For Richer or For Poorer

Chapter 5: What are Bestfriends For?

I stayed up for the rest of the morning. By the time I left Nathan's house, the sun was coming out and my fingers were starting to prune up. My ponytail had transformed into a large puffball of curls, and I was a soggy, dripping mess when I finally made it the house.

Aunty Vera was thankfully nowhere to be found because I had to run past the kitchen to get to my room. That's where I met our house chef Angela for the first time. She took me in like I was an unwanted stray leaving a mess in her kitchen. Angela didn't say much beyond a polite 'Hello', but it was the stern, almost motherly look she gave me that made me scurry up to my room with more haste.

I was out late last night, and coming in at 6:30 in the morning wasn't exactly the best first impression to make. However, I was too busy trying to get to dry clothes to care. Leading a trail of water behind me, I quietly closed my door and peeled out of the wetness.

My suitcases were already, unpacked with my clothes neatly hanging in my closet. Someone had also come in to make my bed and tidy up while I was away. I wasn't sure how I felt about people rifling through my things, but I could definitely get used to being cared for like this. I didn't even have to lift a finger, yet everything was clean and ready for me like I was a guest at a hotel.

Picking the first things my hands came in contact with, I placed them on the bed and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. The chlorine from the pool left my skin feeling ashy and over-dried. While I showered, I thought about Nathan and how oddly interested he was in getting to know me. He had no concept of boundaries or personal space. Within less than an hour of knowing him, he'd already proclaimed us to be best friends. That was weird to me.

People in New York tended to stick to themselves. They didn't bother you, and if you had any sense, you wouldn't bother them either. I couldn't think of a time where I had ever made a friend that quickly, but I also couldn't think of a time where I had ever been that friendly to someone on purpose. My dad oughtta be proud. It was progress.

I let the water run over me for a while, enjoying the warmth it brought with it. I still wasn't sure there was a place for me here beyond the four walls of my room, but I was determined make a real effort before deciding on that.

    When I felt I was clean enough, I turned the nozzle on the wall to shut off the water. By now, the sun was sitting high up in the sky, bringing the whole house alive. I could hear the sounds of cooking, cleaning, and meditation music from all the way upstairs. It made me almost hesitant to leave the room. Back home, any sort of music played throughout the house by my dad usually meant that he was in a cleaning mood and I was his certified help. Now with a house full of people to do that for me, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do.

The clothes I picked out earlier laid neatly across the bed for me to claim. It was just a plain white tee and a pair of jeans. I put them on and soon made my way downstairs.

     Following the sounds of chimes softly dinging together, I made my way to my Auntie Vera. She sat cross legged in the middle of one of the show rooms. With her eyes closed, she hummed rhythmically to the beat. I watched Auntie Vera quietly, observing how calm and centered she was. Her curly fro piled onto her shoulders like a puffy cloud. She was peaceful.

     As if she sensed my presence, Auntie Vera's eyes suddenly opened with a smile. She stretched her neck and beckoned for me to come over with a wave of her hand.

    "There's my beautiful niece."

   "Hey Auntie."

   "Oh please child," she scoffed "call me Vera. I'm still cool enough to be down."