𝕭𝖚𝖎𝖑𝖙 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖓 ✧ American Horror Story

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕺𝖓𝖊: 𝙰 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚑 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝

✧

The gentle purr of the car engine filled the Bishops' ears as they embarked on their journey to their potential new home. Low-volume music played, providing a calming backdrop to Ophelia's racing thoughts. Her father, Joey, diligently followed the GPS instructions, guiding them to their destination. The car ride remained quiet, and Ophelia found herself lost in contemplation, her forehead resting against the cool car window. She watched as the passing trees and cityscape blurred in her vision, lost in her own world of introspection.

Absentmindedly, she flicked a rubber band on her wrist, a coping mechanism for the negative thoughts plaguing her mind. The weight of leaving her old house and friends behind for college was overwhelming. Starting a new chapter felt like an insurmountable challenge; she lacked the energy and enthusiasm for it. Even getting out of bed that morning had felt like a miracle.

As they crossed over the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, breaking the silence, her father finally spoke, "Isn't it beautiful?" Joey admired the breathtaking scenery, stealing a brief glance at his daughter.

Ophelia lifted her head off the glass, taking in the scenic view before forcing a smile. "Yeah, it is," she replied, though her mind remained preoccupied with worries. "It's so green compared to Vegas... I wonder how many people have jumped off this thing," Ophelia mused, her thoughts drifting to darker aspects of the iconic landmark.

"That's dark," Joey chuckled lightly at her morbid curiosity.

Ophelia shrugged, returning her attention to the lush greenery surrounding them. The sight of so much nature and vegetation was refreshing compared to the desert she grew up in. The car continued in silence for a while longer before eventually pulling into the driveway of the prospective house. It appeared improved since their last visit, with fresh paint, new shutters, and gutters. Although there were still some broken windows, those could be addressed in due time.

Her eyes caught sight of the "In Escrow" sign on the lawn as their car came to a stop. "This is it," Joey exhaled, pulling his keys out of the ignition and turning to his daughter. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Ophelia nodded, though uncertainty lingered in her heart. Marcy, the realtor, greeted them with a friendly wave from the porch. The two of them climbed out of the car and approached her. Small talk flowed between the realtor and her father as Marcy unlocked the front door, holding it open for them to enter. The house was undoubtedly beautiful, but Ophelia felt a mix of intrigue and uncertainty swirling within her. The energy of the place seemed to wash over her, and as a superstitious person since childhood, a shiver ran up her spine. She shook off the eerie feeling, though the house still gave her the heebie-jeebies.

"It's the finest Queen Anne on the market. Venetian chandeliers, original moldings. The stained glass is some of the only of its kind that survived the great quake," Marcy explained, proudly pointing out the house's remarkable features.

"Gay?" Ophelia asked, glancing around at the interior with a hint of curiosity.

"Sweetheart, it's San Francisco; they're all gay," Marcy replied with a playful grin, eliciting an eye roll from Ophelia. Joey noticed the interaction and had to suppress a laugh.

Moving through the house, Marcy guided them into the kitchen, and Ophelia took in the original features with some modern updates. "Do you cook?" she inquired, directing her question to Joey.

"Opie here is a great cook. I got her cooking lessons a few years ago for her birthday, and she ended up teaching the teacher a few things," Joey said, patting his daughter's shoulder with pride.

"Cooking lessons. Nice. And you're a psychologist?" Marcy continued her inquisitive line of conversation.

"Psychiatrist. You mentioned something on the phone about there being a study upstairs that I could use as a home office? I'm planning on seeing patients here so I can spend more time with my daughter," Joey explained his intentions for the space.