Helllllllo my loves~! Welcome to Ch. 2 of my newest story! I know it's kind of short, but I just had to finish building up the story before our dearest Serena makes her way to Wonderland. So, without further ado, please enjoy! :D
The soft pattering of rain had awakened Serena that morning. She was discontent. Through her dream, she had been given a warning, and quite honestly, the legitimacy of that warning was still unknown to the pondering girl. She lazily rose to her feet in a slow, dragging motion, grabbing the sheik reading glasses from her nightstand and sliding them to the bridge of her nose. Just outside her window, various birds chirped a sweet, melodic tune with no distinct rhythm. This only further put Serena on edge. Every little thing paranoid her. The critters almost seemed to whistle Wonderland every so often.
Digging through the large bookcase along the foot of her bed, Serena pulled a particular novel from it's given place. After wiping the heavy layer of dust from the books surface, the girl began to flip through the pages in search of a specific character. Nightmare Gottschalk, she whispered repeatedly to herself, but eventually, she ended up returning the original Alice in Wonderland to it's rightful spot with no luck.
"Serena~!" the girl's mother sang from just outside the beautifully crafted wooden door, "Breakfast is almost ready!"
"Yes mom, just let me shower and get dressed," Serena called in response, her body trembling due to the sudden breakage of silence. She could hear as her mother merrily strutted away, her heavy clogs clacking against the hardwood floors. Oh, Mom.
Shortly afterwards, Serena jumped into the boiling water of her shower. The hot water against her chilled skin stung at it's first touch, but the burning sensation eventually grew into a relaxing, muscle-soothing therapy. She sighed as the warm liquid trickled down her back, an undeniably pleasant feeling. At that moment, her worries had subsided. Not until she had thoroughly cleansed her hair and reentered the artificially heated air did she remember what had been troubling her. Damn it, stay out of my head, the girl mentally groaned as she hysterically shook her head. There is no such thing as Wonderland.
Having blow-dried it, Serena ran a hot straightener through her long dark hair, creating a silky sheet of brunette locks which nearly met her waste. She had been growing it out since forth grade, and didn't dare to cut it incase she'd later regret it. Every time she worked with the full mane of hair, she promised herself that she would eventually donate the majority of the locks, but had never seen to it. This was partially due to the fact that Serena didn't cope well with change, nor liked to acknowledge it.
"Serena, hurry, or it will get cold!"
After quickly coating her eyelids with her trademark liner, while listening to her vocal icon/fashion influence through her favorite headphones, Serena slipped into her solid black hoodie, cloudy gray skinny jeans, and an old pair of traditional converse. Satisfied by her rapid transformation, the girl skipped down the various hallways which lead her to an awaiting display of hotcakes. Sitting joyously beside her mother, she speedily inhaled nearly two pizza-sized delicacies, barely breathing between mouthfuls. Though her mother was pleased by her successful attempt at breakfast, the dangerous pace at which her daughter was eating made the woman's face gradually lose color.
"Somethin' wrong, Mom?" Serena mumbled through a mouthful of food. The older woman shuffled her feet beneath her chair, shaking her head frantically in response. Noticing that her mother was eyeing her every bite, the girl slowed herself, returning some color to the woman's aging features.
Wiping a clean napkin across her mouth, Serena rose from the table, clearing away her dishes and leftover food. She washed the syrupy mess down the sink, sponging away any sticky residue. While she cleaned, she noticed the large buildup of dishes around the spacious kitchen, and decided to try her hand at washing them as a surprise for her mother. This quickly turned into a full-fletched wipe down of the entire premises. Once she had finished, she pulled the tolerant woman from her half-eaten pancake and into the sparkling room.
"Oh, Serena, you didn't have to do this!"
"I know, but I felt like it. It needed to be cleaned," the young girl explained as she toured the woman around the kitchen. They exchanged multiple gasps and sighs as the guide pointedly brought attention to the gleaming countertops and glistening silverware. They even began to laugh when the daughter explained the incredible dust buildup beneath the sink. The morning went by pleasantly until the two had to return to there jobs for the afternoon. Serena had taken it upon herself to apply for a position in both Saffron and back in the city in order to collect enough money to support her constant travels around the state, as well as something that she could apply towards her college education eventually. Being a junior in high school, she realized that she would have to begin considering her future and making an investment toward it.
That morning as Serena exited the household, a fluttering sense of hope lingered in her heart and mind.
Standing behind a cash register was not necessarily the ideal occupation Serena had been looking for, but she accepted the position graciously. As she walked down main street toward the little shopping center, she absentmindedly kicked the multicolored leaves at her feet which blanketed the streets. Moisture lingered heavily in the air, and the luscious smell of salt water freshened Serena's senses. She had had a relaxing morning, and the coastal climate was only enhancing her pleasant mood. She signed deeply in ease, swinging her arms at her sides with enthusiasm. Just as she was nearing her destination, something quick swiftly zoomed past her, catching the attention of her peripheral vision. The girl began to whip her head around in confusion, looking for the source of the mysterious white blur. She knew that she had seen something. Or was it someone?
"I'm just being paranoid like always," Serena reasoned with herself. Sliding the hood of her jacket away from her head, she slipped through the jingling doorway of the local business she had regularly attended on weekends.
"Mornin', Rena," the youths boss called from behind his register in a strong Texas twang, "Doncha think yer a bit early fer a Saturday?"
"Guess I am, but it's better early than never, right Bill?"
"S'pose that's true."
Serena worked the entire day. Not until sun down was she free to return home to her mother. Walking down that same familiar road, the girl envisioned the dream she had had, but quickly readdressed her attention toward the beautiful sunset once becoming overly anxious. The sky was painted in fluorescent pastels, ranging from a light yellow to a dark purple, all across the single campus. The overwhelming beauty was awe striking, and not until Serena reached her home was her content mental state interrupted. Something had crashed and broke in the kitchen.
"Mom?" Serena shouted along her route toward the kitchen. "I'm home! And I think something just fell from the counter!" No response. "Fine, I'll go pick the damn thing up-"
As she entered the kitchen, Serena nearly fell to her knees; the sight had sent a painful pulse down her spine. Eyes widening, she sputtered indistinguishable words before bolting from the room, eyes glazed in furious tears. How could she have even considered rebuilding a trust with her mom? Every ounce of hope, all of the faith she had in her mother's recovery, it disappeared within seconds, because what she had found on that kitchen floor was not forgivable.
Julianne Rousseau, the woman whom had broken her daughters heart far too many times, laid drunken against the cabinet doors of her kitchen, an old bottle of wine dangling from her grip. She lifted the alcohol shakily to her quivering lips, letting the cool liquid seep down her throat before swallowing noisily and letting the bottle fall empty to the linoleum floor. She hiccuped happily, her eyes spinning from the stress release that the beverage had brought her. Not until she noticed the presence of her treasured child did her clouded conscience take action.
"Serena, I can explain this-"
"I'm sure you can, mother," the teenager hissed, venomous fury interlaced in her words. Her eyes sparkled in enragement as she reentered the room. Shoving the emptied bottles aside, the woman attempted to rise to her feet, but quickly stumbled back into a flustered heap.
"Don't-don't s-speak to your m-mother that way, m-missy," Serena's mother stuttered angrily from the floor. "Not after I j-just got fired."
"That doesn't mean you can drink every damn time your feelings are hurt!" Serena spat at the pathetic adult, solidly punching the wall in the process. The impact slightly dented the pasty green walls, angering Julianne to the point of hysteria.
"F*cking b-bitch, you b-broke my wall~." Her cruel words were heavily slurred, her drunkenness becoming very apparent. Serena nearly blew a fuse at this harsh remark, but simply left her mother to pass out with slamming footsteps. Unfortunately, the woman strongly disagreed with this decision. "G-get back~ listen to y-your mother."
Just as Serena was shutting the front door behind herself, she heard a shattering clash against the door behind her. Shaking her head in pure disappointment, she left the adult to suffer alone. Her mother's failed attempt to regain her attention had completely failed. In fact, Serena dreaded nothing more than to have to return through that doorway. So she walked away, returning to the highway with no intensions of a specific destination. In fact, she aimlessly walked for several hours, hoping that fate would take her in the correct direction.
Laying down against the cool grass of the local park, Serena dwindled upon the thought of an alternative world known as Wonderland. "If only it truly did exist," she murmured aloud. "Since there's no happiness for me here, then perhaps there's a little bit awaiting me there." Serena chuckled halfheartedly after thinking such delusional thoughts. Wonderland. What a joke.
"Perhaps there is, Serena. I suppose you'll just have to find that out for yourself."
Serena jumped from the bench, letting her eyes dart about the premises for the source of the deep, lingering words. Just as she was beginning to believe it had been her imagination, she meet the glistening red eyes of the stranger.
"I heard that you'd like to go to Wonderland."
OHOHO, so who do you think Serena's mysterious visitor tis? o.o I know, this is a clifthanger!(; (kinda sarcastic..) Anyway, this chapter was kind of a more serious side of Serena. But don't worry, she's gonna live up to her baddass image by the time she get's to wonder- NO WAIT, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YET!
Plllllleeease review! Reviews are nice, yes? YES!