Tame Read online

  "Oh right I get it now!" Hannah laughed. "I was confused then."

  Troy looked at me and didn't bother hiding his smirk. He always found stupid people amusing, and I guess this was no exception.

  "So how have you been?" Hannah asked as if we were old friends. Far from it.

  "Fine." I muttered. Troy was silent for once in his eighteen years of life. He was never silent- he laughed in his sleep.

  "Troy? Answer Hannah." Dad pushed.

  "Just great." Troy spat out sarcastically. The room was quiet, no one saying anything. Hannah breathed heavily, and I cringed. Was she trying to see her own breath or something?

  "Okay enough small chat!" Dad cried, beaming. Small chat? I didn't hear any. Not over all that silence. Troy looked at me as if to say, 'he hasn't changed one stinking bit'.

  That's how I read my brother anyway.

  "Let's just tell them!" Hannah squealed.

  "Oh dear God, you're not getting married are you?!" I asked, horrified. Would I be asked to be the bridesmaid? If Hannah was in charge of outfits, I'd be in a frilly pink dress with sequins and fluff and glitter everywhere. That was one wedding I didn't plan to go to.

  "No, no." Dad shook his head.

  "Better." Hannah grinned evilly.

  "Ew." Troy shuddered.

  "Can you not guess? Come on, you're fifteen and sixteen years old!" Dad laughed cruelly.

  I gawped at him in disbelief. Fifteen and sixteen?

  "You don't even know our ages!" I broke out.

  "What? Yes I do! You're fifteen, Troy is sixteen. You're one year apart." Dad nodded to himself. Hannah stared at him like he was a teen heart-throb. Yeuch.

  "I'm eighteen." Troy growled. "Farrah is seventeen. Not fifteen, not sixteen."

  "Don't be ridiculous. I know my own children's ages." Dad scoffed.

  "I'm ridiculous?" Troy roared. "Me? You're talking to the wrong person, Dad. try talking to the blonde bimbo over there!"

  He was shaking with anger, and Dad looked furious. I was beginning to get scared.

  "D-Dad, just..." I began.

  "This is my house, don't tell me what to do." Dad barked.

  "We'll happily leave!" Troy retorted.

  "Waiiit!" Hannah called over dramatically. "You need to hear the news first!"

  "Are you serious?" I gaped. "Wow, you are stupid."

  "Shut up you little cow." Hannah narrowed her eyes at me. "This is why we decided to have a child in the first place. To replace you two failures."

  Child?

  Replace?

  Failures?

  "You're...you're having a baby." The realisation hit me hard. A baby?

  "Good luck with that. Come on, Farrah." Troy rolled his eyes, grabbing my arm and forcing me out of the room.

  "Get back here now!" Dad shouted, pulling me back. I stumbled and tripped onto the floor. Rubbing my head, I looked up at Dad. He was a lot scarier when he was towering over me.

  "You're supposed to be happy." Hannah interrupted, as if she hadn't said what she just did. "A new brother or sister!"

  "That's disgusting." Troy cringed. "You're too old to be having kids now."

  "I'm only twenty seven!" Hannah shrieked, dashing over to the mirror and inspecting her face.

  "Gross!" I shuddered. Dad was forty! He was having a child with some girl who was just over half his age. It was just sick.

  "Get to your room now!" Dad ordered, pointing at the stairs.

  "Gladly." I trembled.

  I twirled my finger around my hair over and over while Troy paced up and down.

  "I can't believe they said those things." I whispered.

  "He calls himself a Father." Troy grumbled, more to himself than me. "And now he's going to be another one."

  "I...Troy?" I thought aloud. "Do you think it will be a girl?"

  "I don't care what it is. I don't count myself to be related to it."

  "But...but if it's a girl...I, this sounds so stupid, but it'll be, like, replacing me. Like Hannah said." I mumbled.

  "And if it's a boy it will replace me. Good for them." Troy sighed. He looked out into the darkness outside our window.

  "Daddy's little girl." I began sobbing. I remembered the times when my Mom and Dad were together, when he treated us nicely. When he called me cute pet names like Daddy's little girl. Now he'd get another little girl.

  "Oh Farrah, don't cry." Troy whimpered. He hated it when people cried. Seeing him struggle to calm me down made me laugh. He looked at me, baffled. "Why are you laughing?"

  "You're-" Hiccup. "funny when you-" Hiccup. "try to stop me-" Hiccup. "crying."

  "Thanks so much." He poked his tongue out at me. I sniffed and blew my nose into the sleeping bag, which smelt oddly like pickle.

  "We could be anywhere right now." I stood up, dusting myself off. "Home with Mom, out with friends..."

  "You only have two friends." Troy pointed out.

  "Shut up." I poked him with my foot. "Still. It's better than being here. Heck, I could even be at a party right now."

  "How?" Troy suddenly burst into laughter. "Is Riley throwing a party to celebrate the fact he finally got a girl to go on a date with him?"

  "Don't be mean to poor Riles." I frowned. "And no. I meant Cameron Carter invited me to a party."

  "Did he now?" Troy raised an eyebrow.

  "He did!" I cried honestly. "Ask him if you don't believe me!"

  "How am I supposed to do that?"

  "Uh, there's this thing called your phone? You never get off it usually."

  "Right." Troy furrowed his eyebrows and sent a text to Cameron. Less than a minute later a reply came through. "Touché."

  "I hate the guy, but I'd rather go to his douchebag party than be here." I moaned.

  "We could always sneak out." Troy suggested.

  "Get real."

  "Sis, I'm real and I'm serious. Let's go now!" Troy jumped up, opening the bedroom door.

  "And say what to Dad?" I worried.

  "Don't be such a goody two-shoes." Troy sniggered. I cringed- he sounded like Jason.

  "I dunno..."

  "You said you didn't want to be here." Troy reminded me.

  "True..."

  "Then what are we waiting for?"

  I covered my head with my arms as I snuck down the creaky stairs. I was not going to risk hitting my head again. I stared at the floor, ducked my head, and counted each step silently. I got down five with ease. Halfway.

  "Go!" Troy pushed me- literally. I slipped and bumped down the last five steps on my ass.

  "Owww!" I whined.

  "Farrah!" Troy hissed. He ran down the stairs and pulled me up, but Dad came out of the living room and saw us.

  "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded.

  "We're shitting on toast!" Troy yelled, using my phrase. I didn't have time to pick my jaw up from the floor as he grabbed my hand and we ran (well, Troy ran, I was dragged) out of the house and down the street.

  "What was that?!" I cackled as we slowed down.

  "That was what we would say to Dad." Troy winked.

  ***

  I stepped out of the taxi Troy had called for, clutching my bag.

  "His house looks different from the front." I decided aloud.

  "How have you...? Oh yeah, you stalked him into his backyard." Troy laughed. I hit him.

  "Did not!" I complained childishly.

  "Whatever. Let's just go inside."

  The music was loud and roared over the drunk slurring of many around me. The food was delicious, everything unhealthy. The drinks were all pretty much spiked, the punch smelt suspiciously of vodka. It was great! It was such a typical teenage party- one I might add, I had never been to- and I loved it. But it was also annoying how people made out everywhere and you had to squeeze past them to get to everything. Oh and another annoying, typical thing about this party? The rooms were all taken. I couldn't put my bag anywhere and had to carry it with me, holding onto it tightly everytime someone came near me
.

  I sat down on a decorative chair in the living room, where most of the people were. I subconciously nibbled on a potato chip of some sort. I stared at the wall, bored. It was better than my Dad's house though. Troy was having fun, and the music was good. I snickered as a Conor Maynard song blasted out and my brother groaned louder than the music itself.

  I felt someone tap my shoulder. "Farrah?"

  I turned my head and grinned. "Hey Jason."

  "Hey." He nodded. He leant against the wall next to the chair and cocked his head at me. "Didn't think you'd be here. I saw Troy though."

  "Yeah we just came back from...somewhere." I explained. "How long have you been here?"

  "Came home with Cameron from school."

  "Did you now?" I raised an eyebrow suggestively.

  To my surprise, he chuckled. "Sick girl."

  I giggled. "How long do these parties go on?"

  "Ages. Cameron is a right-"

  "What?" A cool voice interrupted.

  "Party animal." Jason smirked. He fist-pumped Cameron, who then looked at me in confusion.

  "Why are you here?" He questioned.

  "You did invite me." I reminded him.

  "I didn't expect you to come." He said softly.

  "Well I did." I nodded, awkwardness filling the air. "Troy's here too."

  "Cool." Cameron replied.

  "Imma go find him..." Jason trailed off, looking between me and Cameron.

  "Shut up!" I shrieked. I didn't like Cameron! Why did people think I did? Honestly.

  "I didn't say nothing." Jason laughed.

  "Double negative. Meaning you did say something." I winked.

  "Sassy." Jason cooed. "You got yourself a keeper Cameron."

  "ARRRGH!" I wailed.

  "Drink?" Cameron offered. He had disappeared and reappeared throughout the night. I had no calls from Mom or Dad, so I was okay for a while. But as soon as I saw Troy's drunken state, I knew I wouldn't be going home anytime soon. Jason had drunk him under.

  "Nah." I shook my head.

  "Go on." Cameron nudged me.

  "No!" I protested, pushing the bottle away from me. "I know what you're doing."

  "Which is?" Cameron asked before taking a long gulp.

  "Trying to get me drunk." I said in a 'duh' tone. "You said so yourself you'd try. You wanted to see my reaction?"

  "Yeah, yeah. But it would be funny. C'mon, you'll most likely stay over anyway. Troy won't be able to make it home." Cameorn urged.

  "Um, no. We have school tomorrow. Hey, who throws a party on Tuesday night?" I said. "Besides, we only live down the road."

  "Then you'll be fine." Cameron pushed, shaking the bottle. "And what's wrong with having a party on Tuesday? It's a little irregular, but everyone still made it."

  "You're irregular." I rolled my eyes.

  "Drink?" Cameron offered again.

  "No!" I laughed. "God you're annoying."

  "You like me."

  The words shocked me so much I choked on thin air. "'Scuse me?"

  "You do. Jason told me." Cameron winked.

  "Jason is fantasising and so are you." I spat.

  "Whatever. C'mon, one drink?" Cameron brushed my comment off.

  "No."

  "Farrah Chambers."

  "Cameron Carter."

  "One drink."

  "One Direction."

  "What?" Cameron puzzled.

  "I dunno." I shrugged. "Damn, I'm bored!"

  "Then have a drink..."

  "Will you shut up if I do?"

  "Yes, promise." Cameron nodded solemly.

  "Well...no."

  "Please? I bet you'll be so funny!" Cameron begged.

  "You'll film it and put it on Facebook." I folded my arms across my chest and frowned.

  "I won't." Cameron spluttered.

  "Ugh." He was a terrible liar.

  "Go on."

  "Damn you."

  I grabbed the bottle and took a really long gulp, actually enjoying it. I slammed it into Cameron's hands, wiping my mouth.

  "There." I said pointedly.

  "Have some more." Cameron grinned.

  "NO!"

  "Where did you come from?" Cameron asked me.

  "My momma's privates..." I slurred. "Did you not come from there? Alien!"

  Cameron chuckled. "No, I mean, before you came to the party."

  "I was at my Dad's." I told him. "Wait...wasn't your party yesterday?"

  "It was. But when I got Troy's text I threw another one." Cameron shrugged.

  "Don't your parents mind?"

  "They're away."

  "You're all alone?" I cooed. "Poor wittle Camewon."

  "You're nicer when you're drunk." Cameron commented.

  "Drunk? I'm not drunk!" I declared.

  "Yes, you kinda are." Cameron informed me.

  "Man whore!" I shouted at him.

  "What?" He scowled, now looking pissed off. "You...stop saying that!"

  "It's true! You got me drunk so I would sleep with you!" I wailed. "But I'm too...sssmart. I clever. I caught you! You sssilly little man whore."

  "Stop. Calling. Me. That."

  "Jassson's scary, not you." I slurred once again.

  "I can be scary." Cameron threatened. He grabbed my arm and yanked me upwards.

  "Don't hurt me!" I whimpered.

  "I'm not gonna hurt you." Cameron blinked.

  "Don't hurt me." I repeated. "Don't be scary."

  "I wasn't...I wasn't trying to be scary." Cameron told me, confusion all over his face.

  "You said-you sssaid..."

  "I didn't mean it. I was going to find Troy and take you both home."

  "My Dad's scary." I blurted.

  "What?"

  "Nothing." I said suddenly sobering up. "Let's find Troy."

  ***

  "Where have you been?!" Mom screeched when we reached our doorstep.

  "Getting wasted like there's no freakin' next week!" Troy hollered.

  "What?" Mom demanded.

  "We went to a party. W-we couldn't take being at Dad's, Mom!" I burst into tears for what seemed the hundredth time that day.

  "Oh, Farrah." Mom sighed. "Get in both of you. Go to bed Troy. Thank you..."

  "Cameron." Cameron introduced himself. "Cameron Carter."

  "Ah." Mom raised her eyebrows at me. "Thank you Cameron."

  "That's all right. See you tomorrow at school, Farrah Chambers."

  "Grr." I growled as he walked away.

  "So you just ran away?" Mom asked after I had finished explaining myself.

  "Yeah." I nodded.

  "Your Dad phoned me and said you'd been missing for two hours. He didn't call when you left, the idiot." Mom said bitterly.

  "I'm sorry." I bowed my head.

  "Farrah-"

  Troy's loud sleep-cackling made us both jump. He was crashed out on the couch.

  "Remind me to get some pills tomorrow." Mom sighed.

  "What were you gonna say?" I resumed our conversation.

  "I...does your Dad seem really happy with his new girlfriend?" Mom asked, her blue eyes sad.

  "Yeah." I sighed. Mom looked at her hands and I felt angry.

  "Don't feel like that Mom!" I snapped. "He didn't deserve you- he's a bastard."

  "Farrah!" Mom cried. "Language!"

  "This is just shit on toast." I ignored her. "Everyone is such a bastard nowadays."

  "You still say your ridiculous shit on toast thing?" Mom chortled, ignoring my bad language-and her own. "Funny girl."

  "Thanks." I beamed. "Uh, Mom, maybe we should get Troy upstairs now."

  My brother lay on the floor, after just falling off of the couch. He laughed into the floor, and I giggled as we dragged him up the stairs.

  I had just finished changing into my pyjamas, and was tying up my hair when my Mom knocked on my bedroom door.

  "Hm?" I asked as she walked in.

  "About that boy Cameron..." Mom started.

  "We're not even
friends." I rolled my eyes.

  "It sure was nice of him to bring you home." Mom smirked.

  "He was being nice for once in his life. I don't like him, Mom." I stated.

  "I never said you did." She smiled.

  "You implied it with your tone of voice and suggestive look." I told her.

  "Oh dear, Farrah. Goodnight, sweetie." Mom kissed my head and walked out of my room, humming to herself.

  "Night to you too!" I called after her. I bounced on my bed and snuggled under the covers. Why did everyone think I liked Cameron so much? I clearly hated the guy. I thought about the next day. Wednesday. Jason was coming over- time to start my plan.

  Chapter 11

  "Nyaaawn." I yawned, stretching my arms.

  "Rooo!" Rolo barked, jumping onto my bed.

  "Hello, Rolo." I smiled sleepily. "Jason is coming over today, so I can start my plan to get rid of that idiot Cameron- can you help me?"

  "Roo roo." Rolo chirped, completely oblivious to what I was saying. He licked my face happily, his big furry face right in front of mine.

  "Thanks, boy." I grimaced, pushing him away. "Now lemme get up. I have to be ready for school in...ten minutes?!"

  I tried pulling covers off, but Rolo settled himself right in the middle of my bed, so they only came far enough back for me to stick one leg out.

  "Rolo!" I moaned. "Move!"

  "Roo!"

  "No, not roo, move!" I commanded. "Rolo!"

  "Meeeow." A sly voice interrupted.

  "Go away Milly!" I furiously batted at her. She dodged my hand and poked her little pink tongue at Rolo.

  "Roof!" He barked. Hey, it was close enough to a woof- well done Rolo.

  "Merrrow." Milly teased. She slipped under my bed and Rolo jumped off to chase her.

  "Not now guys!" I complained. I looked at my phone and saw time was ticking. "Dammit!"

  I didn't have time to shower, so I sprayed dry shampoo on my hair, then quickly dragged a brush through it. I picked up any random clothes from the floor, tugging on my jeans like there was no tomorrow.

  "Moooooom!" I yelled, dashing into the en suite, one foot still stuck inside of the foot of my jeans.

  "What is it, Farrah?" Mom called.

  "Why didn't you wake me up?" I roared.