Bone Dry

So, I haven't posted, or no one has, in about five days.

I know. I know. Izori posted last so I take full irresponsibility for the absence of posts, I'm just uninspired. So I present you with Bone Dry.

Bone Dry

By: iGirl/Dani

She looked over the pages of her school book, they looked so white with the words printed neatly on them. She had no idea what she was looking for in the book, probably an answer to a question or something, but it wasn't like she was really paying attention. There was nothing left to pay attention to. Not even me. Liz thought angrily, no one paid attention to her, not anymore. 

It used to be that she could do anything she wanted in her small world of Chicago, but now that she had moved with her mom and dad, and much to her dismay--her little sister--things were different. All the kids went around with friends that they already had, doing things that they were already used to and going back to their houses that they had already been to a thousand times. Liz walked home alone everyday, greeted her mom and babysat Angie while her mom took the night shift at the local hospital. 

Angie wasn't a cute baby, Liz didn't even know why she needed a little sister. A very little sister. They had moved to a place with better air because Angie was a preemie and her dad had found a job. Liz pretended not to care, but she really did. She remembered the first time, almost nine months ago, when she had first visited Angie, but it was different now. She liked Angie then, she was so small and sweet, but now that Angie had made them move, it was harder to like her. The move had left Liz's life bone dry.

What are you thinking? You're supposed to love Angie, she's supposed to be Angela, little angel, your little angel. Didn't you promise that to yourself when you heard mom was pregnant? Angie's going to be my little angel. Isn't that what you said? 

Yes. 

The horror of not liking Angie, even for a second, stung Liz with a pain that made her want to rush home and see if Angie was okay. At least she was safer here than in Chicago, at least Angie was going to be okay, no more worrisome diseases that made everyone on edge. Angie was Liz's little angel, she always had been, but no one said that having a little sister was always going to be easy. 

Liz felt sick. She raised her hand and her teacher peered up through her wire-rimmed glasses at her. 

"Yes, Liz?" 

"Sorry, could I have a nurse's pass?" 

"Yes, are you alright?" 

"Yes ma'am, just feeling a bit...queasy." 

"Here you go." Liz's teacher wrote up a note for her quickly. And soon the nurse had her go home. 

Liz really was feeling sick, but once she ran all the way home and darted into Angie's room, she felt better. Her mom didn't even ask any questions--she knew what had happened. For the first time in nine months, Angie was safe again to Liz. Liz stayed in her little sister's room for a long time, just watching her breathe. It was just her, Liz decided, that was making life so dull. Not Angie. 

Thinking back, how many people had smiled at her between classes and how many lunch invitations had she gotten? Well, it was time to consent to one, because she finally realized that Angie was safe.