“You WHAT!?” Mimi shouted, flinging her wooden spoon across the room as she stood up abruptly, spraying pesto all over the kitchen floor.
“I’m sorry! It just kind of happened!” I retorted.
“Allie. A ‘D’ on a test most certainly doesn’t just happen. ESPECIALLY to anyone in the Rowley family. Now you’d better get to studying, Alice Rowley, because if you don’t make a hundred on that next test, you can kiss your phone goodbye!”
“Yes, Mimi.” I grumbled, leaving the kitchen and trudging up the stairs. I knew better than to argue with my grandmother. As soon as I got into my room, I flopped onto my oversized mint green couch. My sister and I shared the whole of the attic, but she was never around anymore, what with the new boyfriend and all, so I had it all to myself. I grabbed the nearest pillow, smashed my face into it, and screamed as loud as I could. When I was thoroughly out of breath, I went to my desk and opened my laptop, immediately checking my DMs to see if landlubber427 had responded since last night. So much for studying.
I opened my instagram to find exactly what I was hoping for.
Landlubber427: No, I totally think that there’s something to be said for the antagonist of Glaude’s story. He has a totally human motive for what he did. The question we really need to be asking is: What does he feel about the after effects of his actions. What about the consequences of them?
I sighed happily, glad I had a response. I loved talking to my online pen-pal. I met him on a fanfiction site for our mutual favorite book, A House Without Laughter, by Missy Glaude. We started talking, discussing the intricacies of the book. We talk about other things too. Everything, in fact. He still won’t tell me his name, but I know I’m getting somewhere.
ARbubble123: While that’s a valid question to ask of the book, we still don’t want to beat it to death. Overanalysis is a real thing, believe it or not. I think it unwise to worry about the character’s emotions and inner narrative beyond the book. Sure, we can assume some things about the storyline beyond the book, but further assuming what happens as far as character development seems unwise, don’t you think?
I shut my laptop, smiling.
“You’re cute when you’re happy” Snickered a voice behind her. I gasped, and whipped around in my desk chair. Sitting on my overstuffed mint couch was a strikingly well dressed boy. He was sitting, one leg over the other, smirking at me. What was most bizzare about him was his age. He looked to be no more than a year older than me. I jumped up out of my seat.
“Who the hell are you!?” I shouted.
“Calm down Alice.” He responded. “I have an offer to make you.”
“You need to get out of my house. Right now!” I demanded.
“Very well” He said calmly. He looked to his right, then to his left, then to me. He smiled wide, held up his hand, and snapped his fingers. The room began to spin. I held onto my desk chair as tightly as I could, but I felt it slip away from my fingers as the room spun faster and faster and faster. And then there was black. Just black.