Adena’s POV

Red, blue, and silver balloons hung all around the living and dining room area. Purple balloons were attached to the banister that led up the stairs to the second floor. My mother was trying to keep her balance on the step stool as she taped the side of the ‘Welcome Home’ banner to the double door of the living room.

As soon as that one was up, she placed one over the fireplace located in the living room on the right. A couple more went up as she hurried herself along, making sure everything was perfect. My dad rushed past with toilet bowl cleaner; heading straight for the bathroom. You could hear one of the vacuums running upstairs in the hallway. Brooklyn and Ryan were cleaning the upstairs for our ‘special’ guest.

My older half sister, Charlotte, was coming home. Everyone was putting double the effort into making the house perfect, even though Charlotte could care less about this family. Standing in the living room corner, mom hadn’t even noticed me waiting for her to acknowledge me and give me a task.

“Honey! Did you make the reservations for Char’s favorite restaurant? I don’t want her to have to wait too long to be seated,” she yelled through the house. Dad answered her with a yes even though I was sure he hadn’t. I could hear him rush for the kitchen phone to make the reservations before mom found out he hadn’t.

I jumped slightly when I heard the front door open and Quinton walked into the living room, right in time to get a lashing from mom.

“Where have you been, young man? Charlotte will be here in less than an hour!”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I had to get something from my locker at school,” Mom yelled in frustration and stormed off to straighten another part of the house. Quinton rolled his eyes and turned to me.

“Were you really at school?” I questioned. He shook his head with a laugh.

“I was helping Grady finish a pizza,” he shrugged. I giggled as he sighed, watching my mother speed walk by. “Why do they make such a big deal about her coming home?”

“I don’t know. It’s not like she even stays here anyway. She just goes to every party in town and see's old friends who were hoping she wouldn’t show up.” Quinton snorted at my comment.

“It’s not like she’s exactly a sweetheart either. I personally think she’s the spawn of Satan.” I laughed and Quinton joined in. Mom must have heard his comment because she stormed around the corner.

“Don’t talk about her like that!” She stomped.

“Mom-”

“Shut up!” She interrupted me. “Go into my room and vacuum! Quinton, you dust!” She demanded. We made our way over to my parent’s room. The vacuum had been left in the room, waiting for me. I sighed, grabbing it and turning it on.

I began mindlessly moving the vacuum around the room. Quinton, instead of dusting, was messing around with something. I only started paying attention to him when music blasted from the stereo.

“Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive,” the radio sung and I instantly knew the song. it was ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ by Survivor.

“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight,” Quinton belched, pretending to fight his reflection in the mirror. He jumped over towards me and stole the vacuum from my hands. He then began to move it around in time with the beat. I laughed at his silliness and spotted the duster. Grabbing it, I used it as a microphone and began singing along with Quinton.

“And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night,” Quinton slowly crept up behind me like a tiger. "And he's watchin' us all through the eye," Quinton turned around to face me, opening his eyes as wide as he could "of the tiger," he made his fingers into a claw and scratched towards me. Quinton and I hopped around the room, throwing our arms around like idiots.

"Face to face," Quinton and I sung, sharing my "microphone". "Out in the heat. Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry," Quinton started to rub his stomach and I laughed. "They stack the odds, still we take to the street. For the kill with the skill to survive."

Mom walked in and charged towards the radio, shutting it off. Quinton must not have seen her enter the room because he kept singing.

"It's the eye of the tiger," he screeched, his voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

“Will you two knock it off? Charlotte will be home any minute! Quinton, stop it. Adena, grow up! Be more mature for once please? I can’t ever leave you alone to get a task done,” she tore the duster from my hand and gave me a look of disgust. Dad walked into the room with clothes from the dryer.

"Honey, Char will be here in a few minutes. Did you get everything done?" he questioned, putting the clothes into the drawer.

"No! Adena wouldn't stop goofing around!" She barked, walking from the room.

"Brooklyn? Ryan? Get down here!" Dad yelled through the house as he followed mom out of the room. Quinton and I looked at each other for a moment. He frowned, showing his sadness towards me. I frowned back, sad that mom blamed me for everything. "Quinton! Adena!" Dad yelled. We both walked into the kitchen. Mom moved Ryan’s hair from his face and dusted it off quickly.

"Perfect!” She started moving over towards Brooklyn. “Nice,” she commented as looked to Quinton. “Good enough,” she laughed looking to me. She made no comment as the front door opened.

“Hello?” A very familiar voice called.

“In here,” Mom replied to Charlotte. We listened to the small patter of her footsteps before she burst into the kitchen. “Charlotte!” My mom screeched, running to her.

“Mom!” Charlotte giggled, engulfing her into a hug. Ryan and Brooklyn ran up and as soon as Charlotte let go of mom she wrapped her arms around the both of them.

“We missed you!” Ryan smiled as Charlotte let go.

“Dad!” Charlotte said, ignoring Ryan’s comment. She hugged Dad before moving over and hugging Quinton tightly. She stopped in front of me and gave me an odd look. It appeared to be a look of utter disgust.

I returned the stare with a confused one as she lightly hugged me for a second. She quickly pulled away and turned towards mom. I looked to Quinton who had seen what she did, he just shrugged.

“It’s great to see you and all, but I really have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Quinton smiled, moving past the family. Mom was about to stop him, but Charlotte began to speak and she paid every ounce of attention to her.

“College is so much fun! There are so many cute boys!” Dad grunted, a normal dad move.

“You must be exhausted!” Mom smiled. “You had a long plane ride here. You can stay in Adena’s room.”

“Then where will I stay?” I spoke up. Mom looked past Charlotte towards me, giving me an uninterested look.

“On the couch.” She said as though it were obvious.

“Mom, that’s not fair,” I stated. I didn’t want to sleep on the couch. I also didn’t want a nosey Charlotte poking around my room.

“Oh hush up, Adena,” she snapped.

“What did I do?” I questioned.

“Charlotte, you have to see this!” Ryan said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the other room. Brooklyn and my dad followed close behind, leaving only mom and I in the room.

“Why do you always have to do this? You're so selfish!” My mother stated. I didn’t understand.

“What do you mean? I don’t want her snooping around in my room and its not like she is going to spend every second here anyway. She can sleep on the couch.”

"Get off your high horse Adena! I am your mother. You do as I say. And I say that Char stays in your room."

"Why?" I questioned.

"Because your ungrateful."

"I'm ungrateful? I'm ungrateful! Really? So because I’m "ungrateful"," I paused for a moment, putting air quotes around ungrateful. “Charlotte gets to sleep in my room?”

"Yes, exactly."

"Why do you like her so much more than me? I'm the one who's here every day doing anything and everything you ask for! Charlotte calls what, once a month? She blows through all the hard earned money my dad works for to what? Go out and buy alcohol?"

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" She shot back almost immediately. I stared at her in shock.

"Well, Why do you? Why do you care for her more than me?" I wanted to know. I couldn't go on like this anymore. I was sick and tired of it all.

"Because! She isn't a snot nose, disrespectful brat like you!"

"Disrespectful? How am I disrespectful!"

"Your an..." She was at a loss for words. "An embarrassment" She spat out. She was only making things up and they hurt.

“What have I ever done to embarrass you?”

"Really! You're a disgrace! You sit around all day everyday! You don't clean up the house, watch your siblings, or do anything to help out around here!"

"Are you kidding me?" I do all of those things! And she’s accusing me of not! You don’t do any of those things! I do!” I yelled at her. "Gosh! I can't take this anymore!"

"Take what?"

"I don't ever feel like your daughter! I just feel like some stranger to you! Like I'm just... here! Living in this house with no purpose to you!"

"Oh look everyone! Adena's throwing a pity party!"

"Oh save it! God! I feel like... Like when my mom left me all those years ago, I haven't had a mother since!"

"You know? It's funny. I feel like I only have two daughters. Brooklyn and Charlotte. As far as I'm concerned you're just another mouth to feed!" Tears sprung to my eyes as her words broke my heart.

"What?" I questioned.

"You know what! Get out! Go find someone else to mooch off of!"

"Mo-"

"Save it! I'm not your mother, remember?" I stared at her, not fully aware of the fact she was kicking me out.

"I said get out!"

"Where will I go?"

"I don't know and I don't care!" She dug her nails into my arm and pulled me towards the front door. She threw it open and pushed me out, slamming the door shut behind me.