She Ain't From Around Here

6 | manners

I BECAME LOST

I was never good with directions no matter how short the distance was. My mind would automatically short circuit and then I'd forget.

My mother told me I had a problem. Of course, she was joking but now, I was starting to consider if I was clinically deranged.

After roaming about in frustration and tiredness from place to place, I finally spotted the smallish house in the light of the setting sun.

I entered the house and I got startled when I saw Doris sitting a few feet from the door. "I almost called the police, I thought you were missing." She said in a dangerously calm voice. "And what happened to you?"

Her voice was laced with anger and worry.

"It's fine, Grandma. I'm fine." I murmured tiredly. "I just got lost."
And attacked by a deranged dog.

"Where's your other shoe?" She walked up to me from the chair. She stretched her hand and touch my cheek. "And what happened to your face?"

Too tired to explain, I just mumbled incoherent words and walked to my room, shuffling my feet on the way. "It's alright, I'm fine, really." I finally uttered real words.

"We're going to the Carson's for dinner, remember." Doris reminded.

I grunted in response before I entered the room.

How could I forget. That was sarcasm

Damn mangy mutt and that...that...
Insolent jerk. I thought, bitterly as my mind drew towards them.

I walked to the washroom, stripped naked, and began washing down the unbelievably heavy dirt that accumulated on my skin.

I dried myself after I was done and then changed to a beige cardigan sweater with casual jeans and ballerina flats.

I straightened my hair and tied it into a ponytail.

I walked out of the room and met my grandmother in the leaving room. We walked out of the house and locked it.

Apparently, Catherine stayed two houses from here so within a minute, we arrived at a fairly large house.

We rang the bell and after a few seconds, we were greeted by an excited Catherine.

"Oh hey." She gushed at me. "You made it!"
I suppressed a smile at her and Catherine and Doris went on chatting with each other when we entered in.

I took it as my cue to let them be.

Why was I even here?

Then, my reverie broke when I spotted my worst enemy.

A child.

The girl had baby blonde hair in pigtails, bright blue eyes, and two broken teeth at the front of her mouth.
Her forehead was bandaged with band-aids and few others on her neck and arms.

I never liked children and I didn't care about the amount of criticism about it.

They just weren't glorious to me and I just reciprocated the pleasure.

A child was the epitome of disaster; collateral damage and right now, it
stretched her palm towards me.

"Rosie Carson, Ma'am." She announced proudly. "Nice to meet ya."

"Right," I muttered, grimly at the child, ignoring the gesture of a handshake.

"What's your name?" She asked, cheerful and curious. "You seem familiar."

"Elaine." I didn't try smiling at the girl, mostly because I felt no importance to. This was usually the part where they'd realized I was 'mean' and would leave me alone.

The child, placed her index finger on her cheek as if in serious thought. "Have I meet you somewhere?"

I started to get irked by her inquiries. "I doubt it."

I walked to the large dinner table and took a seat at a random seat.
"Elaine?" Rosie, the child asked.

"What?" I answered, abrasively.

"That's my brother's seat." She stated. "He doesn't like it when people sit at his seat."

I rolled my eyes and looked at the child who sat opposite me. "Does it look like I care?"

"But, that's his seat." She uttered.

I sighed. "Can I tell you something?" I told the girl.

Rosie eagerly nodded.

"I don't give a shit," I said, without care.
It was either I had forgotten I was talking to a child or I just didn't care.

I was attacked by forty pounds of flesh and fur. I got lost, destroyed my phone and I just had to encounter a child here.

Perfect.

"Saying profanities to a child is hardly lady-like." I heard a deep, annoyingly familiar voice.

Oh, fuck no.

I turned around and there, stood mangy mutt's owner.

My heart thumped in my chest and it wasn't any romantic attraction but of radical feelings of hatred and extreme loathing.

"You." I sneered. I got up from my seat and pointed the dinner knife I took from the table. "Where's the dog?"

I frantically looked around for the abominable creature.

"Oh, you mean Dingo?" Rosie's soft, hearty laughter filled my ears. "We don't bring him in when people are around."

And yet you allow this one. I thought, as my eyes lingered on the guy.

"Look, I apologized to you, get over yourself and accept the apology." He stated, flatly. "Now let's be mature adults and get with the introductions."

I stood firm in place to appalled at his words.

He continued, with the same monotonous voice. "My name is Clint and you are..."

But of course, I was too damn stubborn to behave like an adult.

"You don't deserve my name, you piece of shit," I growled. "You broke my fucking phone."

His voice was still monotonous but noticeable with irritation, he repeated. "And you are..."

"Her name is Elaine," Rosie interjected, with a smile, seemingly enjoying our banter.

I glared at the child.

"Nice to meet you, Elaine." His voice was tight like he was trying to conceal his provocation.

He cocked his eyebrow at me expecting me to reply.

I said with annoyance and reluctance, I rolled my eyes. "Same."

I proceeded and took a seat at the dinner table.

Clint then uttered caustically. "Now get out of my seat."

I didn't have time to fully edit so forgive me for my mistakes.

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