Forlot: A Girl Who Needs Her Space - Book Thirty-Two

Chapter Six

"It is not fair," I hissed to my best friend. "Not fair at all."

Karma and I were all alone in the living room and on the couch. The couch was soft against my skin, but it could not make me feel better. Nothing could, which hurt me even more. Even my friend, who was patting my knee and reassuring me that everything would be alright, could not cheer me up. I was so disappointed - so furious! - that my brothers received things more valuable than what I got.

It may sound like that I am jealous, but I swear that I was not. I am not the jealous type anyway. Neither is Karma. If any of my brothers were to get a trophy or a certificate or some other kind of recognition, I will applaud them. But I do not think that it is right when they get something that they did not work for.

Granted, I never worked for the watch or music box, but I am sure that we can all agree that I deserve the objects. I have shown Mom and Aunt Elore just how responsible I am. I take extra good care of my things and make sure to not lose them. Mom did not tell my grandparents this...right?

I guess not because I ended up with the stupid watch and the useless music box.

"Calm down, Carmen," Karma said. "We do not want your blood pressure to rise, now do we?"

"What do you think that I am? An elderly person?" I questioned her.

"I do not think that you are old at all, Carmen. I just do not want you to end up like..." She paused. "...the people on television. I do not want you to die."

I thought that what she stated was off, but decided to forget it. "I am telling you that it is not fair."

"Yes. You have told me that many times, Carmen."

I adjusted my glasses. "And I bet that you are sick of it."

"I am not sick of it. And if I had as many brothers as you do, I would say that it was not fair over and over, hoping that my greedy siblings get it."

"My brothers are not greedy, but you are right. I look outside all the windows in my house, theorizing what Mom would do to them."

Karma played with her ponytail. "One can hope that she will ground them."

I shook my head and rested both of my hands on my stomach. "Grounding is not good enough for them."

"What about no more sports or video games?"

"That is too light of a punishment if you ask me."

"Then what would you suggest, Carmen?"

"It has to be painful, Karma. Unbearable. Something that they will never forget. That way, they will never mess with you and me again."

"As much as I want them to get off of our backs...are you sure that pain is the way to go?"

I ran a hand through my hair as I let out a whoosh of air. "You know me, Karma. I would not let any harm come to my brothers. My mother loves them with all her heart and would definitely have a heart attack."

"She would have a heart attack if her sons were hurt or killed?"

"Exactly." I stretched my arms. "Do you know what I wish?"

"What?"

"I wish that I could travel back in time."

"You wish that you could travel back in time?"

"Yeah. I really wish that I was able to go back in time and keep my mother from meeting those men. I also wish that she and my biological father got together."

"So you want your brothers to have never been born. And you want your mom to be with a toxic man."

"My father is not toxic."

Karma rubbed my back. "I know that you want your dad in your life, but it is a sad fact that not everyone can have a loving dad. Some fathers and mothers are douchebags."

"I will have you know that my dad is far from being a douchebag."

"Then why has he not come back? Why has your dad not come back to this house to see you?"

"He will. I can feel it. He just wants to be a successful man before he comes back to see me."

"You and I both know that will not happen, Carmen, and it is because he does not want to change."

"You do not know that."

"I do not know if he is a changed man, but I do know that he was not kidding when he said that he wanted nothing to do with you or your mom."

"When did he say that?"

"Do you not remember when we were toddlers? You and I were in the other room - this room! - and your mother and father were in the kitchen and yelling."

"They were not yelling."

"They most certainly were. The entire neighborhood probably heard them."

We suddenly heard knocking. Soft knocking. Karma and I were startled by the noise and turned to where it was coming from.

It was that Maxwell guy who was making the sounds. He was standing in the doorway and knocking on the wall. He still had that grin plastered on his face.

"Hello, Carmen. Hello, Karma," he greeted. "I am so glad that I found you, Carmen. Remember the watch and music box that were in the will?"

I noticed that he was holding two items in one hand. "Uh, yeah. Why do you ask?"

Karma wrapped her hand around my arm. "Carmen, I would not trust this guy if I were you."

I looked at her. "Why not? Besides the fact that he is creepy."

"I will explain to you when he leaves. Just tell him to leave us alone."

"Okay." I looked back up at him. "Leave us alone."

"I know how to time-travel, Carmen."