Alpha Rhys

Chapter 6

A month has passed by after my encounter with Rhys at our secret spot. I don't know how he has so much time to escape almost every night now to come here, but he does. He lives very far from here, and running here and back every day must take a toll on his body. It is great exercise though.

I have grown closer to him and fonder of his company. At first, I was skeptic of him finding out about me, but in all actuality, he is a great friend. Even though we don't talk, we seem to understand everything. I don't know how else to describe the way I feel when I'm with him.
Khen has grown worse. He keeps trying to get me alone with him and tries to touch me on my waist to pull me closer to him like when we danced. I think he is afraid to touch me anywhere else for fear that someone would walk in on us and he would get caught. Though, I am afraid that when we are alone in the house, he will try something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

One day, Alie was heard complaining to my step mother about not having a cute dress to go out in town with. Usually I'd make the clothes myself to save some money, but our financials aren't looking too good. "Honey, your father and I work so you don't have to. I can't keep spending so much on you anymore now that I already spent a fortune on your college tuition." Step mother tells her. Not only is Khen going to college still, but Alie and Sanna are now freshmen. They went into college two years after graduating high school so they could party and have fun.

"Well how else are we going to look good to attract our mates and get out of your hair if we don't have money?" Alie complains. Her mother sighs deeply and glances over to me. "She will work, then." I look at them, shocked.

My step mother waves it off and says, "I will buy Airia a wig and contact lenses to hide her ugly self from the world. She will get a job and send all the money to you and Sanna to buy whatever you like. This way we all have money." Alie agrees with her mother and I sigh. Everyone would have money but me, like always.

She spends an hour in town to get a short red wig with green eye contacts. The wig looks ugly in my opinion, but I think I look amazing in green eye contacts. The green and red color combination is a match made in heaven, too. I make do with the wig and style it as best as I can, as it is not real hair but synthetic material. I make sure everything fits well and go out into the town.

While wandering alone for the first time, I make sure not to cause any trouble so that I can go out alone more often. I ask around for job openings all day until it becomes evening. It's overwhelming seeing so many strangers around me and try to act normal. What is normal? Are people naturally friendly, or should I be cautious? Nobody is hiring around me. I feel defeated after a hard day of searching until I come across a bulletin board outside a grocery shop. There are positions open at the pack house that I can apply for tomorrow. I get excited and immediately grab one of the papers hanging up.

When I get home, I tell them that I will go out tomorrow and do an interview with them. They don't seem interested and probably won't be until I bring home the cash. Whatever, working means that I will spend more time over there than here. Fine with me! The contacts make my eyes dry and feel tired. On top of that, I fear the wig may be snatched at any moment, so I am cautious about that nonstop.

Too tired to visit Rhys today, I go to sleep instead. I hope he doesn't miss my company too much. He used to want to be alone, but now he welcomes my playful aura and opens up. Tonight, he will have to spend it alone while I sleep. I have a busy day with an interview tomorrow.

After a long night's rest, I spend an hour putting on makeup; which I convinced everyone I needed to look less like me as possible, along with the wig and contacts. I must make sure I dress in pants and a long-sleeved shirt with gloves to avoid any type of contact. I go on my horse and prepare for an hour and a half ride. It is very uncomfortable but I make it there in one piece. After putting the horse in the stables near the giant house, I head toward it. It does not look as fancy as I remember it from the night I came, but instead looks like a normal living area. I find my way by asking people where to go while holding up the paper I took from the bulletin board.