Manipulate

Chapter Two

The man looks at me and smiles. "I believe that you Abhaya Lynne Hughes, I assume?" The man says.

"Yes, sir, I'm Abhaya," I say as steady I can. My hands are shaking. Hopefully, no one notices that I'm super nervous about what's going on.

"Ms. Hughes, we need to know if you are going to accept our offer. Will you come with us and help us with a mission? If you succeed, then we will help you find your mom. Deal?" The woman asks me.

"Deal. I will help you with the mission. When do I leave and start?" I say.

"Tomorrow at this time we will come and get you here. Same time, same place," the man says.

Dad nods in agreement, I follow his lead.

The man and woman leave. I walk back into the kitchen and finish washing and drying the plates, cups, and silverware. I put the plates and cups back into their cabinets. Then I put the silverware back into their draws. I dry my hands on my shirt and go upstairs to find that the dirty clothes hamper is an overflowing mountain full of shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, socks, and underwear. I sit down and I start sorting the clothes by material and color.

When I finish, I put the whites into the washing machine and I go back upstairs. I return to my room and pull out my ponytail and shake my hair loose. My long straight brown hair falls past my shoulders and to my mid back. I change out of my blue jeans and into a pair of gray sweatpants. I leave my black long sleeve shirt on. I crawl into bed, and as my head hits the soft pillow, my dream begins.

"I'm sorry, Arik. I have to leave; I have to protect Abhaya. She is in grave danger if I stay. Please don't be upset with me," my mom says as I stand outside their bedroom door.

"Chloe, I'm not angry or upset with you. I just don't understand what is wrong with Abhaya."

"Arik, I need you to remarry another woman. It will make it look like I got murdered or I got seriously injured. Please, we need to protect Abhaya. She's being hunted by the government because she possesses a power very few people possess. They will find her, and test her or kill her if she is found."

"What power does she possess though?" Dad asks.

Mom sighs. "She can manipulate time if she wants to."

"What's so dangerous about manipulating time?" Arik questions.

"When Abhaya turns sixteen she'll start experiencing powers that she never knew she had. Do you remember when I bring home that vial of blue liquid that I make her drink every night before bed? She has to take it until she is sixteen. I need you to protect her. I have to go. I love you, Arik."

"I love you, too, Chloe."

I wake up, my heart beating in my throat. This was all an act. Dad didn't love Donatella, he only married her because he wanted to protect me. I was a stupid little girl and I couldn't realize that. It's still dark out, I roll over to check my alarm clock. It's only four thirty in the morning. I roll back over and sigh. I will soon be leaving Aj and dad behind to help find mom.

"Shit," I curse under my breath.

Now no one will be there to take care of the house, but I'll be free tonight. I smile at the thought. I fall back asleep for the next three hours curled up into a ball under my navy blue quilt my grandmother sewed for me when I was little. It's seven thirty when Donatella comes pounding on my door signaling that I need to wake up. I sit up rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I swing my legs to the side of the bed and grab a black ponytail holder and pull my hair back into a ponytail, gathering all my hair back. I grab my black sneakers and a too-large St. Louis University sweatshirt.