Shuffled: When the Cards Talk You Must Listen

Chapter 29 Notes

And that is where my Mom and Aunt found me fifteen minutes later; sitting at the side of the parking garage, my hands in my hair, and eyes glazed over, watching the blowing leaves, and my mind completely blank. The day had turned blustery, and the wind had blown a number of brightly colored leaves into the garage. I watched them with a detached fascination. Sometimes it felt like my life was nothing more than a leaf being blown around in the autumn wind.

"Ok sugar it's official, you took too long and we got you something special. Hey, maybe you can wear it for your birthday party!" My Mom sing-songed as she came waltzing up to me swinging a long garment bag in front of her.

I slowly looked up at my mom and Aunt. It was like a slap in the face the difference between our happy day and the heart stopping terror that that damn pack instilled in me just a few minutes ago. Slowly I stood up and forced a weak smile onto my face. I don't know why I didn't just tell them what happened. I think I just needed to process it.

It's gotta be one of those things that happens when you grow up with a mostly absent parent, you just learn to figure things out on your own. I'm used to being alone, and doing things alone. This whole thing, friends, new family everything is just so new. Old habits die hard, and this one has not had very long to change.

"Say hey, why were you just sitting on the ground out here anyways?" My Aunt asked, with worry layering her voice.

"I well, I" I fumbled and cast my eyes around the mostly full parking garage. The smell of the gasoline, car exhaust, and stale smoke from the nearby ashtray occupied my attention.

"OH well I ran into some kids from school, and well." I sighed, stalling trying to find some kind of plausible excuse for my delayed return.

"Well, honestly I kinda hid from them. I'm not a fan of the Wonder Blonds, and they are not fans of me. I just. Well I didn't feel like getting ketchup-ed again. So I kind of avoided them."

Ya OK that was lame! But it was better than telling them about the boys etc. Besides with my luck they would probably just tease me about the boys liking me or some nonsense like that.

"So instead you chose to sit out here and zone out looking at the blowing leaves? Honey, that makes no sense."

"Fine" I blew out a big breath. "I kinda had a mini anxiety attack. I think it's just too much all at the same time. With the knowledge of our families 'differentness'. The existence of the fae and the girls. You being home but still having to go back, and so soon." I shrugged "it's just a lot to take in all at once. Add to all of that all the overwhelming things about being in a mall. The slight echoing of people as they talk. It was really weird today. I felt like everyone was speaking in a microphone, just super loud. The lights just felt extra bright today, and they flickered just a little bit." I shrugged again. "So I decided I needed a little breather. I just didn't plan on it lasting as long as it did. I'm sorry."

"OH HONEY!" They both cooed at me. "We are so sorry!" Again everything was done in complete unison, still creepy!

"I don't know why neither of us thought about that at all. Come on, let's get some dinner, before we have to take my sissy-poo here home."

"YA that sounds nice." I said, as I hung my head down just a bit. "OH wait! Please tell me you didn't REALLY get me some olive green monstrosity."

"Oh just you wait! In fact you will have to wait until your birthday party."

"COMEON!" I whined. "PLEASE Show me!" I put on my best puppy dog face and pouted at them.

"OH OK, just a peek of a hint." my mom caved, and started unzipping the garment bag. My aunt however quickly grabbed it and swung it over our heads just out of reach.