Cicaro

Chapter Seven

The morning after the Caleb family reunion saga, my mom came to tell me she was leaving, duty calls.
No unnecessary hugs or goodbye kisses.

Just a stay safe and stay inside warning, the usual.
And me being me, after having her attention for this long, there was no way I wasn't going to do all that I could to get it once more.

I rush up to my room after the door clicks shut signalling her departure and take out my car keys from my drawer. I pick up my phone, put on a hoodie and then shades.

I move to walk out my door. I'm about to bolt down the stairs when Camila's whistling cuts me off.

I quickly shove myself into the room and slam it shut behind me, my heart in my throat, I take deep breaths.

She stops to knock on my door,"is everything okay Iris?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of having a headache right now. Can I just sleep in?" My voice wavers.

" Should I call your doctor?"

"No I'm fine, it's one of those things I just have to sleep off." She sighs. She obviously doesn't believe me but nevertheless she walks off.

The soft pad of her feet on the floor ceases a few minutes later and I take that as my cue to leave. On second thought I put down my cars keys and pick up my pocket knife and pepper spray instead.

Sneaking out is really easy since naturally I don't have the tendency to do so and generally I don't think my mom expects me to.

The harsh glare of the sun hits me first when I walk out the house door, I put on my hoody cap.

After feeling like someone suffocating indoors, it was nice to finally breathe in fresh air.

I decide to just let my spirit lead and I just begin walking.

The same old park, same one walk way benches and then a cute new building, one I had never seen before and by some sort of compulsion, I walk in.

My hand moves into the pocket of my hoodie fiddling around for my pepper spray, I look around and access my surroundings. There were mostly teenagers and just a particular group of guys stands out. I make it my duty to stay out of their way.

It looks like some sort of icecream shop.

I walk towards the main server thankfully a female and place my order calmly not wanting to look out of place.

I remind myself to breathe. I am just as normal as the rest of then, look at me blending in.

I take a seat at the most secluded corner of the restaurant and bring out my phone to continue reading.

I am what one could call the Albert Einstein of our generation. Unfortunately I could only participate in online quizes and tests. Online classes can only get you so much recognition.

After my SATS next month, my acceptance letter from Oxford and positive results from my therapy classes, my life would finally be complete. I would be normal just like the rest of them.

I hear screeches from beside me and instinctively my head jerks upwards.

Another male, come on is this heat season, why do they keep popping up? I frown at him and search once more for my pepper spray, holding the knob in my hands.

"Whoa calm down tiger," the boy chuckles. I notice he looks about my age but I can't see much, he's wearing a hoodie.

"Just pretend I'm not even here, I'm trying to hide from that whole bunch behind me," he points at something behind him and I follow his hand to the same group of guys I noticed when I walked in.

They looked like they were in a clique, black clothes and all, they seemed to be searching for something or rather someone.

I give myself as much space as I can from the boy in the double seater booth with me.

"Please don't say anything, I'll be out of your hair in a giffy." He continues trying to persuade me to stay quiet.

"Don't scream Iris, it'll be over before you know it,"

11years ago, Then I would close my eyes and wait for it to be all over, now, I scream, I scream as high as my lungs could carry me.

His head whips backwards and his hoodie drops, he trys to shush me, make me quiet but that only makes me scream harder the moment his hand touches my mouth.

Before he even has time to retaliate, the gang from before notices the commotion, walks up to him and drags him away, the last thing I see is his deadly yet georgeous eyes burning a hole into my head. His lips yet closed keep screaming volumes. I was dead meat the next time he saw me.

The whole room relaxes after he is dragged out and no one moves to investigate what happened to him. They ask me though, swarms of people wondering who would want to rape a girl in broad day light.

I can't reply them, cause I am wondering the exact same thing. What exactly is wrong with me?

The walk home is a whole lot depressing and I keep regretting, wishing I never came out in the first place.

Camila greets me at the front door, worry etched all over her features but I give her a don't ask look and push past her, she drops the issue.

I look around for signs of my mother, proof that I didn't just put a tag on my back for nothing.

But the echoes of the empty house greets me.

"She couldn't make it, she called the cops to try and form a search party, she was so worried," Camila says when she notices my wondering eyes.

I send her a weak smile which she doesn't reciprocate and trail up the stairs back to my room.

"I'm always here for you Iris, you don't have to be alone," she says once more but I don't dignify that with a response.

I don't even get to take off my hood before she barges in unwelcomed.

Caleb was here just now, he got you this she shoves a box into my hand.

I wait for her to leave before I open it but she stands there trying to look in. I raise my eyebrows at her, she gets the cue and walks out.

I raise the lid of the rectangular blue box and pick up a delicate silver chain with a safe pendant, I try opening the tiny box but it doesn't bulge, I look back inside for a key and see a thin roped silver bracelet with a key charm. I take it and try to open the safe once more fueled with curiousity.

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