Michael Petrovic

News

Lilian
My step-aunt, Mari, has sat me down on our brown, leather couch. The only time we sit on this couch together is when there's some kind of news, just like when my mother died.

Mari sets her coffee down on the marble coffee table as she crosses her legs and faces me. Mari is what most people would call an "average" looking lady. She stands at an average height and has a bob hairstyle. She has dark brown hair that matches her dark brown eyes, and somewhat pale skin. She always wears this same red lipstick and you'll never see her without mascara on. She wears a tight dress all the time, the color could be black or red, sometimes dark blue, most of the time she'll just wear a tight, black knee-high length dress with black wedges.

She stares at me for quite some time, she seems to be in distress. She'll rub her sharp jawline and put her hair behind her ear. She does this when she's nervous about something. She crosses and uncrosses her legs, repeatedly.

I look up to see her dark eyes looking at me, once again. She sits up straighter and lies her hands on her boney knees. You can hear the crack in her elbow when she did so.

She clears her throat and grabs at the neck of her dress, pulling it down to stop it from choking her.

"Lil, I've been contacted from your charter, and they told me things I didn't want to hear," she shakes her head and looks at me with all sincerity, "You've failed almost every class you're in, and I get the sudden passing of your mother is a factor but, she died a year ago, you'll have to get over it. Never forget her but move on."

I just stare and wait for her to continue.

She clears her throat again. "So at that, I have no other choice but for you to leave until you get back on track, it isn't healthy for you here. Too many memories."

"But these are my memories that I'll forever hold and cherish. I don't want to leave," she looks kind of taken aback. I don't normally talk to her but when I do it's mostly small things. I don't think I've ever said a whole sentence to her before.

"Lilian, I'm sorry but you're going to my cousins house, he lives out of state and you'll be leaving tomorrow. His name is Michael Jackson Petrovic and I guarantee you'll like it there."

"No," I say as I stand up. She does the same and just as I was about to leave, she grabs my wrist and twists it so I can face her.

"You are going, end of discussion," she lets go of my wrist and harshly walks away. "Ungrateful brat."

I knit my eyebrows together as I try to process everything going on.

                          ♣️

"Wake up, Lilian," Mari says as she opens my bedroom door. She shuts my door and I hear her wedges get farther and father away from my door as they hit the wooden floor.

I lay in my bed for what seems like 3 minutes.

"Lilian, I said get up! Your plane takes off in 2 hours," Mari bangs on my door.

I get up and walk over to my dresser. I pull out a pair of black jeans and a random black long sleeved turtle neck. I grab my blue and black scarf and wrap it around my neck. I go to my closet to find a pair boots. I really need to go winter shopping. I make my way over to the left side of my closet where I keep my sweater. I grab my dark blue peacoat and set it on my bed. There's no need to wear it in the house.

I throw my black suitcase on my full sized bed. I grab all sorts of clothing and shoes throwing them in the suitcase. I grab my light blue robe with its matching slippers.