When I arrived at my aunt's home, I wasn't surprised that nothing had changed. Not in the slightest. My aunt was a creature of strict habit and routine. A sign that says 'I love Jesus' shined on her white picket fence with golden angels hanging above it.
Mely's mother loved Jesus probably more than God himself. I had always firmly believed that my aunt should have ended up in a psych ward. Interestingly enough, my mother and I agreed on that part. She had attempted to refer her to my own doctor and therapist. I guess you can say crazy does run in the family...
Once Lucas pulled onto the driveway, my aunt was sitting on the porch, reading what appeared to be the bible. Initially, her face seemed angry as the beaming lights momentarily disrupted her reading, but then her expression suddenly changed.
"Lucas! How are you!" My aunt circled toward the driver's seat window. She seemed almost ecstatic, realizing it was Lucas in the car.
"Hey, Miss Julie." Lucas grinned tightly. He wasn't expecting my Aunt to practically run toward the car. She glanced past me and fixed her gaze on Lucas.
"It's so kind of you to bring my niece from the retreat so soon." Aunt Julie spoke with a flowery, polite tone, her voice carrying a sense of refinement and courtesy. Of course, I knew better. She was a prickle of thorns and a pain in my side.
"The retreat...Yes, of course," Lucas said, slowly catching on to the circle of lies that Mely had created. He knew there wasn't a retreat, and Mely wasn't actually as sweet and honest as everyone believed.
"Why are you returning so soon, Rachel?" Aunt Julie turned to me with questioning eyes.
"Rachel started feeling sick, and I was already driving past there, so I gave her a ride." Lucas attempted to answer smoothly but was filled with too many plot holes.
"How did you guys meet? It's only been a day, and you are already making friends so soon," She said doubtfully.
"Mely introduced us at the airport. He was there to pick up his uncle," I answered truthfully. This helped ease the tension that Lucas was clearly displaying. His grip on the steering wheel had finally loosened.
I had become almost an expert at lying by the time I left the hospital. If I knew anything about lying, you need to have a speck of truth sprinkled on. Nobody was going to believe a flat-out lie. Trust me, I figured that out the hard way. Unfortunately, it appeared that my dear friend Lucas did not have this skill.
"Oh, Robert is back from his trip from Romania! Please let him know we're hosting a fundraising at the Apple Autumn Festival next week!" She said excitedly.
"Of course. Um, what are you guys raising money for?" Lucas asked, his voice sounding highly suspicious. Internally, I wanted to smack my forehead, wishing I had never opened my mouth.
"For the church, of course," My Aunt said, almost surprised that he would even ask.
"Well, thanks for the ride, Lucas. I'll see you at school tomorrow." I immediately opened the door, carefully not stepping on any unknown shit. It was the perfect time to change the topic before this turned into another shit show.
"Thank you for bringing my niece, Lucas." My aunt said with a smile, then turned to me. Her smile had melted away, displaying a very annoyed demeanor. "Your room is not set up yet. I figured you would stay at the retreat a bit longer."
What she is trying to say is I had inconvenienced her yet again. If there were another alternative to making a quick buck, I would have been back to the psych ward. But unfortunately, my aunt had made poor financial choices and is now in my mother's debt.
"Say your goodbyes quickly. You have school tomorrow." She added before she left back toward the house.
"See you tomorrow. If you ever need a ride, don't hesitate to ask," He said with a genuine and warm smile. He was different from the many strangers I encountered in the city. I normally meet people like Cole, who are disgusting and rude.
"Sure, as long as you tell me who else is riding along," I said with a slight smirk. I definitely don't need a repeat of another awkward car ride.
"Don't worry. Every passenger is required to wear clothes in my vehicle from now on." He promised as a small laugh escaped.
Once he backed out from the driveway, I felt utterly alone again. I had only met Lucas briefly, but I would rather be wherever he was than this crazy family. Hell, I'll even deal with his roommate than be here.
"Rachel, it's time to come inside," My aunt hollered. I let out one loud, exasperated sigh before I returned to the personal hell my parents had created. Leaving me alone with my over-religious aunt and bitchy cousin was a chef-kiss idea on their part.
I don't plan to suffer. If anything, I will do everything in my power to stay out of my aunt and cousin's radar, or at least that's plan A...
My aunt woke up at 6:00 am. She played her Christian music loudly as if it were her own personal morning alarm. I blasted whatever song I was listening to protect myself from the screeching sound of my aunt attempting to sing "hallelujah."
I fell asleep to the soothing sound of melodies and meditation suggested by my therapist. If I knew I would have been using her technique this much, I probably would have thanked her instead of criticizing her at every session.
I wished I could say the plan of staying out of her radar was going great. It definitely was not. She came into my room with wide eyes and her face the color of tomato.
"GET UP! MELISSA HAS ALREADY LEFT TO SCHOOL, AND YOU ARE STILL IN BED," She snapped.
'Well, good morning to you...' My conscience thought bitterly, and I couldn't agree more.
"I'm going..." I yawned. If I had a nickel for every time I thought I would start the school year off right, I'd still have a nickel.
"Don't think I'm driving you to school either, Princess. I have told your mother I am neither your chauffeur nor my daughter." She sneered. Her yelling and hatred toward me completely numbed me. As my therapist would say, her anger is not towards me but her sister.
"Okay. Can I get dressed, or do you expect me to wear my PJs?"
"Don't get smart with me. You make sure your ass is on that bus."
"When does the bus get here?" I said, withholding another yawn that attempted to escape.
"Less than 5 minutes. So start running." She smirked as my jaw literally dropped.
'Fuck...'
'So, we're wearing our bunny slippers to school?
'Apparently so...'
A/N: Votes/ comments are appreciated it. :D
ČTEŠ
I Accidentally Shot a Werewolf and He Called Me Mate?
VlkodlaciRachel lived her life growing up seeing things that others couldn't. Her parents initially thought their daughter had a superior imagination and creativity than her typical peers. They were wrong. Rachel's imagination landed her to an endless lis...
