His Sun And Moon

Chapter 14

THIA

I'm awoken by screams.

Everywhere.

Jumping into a sitting position, I look around my bedroom in a panic, my eyes still blurry with sleep.

What if a band of leprechauns snuck into my house while I was sleeping?! They're trying to get their gold back! Shoot, I should've hidden it better! Only leprechauns could scream so loud.

However, instead of leprechauns standing around me with torches, it's my mother, Aunt Maggie, and Amanda with excited expressions.

Amanda, Hayden's girlfriend, jumps on top of me, hugging me tightly. "Oh! I've missed you so much, girl! Why don't you ever come see me?"

Shrugging, I return her hug, smiling widely. "Hayden never lets me come with him, he says that he wants 'alone time' with you. Also, I've been gone adventuring for the last couple weeks," I add on as an afterthought.

Mom rolls her eyes at my choice of wording, "'Adventuring' isn't the word I would choose to describe getting lost and then kidnapped."

"I wasn't kidnapped, I was--"

Aunt Maggie gasps in horror. "Where you scared?! Oh my poor sweet child! I am so glad we found you! I thought we had lost you forever!"

Before I can blink, I'm being tackled by my favorite (and only) aunt in a bear hug.

And although I like hugs, she just so happens to have landed on my stomach and squeezed my shoulder.

Gasping in pain, I try to squirm away, but her death grip tightens somehow. "Owe!"

Mom quickly pulls her away, rushing to my side. "Are you okay, honey?!"

"Yeah, I think so--"

"I'M SO SORRY," Aunt Maggie wails, looking horrified and guilty.

"What's going on in here," the door bangs open and Hayden bursts through, breathing heavily with a wild look in his eyes.

Hopelessly, I watch the somewhat humorous events play out before me.

"SHE'S HURT," exclaims Amanda, panicked.

"WHAT," roars Hayden, charging towards me.

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT," screams Aunt Maggie, her hands trembling as she steps away.

"HAYDEN! GO GET THE FIRST AID," orders Mom, yelling just because she can.

Swiftly, my brother whirls around and sprints out of the room.

Aunt Maggie falls to her knees and covers her face with her hands. "I KILLED MY ONLY NIECE!"

Where's River, I wonder randomly.

Suddenly, Dad runs into the room, his eyes wide with panic. "WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?!"

"WHY ARE YOU HERE, YOU LOW LIFE SCUM," screeches Mom in reply, looking furious.

"TO SEE MY DAUGHTER, YOU DEVIL'S WH*RE!" He runs towards me and presses a hand to my face, as if checking me for injuries.

Curious, I ask calmly, "What's a 'devil's wh*re'?"

Mom becomes angrier, "GREAT! NOW YOU'RE TEACHING MY DAUGHTER YOUR VULGAR LANGUAGE, YOU B*STARD!"

"NOW YOU'RE A HYPOCRITE," he roars in outrage, turning to face her.

"I FOUND THE FIRST AID," Hayden runs in, producing the box of first aid.

"SHUT UP," our parents yell at each other in unison.