HEY! I'm back with another chapter, so I hope y'all enjoy it. (: There may be some grammatical and spelling errors here and there, but I'll come back and edit it soon. Sorry that it is only 1500 words though, I was going to make it super long but then did not have time.
Dedicated to @tia111 because I love how she always comments on my chapters and her book is awesome. (:
Alright, so here comes the chapter... :D
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Betsy looked at me with a queer look and said, "Yes, I know the reason why she hates you so much and the reason is that your mother was adopted, if she hasn't told you already before."
My jaw slacked open and I was speechless, all my life I had thought my mother and aunt were sisters. Never had I ever thought that something like this would ever be told to me and I felt a little hurt that my parents had never told me this. I mean, it was something important, wasn't it? I looked at Betsy and saw that she was looking at me expectantly, as if expecting me to say something. I opened my mouth and tried to say something, but nothing came out.
"She never told you this?" Betsy asked while looking at me with her eyebrows scrunched together, as if tring to figure out something.
I shook my head.
"The thing is, your grandmother always treated your mother as if she was her own child and your aunt could not tolerate it. That's what my mother told me, she worked in this house when your mom was a little child. So, yeah..." Betsy trailed off.
I asked, "but... isn't that how people should treat their adopted children? Aren't adopted children meant to be treated as if they are your own child?"
"Mia, your mother was beautiful and was always at the top of the class. Wherever she walked, it was as if the clouds parts to reveal sunlight and that was why everyone loved her. She was actually one of the most popular person in her class, while your aunt was, well... She was the exact opposite, no one liked her. That's what my mom told me, your mother always seemed to have everything she ever needed in life. It is actually understandable for your aunt to dislike your mother for that reason.
"So, jealousy is the reason why my aunt dislikes my side of the family so much? Just jealousy, that's a little stupid in my opinion. Why does she hate me though?"
"Because you remind her of--" Betsy suddenly stopped and faked a cough, "-- I cannot tell you this now."
I looked at her, confused and even more curious than before. "Of whom? Who do I remind her of?" I questioned.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you..." Betsy said with a truly apologetic look on her face.
"Why? I don't understand, I really want to know!" I demanded while getting more and more frustrated.
"Sorry, but no. You're supposed to go back to your room right now, but I want to tell you that there is going to be a party next week in the ball room and you are supposed to help prepare for it." She said with a frown on her face, looking a little upset.
I nodded and said, "Fine, be that way. See you later alligator!" and walked out of the room. I headed towards my basement while my head was whirling with thoughts. I started running, because running always clears my thoughts. I was so close to finding out the reason why my aunt disliked me so much, so close! Frustration was all I felt now.
Suddenly I ran into something hard and I jumped back, my heart beating rapidly. I saw a floral patterned shirt and when I brought my gaze upwards, I realized it was my aunt. I quickly said, "greetings, Mrs. Sterner."
My aunt frowned at me and made a motion with her hands as if telling me to bow, I bowed, not wanting to cause any trouble. It was ridiculous that my aunt would want me to bow at her, it is not the 19th century, for heaven's sake.
She said, "Hey, I would like to inform you that we're going to have a party next week and you're supposed to help out with the preparations. You cannot join the party though, because I don't want anyone of my friends and acquaintances to know that you exist. In fact, you should think of yourself as someone who does not exist at all. Understand?"
I blurted out before I could think of the consequences of saying this, "Then why are you adopting me if you don't want anyone to know about me? Do I look like someone who deserves this treatment? Just because you hate my mom for being treated nicely even though she was adopted does not mean you have to treat me this way in response to your hate for her. My mom deserves to be treated right because she's a good person, unlike you!"
My aunt's normal calm demeanor changed rapidly, contorted by anger. Her eyes narrowed and shot daggers at me, "How dare you insult me? You don't know what your mother did to me and I don't plan on letting you know anytime soon, I hate your mother and you remind me of her. I hate you with every figment of myself and you do not deserve nice treatment, the only reason I'm taking my time filling out adoption papers and everything for you is because my own mother made me promise that I would take care of you before she passed away. Go, go back to your room and don't come out until dinnertime."
"Wouldn't I be of more use if I helped with lunch preparations and everything?"
"No, I want you to be alone in your room with nothing to do for the next few hours so that you can think over everything and hopefully die of boredom. I saw your laptop in your room and took it away. Boredom, I have heard, is the worst form of punishment. So you'll be locked in that room for the next few hours." My aunt pointed in the direction of my room, as if telling me to go there, and then left. I let out a sigh and relief and went into my basement.
Soon, I was on my bed with my arms propped on a pillow that was placed on my crossed legs. My mind was whirling with a million thoughts. I was so very curious about what my mother had done to my aunt to make her hate me so much, why I remind her of someone, and who that someone is. I sighed and looked at my green closet, counting the number of cracks on the wood and losing count many times.
Suddenly I saw a golden light from the corner of my eyes, I looked and saw that it was my journal that was the source of the light that illuminated the whole room. I felt scared for a second and shrank back from it. I was afraid that this was going to be another thing that would change my life and possible for the worse.
All of a sudden, I felt a strong urge to take the notebook. I felt as if someone had tied a rope to my hands and was pulling them towards the notebook.
I tried drawing my hand back and could not, my hands were getting closer and closer to the notebook.
Then, I was touching the notebook.
I felt myself being lifted off of the ground and I knew that I was going to go back to the magical world that I was in yesterday. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the sensation of wind blowing through my hair. Suddenly I felt myself on a hard bed with the sun shining in my face, I opened one of my eyes and was momentarily blinded by the light.
A person with a musical voice suddenly exclaimed, "Finally! She's awake, wow, she's a heavy sleeper. It took me like ten years to wake her up. Fawaz, come here!"
"She's awake? It took only around ten minutes to wake her up by the way, not ten. You and your exaggerations... We finally can start out journey, let's head to your place first though," said Fawaz while panting as if he had just came back from a run.
I opened both of my eyes and looked at the vastness that stretched above me, indescribably beautiful. Like a calm sea, its color was clear and bright, full to the brim with life. Some birds flew across it, singing in glory while I looked at the magnificence of the skies for a few moments.
The beautiful moment was shattered when Fawaz shouted in my ear, "get up! We have to go now!"
I jumped up, my heart beating rapidly and snapped, "You don't have to shout in my ear."
"Oh sorry but not sorry, lets go," said Fawaz while grabbing my hand and pulling me up.
And so that was the start of our journey to the forest keeper's house, I smiled to myself as I thought of my aunt who thought I was still alone in the basement, dying from boredom.
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Sorry that this was so short! I hope you liked it anyways and I promise that the next chapter will be extra long, hehe.
Don't forget to VOTE AND COMMENT!
PS: I won't update until I get at least 15 votes because my votes have gone down recently... :(
The amazing cover by the side is made by @weneedcatnip