalia should be allowed to befriend the opposite sex. Nothing is wrong with that.I'm getting sick and tired of your bullshit!" She yelled," undo that shit you did on him now. Now, I said now .He looked so sick, pale, sweaty and hollow like you dragged and sucked his youth and happiness from this boy."

The man exposed those sharp teeth, staggered back then his fist collided to her face as she staggered. She staggered then fell on the floor as Thalia yelped, raced to her mom as he stomped them shoved her away with blazing eyes. He slammed again and again as I screamed loud.

"Thalia!"I screamed then I raced to the steps but I was slammed back onto the carpet of grass as my skull pounded. Everything blurred and tilted as I scrambled to my feet. My head pounded."Thalia!"I yelled again.

The door yawned open as crimson liquid trickled from her cracked nose as she coughed and a waterfall of blood spilled on the floor. The old man sighed, and then dug his nails into my shoulder as I bit back a wince but he dragged me by the collar as I sceamed louder. Dogs barked, lights switched on as people poked their heads out of the windows, My face was cold with tears as I rolled on the grass and I watched in horror as the man shoved her mom as she screamed and choked. Tears streamed from her face as she bawled and her feet tumbled. Blood spilt on the ground as he slammed her head on the wall. She didn't move an inch as blood stained the wall and ringed around Thalia's feet. As he yanked hard on her braids and screamed loud, he yelled", Shut up, just it. Woman. You do not interfere. I am the man. Their males, boys and little disgusting maggots." She kicked him square in the jaw through the bloodied curtain of hair with her fist then with her scissor-kicked his face.

"Mom!" Thalia screamed in horror." Daddy stop." She begged with trembling fingers as the dad glared at her. Suddenly, the dead neighborhood roared to life as, dogs barked from all corners, lights slowly flickered on, people murmured and the doors honked as their headlights flickered alternatively. I screamed her name again as the man put on a show for his scared audience.

"Sir, please." I begged, my voice wavered, "please give me your phone. I need it."

"Boy, I'm so sorry. "He replied with tired eyes and a frown as he shook his head. I begged again."It won't work boy, believe me .I've tried."With wide eyes that brimmed with tears. The old man sighed and placed his Nokia on my trembling palms. I bowed in thanks and quickly typed in the emergency code. I regretted it instantly, the service went down, then the call ended twice, the phone glitches and when someone finally answered, I couldn't muster anything. My lips moved but no words formed. My throat squeezed.

His voice echoed from the inside of his house as he grinned at me with a mad look. I called again and this time someone answered, I sighed as the operator, a man in his early twenties asked what's wrong.

"A man is abusing his wife." I shouted as the man said Ok.I sighed as I bit my tongue in concert.

"Ok, where are you?"

"I-I'm in Ontario." I replied as my fingers trembled. My voice felt sucked out of my lungs." I'm at the —"I was cut off. I tried to move my lips but no words come out of my mouth. I gaped at the old man as he shook his head and took the phone. I forced myself to cough hard but no spun come out .My lips just moved as I staggered.

"Kid, Kid. You still there? "The operator repeated." Kid."

I snatched the phone and told what happened and as I yelled my voice came out but I didn't hear myself. Then people walked out of their homes in their robes and pajamas. As they muttered about commotion and how tired they are and how it disn't shocked them about their arguments.

"There's a party of teens beating kids. I can hear music and laughter. How old are you? You sound fifteen. You are lying, kid. There is no one living in that residence. It's been sold for years yet no one refused to live in it ,not just buy it If it's a prank say it." Then the call switched off.

What? A party. He did not hear what I just said. Her dad is abusing her and her mother. Didn't I say the address? I swore. I said it? The address but he heard the party. Thalia's dad screamed as he replied with a growl from his throat. No, I screamed at the phone and shook my head. The hell?

"No! "I screamed into the phone. How? It made zero to no sense.

My head snapped to the door of the house as Thalia's dad bloodshot eyes widened with and webbed raised veins raised on his temples and muscular arms with a crazed expression. He stretched his arms forward and yelled hysterically,"Thalia, can't you see," He started, his voice got louder, "Can't you see ,Thalia. Their after you, you slut. Yet you invite them. That boy. He's mine now. They'll use you.Discard you like their underwear. Men are animals. They'll get you. They only want one thing from you. They want you. You are mine. Mine." Each word that slipped from his lips were vengeful and more toxic than ever.

He saw Thalia and her mother as properties, possessions and toys.

The murmurs and the whispers got even louder as the words he shouted uglier, degrading and accusations. My eyes, my eyes red and glassy, enlarged as uncontrollable tears streamed down my cold, wet cheeks. My skin paled as I sat on a patch of itchy, long overgrown grass. The old man stood, slightly hunched on the sidewalk and darted his head frantically to the robed parents, swarmed and surrounded the house with engaged and annoyed expressions. Most of them complained about how often they argued and some valued its entertainment.

"Nate,"he whispered, and gritted his teeth."um,we gotta go."A whimper escaped my champed lips as the old man grabbed me by the collar as more sobs choked my throat. He pulled me away like a sack of potatoes and we glided past the street to his small house. In comparison to the mansion, his was small. By then angry, tired and irritated parents, mostly brown and black watched intently.

The windows glowed, one by one, the streetlights pulsed as curious teens, and children, tired and disoriented, poked their heads out of their homes. The red door of his house slammed shut as my legs turned to jelly and I collapsed on the hard wooden floor. A few seconds of being sprawled on the floor, I wrapped my arms around myself and rolled myself into a ball, rocked myself like a traumatized kid.

"Why, why?" I asked myself repeatly , rocked harder and I stared into his sunken ,dark brown eyes .The old man shook his head, removed his felt cap, revealing his greying head ,scratched his hair and he sighed, a sad heavy one. He scooped me up, carried me, a fourteen-year-old boy like a toddler to a comfortable, red couch and my eyes glazed around the room with a blank expression.

The house of the old man –or should I say cabin was as strange as the old man was himself was. It reminded me of a cabin in Quebec. I would have expected beautiful mountains or surrounded by layers of leaves not suburban houses. Alternatively, his cabin surrounded by the beautiful lake of Nova Scotia. The interior of the house was odd. The house was low, one story and had planks for walls and a small kitchen with a wooden square table, cabinets with one table. It was showered in a warm golden light. In front of the house was a real fireplace. There were two red ouches and the coffee table over a dead skinned tiger. I almost hurled. Beside the kitchen, was a narrow wooden door that lead where? I don't know.

He wordlessly placed a warm mug of – I sipped the warm, orange, citrusy liquid as it bobbed down my throat.

"Apple cider," he replied as he sat on a familiar chair with his legs upon a coffee table, "But with my own twist, apple and pumpkin with hints of cinnamon and pepper." He winked then a small smile formed on his lips.

Smile? Why smile? Didn't he see the odd things, I saw? I couldn't report it. Thalia's mom was beaten up to a bloody pulp, blood on the walls and smeared all over the floor. He didn't understand how dire the situation was. No one noticed.

"How," I croaked," how can you joke?"

"Glamour," He answered and cleared his throat. My eyes snapped to him." I believe his house is glamoured."

Glamoured? What's that? He then went on a rant about faes, elves and faeries that that people believed they thrived in Iceland. They Glamoured themselves so humans didn't see them, to hide their hideous forms and play nasty tricks on humans."

"What?" I echoed as he finished but unfortunately for me. He had more words.

"I am a historian but I occasionally study myths and legends for fun," he said then pointed to his right where a giant wooden bookshelf occupied the wooden planks on his wall. It's filled with books, both thick and thin ,history books ,legends and some huge science books that will Ali excited. One of the books were Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. My eyes scanned the wooden ceiling, the small light that showered the house in an odd, warm yellowish-orange light as my lip trembled, my fingers, numb, and cold shook and my body jerked as if I was drenched in icy water.

What if I dropped the mug? I asked myself. Just then, it toppled over, burnt my skin and stained my thighs but it didn't hurt. I was numb. I was in a state of shock and I was physically and emotionally numb.

"Boy," the old man started and I expected a retort. "You're a mess, boyyo. He really got you, didn't you? "I nodded as he slowly got up, got a mop and a rug. I sat helplessly on the couch as the he cleaned the mess-my mess. But my shoulders sagged and my limbs felt heavy. I felt so useless as I could do something. Clean the mess, drag Thalia, ran away from here, and ignore all the insults and jeers at us but instead. I just sat there, blankly. I felt like a child. He was a stranger. However, he had answers.

"W-why-why? Why are you helping me?" I stammered.

He stared into the distance, lost in time and then he simply shrugged." I had been in this place since the Ohiniwaa's moved in .I've seen things. I had noticed things. Many things and I have noticed things. I realized things people don't see, kiddo, ever heard about What Happened on Maple Street? I really believe it's happening, kiddo. In the episode of the Twilight Zone. The invaders switched off the power and electricity in a neighbourhood and watched as the people slowly turned on each other and destroyed things as they all thought they were the aliens. However, humans turn nasty when horrible things are thrown at them. Therefore, in this case, everybody turns on Thalia and her mom because they believe their both causing him trouble. Before 2004, here was calm, happy and filled with life. However, after 2004, it was tensed, boring, quiet, gloomy, and just dead. There were no cookouts, barbecues, house parties, kid's parties. No Parties and all kinds of parties. People suddenly stopped visiting each other, cars barely moved, no music or friends, young and old." He shook his head with sadness and pure nostalgia and he hummed a bit thoughtfully. I bowed mine.

"I know you've seen some shit in that house." My ears perked up, my eyes widened. Grandpa cursed. Seen things? As if he had an answer my question, he pointed a bony, caramel finger outside. With wobbly legs, I got up, swayed a bit then pulled out the blinds. Thalia stood with a bowed head as the crowd of mad parents, sneered and insulted her, oblivious to the unconscious woman.

"Thalia was upstairs alone with a boy at...eleven. I threw him up and yelled at him. "he announced with a scowl as his eyes eyed the crowd.

"Good." An old woman agreed with a stern nod.

"What a waste of space!"Another yelled.

"Good dad, your daughter should be ashamed of herself. How dare you!"

"You're a thirteen-year-old. Be one."

"The boy was fifteen." Fifteen? I'm fourteen. He lied.

"Fifteen!" they exchanged glances with disgust or surprised. They shuffled amongst each other as others hurled insults at her.

Thalia looked around them with wide eyes. Can't they see the blood on the walls, the floor and the lady who is unconscious? The man sneered –his attempt to smile. It was wicked as she continued to bow her head in shame as insults was thrown at her, she was humiliated –but at the far end of the mob was the Indian family, all robed and in the pajamas. The mom, messy and tired crossed her arms to her chest as two tall, thin boys laughed and looked at each other with a mischievous look. They reminded me of the Wesley Twins. Similar, funny and playful.

"He's above her age," he continued," those bad boys. Slut to the core like her mother. When I argued with her, she rather encouraged her. Like mother like daughter." He spat those words with poison.

"They are always arguing about this and that. Divorce. This child odd hobby. The arguments of friends, school-for work. But he's a good man and a father." They all nodded, hummed and agreed.

"What a good man, "Another old lady said with a dazed and dreamy expression and smiled.

I snapped my head, dropped the blinds and blinked, once and twice. "They don't see it?" I repeated.

"Nope, boy, their minds are confused, no, they are manipulated. They believe he's a saint surrounded by devils and witched in the form of woman. His wife and daughter. They believe he's a church-goer. He donates his money, bribes and blackmails but they don't see it. That's why I don't step foot in my church no more. Their more corrupted than ever. But I'm an omist now. They believe he works and helps 'em kids. I know better. He brought two women to his house, dressed very tightly. The neighbours ,my age smiled and said its workers from his company. White guys with suits and briefcases. I gawked at them, lost and confused. I asked if they were okay and I told them my part. They looked at me as if I was the crazy one and asked if I was all right then they insulted me. They are convinced he's an angel. He was drunk. They said he was tired from a long day of work –but I doubt he does-or he came from home late from work. Excuses. Then I reckon, he blackmails, he destroys all under the radar. I bet he manipulated the completely entire neighborhood—well some adults and kids can resist them.

"But I also think magic is involved," he lost me at magic but then I remembered. The monster and the change of environment. No, it could just be a hallucination but it felt so real and vivid like I was spilt into two places at once.

"No, sir," I began doubtfully, even thought might be true. No, stop it Nate. "There's no such things as magic. That's Disney or movie magic."

He shook his head stubbornly, "Remember that Glamour thing, boy, I think it's all over –but it's not that strong. He twists things and manipulate things to go his way. His crime. After that man's death, no one snooped or asked any questions about it or them but people were scared and uncomfortable. "I told him that the man said that he was not into religion and the things he did to me was probably real.No, it is.

He's an abuser, a cheater and a bigoted man. He was sexist.

The old man continued oblivious to the time. He seemed to tell me everting and warned me then the realization hit me.

"How do you know my name?" I stammered as my hands twitched and my legs trembled.

He calmly smiled and said," I overheard it."

I raised a brow and pursed my lips." The door was closed." I argued. Goosebumps raised on my flesh and the air felt vacuumed from my lungs.

He shrugged, leaned forward with a grin. "Still wanna know screwed-up this place is,kid ?"

I nodded grimly, still uncomfortable. Creepy.

"People praise, worship him and have unchangeable views on him. I couldn't tell him that he wanted to be praised as a god to women, to have his way with them or do what he wanted to do with them." I convulsed as I shook my head and gagged in disgust. I was tired, hurt and scared crapless.

He told me about me about the time when people believed that Thalia was a troublemaker. That I heard in school that she ran out of her house multiple times but always returned. It was mainly because of her mother, lack of money and resources that she returned.

"They called a brat, a troublemaker and a whore, they didn't understand why they she ran away or invited guys to her house or her room. She called the cops and they come over.Mind you it was just a few months ago and it was at least the second time. Then Thalia's dad persuaded the cops with nice words and stared at them intensely. I remember it vividly. I was watering my lawn. Instead of interrogating him or searching the house. They dazedly walked out of the house and arrested her but people weren't surprised because they believed she was bad news. Well, apart from the Indian family. They placed her in jail for two days with no food and water as punishment for lying, 'pranking' and disobedience, how did a minor get punish for disobedience? I don't know. But I didn't believe a word or a thing of it and those cops. I'll forever remember their gaping mouths and dazed expressions and they did it with no compliant. All he did was talk to them and they complied. No bribing needed. She was scared and crying. They were two white guys just doing their jobs. Again, he was praised but kids aren't so easily manipulated."

I was quiet. My brain struggled to absorb all this horrible information but the old guy he had a lot to say.

"B-but they are family of Catholics. "I said, no more believing any word that came out from my hoarse throat.

He shook his head. "Yes, but I can sense demonic energy and the monster who lurks there. The aura and the atmosphere."

"B-but the crosses. "I retorted.

"It does nothing, even faith is fickle,"He answered.

"I can report him when I leave here.I'm not from here." I agrued.

"Nope ,you entered into that house. Since he manipulated you since you entered that house and have interacted with people in that house. "He repeated that house a lot and jabbed an angry finger at house but to me it felt personal.

"I'll not come back."I said with pursed lips.

The old man chuckled and smiled bitterly, "Nah, boy. You would come back whether you like it or not. He draws you in like a magnet or a puppet on strings.

***

An hour flew by for the entire conversation we had. By that time, every disappeared and the blue-black sky was completely covered in a sheet of stars that twinkled. I waved to the old man who smiled at me and left the house with wobbly legs. It was hard to get transport especiallaary at this point in the night, as drivers looked at me with concern and even passer bys. I'm sure they are Why is a minor roaming around at night instead of sleeping? I thought to myself the chuckled at my own joke as if I haven't witnessed abuse and manipulation.

When I finally got home after I walked to our apartment complex. It was tall, brick and formed a square around where every floor had different issues. Rent was never cheap but it was livable. It was next to an abandoned playground, rusted, unused and peeled. It was a safety hazard yet children played on it.The plants were overgrown with weeds.

I stared at the names and the speaker. I gulped as I removed the key from pocket. It was cold and tiny in my trembling palms. I stood under a streetlight as people roamed like zombies. I hiked up the stairs because we didn't have lifts like better, safer and prettier apartments as my chest heaved up and down and by the time I got up to the eighth –tenth floor of the apartment. I sweated. I strolled down the narrow white hallway lined with multi-coloured doors. I took in a deep breath and knocked on the black door instead of simply using my key. Cigarette smoke wafted from the last door of the corridor. The door opened as my mother, stood tall and red-faced with crossed arms under her exposed cleavage. She looked at me with a scowl and she was dressed in a nightie not suitable for people under eighteen. It was black, short and silky and was complimented with a silk robe. Her long brown hair framed her long face with set brows. Honestly, my mother looked young compared to other moms.

"Nathanial J. Rayas "My mother shouted, I visibly winced. It's been long, too long. Her locks were mused. "Where on earth have you been?"

"S-studying." I stammered.

"Studying?" My mother echoed in disbelief, "Nathenial.it is 1am in the morning!" She screamed louder. I but my lip, bowed my head and flinched. I entered into the room. I went to our small round table and placed my backpack on the chair. My uniform was rumpled, stinky and dirty. Luckily, my mother noticed nothing. The whole time she called my name numerous times, as I walked around our home. I opened the fridge and poked. My head in only to notice we only had a small carton of eggs and orange juice. I sighed and closed the fridge. My stomach growled. I barely ate a thing.

"Nathanial, stop walking and listen to me." My mother scolded as the television boomed the latest music on MTV.I stopped as my shoulders tensed.

"Yes, mom." I replied.

"W-where were you /"She asked again.

"Um, mom," I asked and pointed at the fridge ignoring her red face and smeared black makeup." Is there any food? I'm starving." Luckily, a grocery store would be open it's not that late. I thought as I hummed. I had to ignore her. How could I ever tell the truth?

"Nathanial," My mother added, "how can you be asking about food at this hour. You forget the time. I literally reported you to the police. Do you know how worried I am?"She snapped, her voice wavered. Her hands on her chest. I averted my gaze as my shoulders sagged. I pursed my lip as I tried to form a lie.

"I-I was at Sasha's apartment." I lied with a choke.

My mother stared at me with wide eyes and mouth agape. Her voice wavered and cracked as tears brimmed her eyes." Nate," She sighed as her hands fell to her sides." When did you start lying to me?" She asked as tears streamed down her face.

"Mom? "I croaked.

"I called Sasha and her parents. I called the school, and then went to the police immediately, "she answered. "I left the bar as soon as I notice you've vanished."

Then I sighed with hunched shoulders. "I was at studying at Thalia's house--you know the girl I told you about." I blurted with a fake cheery voice but all the words that swarmed my mind, refused to come out. My eyes landed on the tiny oval clock that sat the top of our 90's style fridge, rusted and faulty on the dirty beige wall. Our sink was dirty dishes, our bin overflowed with Chinses take-out, chips. It was putrid like rotting tomatoes, and wet wilted cabbages. I stuck my tongue out in digest but my mom saw it in a mocking manner. She sighed heavily as she hacked and choked. She slid to the wooden chair where a half-moldy bread sat on a linen paper.

"Don't you not care about your mother? I'm taking care of you and all you do is cause problems. We're not rich. Why don't you ever regard my feelings, Nathanial? "She snapped. Then she rose up with a stern expression. "Yet they refused to feed you. What kind of people are they?"

"Mom, they feed me but I wasn't feeling good so I declined. "It was a lie but it wasn't the truth either but she idn't buy them. It was evident she didn't look them. I averted my gaze as my mother placed her fingers on her cheek. I stared at TV as music boomed .My eyes landed on our leather couch where a rumpled cotton duvet laid on it and the square coffee table where an unfinished glass of cheap whisky sat and a half-drunk bottle stood. There was a plate for cigarette burns and a couple of cigarettes.

I could picture it .My mother sat cross-legged with a worried expression. She called the police with clammy fingers as a cigarette was pursed between her lips and she drank and drank as she waited for me to magically appear but I didn't. with her bloodshot eyes glued to the door and the Toronto skyline.

Her wavy hair was mussed as if she ran her fingers to many times and bags formed under. A cloud of smoke wafted around the room that connected to our kitchen .I fanned it with my fingers as I coughed. I was surprised that I hadn't developed Asthma. I bowed my head in shame as I stared at our rectangular window. We lived downtown and the sky tower hid behind a cluster of buildings and apartments.

Whenever she's stressed. She smoked, got herself drunk or tried to get laid. And Oh my God. The horrors. Now it was two in one. The cloudy trail led towards my mother and the TV.I coughed hard as I beat my fist to my chest.

She crossed her arms on her wide chest."Thalia,"She echoed." I've heard concerning things about that girl. Stay away from her. I just don't trust her-or her family. "She warned. I sighed as my stomach rumbled. My mother wasn't wrong but was I ever going to listem? No.

"You sure they didn't feed yiu?"My mother asked. I shook my head.She rose her head and grinned. "Oh and after you buy some groceries. I forgot. You're grounded. I've gave you too much freedom and now I would monitor you. One,for lying and to two, for being ate. You're lucky is Friday,hon." She warned.

I gulped and stretched my arms," But mom. I'm fourteen. I'm not a little kid!" I yelled. She shook her head and pointed to the door. She placed a twenty-dollar bill in my palms as I stormed off.

I was grounded.