The Hybrid Girl (Andromeda Book 1)

Chapter 2

I arrive at home twenty minutes later yelling, "Mum!" as I step into my home and lock the door behind me.

"Out here Jade," she shouts from the back garden. "You're back early, didn't you stick around and talk to some other people?"

"I've got three years for that," I shrug, jumping up onto the benchtop and swinging my legs back and forth. I sigh and nod as she descends into her lecture about me needing to be more social with people. Apparently, it's a fundamental part of the 'proper-uni-experience'. "Mum will you calm down, I did make a friend and we went out to eat before I came home. Plus, I had a tiny conversation with some guy, if that counts too."

She raises an eyebrow at that and snorts. I roll my eyes at her typical reaction. "My niece... spoke to a boy," she says slowly with an amused smile plastered on her face, as she moves her hands at either side of her like a balancing scale. "Yeah, that doesn't sound intentional. Did you do something weird, like you usually do?"

She smirks as she says that and I am offended, "did you just call me weird?"

"Yeah, so?" she asks as if it's no big deal, "if you are it, own it. Rather be weird than boring."

"You're just saying that because I get it from you," I smirk back and she laughs.

"How can you get it from me, if you're technically adopted?" she replies and I internally groan.

"I can't believe you just said that," I roll my eyes holding back my laughter, "weirdness isn't a biological thing you pass on, so being adopted is irrelevant. Anyways, you're still technically my aunt, so even if it was a biological thing, you'd have it too."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," she laughs, putting her gloves back on and resuming with the gardening. "I made lasagne if you want any now, or you can have it later when Norma comes over."

"Aunt Norma's back?" I echo in surprise. Mum nods and an excited smile takes over my face. "Thank you, I'll have some later, just call me down when she gets here," I reply, and walk upstairs. 

Aunt Norma is my mum's best friend. They're as inseparable as me and my best friend Danielle. My mum doesn't have any other family members, besides me. She's actually my aunt by blood but when my dad died she took me in because I had no one else. It's always been us against the world. Me, mum and Aunt Norma. Norma's work is constantly calling her away so she isn't around often, but when she is, she spends most of her time with us. Despite me constantly asking her about it, Norma never ever talks about the details of her job. It's like a universal secret of some sort.

I think she's a secret agent, but mum has scolded me for suggesting this.

Mum adopted me when I was just a few days old. Apparently, my biological mother gave me up when I was just a baby, for reasons that mum won't tell me. She gave me to my mum because she's my aunt but having taken care of me my whole life, I stopped calling her Aunt Carly and started calling her mum. 

Of course, growing up I always wanted to know why my biological mum left me and who she was. I'd throw the biggest tantrum every time I asked and she didn't answer. All she'd tell me is that she knows who my biological mother is but not how to find her. Even when I asked her to just tell me what she does know, she never did. As time went on, I eventually gave up asking because I just didn't care anymore. Mum said it was my biological mother's wish for me not to know anything about her because she didn't want me to find her. It took some time but eventually, I got over it. She also said that my biological mother said, she'd come for me one day, and everything would make sense about why she had to give me up.

Whatever that means.

But I really don't care anymore. I'll still live a blissful, fulfilled life even if she never shows up to explain. I have all I need here with mum and Aunt Norma.