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

Chapter Thirty-Nine

It took me only a second after crashing into the hidden figure that I registered that I did not collide into her or him. The person collided into me. I absolutely had zero time to move to the side or hop on a neighbor's lawn. I uttered a sharp cry when the figure's side smashed into me. I fell on my stomach on the bright grass. All the air whooshed out from my lungs. My black-framed glasses went down to the end of my nose. Thank goodness that they did not slide off and crack. They would be another thing added to Mom's full plate. Dad...my real dad...by his behavior at breakfast, he would be upset and blame me for breaking my glasses.

He is my dad. I am his only child. Why is he acting like a jerk? He treated Mom like his personal slave and did not give two crubs about me.

The person was wearing a dark cloak covering all parts of his or her body. The hood was up, so I did not notice the face. He or she did not stop sprinting or even shout a sorry. By the time that I stood back up, he or she was out of sight. I was alone again. I pushed up my glasses. I frowned and dusted off both the front of my jumpsuit and my sleeves.

"Idiots," I murmured. "Too many idiots on the planet." I continued my short walk towards Karma's house and took in the scenery. I was thankful that my parents and I still moved to Forlot. I never considered this in all the times of dreaming of my flawless family. But my family - my new family - was anything except flawless. In fact, it was worse.

This made me desperate to find my bestie. I broke into a sprint. I clenched my fists tightly and started flinging my arms back and forth. I was praying that she did not also change for the worse. She could not have changed. She was already perfect. If the monster changed her...

A couple minutes later, I reached her house. I had seen the outside of her home many times. Pale yellow with a purple roof. But never the inside. Not once. If I could, I would take a quick peek inside. I likely would meet her parents too. We had never met. I was an idiot myself. I thought nothing of these.

I walked up the straight, beige path to the front door. I closed my eyes. I took a slow, deep breath and let it out and slowly raised one trembling fist to the brown door. My hands were sweaty. I prayed to the Lord to help me make a first fantastic impression on Karma's parents. I knocked three times and put my hands together.

Seconds later, the door swung open. A woman stood in the doorway and glared sickeningly at me. She crossed her arms. She looked impatient with me. "The crub are you doing on my property? Shoo before you regret it."

I figured that she was Karma's mom. She was probably in her fifties or sixties. Maybe she would cool down if I told her who I am. She has never seen my face after all.

"Are you Karma's mom?"

The woman squinted at me. "Who wants to know? And do not lie. I can smell liars miles away."

I laid my hand on my chest and cleared my throat. "My name is Carmen. I am Karma's bestie. I am pretty sure that she mentioned me."

"The crub is a bestie?"

I forced on a warm smile as I hid my hands behind me, holding my wrists, and moved my feet together. Then I straightened up. I did not have to just act ill-mannered to prove to Karma's parents that I am a great influence on her, but also look the part. If I looked or acted like a person who escaped the mental institution, the parents would make Karma cut ties with me. And vice versa.

I cannot go on without my only friend. And she cannot go on without me either. I said this once and will say it again. I wish with all my soul that we were sisters. Live in the same house. Share the same bedroom. Host tons of sleepovers! The fun would never end! We would not get bored of each other. It would feel like Heaven. And I would not be the only...girl. I forgot that I am an only child. I do not have any brothers. They do not exist. No more obnoxious brothers.

But I was unhappy. Why was I unhappy that they were gone? It is what I wanted. I thought so.

The lady snapped her fingers in my face. "Hel-lo! Have you gone mute? I have no time for your shenanigans."

Somebody is as unhappy as I am.

Her attitude was not the only factor about her that was making me a little uncomfortable. She seemed as if she had gotten out of bed. As if she slept with force. Maybe she has problems sleeping. She is an insomniac. It also explains her demeanor. I felt sorry for interrupting her sleep.

"Were you in the middle of something?"

She belched. It was so loud that it rang in my ears. And it smelled like...alcohol. Yep. Alcohol. She had chugged down alcohol. How the crub did she even get it? Where did she get it? She likely bought it illegally or stole it. It is illegal in Forlot. It is pointless anyway. Who needs it when you have Forlot books and other fiction stories to take you on unforgettable adventures?

I feel like reading a Forlot book with Karma now.

The woman wiped her mouth. "If you are here to waste my time, you can go." She motioned outside. "Shoo!"

She did not say excuse me!

She had better not be Karma's mother.