Dedicating this chapter to my very first fan :) Thanks AlexisDs :D
Chapter 2 - You don't know me
I walked home slowly, like I had all the time in the world. No, I didn't actually. The witch was there and I knew I would not get a proper dinner tonight. Ever since she pushed me out of her stomach she has hated just the thought of me. The doctors had to force her to breast feed me- and I mean force. She repeatedly cursed the day she fell pregnant with me. And as kind as she was, she even wrote a note and put it under her pillow saying:
Too no one in particular....
Every day I prayed to god the day Sasha would turn eighteen already and move out so I can get my life back! She purposely stole it away from me since the minute I found out I was pregnant. The kindest gift that anyone could ever give me is if she can move far away or if the law changed and made it seventeen the legal age to move out!
I found the letter the day after she wrote it. She purposely had to make the corners of the note stick out from under the pillow case, which she knew I would find, since I have to be the Cinderella in her shithole of a house. I shook my head at my so-called-mother. I got jealous when I would watch my best friends mom act so motherly and loving towards her sons and daughter. I would work for an entire summer to earn cash to pay Emily's mom to take me in. Then I know that I would wake up to some nice, warm pancakes and hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows. I would know that when I come home from school I wouldnât have to clean the entire house until my wrists are swollen. I would get to eat an entire full plate of real food, and not the half empty, left over scraps that I' pretty sure that not even a dog would eat.
I loved the Haydenâs. They were the family I wished I had. Although Emily does not have a father, I would say theyâre the perfect family. Vincent on the other hand isnât exactly what I call perfect, due to his bad boy reputation, but you hardly see him at home because his either sleeping over at his girlfriends house or going to trance camps. But his other twin brother Isaac that's my other best friend is at least normal. I wish I can say that I'm still friends with them but unfortunately Emily officially ended our friendship a month ago when she decided to join the cheerleading squad. How typical of anyone to become a cheerleader! And Isaac and I are semi talking but not as much when Emily is around. I donât understand why she did join the Western Villa cheerleading squad in the first place. She did always complain and half drag me to sit near the cheerleaderâs lunch table, because where we sat was for the loner-losers. Well, I guess Iâm now a loner-loser considering that I have no friends or social skills. I have officially completed the description âemoâ as how depressing all this sounds.
I looked up and was now staring at the night sky. Tickles of stars were scattered everywhere and twinkled radiantly. Sometimes I thought they were winking at me. My gaze fell down and landed on the last house on the corner. My house.
I sighed.
They walk from the beach was quicker than I thought. Every time I would look at the house -- unfortunately MY house -- I would get a sick feeling that would upset my stomach, and make my spine run cold. There was always something off about my house, by personally only to me. To others they would kill to live in a three story, nine too many room, house. On the outside it would look like a nice family lived there but in the inside I knew that that was the devils territory, and strictly no kids, especially no me allowed. I opened the door silently, careful not to make a single noise, and crept upstairs to my room.
After I turned five I decided that I want to move to a bigger room, on the second floor, just a floor below hers -- my mother. She laughed at me and told me "Are you sure you want to be on this floor all by yourself? Youâre not going to get scared?" she asked in mockery.
I shook my head and started packing all my clothes into my pram. It only took seven trips back and forth, because itâs not like I had that much in my small room. Ok, I was kinda scared. Who wouldnât be if youâre the only one living on this floor, in a big room? But I had my reasons.
I couldnât exactly remember what happened next, just that everything happened so fast.
Suddenly there was a scratching noise coming from somewhere. I listened carefully and recognized were it came from. I silently scratched into my nightstand but couldnât seem to find my torch. I laid back down again on my bed that I've been resting on, thinking the noise would go away but it only increased its scratching. Suddenly a hand touched my arm and I screamed and struggled. I then heard laughing and the lights suddenly went on and my mother was rolling on the ground, laughing herself until she cried.
"You should have seen your face" she laughed again, holding her stomach. She got up off the floor and walked to my bed. "You scared now?" she asked narrowing her eyes at me. I couldnât help the warm flow between my legs. I was quivering too much to realize I peed myself. I clinched the blanket higher but she quickly tore it out of my grip and gasped. She rudely grabbed me by my hair and pulled my out of bed. "You little brat! Look what you've done!" She still had her tight grip on my hair when she pushed my face into the puddle on the bed. "Now you are going to clean that up right now. I want to see it cleaned before I wake up, do you hear me, brat?" she said pushing my face more in the bed that soon my entire face was covered in my accident.
I silently cried the entire night. I still hadn't bothered to wash my face by my tears were already cleaning it for me. That night I remembered everything and since then I have never forgiven my mom, and gave her a nickname- Witch.
I stared at my bed. The same bed that I've been sleeping in, since I, was only a young five year old. The bed just looked smaller now. There weren't many things in my room from when I was five. Clearly because the witch hasn't bought anything for me since I turned fourteen. She says that I must start working for my own money to buy my own things. That was just a nice way of her to hint that I should move out already. Don't mind if I could but where would I go? I don't have Emily and the Hayden's anymore.
I sighed.
I pulled of my baggy, black hoodie, took off my pumps and put on my PJ's. I crawled into bed, even though it was only seven o'clock and shut the thick curtains closed. I reached under my mattress and grabbed a chocolate bar to nibble for supper. It's either that or the witches 'secret surprise'Â that I haven't eaten since she told me that one day she will poison it when I'm not looking. I closed my eyes and smiled. My favorite part of my day is when I sleep because at least I know that for ten hours I would live in a fairytale world, one that did not have my witch mom or the kids at school to bully me.
I awoke from the loud sound of my cell phone's alarm going off. I groaned because it was a Monday. I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. As always, the hot water was off so I had to shower in lukewarm water. I was quite used to it from many of times that I soon stopped complaining and sucked it up. After I was done in the bathroom I came back into my room to find a long list of chores to do. That woman doesn't always have to re-write the whole list of things for me to do, I mean, I can practically do everything with a blink fold on. When I had done everything from this early morning, I looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall and frowned. I still had a half an hour left to go before school began. Clearly I did not care, because why would I go to school early just to watch other people chat and laugh and gossip about the next person. It was plain stupid and very immature. The witch left everyday in the early morning, before I woke up. And believe me, I was so grateful that she got a job as being a therapist in massaging and has to hit work before traffic. So I had the mornings to myself.
I got to school as the bell went off. Walking in the crowded passage's was the first-worse part of my day because I would walk passed everyone and they would all laughed at me and yell "LONER-LOOOOSERRR" I would just pretend I wasn't paying attention until they would push me up against the row of lockers and scribble graffiti all over my face and my glasses, with a permit marker. I would spend my first period in the boy's bathroom, because the girlâs bathroom was worse, and scrub my face clean until it turned redder than my red hair. My thick glasses were even more trouble.
Second period would be the second-worst part of the day, due to everyone in the class, throwing me with wet or sticky paper. Third period would be my favorite. Why, because I get to sit next to Clayton for an hour in art class. Sometimes he would be arrogant towards me about my painting or he would just look at it and ask if I could give him my painting. I did not hesitate to that, but of course what Emily would say was that he just walked over me and now I'm going to get lower grades because I'm a softy. Well, who wouldn't give Clayton your painting? He was frickin' captain of the football team, and the hottest guy here at Western Villa High. Lunch time was the fourth-worst part of the day because I don't have friends to sit with. So I have no choice but to sit alone and read a book, that is totally not worth reading.
"Hey sushi" someone said from in-front of me.
I looked up to find Isaac, Emily's brother, my ex-best friend, sitting down opposite me. "Uh, what the hell are you doing? You can't sit here" I hissed at him.
"Why not? Is someone else supposed to sit here?" he asked casually.
"No . . ." I growled. "Look, you can't sit here, with me, because people will start to call you names"
"Sushi, seriously, you must have super good hearing to hear what you just said" he shook his head at me and laughed.
"Isaac, why are you sitting here, with me?" I asked with confusion.
"Because," I stretched the word out in a dramatic effect. "You're my friend aren't you? Just because Emily is not friends with you anymore, doesn't mean I'm not" he shrugged and took a big bit of his burger.
I breathed in a frustrating breath and looked around before saying "How is she?"
"She's fine" he looked up from studying his burger, and looked me in the eye with a sad look "I think this is the last fight you and her are going to have. I don't think she's ever going to be your friend again. I'm sorry Sasha, she's changed, well according to her she's 'more mature to have only two friends at high school'. I tell you she's gone mad for joining the cheerleading squad" he chuckled and reached for my hand. "I'm here for you. You don't have to think that just because Em' doesn't want to be friends with you, that I wouldn't want too"
I nodded and smiled at Isaac. He was always the one to really be nice to me. He was a brother I have never had, and I don't ever want to lose the last Hayden's just because Emily isn't by friend anymore. "You're a true friend Isaac" my smile widened and he returned the smile with a wink.
"Oh my god, Emily, look who's holding your brothers hand" someone said from next to our table.
I turned to see a blonde girl wearing a cheerleading outfit. My guess was that the blond was Emily's new best friend.
"Oh my god, what the crap? Hah, I always knew she had a thing for my brother." Emily sneered and pulled a face at me.
I let go of Isaac's hand and got up and walked passed them, leaving Isaac alone to deal with his sister. I ran to my next class, even though I was early, and sat down in my seat. There was no one there so I decided that I could eat my lunch there, in peace. While I ate my lunch I wondered to myself what had gone wrong in Emily's and mine, once friendship. Was it me that was boring? Was it the way I dress? Was it because I had red hair that she was clearly jealous of? No, I did not have feelings for her brother Isaac. He was a brother and nothing else. She probably got the wrong idea. But that's just madness because Isaac and I always hugged or held each otherâs hand. Em has definitely changed in a way I could not quell. At that thought I heard a thud. I looked up to see Chad walk in and drop a book on the ground, and then another. He groaned, clearly frustrated.
"I hope I didn't damage these books, I fucking paid a fortune for it" he mumbled to himself, while picking up the books off the floor. He looked across the room and froze when he noticed me sitting at the back of the class. His eyes were wide with shock. Mine were just curious, looking from the pile of love books, to him. He smirked "Hey gorgeous, how was the beach yesterday?" he asked in mockery.
I ignored his words and frowned. "I didn't know you liked love books" I said curiously.
"I. Do. Not" he said through gritted teeth. I was still staring at him when he breathed out a frustrated breath and walked towards me.
My heart started to beat wildly inside my chest as he took he's seat next to me.
"Look, you can't tell anyone ok?" he looked at me, his face so close to mine. I could feel my cheeks heat up. "Ok great well see yah around lose-" he paused; almost calling me what everyone else has been calling me since I was a freshman here.
He coughed and started to walk back to the door when I stopped him by saying "You know, I never agreed with you. You can't make my mouth not talk" not only did I surprise Chad, I surprised myself for sounding so confident and my voice came out strong, yet still a whisper.
He turned slightly around, narrowed his eyes and smiled "Who's going to believe you?"
I gave him my evil smile "Try me" I threatened. Whoa where did THAT come from Sasha?
His eyes narrowing more before he turned to face me and in an unease tone, he said, "Ok fine . . . what do you want?"
My mind was confused and my mouth slightly dropped open, in surprise as to his response. I crossed my arms over my chest, just like I've seen in the movies, and said "Make me popular" I don't know why I said that, it just left my mouth before I could think.
Chad nodded. "Fine" was what all he said until he shocked me again, by asking "Give me your phone number"
I'm sorry, did I hear correctly? Did Chad Night just ask me for my phone number? I just stared at him, like I was looking at a ghost.
"Hello, give me your number so I can invite you on Facebook to Clayton's party tomorrow" when I was still sitting there, shocked, he suddenly burst out laughing. "Did you really think I was going to make you popular?" he said in-between laughs. "You're such a nerd, Sasha"
Yup, too good to be true. I got up and walked passed him with a frown on my face. He grabbed my arm and whispered into my ear "I don't read books, or love books, what-so-ever. So don't try to embarrass yourself more. But come to think of it, you should came to the party, just don't wear these" he suddenly removed my thick, red glasses off and started laughing at them, in his hand. "Lol, I would so sue the dumb-nerd who made these glasses. Why the hell would you wear-" he trailed off and just stared at me. I don't know what exactly he was staring at because I couldn't see his face clearly without my glasses.
I grabbed for my glasses but he held it up into the air, out of my reach.
"You shouldn't wear this anymore" his gaze still on me.
"I need it too see, idiot!" I tried to jump up to grab it but, damn, his seriously tall.
"Promise your coming to the party and I'll give it back" he teased but had a serious face when he said it.
I nodded and he gave it back to me.
"Here, this is where the party is. Don't show up early" he handed me a blue flyer from his jeans pocket and left, leaving me with a red face, quivering hand that's holding the flyer, lost of breath and no brain.
The party was tomorrow. Tomorrow was a public holiday. Should I go or not?
________________________________________________________________
Painful Love - Vampire & Flesher â¢
All Rights Reserved ®
Copyright © 2012 by Kimite Cancino.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product
of the authorâs imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual
persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book was written in South Africa.