Hela On Earth

9-A Very Obvious Linen Closet

Chapter 9: A Very Obvious Linen Closet

"Do you need to pick up anything from home?" I did need fresh clothes, but I didn't want to have to explain everything to Misty, Dad, or Victoria. I didn't even know if they were aware of who I was. Certainly Victoria didn't know.

"I guess. You have to come in with me though, in case Mom's there." Heather readily agreed to my standards, and we head out for the short trip.

Misty threw open the lobby door before we had a chance to open it and pounced on Heather and I. I thought I noticed someone watching us, but when I turned my head to check, there was only a romantic couple sitting on a bench, kissing.

"It's been the worst here without you guys! Victoria's been over every single day, she's so bored, and I want to punch her in the face sometimes," Misty confessed honestly as the reckless clomping of Victoria's steps echoed through the lobby.

"Simmy!" She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed. I coughed and tried to pry her arms off my throat. I reached into my pocket and handed her the phone. "Finally, you piece of crap. My Mom got so mad when I told her I lost it. Anyways, you can keep it. I got a new one."

"You're so spoiled!" I teased. The truth was, Tori's mom worked at the Apple store, and got discounts.

"Simmy! Guess who's visiting right now?" Misty made me play a game of jeopardy.

"Jimmy Kimmel?"

"Ugh, I wish. Reesa's here for the week before she heads back out to Israel." I couldn't believe that Reesa was actually visiting. She was the most complicated part of the family. As soon as she graduated from high school she disappeared and we didn't hear from her until three years later. We soon found out she lived in Jerusalem and married a middle eastern guy. I waved to Buck Hawley, the lobbyist, but he just scowled and continued to scribble in the small leather notebook. Buck was always grumpy.

Reesa greeted us in the lobby as we chatted amongst ourselves. Her hair was wavy and sleek as usual, and her appearance really had not changed. The same stoic, almost secretive (I prefer to use clandestine) smile brightened up her face. All three of my sister inherited my father's dark brown Indian skin and black hair, but Reesa got my mom's wavy texture.

Reesa never wore a bindi like Heather and Misty did, and she would never tell me why. She was very against tradition, and wouldn't even wear traditional clothes to a family reunion. Even me, the white adopted kid, wore a nice dress.

"Simmy! Heather!" She gave us each a hug, but it was kind of awkward, to be honest. "It's so good to see you again! You guys are so...tall, and grown-up!" Heather bit her lip and smiled half-heartedly, but I didn't understand why she was being so weird around Reesa. She was, after all, our sister. "I can't believe you're eleven, Sima. And Heather, you were fourteen!" Heather gritted her teeth and was on the verge off yelling at Reesa. I didn't understand why Heather was so mad at her. She left after she graduated; wasn't that what graduated people did? Travel, go to college, get a job, whatever?

I took a step towards the stairs, but Reesa stopped me. "Mom says you can't go up there right now. She's busy." I rolled my eyes.

"Mom's always busy, Ree. I'm just getting some clothes for Heather's."

"She said-"

Heather cut Reesa off. "You weren't here for half of her life, Reesa. You can't tell her what to do!"

"I'm just-"

I held out my hands, and looked at Misty. She shrugged. "Heather it's fine. I'll just wait outside. Misty can get them for me! Right, Misty?" Misty shrugged and left to get them for me. I watched Heather stomp after her, with Reesa close behind. Of course, I couldn't just wait here and not be intrigued by whatever was upstairs. As soon as they were gone, I raced outside into the mid-day heat and trekked up the back fire escape. Ms. Roseman yelled at me for scaring her birds, but I kept climbing, climbing, climbing. I skidded to a stop as I heard my sister's arguing.

"Why are you being so nasty? I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

"Happy? You left without a clue! We thought you got kidnapped; Mom cried for days!" Heather spat, searching through my drawer for some clothes. I could see them slightly, through the glass door. Misty was lying on her bed, below mine, texting as if her own sister's weren't yelling at each other. I couldn't stand the yelling, but I wanted to see what they were hiding.

"Heather, that was six years-"

"You missed everything! Misty was eleven, I was fourteen, and we didn't even know Simmy existed! You don't even know her! She thinks she's met you before, but she never did! You don't even know us! Our lives will never be the same, and I hate that" There was a hushed silence, like a grey cloud. Another lie. I couldn't believe I had never met Reesa. I didn't know she left before I was adopted. I knew her favorite color, her face, what she liked, what she hated; Apparently, she was just a ghost, a fable I believed.

I moved on, transporting myself to the kitchen linen closet. I was small enough to fit in the bottom shelf. There were no tablecloths here, only me. I listened to Mom talk to some people. I was guessing that Dad was sleeping, since he was on night watch on Mondays.

"We sent a group there, but they couldn't catch her. Apparently she threw herself off a building. After that, she disappeared. We have agents on the main subways, but she's gone." I didn't recognize the voice, but I knew they were from SHIELD.

"How did she react to Loki?" My mom asked, hesitation hinting in her usually steady tone.

"She had a sort of a breakdown when she first met him, but later, she went on her own to talk to him. Unfortunately, he revealed all of her known powers." Liar, I thought. I didn't have a "breakdown". The guy called me a monster. How would he react?

"But she doesn't know how to control them. How long will she be able to stay here, before we have to send her away? " Send me away? That wasn't even legal. I was an adopted kid, not a foster kid. This was every adopted child's biggest nightmare, someone giving you up again. Why would they send me away? Where would they send me? Would I ever see them again, Heather, Misty, Dad, Takashi and his seven cats? I listened closely.

"We've found a few possible camps for people like her, but all the attendees are adults, and potentially dangerous. We have thought of sending her back to Asgard, but that brings other difficulties to light. For now, the best choice is to keep her quiet, keep her in the dark, and keep her away from her father." Camps, Asgard, and lies. Which was worse? I didn't want to be locked up like some sort of animal, nor did I want to leave the earth all together. I did know I hated lies, and was sick and tired of them. I felt pins and needles in my foot as it fell asleep. Silently I shook it out, but my foot accidently kicked the door and I came somersaulting out.

"Sima Elle Hampshire! What have I told you about eavesdropping?" She scolded instantly, not even realizing I had hidden in a very obvious linen closet.

"Sorry..." I apologized shyly. "What's this about my dad? And sending me off to camp? Tsk, tsk Mommy." I clicked my tongue and shook my head.

But she didn't have time to explain, because a car -like flying object blew up the building across the street.