Keilah let out a sigh, her eyes flicking towards the phone every few seconds. The silence in the house was profound, broken only by the ticking clock. She paused in front of the mirror, smoothing down her uniform skirt with a defiant little smile. "Mom would hate this," she thought with satisfaction.
Keilah studied herself, then struck a playful pose, admiring the reflection with a critical eye. "Why can't anyone else see how well this suits me?" she mused, her thoughts drifting from her mother’s stern disapproval to her father’s absence. Her phone buzzed, and she grabbed it eagerly, hoping for a message from her dad.
Keilah frowned at the screen. It was a message, but not from her dad. A friend asking about homework, nothing more. She tossed the phone back onto the bed with a little grunt of frustration. "Where are you, Dad?" she whispered into the quiet room.
Keilah decided to head downstairs, the creak of the stairs echoing in the empty house. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten. "Might as well make something," she mumbled, pulling open the fridge door, the cold light spilling out.
Keilah settled onto the couch with a plate of hastily made sandwiches. The quiet of the house no longer felt oppressive, but peaceful. "Maybe I can enjoy this," she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips as she clicked on a movie.
The front door opened quietly, and Jeff, her dad, stepped inside, a weary look on his face fading into a smile as he saw Keilah. "Hey, kiddo," he said softly, closing the door behind him. "Hey, Dad," she replied, her earlier irritation forgotten in the warmth of his presence. As they settled into the living room, the silence was no longer uncomfortable but filled with the unspoken bond of understanding.
