To Us

15

Kris' POV

It's been a while since I was last here. Cosmos, the City I was born in. The city that almost three years ago I literally ran away from. I booked into the best hotel this city has to offer and right now looking down from the balcony, I have to say it is a beautiful city. It is very green, mountainous, and has magnificent, creative buildings. It is the only place I have ever called home and also the only place I never ever want to live in again. I came here two days ago and I realize now that I am very good at running away from my problems, just like I did three years ago. Right now I am justifying my running away with the fact that I am here to fix some of my old problems so that's got to count.

Two days ago Alex drove me to my house and he actually carried me to my room. I was drunk but not that drunk, and I planned on getting some sleep then finishing my last two days of school before going on for our one month holiday. However, when Alex said goodbye, telling me he would come check on me later he also said something that changed everything for me. He told me he loved me. I was shocked to say the least, I mean I want to be loved but it just shocked me. That's not the reason why I left though, why I ran away. What scared me enough to bring me back here was the fact that had I been any drunker I would have told Alex that I love him too. It might sound ridiculous, stupid but if you were me you would understand that, that is a big thing. The only time I ever tell the truth or bare my heart out is when I am drunk. Any other time, I can control my emotions and reactions, or at least pretend I can.

When I woke up that afternoon, a few hours later and I realized I hadn't been dreaming, I quickly showered, packed my bags and booked a late flight to come here, one thousand and fifty miles away from Alex. I came here, partly to see if I can lay to rest some old skeletons and mostly to remind myself of why I ran away in the first place, to remind myself of the person I am and the person I am not. My phone rings again for probably the fifth time this morning, I know who it is and as much as I want to hear his voice, I know I won't have anything to say to him, just empty lies that will only kill me inside. I let it go to voicemail, soon my mailbox will be full and I won't be tortured by the hurt that is in his voice.

There is a knock at the door and I am guessing it is room service, bringing my breakfast. I am hungry so I don't delay.

"Good mor...." I stop when I see who is standing at my door. I quickly shut the door but she stops me before I can close it.

"I heard you are in town." She smiles at me.

"You heard wrong." My step-mother is dressed richly as always and like always I am not happy to see her.

"Don't be so rude Kris. Let me in."

"What do you want?" I ask her already feeling a headache coming on.

"To talk. We need to talk, to discuss a few things. Trust me, I know you don't like me and I wouldn't be here if I really didn't have to be."

I don't really want her to come in. I don't want to talk to her, but I also know that eventually I am going to have to and the sooner I do it the better for all of us involved. She is a beautiful woman, had I met her some other way, another time I probably would have liked her. However our circumstances make it impossible to even stand looking at her or being in the same room as her. In my opinion she started everything, everything that ruined my family, everything that ruined me. She started it, the both of them, her and her husband, my father.

Eventually I move to the side and let her in. She heads for the couches and I think I should have booked a bigger suit to accommodate her gigantic plastic boobs.

"How did you know I was here?" I ask her as I cross my arms and settle on the couch opposite her.

"Not going to offer me a drink first?" She asks and I roll my eyes at her. I don't say anything, while I wait for her to speak.

After what seems like a lifetime she eventually opens her mouth.

"I actually own this hotel."

"Good to see my grandparent's money is going to good use."

"It's also your fathers. Considering that while your grandparents were building their empire he was there with them. Makes me wonder why they left you anything."

"So you don't deny being a gold-digger?"

"Gold diggers use money for their own needs, I married rich and I am actually investing the money. Grow up and get over it." She retorts.

"What do you want form me Ruby? If you want me to leave your precious building I will do it immediately. I don't need a personal escort." I say standing up.

"Actually I do. But not in the way you suspect. Your father asked me to ask you to come home."

Rude as it might be I burst into laughter. He wants me to come to his house? Which he is calling home, home for who? That man and his wife never seem to stop amazing me with their infinite supply of stupidity.

"You can laugh all you want, but you know as well as I do that a lot has to be discussed, particularly with your grandfathers will. We will keep on contacting you until we discuss the will since you are the major benefactor. The sooner you want us out of your life, the sooner you should meet up with us." She tells me standing up herself.

"And who exactly is this 'us' you keep on referring to?"

"Your family and your grandfathers lawyer." She smirks. Obviously so proud at having called her son my family.

"My family died in case you forgot. I am all too happy to remind you of the events that lead to their death."

"Don't worry, I remember, unfortunate things do happen."

"Get out, right now." I shout at her. Giving me one of her most evil smirks she makes her way to the door, turns around giving me a small wave and walks out. A few seconds later my phone buzzes in my hand. There's a text from her. *Your father and I will be awaiting your visit*

You know there are some stories that always make the step-mother evil, when I was growing up my mother always told me that it wasn't always the case, that sometimes step-mothers were just as good as birth mothers. How ironic that I got just the exact opposite.