Children of the Elements

Chapter 5-Letter and a Gift

I was still shaking the whole ride home. Nick seemed a little preoccupied drumming on the steering wheel, singing with "2010s Pop Hits" and didn't seem to notice my emotional breakdown.

I tried in vain to collect my emotions and focus on deep breaths but...what the actual heck?! My English teacher is a psychotic killer out for my blood—but why? Why me? What was so different about me? How could this even be real?!

When did my life come to this? Black goo and a teacher literally out to get me??

Well I don't want it. I want out. I want to move to fricken Mars or something. Get me off this heck-hole of a planet.

I was completely lost in my depressing and confusing maze of thoughts until I got yanked out of them by Nick staring at me and saying, "Fae. We're home. We have been for five minutes. Aren't you going to get out?"

I hadn't even realized the sudden stops and starts of downtown Seattle traffic, much less that we were parked in front of one of Seattle's skyscrapers.

Let's get this straight: I don't live in a skyscraper. Sure, I'm like ninety-nine percent positive Nick and Alesha have over a million dollars in their bank account, but if you got a mansion in the middle of Seattle, that would cost like a buttload of money. And my adoptive parents are smarter than to spend their money on something like that.

Instead we have penthouse at the top of a massive apartment building. And it's the size of a mansion, with its two floors, loft, rooftop porch that houses a garden and pool.

I hastily unbuckled my seatbelt, not wanting Nick to pester me about how long I zoned out for. He also unbuckled his seatbelt just as I climbed out of the car, giving a strange glance that looked like he wanted to ask me something.

I nearly ran inside to the lounge and, not even waving back at the doorman, stepped into the elevator that just slid open. I frantically pushed the button for the top floor, watching Nick enter the building, confused at my hastiness.

I guiltily waved at him from the elevator but he didn't notice me. The door slid to a shut and I fluffed the plush maroon carpet with my shoe, thinking.

Am I right to not tell Nick? Should I? If I do, will he just think I've completely gone crazy? No. No, I can't tell him. He would definitely think I'm crazy. But still, ditching him in the parking lot was a little mean. He didn't deserve it, I should've just made up an excuse.

When the bell finally dinged, the annoying elevator music stopped and the door slid open. The penthouse's inside came into view. For rich people, and their anything glittery and fragile sense of decoration, our house was very homey.

It was all canary yellow and periwinkle walls, gorgeous views of the clean parts of Seattle, and homey decorations. Though it's fall, and we should have scarecrows and orange-leaf decorations, it was a white and pink flowers. Their sweet smell is what Alesha calls a "natural air freshener". The only hint of fall here was some silver, fake pumpkins in little crannies around the house. They weren't plastic or styrofoam though, Alesha is very eco friendly. I don't think I've every used a plastic straw in my life.

I grabbed one of the chunky knit blankets and headed to my room. My room is on the second floor, and up the thick wooden stairs leading to the loft.

The loft is pretty big, I can easily have room for my fluffy, king size bed and a couch, desk, and window seat. I even have a small walk-in closet with this cute old fashioned lightbulb on the ceiling.

I flopped down on the bed and covered myself with the chunky blanket. Ugh. What is even my life anymore?

For who knows how long, I laid there. Doing absolutely nothing. And thinking absolutely to much. I heard footsteps and talking downstairs, then the clank of pots and pans being pulled out of the cabinets.