Crooked Young
Textbook Living
KARINA'S POV
"..and then I called her a whore."
I sat back in my seat, fathoming the splurge of information my friend Elise had just given me. Her grey eyes widened as she awaited my response, but I didn't really have one. I just exhaled, shook my head, and - as all good friends do - pretended to care.
"I still can't believe her though," Elise mumbled, completely unaware of how blatantly bored I was by the gossip. She moved her dark brown hair behind her ear, only increasing the amount of flawless, tanned skin I was able to see. Brilliant, I bet I look like a ghost next to her.
"I wish you punched her," mused my other friend, Meg. "That would of been great, especially-"
"Especially for my YouTube channel," I mimicked. Meg was an aspiring YouTuber, and she spent the vast majority of her time uploading videos to an average audience of 16 people. I always wondered who those 16 people were.
"Make fun, Smith, but I am nearly at 60 subscribers," she boasted, biting down on her apple. Just as she did so, I noticed someone out the corner of my eye.
"Call me when you're at VidCon," I said, swiveling on my chair and gesturing for the person to come over. Burying his hands in his jean pockets, he swaggered over to me with his ever-nonchalant smile gracing his face.
"Can I get a packet off you?" I questioned lowly. "I have $8." Mike snickered, lowering himself on to the seat next to me and dropping his backpack on to the floor.
"Since you're so loyal, I'll give you these for free," he smiled, discreetly handing me over a packet of cigarettes. "Anything else?"
I shook my head and, quickly after, Mike left. I spun back round on my seat, stuffing the pack into the plaid pocket of my shirt, and looked at the girls with a casual expression, eyebrows raised as I waited for the conversation to start up once again.
I never knew why, but my friends seemed to judge me a great deal for smoking. I mean, everyone has an escape, right? Unfortunately for me, the one I'd fallen for at that time wasn't too good for my lungs. But I didn't care. I just had to pass all the milestones in life - university, marriage, children - and then I could drop like a fly. I'd fulfilled my duty, what more could they want?
"Your dad would slaughter you if he found out that you smoke," said Elise, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Yeah? Well, my dad doesn't have to know," I pointed out. Taking a deep breathe, I let myself relax with the knowledge that I'd got the cigarettes. If I didn't have them, I would have been a stressed wreck. I needed good grades, and I was willing to put my body through hell to get them.
"I think Mike is kinda hot," Elise said bluntly, stirring her macaroni around thoughtlessly. "Do you think you could hook me up, K?"
"No way," I scoffed, scrunching up the wrapper my sandwich came in. When I looked up, I was met with a massive pouting lip and two eyes the size of saucers. Here we go.
Kicking off my shoes, I speedily trotted up the stairs and into my bedroom. As the dark blue walls engulfed me, I sat down on my bed and tugged my books out of my bag. I finally came across my Physics stuff, and began to work on some extra practice my teacher had assigned me.
One thing I loved about working in my room was how extremely peaceful it was. Since I loved water, I'd painted it all dark blue a few summers ago. To compliment that, I'd covered the roof in materials that were either any cold colour, silver or white. The odd band poster found its way on to my wall, but they were mainly bare. Basically, I lived inside a wave (with a little pollution, mind, but that wasn't the point).
"Karina," my dad's voice boomed, "are you working?"
"Yes," I called back, making sure my reply was formal and well articulated. My dad would tear me apart if it wasn't.
Just as I thought I'd got off the hook, he came barging into my room. His tall figure dwarfed my room, the material I had hanging from the roof skimming his bald head. The moment it did so, and the light turquoise fabric rippled, his face filled with anger.
"What the hell is this on your roof for?" He growled, tugging it down roughly. A harsh ripping noise filled my ears, and it quickly became evident that he was pulling it apart. I knew better than to argue. I knew better than to fight back.
"You are not some hippie, Karina! Now, what work are you working on?"
"I-It's Physics," I informed him. "I'm doing questions on projectile motion."
Pretending like I'd told some absurd fib, my dad stormed forward and lifted the book off my bed. His small grey eyes darted over the book before he flung it back at me, a look of disgust on his face. He took in a sharp, aggravated breathe before turning on his heel and heading for the door.
"Get all of that rubbish off your roof. Stop acting like some sort of lowlife," he demanded. By the time his words registered in my mind, he was gone.
"..and then I called her a whore."
I sat back in my seat, fathoming the splurge of information my friend Elise had just given me. Her grey eyes widened as she awaited my response, but I didn't really have one. I just exhaled, shook my head, and - as all good friends do - pretended to care.
"I still can't believe her though," Elise mumbled, completely unaware of how blatantly bored I was by the gossip. She moved her dark brown hair behind her ear, only increasing the amount of flawless, tanned skin I was able to see. Brilliant, I bet I look like a ghost next to her.
"I wish you punched her," mused my other friend, Meg. "That would of been great, especially-"
"Especially for my YouTube channel," I mimicked. Meg was an aspiring YouTuber, and she spent the vast majority of her time uploading videos to an average audience of 16 people. I always wondered who those 16 people were.
"Make fun, Smith, but I am nearly at 60 subscribers," she boasted, biting down on her apple. Just as she did so, I noticed someone out the corner of my eye.
"Call me when you're at VidCon," I said, swiveling on my chair and gesturing for the person to come over. Burying his hands in his jean pockets, he swaggered over to me with his ever-nonchalant smile gracing his face.
"Can I get a packet off you?" I questioned lowly. "I have $8." Mike snickered, lowering himself on to the seat next to me and dropping his backpack on to the floor.
"Since you're so loyal, I'll give you these for free," he smiled, discreetly handing me over a packet of cigarettes. "Anything else?"
I shook my head and, quickly after, Mike left. I spun back round on my seat, stuffing the pack into the plaid pocket of my shirt, and looked at the girls with a casual expression, eyebrows raised as I waited for the conversation to start up once again.
I never knew why, but my friends seemed to judge me a great deal for smoking. I mean, everyone has an escape, right? Unfortunately for me, the one I'd fallen for at that time wasn't too good for my lungs. But I didn't care. I just had to pass all the milestones in life - university, marriage, children - and then I could drop like a fly. I'd fulfilled my duty, what more could they want?
"Your dad would slaughter you if he found out that you smoke," said Elise, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Yeah? Well, my dad doesn't have to know," I pointed out. Taking a deep breathe, I let myself relax with the knowledge that I'd got the cigarettes. If I didn't have them, I would have been a stressed wreck. I needed good grades, and I was willing to put my body through hell to get them.
"I think Mike is kinda hot," Elise said bluntly, stirring her macaroni around thoughtlessly. "Do you think you could hook me up, K?"
"No way," I scoffed, scrunching up the wrapper my sandwich came in. When I looked up, I was met with a massive pouting lip and two eyes the size of saucers. Here we go.
Kicking off my shoes, I speedily trotted up the stairs and into my bedroom. As the dark blue walls engulfed me, I sat down on my bed and tugged my books out of my bag. I finally came across my Physics stuff, and began to work on some extra practice my teacher had assigned me.
One thing I loved about working in my room was how extremely peaceful it was. Since I loved water, I'd painted it all dark blue a few summers ago. To compliment that, I'd covered the roof in materials that were either any cold colour, silver or white. The odd band poster found its way on to my wall, but they were mainly bare. Basically, I lived inside a wave (with a little pollution, mind, but that wasn't the point).
"Karina," my dad's voice boomed, "are you working?"
"Yes," I called back, making sure my reply was formal and well articulated. My dad would tear me apart if it wasn't.
Just as I thought I'd got off the hook, he came barging into my room. His tall figure dwarfed my room, the material I had hanging from the roof skimming his bald head. The moment it did so, and the light turquoise fabric rippled, his face filled with anger.
"What the hell is this on your roof for?" He growled, tugging it down roughly. A harsh ripping noise filled my ears, and it quickly became evident that he was pulling it apart. I knew better than to argue. I knew better than to fight back.
"You are not some hippie, Karina! Now, what work are you working on?"
"I-It's Physics," I informed him. "I'm doing questions on projectile motion."
Pretending like I'd told some absurd fib, my dad stormed forward and lifted the book off my bed. His small grey eyes darted over the book before he flung it back at me, a look of disgust on his face. He took in a sharp, aggravated breathe before turning on his heel and heading for the door.
"Get all of that rubbish off your roof. Stop acting like some sort of lowlife," he demanded. By the time his words registered in my mind, he was gone.
Notes
okay, so the next chapter is where the good stuff begins. I just needed to let you get to know Karina a little better though. What do you think of her friends?
thanks for reading!<3
OMFG <3
7/6/15