Stop Being Human

Chapter 31

"Reighlynn? My goodness, how you have grown into a beautiful woman!" She's beaming with joy now, but her son doesn't understand and holds onto his mother a little tighter.

I hate the sight and the way her excitement pulls at my heart string. We've never spent much time together in the past. We never formed a bond, so I'm unsure why she is reacting this way.

I smile anxiously, but I have no idea what to say.

"Do you want to come inside? I'm sure your father will be home soon." She rotates her body, allowing room in the doorway for me to slip inside.

I stare in fear as the house taunts me. Go inside? Inside a house I was once no longer welcomed into? A house I can't even call my own anymore. Then what happens? Awkward silence and little conversations until my father arrives. Then what? What do I say when he arrives? The idea curls my stomach.

"No, that's ok." I quickly say, waving my hands. The darkness of the night is pulling at my back while the light of the house pulls at my chest. Then the chilly night wind passes my shoulders, seeking into my uniform and turning my skin to ice.

My stepmother's face fades, but she tries to keep a smile. "Would you at least like to know your half sister's name?" She lifts her elbow that holds the little child's head. I get a better view of her small cute sleeping face.

My body shutters and I'm unsure if it's from the wind or the question. "Sure." I told her. It's the least I could do after all of this. Part of me wonders if all of this was a mistake, but she seems happy to tell me.

"We named her Gloria." My step mother responds.

My heart tightens as soon as the name leaves her mouth. Gloria. My body twitches and my lips threaten to curl. I have to blink a few times to hold the tears back.

Gloria was the name of my mother. They named her after my mother...

My teeth sink into my bottom lip in an attempt to hold back any noise and my hand lays over my stomach. I wipe my eyes and exhale. "It's beautiful." My voice cracks. Any more words and I might just break down.

I rock my weight between both of my feet. My step mother gives me a sincere look. "Relay my message to my father, please?" I manage to say, trying to gather all the emotions I am feeling.

"I will, darling. Thank you for stopping by. I'm sorry he wasn't here. You take care of yourself." She tells me.

I nod, unable to say anything more. I turn my back as the first tear falls. The light from the house slowly fades as she closes the door and I am engulfed into the darkness once again. I force myself into the car. I want to go home...

I pull into my apartment complex parking lot and park my car. For a moment, everything is still. Then I erupt like a volcano, slamming my hands into the wheel and releasing an ear-piercing scream. I let it all out. Every emotion I have been holding in escape in my scream.

Everything feels as if it is crumbling at my fingertips. What have I done wrong to deserve all of this? All I have ever wanted was to be happy. To be whole. I had that. Now, I have nothing again. Nothing but a broken heart and unstable emotions. 

I miss you! I miss everything!

I scream until my throat dries out, and my lungs burn. The tears have slowed and although the weight still bears upon my shoulders; I feel better.

I force myself out of my car and unlock my building's door. This is the worst part. My feet are sore and screaming and I have three flights of stairs to go up until I get to my floor. I don't want to do it, but obviously I have to.

I take the steps slowly, easing my way to my door, only to be greeted by my worst nightmare. An eviction reminder waits on my door, taped neatly for my neighbors to see.

I rip the stupid orange paper off of my door and go inside. This is the last thing I wanted to be reminded of right now. My luck has been at it's all-time low recently. Trust me, I haven't forgotten that I need to be out by next week. No need to shove it in my face even more.

I set the paper on the counter for later and head straight for the shower. Once I am finished, I put on my warmest pajamas and head back into the living room.

Tea sounds calming for tonight for both my mental state and scratched throat. I boil some water on my oven top and grab my materials. In my cabinet meant for coffee cups, only two take up the large space. One given to me for graduation and a plain gray one. The rest of the space is taken up by dust. I grab the gray one this time and pour my boiling water in, then add the tea bag.

I want to sit down, but I can't help but stare out my balcony door. My balcony view is just rows of trees. I never liked it, but now it reminds me of Willow's Forest, so I love it. Occasionally, I get a few squirrels or birds on the balcony as well. My only friends here.

Raindrops race down my door, and I stare out into the distance. Rain can be calming sometimes as long as I clear my mind. I have so much to think about. I need a new place soon. There's a chance my father will or will not give me a call. And of course, the one thing I have continued to think about.

If time in Willow's Forest stayed the same from when I had left, then the finals would have been today. Axel and Brandon would be fighting right now, or maybe it is already over. I only wonder who won. I push the thoughts away like I always do.

My tea warms my hand and steam passes in front of my face. This heat would cause any other person to flinch away, but I've become numb to it. I've begun to disassociate from my surroundings. I really have nothing better to do than sit here and sip on my tea.

There's a type of suction noise behind me, but I don't take much notice of it. My mind has wandered to a new world.

"Well, are you going to say hi or just stare out that window like a weirdo?"