I Almost Killed My Crush's Mom

Chapter 32:: Mango Smoothies

Here goes.

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"You're looking for Miss Hall?" The Butler frowns at me; probably wondering what a girl like me is doing in a place like this. His outfit is a navy buttoned shirt with a red bow tie, and he looks around the age of fifty, his hair thinning on his head. His smart get up and job description seem to fit right into his surroundings though. The foyer of Rita's mansion screams wealth. The floors are marble under my dirty flip flops, and a large set of stairs is opposite me, carpeted in red. The ceilings are high, and there's a statue to my left. It's what I imagine the White House looks like inside.

"Yeah I am, is Rita in?" I ask The Butler (his nametag reads Harrison), shuffling awkwardly.

"I'll see if I can locate her for you," Harrison nods, a permanent indent forming between his eyebrows due to my presence. He slowly waltzes to a set of doors on the left, leaving me alone and waiting. I knew Rita was rich, but I didn't know she was this rich. I feel so out of place here. I stare up at the high ceilings and chandeliers, wondering how much a house like this must cost. All I know is that my house, which is a pretty decent size anyway due to having 3 children, must be a fraction of the cost of this house. I wonder what Rita's parents do for a living.

"Lois?"

I glance to the side, to see Rita emerging from the same set of doors the butler left from. Her hair isn't loose around her shoulders like it usually is, but has been cut into a short, choppy jaw length bob with bangs. She looks...different. Not her usual, glamorously girly self: more sassy and unique. I actually love the look on her. Rita seems to notice my surprise and awe, and she smiles slightly as she approaches, before stopping a few feet away from me. Her smile disappears and she looks nervous all of a sudden. "Hi Lois..."

"Hi," I gulp, "Um...nice place you have here. Really nice."

"Yeah I guess it is," Rita nods uncomfortably, "Do you want to come up to my room to chat? It's a bit more private....even though no one is here but Harrison." She looks at me for approval, and I nod. Hesitantly, I begin to follow her up the carpeted stairs, making sure to slip off my dirty flip flops before even glancing at the no doubt expensive carpet. It's so strange to think of Rita living here, being alone in such a huge house. How does she do it? Despite the luxury of a place like this...I still think I prefer living in my cosy, noisy and always messy house. Although, if Rita has a hot tub I may reconsider that thought.

I follow her up the stairs in silence, and along a corridor to a white set of double doors. The silence between us isn't awkward...it's just foreboding. We both know that we need to talk things out.

I'm not sure if Rita and I will still have a friendship after this conversation, though.

Rita opens the double doors carelessly, and I find myself standing in Rita's bedroom. It's different to how I thought it might look: definitely not what I expected. A large double bed stands in the centre, with a chest and a plasma TV opposite. Apart from that- there's not much else, excluding some fancy mirrored wardrobes and a door which I assume must lead to an en-suite. My gaze falls over the empty surfaces in confusion, before landing onto a trashcan in the corner of the room. In the overflowing trashcan, I see jewellery, stray pieces of clothing and an array of stuffed animals. "What's going on?" I ask Rita quietly, gesturing to the trashcan.

"I'm re-decorating," Rita shrugs, "I don't like my room anymore." She walks over to her bed to sit on the edge of it, peering around at the empty walls and surroundings.

"You can talk to me you know," I mumble, "The redecorating, the haircut...what's going on?"

"I'm just getting a little fed up with the person I was," Rita sighs, "Don't get me wrong: I love shoes, and fancy designer clothes, and having boys in my life. I'm just over deceiving, lying and hurting people. The Rita Hall I became? She played with one of her best friend's feelings, to get closer to a boy. Before all of this drama, I would never have done that. Never. I didn't care enough about boys to chase after them, and yet, I sort of had a soft spot for Jesse. I chased after him, and hurt you, just trying to spend more time with him. I don't want to be that person anymore. I need to change."