Soon

Chapter Fifteen

Though I'm still under surveillance, my mother has decided it's fitting for me to return to school. Now here I am, before the mirror, watching a shell of a girl. The pieces slowly falling back to into place, but this time the puzzles different. Pieces changed. I am not the same, I've come to accept this, but my family has not. 

My eyes swept over my outfit, a simple black summer dress. With one last glance at the mirror, I headed downstairs. As I drew closer, I heard mothers voice. High pitched, and worried, yet eerily calm. While still out of sight I tucked myself into a corner.

"I know, I know. John listen to me." Annoyance filled her voice.

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"It's not a good time. She's been through a lot."

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"I don't even want her in school. You talked me into it. She's too damaged. Abigail needs someone to watch her. "

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"I'm not. You haven't seen her. This has changed her. She's acting different. She just needs to go back into the mold of her past self, before this."

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"John-"

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"John. This isn't happening. She'll be here any minute."

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"I swear to god if you do anything, I'm shipping her off to boarding school."

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"I don't care that she's graduating."

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"It doesn't matter that she's turning eighteen today."

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"She's my daughter. WHile she lives under my roof, she does as I say."

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"Goodbye John," she said angrily.

I gasped. The thought of my birthday had slipped from my mind. I leaned against the wall, slightly shaken at my mother's hostility. Taking in shaky breaths, I attempted to calm myself. After a few moments, I entered. Giving a feeble smile, I headed for the door. 

"Happy birthday honey," my mother said sweetly. Resisting the urge to gag, I stopped. "Thanks," I said in an oddly calm voice. How could she act like that never happened? How can she go from a conversation like that into such a calm state, though her appearance said otherwise. Her hair was in knots, the eye bags had only grown, and now wrinkles had appeared on her forehead.

"Who's John," I asked cautiously. Mothers eyes bolted upwards meeting mine. Alarm flicker throughout them. "What," she croaked. "John," I repeated. "I heard you yell his name while upstairs." "Oh," she sighed at my lie. "Just a-uh friend, yeah friend." I raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Bye," I muttered, as I headed for the door. "Have a nice day," she called after me. I opened the door, to meet a gray sky. 

Taking a breath, I began walking.