Her Desires

Chapter 1: Left in the rain

Rain glazed rapidly over the sleek surface of their personal driver's Mercedes, distorting the road ahead into a watery kaleidoscope of lights. Claudia couldn't help but wish for the car to veer off the road, offering her an escape from the relentless challenges that tormented her life.

She glanced over at her mother in the passenger seat, observing her frantically dragging a shimmery shadow over her lids. Claudia almost rolled her eyes at the absurdity of applying makeup at 4 am in the morning. Her mother, a typical French woman, valued beauty in every aspect of her life. She always had to be "prim and proper," as she would always say in her fake British accent.

"Watch it, Claudia," her father warned, catching her slightly judgmental expression, emphasizing his point with a harsh pinch on her shoulder.

Wincing at the pain, Claudia shrugged him off and turned her gaze towards the rain-streaked window. Today was the day - the day her parents would finally rid themselves of her, sending her off to some British boarding school in the countryside. Though she sometimes found herself despising them for their parenting style, she still loved them, and a part of her felt a twinge of sorrow. The people who were biologically designed to love her unconditionally were prepared to discard her without any hesitation. Pondering that same disheartening thought over and over, exhaustion took over her body as the low hum of the car provided a lullaby for her ears.

She slept the whole journey to Charles de Gaulle Airport. The ride was long and turbulent, each bump accompanied by her father's sharp elbow repeatedly jabbing her in her side, threatening to wake her from her fragile slumber. Despite this, Claudia clung to the comfort of her dreams, hoping to delay the inevitable confrontation with reality.

Just as the car came to a halt, she stirred sleepily and then awoke abruptly, remembering where they were. She waited for her parents to exit the vehicle before she did herself; she was used to following their lead, her lack of independence clear. However, she was met with her parents' still, unmoving figures. They weren't getting out.

"Mother? Father? Why aren't you getting out?" Claudia questioned, a hint of confusion etched into her face as she took the initiative and unbuckled her seatbelt, stepping out of the car first.

"Well?" she prompted again, this time a trace of irritation breaking its way through; she was now out of the car looking down at her parents who remained frozen in place.

Slowly, they exchanged silent glances before her father spoke to her sternly, "Claudia, your mother and I have decided that from here on out you will be on your own. We refuse to support your habits any longer." The weight of his cold words hung in the air and froze her.

Her face went numb; she could hardly get any of her words out. She crossed her arms tightly to keep her racing heart from bursting out of her chest. A feeling of anger and frustration consumed her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she pressed, furrowing her brows, though deep down, she understood; they resented her. A sentiment she'd never heard them vocalize, but it had been emanating from them ever since the incident. The day that changed everything.

Her father paused, a flicker of emotion escaping his composed demeanor as he saw the hurt expression plastered on her face.

Before he could answer her, her mother intervened, "tu sais ce que ça veut dire Claudia!" ('you know what it means Claudia!'). She quickly thrust Claudia's backpack and a folded flight ticket between her freshly manicured fingertips.

"après ce jour, nous avons réalisé que vous deviez changer. nous ne pouvons pas continuer à vivre comme ça." ('after that day, we realized that you needed to change. We can't continue living like this') she continued.

"There will be someone waiting for you at the airport, to take you to the school. Go with them. It's all gonna be okay," her father added.

Claudia squeezed her eyes tightly, hoping that this was all still part of her dream and that she was still fast asleep with her head resting on the car window. But it wasn't; this was reality, the cold hard truth. But she couldn't complain. After all, this was her own doing, all her fault. If only that day had never happened. If only she were someone else, and her life was fun, sweet, and cute just like any other rich girl's. But money can't buy everything; that was something she knew all too well.

She exchanged longing eye contact with her parents before rushing back in and hugging them each. She wanted this moment to last forever, her in their embrace. Ignoring all that was wrong in their lives. Ignoring that day.

Though her parents were evidently emotional, they didn't cry. She suspected that they had been planning this for months. It still hurt, though, knowing that she wouldn't see them again for at least a couple of years. Well, that's just how it had to be. She didn't blame them. If she had a daughter like her, she'd put her up for adoption without a second thought.

Before she could fully process the pain she felt, the door slammed shut in front of her, severing the bond between her and her parents, and the engine rumbled before her parents, her family, rode away into the distance, the vast rain consuming them as they looked back at her with sadness.

She was all alone now. That thought sunk its dagger into her heart so forcefully that she felt as though she was choking. The rain drenchedher clothes, causing them to tighten around her frail, shivering body as if they were a snake tightening around its prey.

As the sharp pain surged through her chest, she wondered, Why did it hurt? She'd anticipated this day for months, the day they would abandon her completely. Tears stung the corners of her eyes and threatened to roll down her face, but she refused to allow weakness. She grabbed her rucksack off the floor, which had dropped in the shock of what had just happened, and sprinted towards the airport. She wanted to flee this day, this life; she hated it all.

In her haste, she stumbled on the pavement, her cheek colliding with the freezing concrete. Pain radiated through her as she lay there, drenched and embarrassed by the curious onlookers. Finally managing to stand, she pushed through the crowd and shamefully headed to the entrance, ignoring the piercing stares and puzzled whispers.

Her inky black hair was a mess, and last night's mascara was running down her face. Damn it, she forgot to wash it off! Suddenly, she felt an intense craving, aching in the pit of her stomach, and her hands started quivering rapidly, but this time not from the cold.

This was going to be a long day.

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