Julie : I think it's not a secret that I've uploaded this story more than once, but there were big changes I wanted to make-etc.
I actually have a plot now, so ;-; I had to edit some little parts that didn't make sense anymore. The first two chapters are so awkward I don't even want to talk about it.
As always, reviews are awesome ! ! !
I turned on the lights.
In front of me was the most comfortable - looking thing I had ever seen. I dropped my boxes by the door, unbuckled my boots, and plunged headfirst into the couch. I slept for three hours, and by the time I opened my eyes, it was 1 AM. I groggily sat up. It was one thing flying me to the other side of Earth, but it was another thing getting motion sickness while at it. It'll be fun, he says. It'll be awesome, he says.
No.
Then I fell asleep again.
Later that morning, after I had fully rested (on the couch), I finally showered and pulled on a new black sweater and a pair of running grey shorts. I felt so clean after being squashed between an obese man and a bodybuilder on the plane. My hair smelled like hair again, yay!
Then when the doorbell rang, I almost smeared mascara on my forehead.
"From today onwards, I will be taking care of you!" Was the first thing my aunt said as she walked through the doorway. We hugged. My aunt had flashy but fashionable pink hair, and she was always in dresses. Today she wore a tight, forest green dress that flared out at the bottom, adorned with gold detailing. "What happened to your forehead?"
After I cleaned up and properly applied a fresh layer of makeup, I lead her inside.
"Well, he set this up well enough," she commented. The house I arrived at yesterday night was a travelling house previously used by my dad, but his schedule had pushed me to stay here. The size was for a small family with two levels: three bedrooms, a conjoined living and dining room, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. He had the entire house cleaned before I came, the bed sheets changed, the furniture replaced, the walls repainted, the bathtub scrubbed, everything. It was disgusting.
"Well, I know that the couch makes a great bed," I said.
We went upstairs to unpack.
"Do you miss your old friends?" my aunt asked me.
"Not really." I laughed weakly. "I spent most time in my dad's office, remember? I have to admit, it's a nice break away from those people sitting behind desks and glass windows.
"Right. Too old for you, huh?" I looked at her. We both started giggling. My aunt was from my dad's side and my childhood babysitter, in her early 30's, and incredibly active for her age. She was one of my closest friends and probably the only one I could fully trust. After we finished cleaning out half my things, she pulled some blue sheets of paper out of her bag.
"These are some papers for school. I remember you attended primary here, so I thought that you might have wanted to go to this school…" she trailed off, and showed me the documents. I took it. It was filled down halfway.
"I don't know," I replied slowly.
"Honey. You haven't went to a proper school since, I don't know, when you were six? These are opportunities, not risks." She stood up and smoothed out her dress. "You haven't had lunch yet, have you? I put some groceries in your fridge. I'm going to make us a salad, then we'll go out to town, okay?" I shrugged. First, I needed to get a job. Using my dad's gambling money was traumatizing just thinking about it. The prepaid bills were already annoying. But, without my dad's money, I wouldn't be able to get through even the first few weeks. When my aunt came back upstairs with the salad, we started catching up with each other's lives. After we cleaned up, she scanned my wardrobe, laughing hysterically at my fashion choices.
"Come on," she said. "I'll show you around town. And you need some new clothes."
I grabbed my keys and put on the same worn out black ankle boots I wore yesterday. My aunt stared at my track shorts. I rolled my eyes.
We toured the town, and she showed me the clothing store, the jewelry store, the dollar store, and an entire mall that was crowded with people. Once again, she made a big fuss about my shorts.
"They're just pants. Pants."
After a few days of settling in, my aunt convinced me I needed a change of education. Instead of online-schooling, she said attending Amoris High would at least be helpful with my socializing. I told her I had no problem talking to people, but apparently I "debate over company sales most of the time with old geezers". That sure gives my self esteem a boost.
I was starting to become comfortable in this new place, away from him, but I felt a growing knot in my stomach.
I probably knew this peacefulness wouldn't last for long.