Turns out we forgot to go for ice cream, which I honestly don't care about. That means the sooner I can talk to Eli. We got home at 2:34pm so now we are just gonna do whatever until my mom gets home from work.
My dad works at home. He's an author. During the day, he writes stories for children. The books are sometimes published throughout the state, or nationally.
He's probably gonna work on his book, and I'll go see if Eli is there. "I'll see you at dinner, bye daddy." I say as I give him a hug.
He smiles and waves bye to me so I go up into my room and shut and lock my room's door. I plop on the edge of my bed and look at my mirror. "Oh, Eli? You there?" I ask. I have no clue how to summon a dead person but it certainly is not normally this.
The mirror changes and there sits Eli on that beautiful couch with colorful pillows. "Hi Ru- hold on, what the what happened to you?" He asks.
I just smile and reply, "Broden Lepzer happened. Apparently he thought it'd be nice to just bully a girl who just "lost" her boyfriend." I say putting air quotes around lost.
"He's a jerk." He says. He motions for me to step through so I do. "Guess what." He says.
"What." I say. What could've possibly happened in this room that was eventful.
"I love you." He says and my smile grows wider.
"And I love you too." I say. I look at him before saying, "Guess what I found out. I'm sorry for killing our mood but I think this needs discussed and also needs a solution. I went home from school early because of Broden and my dad picked me up. On the way back home, we talk about what happened, and I mumble 'if you count what mom did then no that's not all' because he asked if that was all that happened and I hoped he didn't hear but then he says 'she does it to me too' so now I need a solution. Do you have any ideas?" I say.
"Ok. Well, um, if I was you, I would get concrete evidence- like video or something, and give it to the cops. They might be able to get her into prison for some time. Oh, geez, I'm probably assuming too much- do you even want her in prison?" He asks.
"I'm not even sure. She's my mom. I mean, sure she can go to prison and I probably won't care. School bullies aren't going to stop anyway so sure I can try getting evidence for her to go to prison." I say.
"Well, you could put security cameras around your house. Do it in the morning, when she's working. She won't even know. Just try your hardest to be discreet. Buy them with cash. She won't be able to see it in credit charges. Get rid of the receipt too." He says.
I smile, "Thank you Eli." I go and hug him. Smiling into his chest, I say, "Thank you so much." I pull away from him and smile.
Before he can say anything, I hear, "Ruby, dinner!" It's my dad. I frown at the thought of leaving Eli.
"You should probably go." He says.
I hug him again. "I should. Thank you so much I love you!" I say as a get off of the couch and start backing towards the mirror. "Tomorrow?" I ask.
He smiles, "Absolutely. I love you too."
I smile and walk through the mirror after waving. "Coming!" I call back to my dad, making sure he heard me. I unlock the door to my room and walk out to find my mom next to the door with arms crossed. Uh oh.
"Who were you talking to?" She asks casually.
I quick think of an idea before saying, "Myself." I say. "I do that a lot." I really hope she believes me.
She growls. "Don't lie to me." She slaps me across the face. "I don't care anyway. Get downstairs for dinner." I stare at her for a second before running down the stairs.
"Hey dad what's for dinner?" I say, plastering a fake smile on my face.
"Just mac and cheese. Nothing special." He says.
"Okay." I say and grab my bowl of mac and cheese before sitting at the table.
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Dinner's now over so I wait for my mother to leave the table to do her own thing before going over to my dad. "Dad." I whisper. "I have a plan." He nods, afraid to say anything in case my mother hears. "Tomorrow, can you go get security cameras from the electronic store and pay with cash? You have to pay with cash or she might check the credit card bill. Do it while she is at work so she doesn't know that you went out. Then bring them home and hide them and we will put them out the morning after. Can you do that please?" I ask, still whispering. He nods again, still expressionless and I hug him. "Thank you." I whisper. She'll certainly be in prison soon.
I go upstairs to my room and climb into my bed to go to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be part 1 of plan 'mothergotoprison' which only consists of like three parts. I need a better name for that.
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I sit in my last class of the day, science. Oh, the hatred I have for science. It's just bad, don't ask why.
I impatiently tap my fingernails on the table in annoyance as I watch the clock's red arm just pass the five. Just 35 seconds until the end of class. 25. 15. I grab my backpack just as it hits 5. The bell then rings and I jump out of my seat with joy and practically run out of the classroom. I get onto the bus and turn my phone on and plug my earbuds in. Here goes the ten-minute bus ride. I stare out the window and watch nature pass by.
Finally, my stop. I hop out of my seat and rush off of the bus and into the house. "Dad, I'm home!" I say.
"Hey, hun, come here." He says and I run into where I hear the voice.
On the table in the kitchen sits like 10 security camera boxes with cameras inside. My eyes grow wide. "Woah." I say. I look up at him, "You paid with cash?" I ask. He nods, "And she was at work?" I ask just for measures. I need to make sure this will work.
"Yeah." He says. "I made sure your mother didn't know. We should start looking for places to put the cameras. Maybe on the spot above the fireplace behind a picture frame?" He asks me.
I think about it before saying, "Yeah, we can try that." I think about how just yesterday we were laughing and having a good time and today we are completely serious and ready to put my mother in hopefully, federal prison. I seriously hope she doesn't find out. "We should come up with a plan." I say.
He nods and says, "Yeah. It can't be on paper or she might find it."
I nod, "Yeah, I think we're good for now though. Do you have to work tomorrow?" I ask.
He shakes his head, "No, but I do have to the next day. I need to finish the book by next week."
"Okay." I say. "I'm gonna head up to my room for a while. Call me if you need anything. Also, remember to hide the boxes." I say, sounding like my father's parents. His parents died years ago in a car crash. My mother's parents died before I was even born.
I head up the stairs. I feel accomplished. I shut the door and lock it before going over to the mirror. "Eli? I'm here, are you there?" This time the mirror doesn't change. How would he even go anywhere? There isn't anywhere in that room to even go. Where would someone dead go if they were stuck in a gigantic room? "Hmm." I mumble. "Maybe he's having his first amount of sleep?" I don't know, he acts like a literal superhero.
I decide to just hop onto my computer and check my homework that my dad doesn't care if I do. Just math and English. Meh. I can do that--- never. I check my emails and see nothing important. I then find myself bored. I could sleep.
I get off of my bed and head downstairs to see what my dad is up to. On the couch watching football. He doesn't even care about sports.
I walk over to the back of the couch and lean over him, looking down. "Whatcha up to?" I ask. He jumps maybe a millimeter and I smile. Got him.
"Just watching a sport I don't care about. What about you?" He asks.
"I'm kinda bored out of my mind. I have literally nothing to do." I say.
"Well now you do." He says, patting the spot next to him on the couch. I go over and sit down next to him before curling up into his side. Now I get to watch a sport I don't care about either. Maybe I'll learn a few things.
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My mom doesn't work tomorrow. I completely forgot. I guess my dad and I can put the cameras out before he works the day after. Now, I go to school.
I woke up late this morning so I don't have time for breakfast at home.
I grab a cereal bar and head out the door to my dad's car which is already up and running. I hop in a buckle before he backs out of the driveway. We get to school in five minutes and I reach over the center console and hug him. "Bye dad." I say, smiling.
"Bye, hun. Have a good day at school." He smiles back.
I finally leave after me mumble another short goodbye to each other and I make my way into school. That jock is leaning on the lockers to my right as I make my way through my locker. He glares at me and I shrug it off. Average.
I finally make it to my locker which used to have a bestie. My locker lost its bestie after it became someone else. I take my books out and cram them into my backpack before making my way into my 1st block. I have art.
I'm decent at art, I almost never do anything having to do with it. But I like doing it sometimes. Whatever.
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I ride on the bus, this time no earbuds in. I listen to kids mumble my name and snicker. Who cares about them anyway. The bus pulls up to my driveway after five minutes. I jump out of my seat and walk off. The light in my room is on. Weird. My dad? Can't be. His car isn't in the driveway.
I stop and study it. I think about who would be in my room and why. I'll just go check it out.
I walk into the house and close the door. I hear a crash from upstairs. I drop my backpack on the floor , keeping my phone on me and walk up the steps to see the mother sweeping glass off of the floor in my room. Wear did glass come from?
I walk closer to my room. "Mother what are you do--- no no no no no." I say. Tears come rushing to my eyelids. I drop the my phone on the floor and fall onto my knees. "No no no. This can't be happening. This is all a dream. Mother, tell me I'm dreaming." By now I'm just sobbing into midair as I watch her face screw up with confusion. She doesn't get it. She never will. She'll be in prison before she ever gets it. The mirror is shattered forever.
By the time I'm finished my crying, my mother has finished cleaning up the glass on my hardwood floor and has went downstairs. I flip onto my back and stare at the ceiling. Small tears trickle down my cheeks and onto the floor.
I don't know how long I've been laying on the floor before I hear the front door shut. "Ruby, are you home?" My dad calls into the house.
"Yes, dad, I am." I manage to squeak out. It feels like losing him all over again. Except I think I've actually lost him forever this time.
My dad comes up the steps and sees me on the floor. "Ruby, what's going on?" He asks slowly. I didn't expect this reaction.
"Mother broke my mirror, daddy." I say. I'm still staring at the ceiling trying to lose myself into the mysterious imagination of a ceiling. It isn't working.
"Why are you so worked up over this?" He asks.
"You wouldn't get it. It's all over now, daddy. He's gone forever." I say. I must confuse everyone.
"Who's gone forever now, Ruby?" He asks slowly.
"You wouldn't get it. Ever. You would believe I'm crazy daddy. I'm going to the store. I'll be back sometime soon. I need a new mirror for the mornings. I'll use my wallet." I say. I get up and walk down the stairs and get outside the house before bolting down the driveway and sidewalk. I keep running with angry, sad, and frustrated tears running down my cheeks.
I finally reach the antique shop. They must have a mirror. I'll just carry it home. However big. I walk through the shop, letting the tears dry on my cheek. I don't care anymore. I go to the back and find a wall mirror and pick it up and carry it to the counter. "How much is this?" I ask with the strongest voice I have.
"I'll let you have it for fifteen dollars." The cashier says. Very good. I grab a $10 bill, a $5 bill, and a few coins for tax out of my wallet and hand it to the cashier. "Do you want your receipt?" I quickly shake my head and fast-walk out of the shop.
I walk as fast as I can to my house and get there in a few minutes. At this point there are still tears daring to fall down my cheeks. I then open the door and walk into the house. It's almost silent except for the faint screams from my parents down in the basement. What could they possibly be yelling about?
I heave the mirror up the stairs and into my room and set it down tall-ways onto the wall and collapse onto my back on top of my bed. I stare at the ceiling again as silent tears start falling again. I start hearing a TV playing some sort of show or movie. Huh? I sit up and listen more. "Ruby, hey, come here, why are you crying?" A familiar voice asks. I look at the mirror leaning against the wall in my bedroom. There he is. Sitting in glory. Not just my old mirror. I didn't lose him forever.
I run through the mirror and into his arms and happily sob into his shoulder. "You're not gone forever." I mumble.
"Well of course I'm not gone forever. I'm in your mirror. How could I leave?" He asks with an amused smile.
"My mother--- I came home from school and heard a crash from my room and found my mother cleaning up shattered glass off of the floor in my room. It was my mirror. I then stared at the ceiling in the hallway for a while and then got a new mirror from an antique shop and yeah yay you're not gone." I say. I'm still hugging him.
I see him smile from the corner of my eye. "Yeah. Well, I guess we can celebrate this over some random dessert from the food dispenser thing. We can also watch movie of choice if you want." He says.
"Or I can just fall asleep on you." I say. "I would have to tell my dad and get an alarm clock because I have to put the cameras out tomorrow. Yeah. My dad got a bunch of cameras yesterday and I have to do it before he starts working. I better fill him in on the plan too." I say. It sounds complicated but I just have to go find my dad, fill him in, tell him I'm going to sleep, and then just bring my alarm clock through the mirror and fall asleep.
"That works too." He says.
I smile. I pull away and watch his face. "I'll be back soon. Keep waiting for me, okay?" I ask.
"Okay." He says. I get up and walk over to mirror. I then smile, and walk out. I then think about freedom. I start feeling bad that Eli can't go anywhere else except for that large room.
I shake that off as I prepare to tell my dad about the plan. I open my door and walk down the stairs. I then hear yelling still coming from the basement. "Ugh. Guess I'll have to end this verbal fight." I mumble to myself. This may take longer than I thought. I open the door to the basement and walk slowly down the stairs.
Peering around the corner, I see my parents yelling things into each other's faces. "You have to think more about Ruby's feelings!" My dad yells to my mom.
"It's not like I ever cared about you or her in the first place!" My mom yells back. I just look down, ashamed. I'm such an idiot. Why didn't I see it before? She obviously never cared.
"Dad." I say. My parents both look at me in realization. "Can I talk to you in private?" I ask him. He nods and walks with me up the stairs. I speak quietly, "I have a plan for the cameras. Tomorrow morning, before you have to work, because she goes into work around 3 AM, we can set the cameras up then. Does that sound good to you?" I ask. I'm trying my hardest not to act affected by my mother's words.
"Of course." He says.
"I'm really tired, so I'm gonna head up to sleep. Goodnight, dad." I say.
"Goodnight hun." He replies. I wave bye and walk upstairs in shame. I feel like a mistake. Why? Because my own mother doesn't care about me or how I feel. She's heartless.
I get into my room and shut and lock the door. I then get my alarm clock from my bedside table and go back into the mirror. "I'm back." I say.
He looks away from what he was watching and looks at me in confusion, "What's wrong?" He asks. Always onto me.
I walk over to him and drop onto the couch next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder. "My mother." I say.
"What about your mother?" He asks.
"She--- my dad and her were fighting in the basement. I went down and listened." I sigh. "I knew she never cared about me." I look down.
"Hey, don't be that way." He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him. Having known that my alarm is already set, I nuzzle my head into the crook of his neck and doze off.
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My alarm wakes me up at 4 AM. I look at Eli as he watches one of many movies. I click the off button and pick it up from the table in front of the couch. "I gotta go." I say to him. I hug him goodbye and wave after getting off of the couch. "Love you." I say, smiling.
"Love you too." He says back. I smile again and turn and leave through the mirror. I unlock and open the door to my room and go get my dad. He's been sleeping on the couch for a while now so I go get him up.
Walking down the stairs, I think about places to put the cameras. I come up with nothing, so I guess that we'll figure it out. I shake my dad, "Dad, wake up." I say to him. He jumps.
Sitting up, he asks, "huh?"
I smile, "It's camera time."
His eyes go wide with realization. "Yeah, let's get a move on." He also smiles competitively. "I'll go grab the cameras." He says, getting off the couch, and scrambling over to wherever he put the cameras. He comes back with around 8 or 9 boxes with a camera in each one. He sets them down on the table.
I pick one up and examine it, "Ooh, night vision." I say, being silly.
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We get the cameras in their places in probably fifteen minutes. Hopefully the cameras are in good enough hiding spots. "We gotta get more sleep." I say, yawning.
"Yep. I'll see you when you wake up." He says, going back to the couch to lay down.
I nod and head up the stairs. In my room, I decide to see if Eli is still there to explain what happened and that the cameras are set. Getting into my room, I sit on my bed, "Eli, are you still here?" I ask the mirror.
The mirror changes again, "Yeah. Tell me how it went." He says as I step through the mirror again.
"We found good places so she shouldn't notice. I think that's all I have to stay. Except that I'm not tired anymore so we can watch a movie until I have to 'wake up'." I say, sitting down next to him. I curl up into his side, waiting for the movie to start.