Burnt Skies

Broken

I stare out the window at the endless rows of corn zipping past. Watching the raindrops trickle down the window I sigh. This is my life now. Nothing but freaking corn and "life changing fresh air" as my mother put it.

My mom and dad thought sending me to live with my Great Aunt Beth in the boondocks of Wisconsin would do me good. It was either this or they were kicking me out and I would have to fend for myself. I guess when you're 20 years old it's not really frowned upon for your parents to kick you out. I had no where to go. No friends. No money. So I boarded a plane at the LAX airport and tried to accept my fate.

"Honey please! Just tell me why you are so angry? What has gotten into you!? We are so worried about you!" My mother sobs as she tries to grab me in her loving arms.
"Get off of me! I'm fine! I don't know why you always have to be so far up my ass all the time!" I spit in her face.

I'm thrown back into reality when the car hits a bump while turning down a long gravel road. The road is lined with beautiful oak trees on either side. The tops of the leaves meet in the middle, creating a canopy effect. I won't lie, it's beautiful. But not beautiful enough to break me out of my funk.

"Welcome home!" Aunt Beth gushed. I know she's excited that I'm here. Shes been wanting me to come visit ever since I was a small child, but I would always turn her down saying that I'm a city girl, not a country girl.

I look at my surroundings; the house is big and beautiful. White plantation style with chickens roaming the yard and 2 black labs barking. Behind the house is a big barn that holds horses, I only know this because my aunt wouldn't stop talking about them the entire way home.
. . .
The inside of the house is even more beautiful than I thought it would be; 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, a kitchen that Martha Stewart would kill for, and a living room with a big stone fireplace.

Settling into my room I check my phone. No service of course. Not that it would matter, I have no friends, no one was going to be checked in on me, making sure I was okay, wondering where I have been.

"Juliet!! Dinner time!" Beth yells from the bottom of the stairs. I didn't realize how hungry I was until she called for me. My stomach growls as I open the door and a delicious smell hits me in the face.
. . .
Dinner with Beth and her husband, Stewart, was quite boring. Beth wouldn't stop talking and Stewart wouldn't say a word just kept his head down and enjoyed his beef stew. I kinda like the guy.

"... oh and Penny said she could get you a job at the diner.... if you were interested that is." I wasn't paying any attention to what my aunt had been saying. I give her a blank look and she repeats herself. "I was talking with Penny, a waitress at Dellah's Diner, she said her mom would be more than thrilled to have another waitress. You know it's the best spot in town for chicken and pies!"

"Oh uh, yea I'll think about it. Thanks" I mumble back pushing my carrots around on my plate. I catch a quick exchange between Beth and Stewart. I feel guilty. I wish I could be more chipper, give her the reaction I know she was hoping for. But that part of me is dead, well "broken" as my therapist said.

I sigh, "Actually, I think that might be good for me."I lie, forcing a small smile to my face. It was apparently convincing enough because Beth's face broke into a beaming smile, the kind that makes your eyes crinkle and twinkle.

. . .
I look at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My usual creamy, white, skin is red and raw from my scalding shower. I rip a brush through my tangled, dirty blonde, hair and stare into my icy, blue eyes.  I guess you could consider me pretty, not that I ever feel it anymore. I'm average height and weight, with cheek bones that sit too high, a button nose, and full cherry red lips.

I finish my skincare routine and climb into bed. I quickly check my Instagram thanks to Beth giving me the WiFi password. I have one DM from an obviously fake account "You're such a slut, I know why...." I don't even bother to open the message, just quickly delete it and turn my phone off.

My parents have given her a debit card to use for emergency purposes, so tomorrow we are going to be getting me a new phone that'll get service in this area. And a new phone means a new number, which will be good for me.

My parents are both so kind and loving. My dad successfully owns his own business consultant company and my mother is a speech therapist for children 12 and under. I know my actions have hurt them and they only want what is best for me, but they don't know what happened and I will never tell them.

I don't want to fall asleep because I know there will be nightmares. There's always a bad dream. But after traveling all day and trying to put on a good face for Beth and Stewart I am exhausted.