Lily adjusted the blue ball cap over her long blonde hair and scowled at her reflection in the mirror. It was her 14th birthday, yet she wasn't allowed to do anything she wanted to do, she couldn't even dress how she wanted. Instead she was stuck in this stupid get up, a baseball jersey to match the cap and some jean shorts. Lily couldn't stand it, she was not a sporty person. But the look on her mothers face as she watched Lily examine herself in the mirror told the teenager that she really didn't have a choice.
"I know you don't like it." Her mother began, sighing slightly as she spoke. "But it's a gift from your aunt, and she'll be very upset if you don't wear it when she comes to pick your father and I up for the party." Upset meaning angry, and angry meant Lily would lose more privileges, like when she lost the TV in her room because god forbid she got a C on a test, or how she wasn't allowed to put up posters because she wasn't willing to put up with her aunt's snooty attitude. "Why do you have to go to a stupid party with her on my birthday? And why do we have to live in her house, why can't we get our own?" Lily groaned as she turned to face her mother, blowing a strand of curly hair out of her face. Once again her mother let out a sigh and shook her head. "I've told you before, Lily, we just can't afford our own place right now, and your aunt was kind enough to let us stay in her home while she and her husband traveled across the states. And the party is because...she wants us to go." And anything auntie wanted, auntie got, less they make her angry and possibly get kicked out. Lily hated it, and she was beginning to hate her aunt as well. She crossed her arms, leaning on the bathroom counter. "Fine, I get it. She'll get exactly what she wants, as always. But why do I have to wear..." She paused, motioning to the outfit, "This? The shorts aren't even school appropriate, and like heck I'm going to wear it when I'm out." "Because, again, your aunt wants it. She just..doesn't want people to judge you for how you look, she wants what's best for you."
"Oh? Is that why she screamed at me the other day and called me a failure to the family?"
Lily's mother went silent and Lily turned her back to her, crossing her arms as she glared at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't help but get this nagging feeling that her mom may actually agree with her aunt. When Lily was a child, she showed talent in writing and drawing, had an interest in some...dark things, her mother had even bought her a book on the occult once, and everyone was so supportive of it. Everybody, including her aunt, thought Lily was going to be a great author some day, published and making money by the time she was 13.
And here she was, 14 years old without a single book baring her name.
The support slowly turned to ridicule. Insults, hurtful jokes, and now her aunt was using the house as a way to force Lily to convert into the 'perfect' child she always thought Lily should be.
"She..just wants you to be successful, like she is."
"She ISN'T successful. She didn't earn anything she has. She didn't earn this huge house, or the money, or the ability to take time off to travel."
Lily turned to her mother, her fists clenched.
"She married into it all. She hasn't earned a single thing herself. And now because she's feeling pressured to fit into rich people society, she's forcing me to do the same and try to meet her stupid made up expectations. She isn't doing this because it's what's best. She's doing it because I embarrass her." Lily didn't mean to snap at her mother. In fact her mother was getting just as annoyed with her aunt, but Lily was on her last strand of sanity and it didn't help that her mother never stood up for her. Her mother opened her mouth to speak but a honk outside stopped her. She shook her head and adjusted the strap of her red dress. "Just...please. Don't make your aunt angry. She only comes here about twice a year, so just..put up with this until she leaves okay? You can use the TV downstairs and we bought a bunch of your favorite food. We'll be home late, and I promise..tomorrow, I'll take you thrifting, okay? Be good while we're gone."
Lily's mother kissed her forehead, leaving a red lipstick stain behind and hurried out of the room and down the stairs. Lily left the bathroom and went into her bedroom, pulling aside the curtains to watch as her parents climbed into her aunt and step uncle's shiny car. Great, so the woman wasn't even coming in to see her. Wearing this outfit was a waste of time. Lily glared at the car as it drove away and continued to until it turned the corner, disappearing. Then she quickly moved away from the window and stomped down stairs, grabbing the remote off of the sofa and flipping on the large, LARGE platform TV. A few different game stations were plugged into it, and there was even a mini fridge and cooler in the living room. Most teenagers would kill for this, but Lily would rather have a rinky dink TV and an old fridge that made noises, if it meant she was no longer in her aunts hold. But that wasn't going to happen any time soon. After switching through a number of channels, she finally came across Nick and saw that they would be marathoning all of season one of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That brightened Lily's mood some and she let out a little squeal before tossing the remote back onto the couch and going over to the mini fridge for some food. As her mother had said, it was stocked with her favorites.
Sushi. Shrimp. Mussels with Marinara sauce. Mt Dew and Dr Pepper.
Lily was just pulling out the mussels when she heard a knock on the front the door.
Now, one good thing about these rich neighborhoods was that they were usually pretty safe, with police cars constantly patrolling and a bunch of other security measures, so Lily didn't think anything was off as she headed towards the door. It was probably just another delivery guy bringing some stuff her mom had ordered from those magazines she liked. "Hello!" Lily opened the door with a smile, but it froze in place when she saw that nobody was there. In fact, nothing was there. Not the driveway, or the house across the street, not even the sky. Instead, the front door led to a swirly, pink vortex. Lily's eyes bulged out of her head and she slammed the door close. Then she opened it again. The vortex was still there.
Close.
Open.
There.
Close.
Open.
Still there.
Close.
Open.
Nothing had changed.
Just as Lily began to close the door again, a hand shot out of the vortex and gripped the side of the door, forcing it open. Finally Lily screamed and began to back away, almost tripping over her own feet. Slowly, a pale man with dead eyes wearing a black suit stepped out of the vortex and stared at her, unblinking. "You are the one watching the thing known as the television show about the ones known as the Turtles." "H-Hold up, what?!" Lily continued to scramble back, holding her arms out in front of her as a shield. This was a poor choice, as it gripped her tightly by the hand and pulled her into the vortex.
"You will help Kraang destroy the ones known as the Turtles."
