Courtney gently pressed her ear against her parents' bedroom door. She could hear Jacob snoring. She wanted to sneak in there and steal some of her father's cigarettes.

But she always heard Cracker and him discussing Cracker's insomnia, so she was scared he was still awake. She knew he would immediately hear the door open. But she was going to take a chance.

She very carefully twisted the door knob, pulling the door open slowly. She didn't hear anything so she continued to pull until there was enough room to slip in. 

She was very relieved to see them both asleep. She crept over to the side tables and quietly pulled the top drawer open. With a smirk, she grabbed a cigarette pack that was luckily on top of everything else. She grabbed the lighter right next to it and quickly (and quietly) slipped back out.

She was standing on the front porch, lighting one when Parker walked out. He stared at her as she ignored him and put the cigarette to her mouth.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Its 3 am, why are you up?" Courtney asked, turning to him.

"I heard you, I'm a light sleeper,"

"Uh-huh,"

She put it between her lips and inhaled the smoke. It filled up every bit of her lungs, causing her to cough. It was a new feeling, new and interesting. Like fresh air when you've been inside all day. A great feeling. Once her coughing fit was over to took another puff.

"I'm going to tell father," Parker threatened,

"Do it, coward,"

"I'll go wake them up right now,"

"You'll get in trouble, dumbass,"

He scowled, "They'll forget about it when they see you smoking,"

"What if I covered it up, huh? Make you out to be a liar?" Courtney smirked, blowing smoke into his face.

Parker coughed, "You manipulative bitch."

His words cut into her like a knife. But she faked a smile.

She was very good at that.

"Thats me. Now run along, before I beat your weak faggot ass,"

"Courtney, our parents are literally gay-"

"Run along."

Parker scoffed and walked back inside. Courtney didn't like saying that word. Maybe because she was a lesbian, or maybe it was because its just a really bad word. As she inhaled more smoke, she could hear what he had said echoing in her head like a stubborn fly that just really wanted a bite of your hamburger. Except, there was no hamburger, just her.

 She stood out there in the cold until the cigarette was gone. She snuck back upstairs into her room and laid back down, setting the pack on the side table.

Looks like Parker didn't wake them up.

Coward.

The next morning, the siblings were walking to the high school. Parker was a senior, while Courtney was a sophomore. It was nearing the end of the school year.

The walk was silent until Parker spoke up, "Going to skip school again?"

"What do you think?"

"Skip?"

"Yes, doofus,"

"Excuse you, conard,"

"Vous n'avez pas la vie de combiner l'anglais et français mots! Dumbass!"

"You just did!"

Before Courtney could respond, a tall boy approached them. He was albino, pale skin, white hair. His name was Mio, he was Parker's boy toy.

Mio smiled, "Hey Parker, Courtney,"

Courtney almost wanted to puke at how sickeningly nice he was all the time. Sure he hadn't said much, but it was just that tone he used.

"Hiya Mio," Parker grinned. Oh, how Courtney just wanted to slap that grin off his face.

She hated it when people smiled. It reminded her of how they were happy and she wasn't. She walked away from them, heading behind the school. She reached into her bag and pulled out a lollipop from the package she kept with her.

She ripped off the wrapping and shoved it into her mouth. She suddenly saw Bianca coming. Bianca bitch, as she liked to call her. At least in her head.

Bianca had taken an uncanny interest in her. Courtney didn't have the slightest clue why, she was just some girl who didn't care for her education or safety. She didn't like Bianca, she was stronger than her. She didn't want to hang around people who could beat her at a moments notice.

At home, she'd over hear her parents talk about an abusive relationship Cracker had. She feels like thats what she has with Bianca. Maybe its a family thing.

Courtney snorted at the thought. 

"Whats so funny?" Bianca inquired, leaning her face in.

Courtney felt her cheeks heat up, "Something I read on Reddit earlier,"

Lying. Lying was always so easy to her, coming naturally.

"Ah, I see,"

Bianca wrapped her arms around Courtney's waist and she had to resist the urge to shove her away.

"Can't you leave me alone?"

"Mmm, no, I find you intriguing, darling~"

"Well, can't you find me intriguing from a distance?" Courtney snapped,

Bianca pulled away and glared, "Watch your attitude."

"Just because you know ji-jitsus and 5 different types of karate or whatever, doesn't mean I have to be scared of you,"

Bianca shoved her and walked off. Courtney fell over from the sheer force of the shove and scowled to herself.

She hugged her knees and stared ahead, thinking.

She should probably go to class so she doesn't end up in detention again. Not that they could stop her from not going to detention. But she forced herself to her feet and went into the school. Barely remembering her combination code, she pulled open her locker, shoving a few books she didn't need yet in and slammed it.

A few nearby people flinched and stared at her. She scowled again and walked to her first class. The day went by in a blur and she found herself eating lunch at a random table. She saw Bianca close by, so she just kept her head down, in hopes she wouldn't be spotted.

But as luck would have it, Bianca walked right over and sat by her, wrapping an arm around her, "You still walking home with Parker?"

"Um, yes, why?" Courtney forced herself to face her,

"Oh, I wouldn't want to walk with that bipolar freak, especially after he killed someone,"

She rolled my eyes, "He couldn't have killed someone, he cries whenever hes asked to kill a spider,"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Bianca smiled,

"Heard what?"

"You know that missing kid? Tom or something? Some kid saw Parker kill him,"

Courtney felt her heart sink. Parker was so unstable, she wouldn't be surprised if he had murdered someone in cold blood. She was going to talk to him about it.

"Yeah right, fuck off."

Bianca narrowed her eyes, unwrapped her arm, stood and walked away.

Once again the day went by in a blur and soon she was walking home with Parker,

"Can I ask a question?"

Parker glanced at her and rolled his eyes, "Sure,"

"Did you kill someone?"

(1171 words)