Hello my lovelies!
welcome back to all those who read the first version and a warm welcome to the newcomers! first of all i can not apologise enough for dropping off like that with this story, i had written myself into a rut and had no clue as to how to get out! but i had so many plans and ideas that i have decided to rewrite this and try and make what i had dreamed this to be. i am a better writer than years ago and i hope that that shows with this story. unfortunately updates will be sporadic but i will try to keep them close, as i have just started university and will be busy with classes and work.
now you may realise while reading this that there are some changes from the original. i have done that for a reason, and expect much more to change with the rest of the story, all for the better i hope! the second chapter is almost finished and will hopefully be up soon.
now go and enjoy! and please tell me what you think of this version!
As I usually did most mornings, I awoke to the sun trickling through the traitorous curtains that hung in the guest room I had claimed for the duration of my stay at my grandparents' house. I grumbled and rolled over, dragging my multiple blankets over my head and curling up. It was quite a glorious effort, I would say, trying to fall back asleep. But alas I could hear bustling and chatter in the kitchen and a rumbling of cars outside. Groaning about the unfairness of the world to my poor teenage sensibilities, I extracted my hand from the blanket cocoon and fumbled on the side table for my phone, flipping it open to read the time: 10:16am. Ugh, I flopped back onto my pillow and very nearly dropped the poor old flip phone. Well, no point in staying here now. I stretched, effectively kicking off my blanket, scratching the itch on my chest that had been bugging me, fingers catching slightly on a necklace, and promptly rolled out of bed.
Breakfast that morning was like it usually had been for my stay in Canada since late November, it was mid December now. Nanna was already starting to cut vegetables for tonight's dinner, soup, and Poppa was sitting in his recliner, reading a book I was sure he had already read before. I snatched up a piece of carrot to tide me over as I grabbed some eggs from the fridge.
"Now Marie! That's for dinner!" Nanna scolded. I smiled guiltily and ducked my head.
"Sorry Nanna." my grandmother tsked and let me tell you that a seventy-year-old woman waving a knife around is possibly the most frightening thing I have ever seen.
"If you had woken up at a decent time I could have made you breakfast myself." I chucked at her as she huffed about kids these days.
I went around the small kitchen, gathering a pot and filling it with water to boil. The two eggs were set safely aside for later and I turned back to Nanna, scratching at my chest through my pyjama top, a baggy blue top I had stolen from my older brother. "I'm sixteen, Nanna. I can make my own breakfast."
"Hm, but you are also my granddaughter, and if I want to make you breakfast I will damn well do it!" I laughed at my flustering grandmother as she huffily went back to her chopping, not even trying to make good on her statement.
I chuckled and went back to my breakfast, going through the motions until I had two soft-boiled eggs settled happily in my belly. Now to begin the more tedious parts of the morning, hygiene. I had put it off for as long as I could but standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom I began the arduous task of brushing my butt length, copper coloured wavy hair.
I don't really think I noticed it until my chest started to itch again and I had to put down the brush and scratch again, but then the collar of my shirt got pulled down and I caught a glimpse of something that definitely did not belong. I think I was in shock a little, maybe, probably, because the first thing I thought was, 'I am Iron Man,' as I stared at the light glowing through my tanned skin, outlining part of my ribs, from inside my freaking chest! I think, maybe, I might have started hyperventilating because then I had bumped into the linen cupboard behind me, stubbed my toe and almost fell over.
It took a moment for me to calm down, reassuring Nanna and Poppa that 'yes, I'm fine, don't worry' and I stepped back up to the mirror and tugged my shirt back down, half expecting the light to be gone but being disappointed when I found it still there. With a glance out towards the kitchen, I leant towards my reflection, slowly, cautiously, and pushed my fingers against the light. Instant regret. I hissed, the air burning in my lungs and up my throat. Jolts of pain ricocheted around my chest before settling back to where I guessed the light was coming from, a dull throbbing took up the place of the itch from before and I groaned. I rubbed gently around the light, trying to dull the throb but not wanting to risk touching it again.
I peeked out the door, making sure Nanna and Poppa were distracted by their tasks before I ducked back into my bedroom and snapping the door shut. Ok, aright, I am currently a real-life Tony Stark. I shuddered out a breath. Now what do I do? I literally had no idea what I was going to do about this. I glanced towards the door as I started pacing. Maybe I should tell Nanna and Poppa? Or go to a hospital maybe, and have it looked at or something. A glance back down my shirt and the outline of my ribs and light that pulsed with the racing beat of my heart, the thought of doctors pocking and prodding had me shuddering.
I started to fiddle with my jewelry, a bad habit I had picked up somewhere. One hand tugged at my plain silver chain necklace that my brother had given me while the other hand twisted, fingers curling to flick at the woven leather bracelet. Alright so this stays hush-hush, I thought, no need to worry, nope not at all. I let out a slightly hysterical laugh, coughing a little half way through. My mind turned, trying to think of something else, anything else. I ended up flinging my door open and marching to the living room, jumping past the door to the kitchen. A movie, yes, take my mind off of this. Fiddling through the draws I pulled out random movie. Looking at the cover I nodded, Transformers, yes, ok. That will do. I then began to promptly ignore the throbbing in my rib cage. Because I have decided that this is definitely not happening. Nope, not at all.
