Skin Deep

(26) Twists That Happened too Soon

Noah

How do you tell the one person whose opinion actually matters your biggest secret?

    That's right. You don't. I don't know what I was thinking. I can't tell her.

    But, Kai's waiting for me to say something. We're inside the little shed I made sitting on the floor and I don't know how to start.

    I don't know how to say this.

    "I knew it! You are full of crap!" Kai exclaims all of a sudden, getting up from the floor.

    "Kai, wait!" I get up and tug on her arm trying to get her to turn back around. Trying to get this moment back, but instead of turning around she pulls her shoulder away from me.

    She turns around to face me, but before she can say anything, her phone rings.

    Kai takes a deep breath and answers her phone without even looking at the number, stepping away from me.

    "Yes?" She answers and then her face completely drops and I know whoever is on the other side of that line can't be good.

Kai

"Your parents are here." Teagan says as soon as I pick up.

    "What?" I ask, thinking I didn't hear him right.

    "Well, really just your mom and your two sisters."

    "Are you sure?" I ask him.

    "Do you know any other redheaded women? One of them who looks just like you? Who's your twin? Kayla?" He questions.

    "Are you sure her name is Kayla? Maybe I have another look alike by some chance?"

    "Not likely." Teagan answers.

    "What are you even doing at home? Shouldn't you be in school?" I ask him.

    "I was taking a personal day." Teagan answers.

    "Is that Kai?" My mom asks in the background and then I hear some shuffling and suddenly–

    "Where are you, young lady?" She asks me.

    Typical. She hasn't seen me in five years and that's the first thing that comes out of her mouth. Not, I've missed you or I'm sorry for abandoning you at thirteen when you were pregnant.

I think about what to say and settle on the obvious. "I'm at school, mom. I still have a year left to go." I say, even though I'm obviously not at school at the moment. She doesn't need to know that though.

"School?" She asks like it's a foreign word to her. "I thought you dropped out." I roll my eyes.

"And why did you think that?"

"Because you have a five year old little girl and your living in an apartment which means you must work. So, I just assumed--"

"Well, I didn't." I say through clenched teeth.

"Right." She says and then the line goes quiet.

I take a deep breath. "Mom, how did you know where I lived?"

"I stopped by your boyfriend's house and they told me where you were."

"Ex-boyfriend." I say, like that fact matters at all.

"Right." She says softly. "Are you really at school?" She asks quietly because even after five years of no contact at all, she still can tell when I'm lying.

"No." I admit quietly.

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

I think about saying no, but I look in back of me seeing Noah trying to busy himself on his phone and realize I only really have one option.

"Only if we can pick Royal up from daycare." I say.

"Royal?" Mom asks, because of course she doesn't know the name of her one grand child.

"My kid, mom." I say.

"Right." She says. "I can do that. Just give me the address of where you are."

"Okay." I say.

And then I hang up. "I gotta go." I tell Noah and before he can say anything I leave and walk far enough away that he won't find me.

***

My mom came. We picked up Royal from school and when she asked me who her grandmother is, I lied and told her she was an older friend. I didn't want Royal to get too attached before my mom does what she does best. Leave.

She doesn't take me back to my apartment. I didn't think she would. Instead, she takes me to a nice house. I'm assuming its hers. It even has a white picket fence.

And right when we drive into her drive way, my two sisters Kayla and Amanda greet us.

"It's a whole fucking family reunion." I whisper under my breath.

"What was that, dear?" My mom says as she gets out her vehicle.

"I just said it looks like it's a family reunion!" I say, trying to sound peppy.

Royal get out of the backseat and as mom, Kayla and Amanda each follow each other into their house, I kneel in front of Royal.

"This is the only time I am ever going to say this word directly to you and mean it. Please do not repeat mommy. This is my mom and my two sisters, so your grandma and aunts. Now, here's the thing you need to know about them." I say to Royal, who just nods her head, listening intently. "Our family is fucking horrible. They are conniving, horrible and conceded people. Whatever they do, I want you to do the opposite of them." I tell as seriously as I can manage. 

I don't want Royal anywhere near these horrible humans so I need to teach Royal the importance of survival in our family, which is to fucking never listen to a thing these people say because although we may be family, we don't share a damn thing in common.

I guide Royal to the demon's house and hand in hand we face the beast.