First Challenge for Project Writeway: 150 words

I'm participating in a writing contest on Throwing Up Words. The first challenge was to submit 150 words of a novel. I submitted the beginning of my latest novel, Not of This World. There were 60 entries and I made the top 14 to go on to the next challenge. Thank you to all my family and friends who voted. My pen name was Nicole Shanti. Here's my submission:

            You can learn a lot from listening. And it’s safer.
            So I don’t ask. I don’t speak. I leave the form on the kitchen counter for Mom to notice later when I’m not around.
            Her back is to me as she leans towards the computer screen as though her need to hear from Chris will produce an e-mail. Her shoulders droop and the click of the mouse signals that she’s moved on to searching the internet for stories on the latest natural disaster.
            I spread peanut butter onto slices of Mom’s wheat bread.
            “Marti. We’re waiting,” Dad calls from the front room.
             I plop on the peach jam, flip the top slices on, and stuff the sandwiches in bags.
            “Now.”
        With a pop, I open a lunch sack, and drop my sandwich inside. Mom doesn’t flinch. She won’t join us until she’s sure the world hasn’t ended, yet.