-FLASHBACK-
Eight Years Ago
"Keep your head up. Becky!" Dad exclaimed. "People want to see you!"
"Leave her alone, Richard. She's shy. She doesn't like looking into people's eyes." Mom defended.
Dad gave her a dirty look. "It's because of you. She's shy because of you. Both of you can't look into someone's eyes, without getting scared of something.
"But-" I started.
"Shut it,Shy." Dad sneered. "You're so annoying."
"Can we leave?" Mom requested. "There are too many people here. Becky will get scared."
"Scared, of what?!" Dad yelled, attracting the attention of everyone in the party hall. "It's like something bad will happen when you look at someone! Why are you guys like this?! I didn't marry you, because you're shy!"
"Richard!" Mom whisper-yelled. "Out." She took my hand. and Dad's arm. dragging us out.
When we got outside. Dad scolded Mom. "Nicole, you're hiding something from me, aren't you? Why're you such a scaredy-cat?"
"What would I be hiding?" Mom asked. "I have nothing to hide. "
"You're weird!" Dad threw his arms up in frustration. "It's like you're shy around everyone, except for me and Becky. Do you have a psychological problem I don't know about? Fear of people?"
"I have nothing like that. Richard." Mom replied. "Becky, get inside the car."
I worriedly got into the car. I had no idea what was wrong with me or my mom. Why is she so scared to look into peoples' eyes? Why am I so scared to look into peoples' eyes?
"Just drive," Mom told Dad.
The drive was silent. and no one said a word. I spotted Dad giving Mom dirty looks, but I ignored both of them.
Soon enough, we pulled up by our small townhouse. There was a man outside, standing by our door.
"Hi." Dad smiled at the man, completely changing personalities. "Do I know you?"
He shook his head. "I just moved next door. I'm your new neighbor. I was leaving cookies by your door, but I saw you came in time."
"Oh." Dad said, shaking the man's hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Richard Armstrong. This is my wife Nicole."
The man introduced himself as Patrick. then turned to me. "Hi there, little one. What's your name?"
I looked down. "Becky A-"
"Look into his eyes and tell him Becky." Dad demanded.
I hesitantly looked up at him, seeing Patrick's hazel eyes. "My name is Becky,Becky Armstrong." Suddenly. I gasped and stopped talking.
There was a voice in my head. It was Patrick's voice. My passport is fake. and I am an illegal immigrant.
"You're an illegal immigrant?" I asked Patrick.
His eyes widened and he stared at me, then looked at my parents. "W- What? Why would I be an illegal immigrant?"
Mom picked me up and brought me into the house. "We'll see you later,Patrick. Nice meeting you."
Dad stormed inside. "Illegal immigrant?! Where'd you get that from?! Becky, that's disrespectful!"
"It's not her fault!" Mom shouted.
"Not her fault?!" Dad countered. "She said it without any context!"
"But. I heard him say it." I told them. "It was him. I didn't see him say it. But, his voice said it to me."
"What is this bullshit. Nicole?! Is this what you've been teaching her?! I need a normal daughter and wife! Not two idiots, who assume random things about random people!"
"We're both in a situation. Richard!" Mom screamed. "YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND!"
"Then, explain it to me, so I will understand."
"I can't tell you!" Mom looked like she was about to cry. "I can't, and I will never! You'll never know because you're not the right person!"
"Oh. Lord. why did I marry you?!" Dad yelled. "You can't even tell me things, so what's the point?!"
"Then, let's separate. I'm sure Becky will be okay with that. I'll take her with me. You don't need her, and she doesn't need you."
Dad looked at the two of us. looking like he wanted to explode. "So, you want a divorce." He threateningly took a step towards Mom.
"Yes." Mom replied. She didn't look afraid of him.
Dad ran at her.
I ran between them. "Stop!"
"Get out of the way!" Mom pushed me away. and I fell on the floor.
Dad slapped Mom across the face, and she collapsed. I ran to her, wrapping my small arms around her.
"You two should just go die." he growled, then went upstairs.
Mom was crying, and I didn't know what to do. so I cried with her. I don't know what was going inside my head, and why Mom was so protective over it.
"Mom!" I cried. "I'm sorry! I don't what happened! But, I really did hear his voice. Mom I heard it! He told me that he was an illegal immigrant, and I thought he was really saying it but Dad said he didn't say it at all! It was in my head! It happens all the time! It happens whenever I look into a new person's eyes! That's why I'm so shy! I never told you, because I was scared you'd think I'm weird!"
"Becky it's not your fault. You're not weird." Mom assured. her tears still falling. "I never told you this, but make sure you listen. Okay?"
"Huh?" I sniffed, waiting for her to say it.
"Becky, you have an ability." she explained. "A
very strange ability. I have it too. So, I'm scared to look into people's eyes, too."
"What ability?" Dad called from upstairs. "Get to sleep, you imbeciles!"
Mom turned to me. "Becky, I promise to tell you everything, okay? I need the right time. for you to find out. I don't have much time either way, so I'll tell you soon."
She went upstairs, leaving me on the floor.
-END OF FLASHBACK-
Present
I opened my eyes, sighing. It was the first day of school. I took a bath and put on my school uniform, then gasped. The skirt was shorter than the school allowed it to be.
I checked the size, then groaned, seeing Catrina got me an XX-Small. Geez. I'm skinny, but this is too much.
I looked at myself in the small mirror on the wall. The plaid dark blue skirt was already annoying, and the thick cardigan made it worse. And my legs were completely bare, so you can see the huge scar on my knee.
I could only imagine how bad I would look next to those pretty girls. I examined my body. seeing how visible the ugly scar on my leg was. I bet those girls work out a lot. Unlike me, whose curves are so small, they're almost nonexistent.
I went downstairs. looking at Catrina, who was reading a newspaper. "Umm. My skirt is too short. Do you have any tights?"
"Catrina!" Paul yelled. "I told you! Becky is tall! She needs a bigger size! Her skirt is too short! What're we supposed to do?!"
"I didn't know." Catrina shrugged. "It's not like she tells me what size she wears. Just leave it. It's not a big deal. Sorry,Becky. I don't have tights for you.
"It is a big deal!" Paul shouted. "She can't wear anything, three inches above her knees! It's school policy! Did you not consider that?!"
I wasn't paying attention to their arguing. There was only one thought in mind.
No eye contact. I told myself. No eye contact. Look down at all times. No dark secrets getting uncovered today.
"Just talk to the principal for today." Catrina sighed. "He'll understand if we tell him we got a smaller size. "
Paul groaned. "Fine." He went upstairs, which made Catrina look at me.
"Look,Becky." She motioned me to come closer to her, and I did. She got up taking my shoulders, and looking into my eyes. "You are just here as an excuse. Okay? You're here because Richie isn't smart enough to keep our money high. You're smart, so we're spending money on your education. You're worthless, other the fact that you're our money-maker for the future, after Paul and I retire. "
I glared at her. I swear I was about to punch her. It was nice to glare at her like that, without hearing her bratty voice. But, at the same time. I wish I can hear all of her dark secrets just to embarrass her. But, I heard the darkest one, and it stopped at that.
"What's with that stare?" she growled. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
I nodded. looking away. "I understand. "
"Becky!" Richie hugged me. "Good luck!"
I laughed at him. "You too. Don't be a bad kid. Listen to your teachers. Make some new friends. Okay?"
"That'll be easy for him,Becky." Catrina snickered. "A lot easier than you'll have it. We'll be leaving soon. Richie's coming with me, and Becky is going with Paul. "
"Awwwww." Richie whined. "I want to go with Becky!"
"Richie, one of you'll be late if we drop both of you off at school." Paul called from the living room.
"Or, we can just drop off Richie first, and then drop off Becky. That way. Richie won't be late," Catrina suggested.
Paul sighed, walking into the kitchen. "No. We'll just drop them off separately like planned. "
"Okay, then." Catrina agreed, motioning Richie out the door. "Bye. Paul. We have a meeting at the new building, in an hour."
Paul nodded. "I know. Let's go,Becky."
I got in the car, sitting down. I buried my face in the phone immediately, not wanting to look outside.
"Why do I feel like you're hiding something. Becky?" Paul asked. backing out of the garage. "It's like you can't even talk to me like I'm your real dad.
"You're not my real dad." I replied, looking at Taylor Swift's Instagram. "That's exactly why I don't talk to you like one. Richie told me the same thing, yesterday. That I'm hiding something. I'm not hiding anything."
"I know I'm not your biological dad," he told me. "But, you should at least try to act like you're a part of this family. We adopted you for a reason."
"You adopted me for a reason. Not Catrina. Do you even know her? She hates me. She loves Richie because he's her biological son. Not here. Just drop me off, and leave it. Paul."
"Since we adopted you, there hasn't been one time, you called us your parents. No Mom. No Dad. That's only for your real parents."
I scoffed. "Exactly,because they're my real parents."
Paul sighed, and focused on the wheel. "Here's your stop,Becky." He stopped in front of it.
It was a lot bigger than I thought. I saw the students walking into the school, and I got out of the car.
"Have a nice day,Becky." Paul told me. "I'll be talking to the principal about your uniform situation."
I gave him a forced smile. "Okay, bye."
When he drove off. I turned to school, taking a deep breath. Head down. No eye contact. No dark secrets uncovered.
- Your innocent author P.D