Renea Ramsey

"Miss. Ramsey," Renea stared down at the piece of paper as she drew pictures of the night sky with her lead pencil; with a shadow of a boy flying across it.

"Miss. Ramsey,"

"Renea Ramsey!"

It was silent as Renea finally looked up; her eyes scanned over the torso of her history teacher: Mrs. Allen. Renea's eyes widen as she stared at the adult in front of her; her hands shaking at the sight of her. Renea had never gotten along with her teachers because she couldn't seem to stop daydreaming. Renea grabbed her things, she didn't even wait for her teacher to demand that she go to the principal's office. Renea could hear her classmates laughing at her as she made her way down the hallway.

She walked into the office with her head down, the light from the sun, glaring off of the window, making her already red hair, shining with a copper look. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Harper," Renea mumbled as she went and sat on one of the hard plastic chairs that was against the wall; Mrs. Harper didn't reply as she managed her papers.

Renea's hair hung in her face, as she played with the small curl at the end of her nose; trying not to laugh at the small tickle. She looked up at the door, the bell ringing throughout the school, Renea jumped as the office door swung open and Mrs. Allen walked in. Renea looked down quickly, looking at her drawing while tracing the lines softly.

It was silent in the office as she waited for the principal: Mr. Griffin; Renea's head snapped towards where her name had been spoken softly, Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Harper were on the other side of the counter speaking softly to each other. She felt her chest compress at the thought of them talking about her, as another thought flooded her thoughts, Renea felt as if she couldn't breath. Mr. Griffin would surely call her parents, what would they do?

Renea's step father: Sebastian Ramsey, would definitely punish her: the last time he had made it clear that if she wouldn't stop daydreaming, he and her mother would have to do something drastic; her nose wrinkled at the thought. Renea and Sebastian had never gotten along though her mother: Mae Ramsey, had decided to marry him anyways, making it clear that Renea had no opinion in the matter.

Shortly after the marriage of Mae and Sebastian; Felix was born, three years later Huntington was brought into the world. The moment that Renea had met Felix and Huntington they were her whole world; she flinched involuntarily. Remembering as she grew up, how Sebastian would come home drunk; looking for someone to punch, Renea would take the beatings to save her brothers; while her mother would sit in their bedroom and cry as if she couldn't do anything about it.

"Miss. Ramsey," a gravelly voice called for her, she sat extremely still, even to herself she seemed to be folded in a bout of darkness; she couldn't see or hear anything, and that scared her. Renea took a deep breath before letting it out, she blinked a couple of times before turning to see Mr. Griffin. "Are you alright?" his voice was hesitant as Renea stood up.

She grinned, fixing her outfit before answering, "I am, thanks for asking."

Mr. Griffin held his hand out for Renea to walk past him and into his office; her stride was stiff as she took a deep breath before sitting in the uncomfortable plastic chair between the two plush blue arm chairs. Renea could feel her heart beating, fear and disappointment warmed her body; she forced herself not to let the tears spill from her eyes.

"Your mother and father will be here in a few moments," he expressed softly with his hands intertwined underneath his chin. Renea looked down at her hands, before quickly looking up, watching Mr.Griffin intensely. She never realized how creepy Mr. Griffin was, he held a rather large pot belly, a long pointed nose, with a western mustache that curled at the ends, along with a white blond toupee that barely fit his head.

"My step father," Renea almost shouted with disgust, she was trying her hardest to control her emotions at this point.

It was silent for a few minutes as Mr. Griffin shifted in his chair, "Sebastian isn't my father, he's my step father." Renea crossed her arms, letting the words carry throughout the small office. Mr. Griffin sat back, his arms relaxed on his armrest of the black computer chair while his eyes stared behind Renea.

Everything was still and silent as if the world had stopped, she twisted her body quickly; Sebastian's and Mae's eyes were on her as they made their way into the office, taking a seat on either side of Renea. She could see the outrage in Sebastian's eyes for he had to leave work once more because of his step daughter, and the fury in her mother's eyes; she hated when Renea called Sebastian her step father.

She wasn't sure if bells were actually ringing or if she was hearing white noise, though she sat rigidly as Sebastian, Mae, and Mr. Griffin talked about her behavior. This was normal behavior for her, she would tell Mr. Griffin that Sebastian wasn't her father, and that when she got home Sebastian and Mae would sit down and talk about her daydreaming, Sebastian would dismiss her as if she was a child and then her mother would come and talk to her about Sebastian not being her father and so on; it was a cycle - and it wasn't working for Renea.

"Miss. Ramsey?" Mr. Griffin's low yet rough voice called for her, but she ignored him, looking down at her notebook.

"Renea?" She ignored Sebastian's grating voice calling her; Renea smirked as she crossed her arms against her chest, and crossed her ankles. If they were going to talk about me as if I wasn't here, then I'm going to act as if I can't hear them.

"Renea Nora Ramsey!" the adenoidal voice of Renea's mother howled, Renea bit at her lip to keep her laugh in. She always thought the way her mother talked had changed, more nasally, and annoying. "You will listen to your father and Mr.Griffin." Mae's fading red and greying hair fall into her face as she pushed it out of her face, batting her eyes at Mr. Griffin. Renea mumbled to herself as she looked straight ahead of her.

The three adults looked at Renea, she nodded her head; all three of them still watched her before continuing. "I think suspension for three days," Mr. Griffin watched the three of them carefully, "I think that is sufficient. She will go home with you today after she retrieves her belongs from her locker." Mae watched Mr.Griffin with a sharp nod, Renea could feel Sebastian staring at her.

She stood up quickly, her notebook still in hand, "Well, I should go to my locker."

Sebastian nodded; his hands curled at his side, "We will meet you by the car," Renea gave a quick nod, she chewed at her lips, her hands clenching her notebooks - it seemed as if her whole body was shaking, she was enraged at everything.

After making Sebastian and Mae wait twenty minutes in the vehicle, and the ten minute drive back to the house; the car was silent, Renea was ecstatic that she didn't have to deal with Sebastian at the moment though she knew that it would be a grotesque scene in the Ramsey household, she sighed as they pulled into the driveway of the medium sized white victorian home.

Renea moved slowly; grabbing her backpack, while opening the door. She watched as Sebastian waited by the car for her, she chewed on the inside of her cheek; trying to keep her comments to herself knowing that it wouldn't help anything; slamming the back door shut, looking up at Sebastian his jaw was tensed while the veins in his neck popped out; his face turning red. "Would you hurry, we have things to discuss before the boys arrive home," his voice was low with a tightness as he began to walk up to the porch.

Making her way into the house, Renea tried to adjust her eyesight to the sudden darkness; jumping as the door slammed shut, what little light was in the house is now gone. As Renea's eyes began to adjust to the blackness; she couldn't find her mother as Sebastian grabbed her by the back of her neck, pushing her into the kitchen - Renea flinched at the bright light to see Mae sitting in her usual spot with her hands together on the table.

Sebastian pushed Renea roughly into the table, she gripped the table, sliding herself into the chair across from Mae. Renea hated to show Sebastian any kind of weakness, it's what bothered the man that was suppose to care for her. Renea's eyes never left Sebastian's frame, watching as he strided towards the chair next to Mae. His eyes never left hers as he sat his hands on the back of the dining chair, Sebastian's eyebrows lifted. Renea waited for him to say something, as he opened his mouth, his upper lip curled. Renea could feel her eyebrow twitch in anticipation.

"You will do as I say," Sebastian bellowed, his hands clenching the chair; his face turning beet red. Renea sat forward, setting her hands on the table; lacing them together, her cheek twitching slightly. She clenched her jaw, picking at her skin; waiting for him to continue knowing that if she argued that she would never leave the kitchen table. "Do we have an understanding?" Renea gave him a quick nod.

Renea's eyes didn't leave Sebastian's angry position, not even to look at her mother. "You will not be telling the boys anymore silly children stories, you're too old for such childish things, and the boys don't need that silly stuff in their heads."

Sebastian and Mae sat there silently for a minute, Renea stared wide eyed at them; she opened her mouth to say something before quickly closing her mouth. "It's time for you to grow up, Renea."

"Is that it?" Renea questioned, her voice was low; she was trying to control her anger.

"For now," Sebastian nodded, losing his grip on the chair, Renea stood up, making her way into the pathway and up to her bedroom; slamming her bedroom door shut, she threw her stuff against the wall before sitting on her bed; dreading the few minutes to come.

Renea imagined that she could hear the small clicks of the seconds going by, watching the door carefully; waiting for Huntington and Felix. As the time arrived, she watched as the doorknob turned, she grinned standing up as the two boys ran into the room, following behind them was their dog Anna.

"Ren!" Huntington giggled, attaching himself to Renea's leg; she laughed as she picked him up, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes. Felix wrapped his arms around her way, snuggling into her stomach, his hair brushing against her arm; causing goosebumps.

"Boys, I have something to tell you," Renea's heart stopped as they both looked up at her with their doe eyes; she gave them a weak smile trying to keep the tears and anger in. "Tonight is the last night I can tell you a bedtime story. Sebastian doesn't want me telling you stories anymore."

Felix and Huntington were silent for a moment, they hung onto Renea tightly, tears began to fall from all three of their faces; Renea sat down on her bed and pulled Felix on top of her lap with Huntington, Anna jumped up surrounding Felix with her body; as they cried, she played with their hair as she always did when they were upset.