Veran: The Claim

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Edited

I always found sun sets fascinating.

Maybe it was the way it looked like spilled water colors that melded together, or the way the chaos created a cohesive setting that just brought everything to life. Or maybe it was the way it reflected the madness so beautifully. This is my favorite place.

It just is. It's natural; nothing ruined it or made it better.

I guess that's why I love it so much. It speaks to me in ways I never felt or thought before.

As I picture basking in its receding glow, I think of the many ways I could actually get out of this forsaken, misleading town.

"It's not the end," I whisper to myself. "This can't be it, there's no way."

I suppose I know why I love sunsets.

It's not because they're beautiful or colorful or bright.

It's because they give me hope that even as the sun goes down, there will always be another tomorrow.

As I finished writing in my journal, I closed my eyes and let a few tears slip free. When I heard a knocking on my door, I sucked in a sharp breath and immediately put the picture I looked at in my journal. Then stuffed them in my shirt drawer.

I once thought about putting it in my sock or underwear draw, but I wasn't stupid enough to actually do something that cliché and ridiculously obvious. At least I liked to think that.

When the door opened, I was sitting crossed legged on the bed, a big old grin plastered on my tear-streak free face.

"Well, look who's awake again?" Milito said, arms crossed.

"Yep, like always. But you would know that if your hair was longer and your voice higher and you didn't have a-"

"Okay! I got the picture, just stop right there."

"Speaking of dickless you, where is she?" I said unashamedly, smiling at his narrowed eyes and annoyed huff of breath.

"She's loading up the car for school. Apparently, I can't do it because I'll taint it with my "disease-ridden flesh."

I laughed, recalling the time Milan got her stupid car from the auctioneer. She was neck a neck with number 94,000 and just barely scraped up enough until she offered her stash of old baby rattles; one of them containing the teeth of some rare animal that outbid the other by 2.9486% if the auctioneer's assistant little number calculating machine thingy was correct.

I would never forget the time when she won, jumping up and down in the air and screaming, "That's right, bitches. Momma won herself a ticket out of here." But of course, the car itself wasn't going anywhere far if the busted up, well, everything, had a say about it.

"Well," I said, "then I guess it's settled."

I nodded my head, ignoring his brows furrowed in confusion and went into the bathroom to change but not before hearing, "What?"

As I smoothed down my long brown hair, I rimmed my eyes with Khol.

When I got out, he was scratching his head.

"What's settled?" He asked again.

I just smiled and stepped in front of my mirror, putting some hair grips in to get the loose tendrils out of my face, laughing internally at Milito's confused expression.

His mouth was opened, as if he were going to ask a question.

Quick as lightning, I grabbed my bag and ran out the door, screaming,