Author's note: when I get around to reposting Crumpled, this is going to have the mother lode of spoilers. But repostation (if that's even a word) does not look to be occurring any time soon, so if you gave a damn, feel free to go ahead.

“Can I trust you not to destroy anything while we’re gone?”

Daniella and I had exchanged a look. Inside the car, Dad had tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. We were all used to this frantic pep talk at the last possible minute.

“Of course, Mum,” I had said. Rolled my eyes.

“We know the rules, Mum.”

“What’s the worst that could happen? It’s only four days.”

“Can I trust that neither of you are going to be taken home by the police?”

Daniella had pouted. “But Mum! It saves on taxi fares!”

“This,” Mum had said, “is why I don’t like leaving you guys alone.”

“She was kidding. You can trust us.”

“I think I should ask Mrs. Owen from next door to come round and check on you from time to time.”

“I’m sixteen. And Nathan’s legally an adult,” Daniella had protested.

“Is that supposed to be reassuring?” Mum had frowned, smoothed her hair down, demanded, “What are the rules?”

“Mum…”

I had said, “It’s not like you’ve never gone on holiday before.”

“Just humour me.”

We had parroted: if we went out, we were to be home by one. We were not to eat fast food every day. We weren’t to stay up too late. If we had friends over, we were to clean up after ourselves. If we had homework, it had to be done.

Old hat, except for a brand new rule for Daniella – Jason wasn’t allowed to stay over past eleven p.m. Daniella had been just as excited as if she had been given a new pair of shoes; she had a boyfriend, and she had a rule concerning her boyfriend, and her parents were going on holiday, practically giving her free reign to break the rule.

“Nathan,” Mum had said levelly, “I trust you to look after your sister.”

“You can trust us,” I had assured her again.

And Mum had just smiled, holding up her crossed fingers, and she had finally gotten into the car. Dad had shaken his head. They had mouthed “I love you” and “Stay safe” at us. And they had driven away. Daniella and I had stood in the driveway, watching their brake lights disappear, and we had turned and hi-fived.

We hadn’t known what was going to happen in just thirty-six short hours. We hadn’t known what I was about to do. There’s no way we could’ve known. There’s no way Daniella could’ve known. There’s no way my parents could’ve known either, otherwise they wouldn’t’ve left.

But they did; they left. And they let me tear our perfect family apart.