The Space Between Us (In Progress)
written by ☆kiola-the-iola☆
Gemma Butler's mom died a year ago, and ever since then, her family's been broke, because her dad doesn't want to move on from the job he had when her mother died. She's had to parent her little brother, Israel, at seventeen. What's more, her friends don't get it, and so when she does something stupid, they disown her. Finally, as Gemma sees how desperate their situation is, she tells her dad to move on. She means get a better job or something like that. But that's not how he takes it. Suddenly, her dad is never around. Her rock is gone! And then she finds out why- he's engaged to a movie star! And she has to move to New York City. Gemma feels like she's betrayed her mom. How will she deal with all of this while she's trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life?
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
4
Reads
749
Chapter One
Chapter 1
The pile of bills to be paid that is stacked on the table teeters dangerously. My dad is next to me, head in hands and shoulders slumped.
"It's won, Gemma. The world has won. We just don't have any money to pay these. They're going to evict us." I shake my head frantically.
"No, Dad! We can't give up. I-I'll get another job!"
"Gem, you've got two already! I worry enough about trying to send you and your little brother to school. You never have any time to hang out with friends!" I sigh.
"Dad, I don't have any friends." He squints at me.
"What about that girl Clay? Her nice mom used to send us money." I grimace, wondering how to explain the events of the past few days.
"It's a long story, Dad."
"Then tell it." I make a face but give in.
"Clay's cousin, Harriet, was orphaned last year and so she lives with Clay's family. The minute Clay found out about Harriet, she switched all her attention from me to her cousin. And that made me hate Harriet. Because we need the money that Clay would give us. And because Harriet is prettier, smarter, even famous! I was jealous and so I tried to steal Harriet's boyfriend. He's younger than me, and I don't even think he's cute! I don't know what even possessed me to do it. But Clay found out and kicked me out of the group. So now, no more checks, no more love, no more friends. I'm sorry, Dad." I look up, watching him think. He opens his mouth to speak but right as he does, my little brother bursts in.
"Dad! Gemmy! I could get a job!" I say
"No, Israel!" right as my dad says,
"Absolutely not, young man." Israel pouts,
"Why not?" Then he turns to Dad and pulls out his trick. "Mom would have let me." My dad turns pink.
"Ok, Bud, you can-"
"No!" I yell. "Mom wouldn't have let you get a job. And it doesn't matter anyway, because she's dead! Face it, both of you! She's gone forever. And we're never getting her back!" Then I burst into tears, uncharacteristic for me. Israel looks very uncomfortable, as if watching his seventeen-year-old sister cry is too embarrassing for his self-righteous nine-year-old self. He finally turns away and trudges back into his room.
"Gem…"
"I'm sorry, Dad." I look up at him, wiping away my tears.
"No, Gem, you're right. We need to move on." I stare at him, wondering if I've heard him right. He just stares back at me. Then I hug him, saying,
"Thanks for always being here, Dad." Then I quickly stand up.
"Now, how about I go find another job?" My dad sighs,
“Okay, Gembear, but I don’t want you overworking yourself. You need to stay on top of your school work.”
“As if I would fall behind. Now Israel,” I say, turning to my little brother, “it’s time for you to go take a shower. You are so dirty!” Israel whines, but I remind him, “We aren’t going to treat you like a big kid if you’re covered in mud.” He groans but runs off to the shower.
My dad turns back to the bills.
“Gemma, we just don’t have enough to pay next month’s electrical bill.” I put on a brave face and say,
“It’s okay. We can spend a month without lights.” He sighs,
“But Gemma, if we don’t have electricity, you can’t charge your laptop for school, and we both can’t charge our phones.” I pat my dad on the back.
“Dad, we’ll figure something out. We’ve still got a month of electricity left!” He rolls his eyes and imitates my chipper tone.
“Of course we will!”
…..
A week later, my dad starts to go missing. I walk into the kitchen after another dreary day of school, right as Israel walks in, saying,
“Where’s Dad?” I shrug,
“I dunno, Israel. He shouldn’t have work this late in the afternoon. Then again, he’s been gone all week.” Israel, with his nine-year-old sense of wisdom, inserts,
“Maybe he’s drinking his feelings at a bar. That’s what my friend Josef Zaimer says lots of people do.” I immediately go on high alert, asking,
“And who is this Josef?” Israel shrugs,
“He came up to me at school. He’s really tall! When he jumps, he can touch the ceiling.” I take this to mean that a highschooler is planting questionable things in my little brother’s mind.
“Do you know how old Josef is?” I ask. Israel nods eagerly,
“He’s a senior. He’s eighteen! He’s so cool.” Now I get it. Josef is one of the stupid highschoolers who has decided to ‘help’ the next generation by exposing them to the brokenness of our world. Not saying my dad and I don’t talk to Israel about these things, but the highschoolers I’m talking about portray the broken things in a positive light.
“Can I meet Josef?” I ask Israel. He nods again,
“Sure! I told him all about you: how pretty you are, how talented you are, how hardworking you are. And I told him about how you can do a bunch of cheer stunts, even though you quit the squad! He said he wants to meet you!” I inwardly curse. Now this Josef guy thinks I am pretty? And amazing? And he wants to meet me? Yeah, Israel is not helping our situation at all. But I still want to meet the guy who is poisoning my brother’s innocence.
“Tell him to come home with you tomorrow after school. Oh, and Dad isn’t at a bar. He doesn’t drink, remember?” Israel shrugs and runs out of the room, chattering all about Josef. I put my head in my hands, trying to figure out what I’m going to do after meeting Josef. I mean, what can I do? Maybe once I know what he looks like, I can watch out for him at school. All I know is that my brother doesn’t need untruths in his head, and that’s what this Josef kid is giving him.
My dad still isn’t home by dinnertime, and Israel keeps bugging me to ask where he is. I’m trying to strain the spaghetti, and I finally snap.
“Would you please be quiet? I can’t make us dinner if you’re distracting me!” Israel shrinks back and looks at me with hurt.
“Don’t be mad, Gem. I’m just scared for Daddy!” I sigh, putting the spaghetti down.
“Look, Israel, I’m sorry. I know you’re worried, but you need to try not to think about it.” He nods and runs off outside. I finish with the pasta and start making a salad. I’m drizzling the dressing on when Israel runs in, the front door slamming against the wall.
“Israel!” I jump. “Is something wrong?” He shakes his head and grins.
“Josef is here!” I turn my head, and sure enough, a tall teenager walks into the house. My house.
“Israel,” I say reprovingly, balancing the salad bowl on my hip. “What are the rules about inviting people into the house?” Israel looks at his feet meekly.
“I have to ask you first.”
“Right,” I say. Then Josef speaks up,
“Actually, I invited myself over.” I turn my stone gaze on him, but he doesn’t flinch.
“Look, Josef, you can’t do that. This is my house, and I decide who comes in.” Josef raises an eyebrow.
“Your house? You can’t be older than seventeen. I’m older than you.” I gaze at him coldly.
“And yet my name is on the title deeds. It stings, doesn’t it?” He looks slightly confused, so I go on. “I’m sure you don’t also work three jobs and act like a parent for any little siblings, do you?” Josef snorts,
“Like you do all that.” Israel pipes up then,
“Actually, she does, Josef!” I unblinkingly stare Josef down, as if daring him to question my authority. He doesn’t. Instead, he says,
“So Israel wasn’t lying. You really are hard-working and talented. And, of course, you’re very pretty.” He walks around me in a circle. I stiffen. He laughs at my reaction,
“What about one of those cheer stunts?” I set the salad bowl down and grab his arm.
“Israel, go play outside for a little while. I need to talk to Josef, alone.” Israel pouts. “Now!” I yell. He immediately bolts.
I lead Josef into the living room and we sit down on the couch.
“What’s the matter, Big Sister? You don’t look too happy,” he says. I glare,
“I would advise that you stay away from my brother, Josef.” He chuckles,
“And why should I?” I roll my eyes.
“You know why, Josef. I do not appreciate you feeding lies to Israel.” Josef just imitates me. My temper flares. I lean closer to him.
“If you talk to him again, I promise you will be sorry.” Josef takes advantage of my closeness and wraps an arm around my waist.
“Geez, Big Sister! You need to calm down.” I pull away, my eyes flashing.
“Get out of my house.” He just smirks. I point to the door, yelling, “I said, get out of my house!” He rolls his eyes and trots out. I watch through the window as he says goodbye to Israel and walks away.
"It's won, Gemma. The world has won. We just don't have any money to pay these. They're going to evict us." I shake my head frantically.
"No, Dad! We can't give up. I-I'll get another job!"
"Gem, you've got two already! I worry enough about trying to send you and your little brother to school. You never have any time to hang out with friends!" I sigh.
"Dad, I don't have any friends." He squints at me.
"What about that girl Clay? Her nice mom used to send us money." I grimace, wondering how to explain the events of the past few days.
"It's a long story, Dad."
"Then tell it." I make a face but give in.
"Clay's cousin, Harriet, was orphaned last year and so she lives with Clay's family. The minute Clay found out about Harriet, she switched all her attention from me to her cousin. And that made me hate Harriet. Because we need the money that Clay would give us. And because Harriet is prettier, smarter, even famous! I was jealous and so I tried to steal Harriet's boyfriend. He's younger than me, and I don't even think he's cute! I don't know what even possessed me to do it. But Clay found out and kicked me out of the group. So now, no more checks, no more love, no more friends. I'm sorry, Dad." I look up, watching him think. He opens his mouth to speak but right as he does, my little brother bursts in.
"Dad! Gemmy! I could get a job!" I say
"No, Israel!" right as my dad says,
"Absolutely not, young man." Israel pouts,
"Why not?" Then he turns to Dad and pulls out his trick. "Mom would have let me." My dad turns pink.
"Ok, Bud, you can-"
"No!" I yell. "Mom wouldn't have let you get a job. And it doesn't matter anyway, because she's dead! Face it, both of you! She's gone forever. And we're never getting her back!" Then I burst into tears, uncharacteristic for me. Israel looks very uncomfortable, as if watching his seventeen-year-old sister cry is too embarrassing for his self-righteous nine-year-old self. He finally turns away and trudges back into his room.
"Gem…"
"I'm sorry, Dad." I look up at him, wiping away my tears.
"No, Gem, you're right. We need to move on." I stare at him, wondering if I've heard him right. He just stares back at me. Then I hug him, saying,
"Thanks for always being here, Dad." Then I quickly stand up.
"Now, how about I go find another job?" My dad sighs,
“Okay, Gembear, but I don’t want you overworking yourself. You need to stay on top of your school work.”
“As if I would fall behind. Now Israel,” I say, turning to my little brother, “it’s time for you to go take a shower. You are so dirty!” Israel whines, but I remind him, “We aren’t going to treat you like a big kid if you’re covered in mud.” He groans but runs off to the shower.
My dad turns back to the bills.
“Gemma, we just don’t have enough to pay next month’s electrical bill.” I put on a brave face and say,
“It’s okay. We can spend a month without lights.” He sighs,
“But Gemma, if we don’t have electricity, you can’t charge your laptop for school, and we both can’t charge our phones.” I pat my dad on the back.
“Dad, we’ll figure something out. We’ve still got a month of electricity left!” He rolls his eyes and imitates my chipper tone.
“Of course we will!”
…..
A week later, my dad starts to go missing. I walk into the kitchen after another dreary day of school, right as Israel walks in, saying,
“Where’s Dad?” I shrug,
“I dunno, Israel. He shouldn’t have work this late in the afternoon. Then again, he’s been gone all week.” Israel, with his nine-year-old sense of wisdom, inserts,
“Maybe he’s drinking his feelings at a bar. That’s what my friend Josef Zaimer says lots of people do.” I immediately go on high alert, asking,
“And who is this Josef?” Israel shrugs,
“He came up to me at school. He’s really tall! When he jumps, he can touch the ceiling.” I take this to mean that a highschooler is planting questionable things in my little brother’s mind.
“Do you know how old Josef is?” I ask. Israel nods eagerly,
“He’s a senior. He’s eighteen! He’s so cool.” Now I get it. Josef is one of the stupid highschoolers who has decided to ‘help’ the next generation by exposing them to the brokenness of our world. Not saying my dad and I don’t talk to Israel about these things, but the highschoolers I’m talking about portray the broken things in a positive light.
“Can I meet Josef?” I ask Israel. He nods again,
“Sure! I told him all about you: how pretty you are, how talented you are, how hardworking you are. And I told him about how you can do a bunch of cheer stunts, even though you quit the squad! He said he wants to meet you!” I inwardly curse. Now this Josef guy thinks I am pretty? And amazing? And he wants to meet me? Yeah, Israel is not helping our situation at all. But I still want to meet the guy who is poisoning my brother’s innocence.
“Tell him to come home with you tomorrow after school. Oh, and Dad isn’t at a bar. He doesn’t drink, remember?” Israel shrugs and runs out of the room, chattering all about Josef. I put my head in my hands, trying to figure out what I’m going to do after meeting Josef. I mean, what can I do? Maybe once I know what he looks like, I can watch out for him at school. All I know is that my brother doesn’t need untruths in his head, and that’s what this Josef kid is giving him.
My dad still isn’t home by dinnertime, and Israel keeps bugging me to ask where he is. I’m trying to strain the spaghetti, and I finally snap.
“Would you please be quiet? I can’t make us dinner if you’re distracting me!” Israel shrinks back and looks at me with hurt.
“Don’t be mad, Gem. I’m just scared for Daddy!” I sigh, putting the spaghetti down.
“Look, Israel, I’m sorry. I know you’re worried, but you need to try not to think about it.” He nods and runs off outside. I finish with the pasta and start making a salad. I’m drizzling the dressing on when Israel runs in, the front door slamming against the wall.
“Israel!” I jump. “Is something wrong?” He shakes his head and grins.
“Josef is here!” I turn my head, and sure enough, a tall teenager walks into the house. My house.
“Israel,” I say reprovingly, balancing the salad bowl on my hip. “What are the rules about inviting people into the house?” Israel looks at his feet meekly.
“I have to ask you first.”
“Right,” I say. Then Josef speaks up,
“Actually, I invited myself over.” I turn my stone gaze on him, but he doesn’t flinch.
“Look, Josef, you can’t do that. This is my house, and I decide who comes in.” Josef raises an eyebrow.
“Your house? You can’t be older than seventeen. I’m older than you.” I gaze at him coldly.
“And yet my name is on the title deeds. It stings, doesn’t it?” He looks slightly confused, so I go on. “I’m sure you don’t also work three jobs and act like a parent for any little siblings, do you?” Josef snorts,
“Like you do all that.” Israel pipes up then,
“Actually, she does, Josef!” I unblinkingly stare Josef down, as if daring him to question my authority. He doesn’t. Instead, he says,
“So Israel wasn’t lying. You really are hard-working and talented. And, of course, you’re very pretty.” He walks around me in a circle. I stiffen. He laughs at my reaction,
“What about one of those cheer stunts?” I set the salad bowl down and grab his arm.
“Israel, go play outside for a little while. I need to talk to Josef, alone.” Israel pouts. “Now!” I yell. He immediately bolts.
I lead Josef into the living room and we sit down on the couch.
“What’s the matter, Big Sister? You don’t look too happy,” he says. I glare,
“I would advise that you stay away from my brother, Josef.” He chuckles,
“And why should I?” I roll my eyes.
“You know why, Josef. I do not appreciate you feeding lies to Israel.” Josef just imitates me. My temper flares. I lean closer to him.
“If you talk to him again, I promise you will be sorry.” Josef takes advantage of my closeness and wraps an arm around my waist.
“Geez, Big Sister! You need to calm down.” I pull away, my eyes flashing.
“Get out of my house.” He just smirks. I point to the door, yelling, “I said, get out of my house!” He rolls his eyes and trots out. I watch through the window as he says goodbye to Israel and walks away.
