TONGUE TIED | STEVE HARRINGTON

PROLOGUE

VOL 1 . . . GRAPEJUICE BLUES
PROLOGUE. ━━ tongue tied.

Sweat dripped down her forehead and to the back of her neck. Moving boxes from the first to the second floor was a whole workout for Amelia. She had woken up that morning with the energy to organize her new room in Hawkins, her new hometown. She had moved from Russia to California when she was a little girl. Her father's secret job was to blame because now she was stuck in an old junkie and boring town with no socialites.

She did not like the sudden change one bit. She hated the idea of leaving places constantly for stupid reasons. Amelia had already moved to the other side of the globe. What else did her father want?

Amelia unpacked her things and neatly placed them where they belonged. Her bed was already put together, but she had to change the sheets to comfier ones and the pillows too. She desperately sighed at the mess surrounding her.

She grabbed a small jewelry chest from the box and gasped as she noticed the broken edge. Her grandmother in Russia had given her the box before her passing — along with a little white pearled necklace, which she always carried with her. It meant innocence, beauty, and purity. It was the only material thing that held sentimental value for her. She had taken very good care of the box and complied with her grandmother's wishes to keep it. With a crease formed between her eyebrows, she approached her dresser and placed the broken box on top of it. She would have to ask her mother if she could repair it.

Probably her father's doing.

She cleaned her room, emptied boxes, and organized shelves and books until her knees gave out. She dropped herself against her bed and fluttered her eyes closed as she tilted her head back. She exhaled deep breaths. She could hear her mother preparing lunch in the kitchen, which brought her back to her senses. She brought herself up from the floor and tiredly strolled out of her bedroom. She was drenched in sweat from head to toe — much so that she could feel her skin getting sticky.

She gazed at the clock that stood in the hallway and widened her eyes when she read the digits. 12:54 p.m. She hurriedly stumbled over her own feet as she ran down the stairs. Her mother will murder her and hide her body inside a closet.

       Margot's deadly glare welcomed the teenage girl into the kitchen. Amelia somehow managed to put an innocent smile on her face. Her mother shook her head. She looked at her with raised brows and a murderous look. The hands on her hips intimidated Amelia.

       "You forgot the groceries, Amelia," Margot said sternly. She watched cautiously how her daughter walked up to her, nervously running her hands through her hair.

       "I'm sorry," Amelia mumbled. "I just had a lot to unpack, and I lost track of time, and I forgot that I had to go buy the groceries for lunch— and aside from that, I need to ask you if you could fix the little jewelry box Nana gave to me before she passed—" She rambled and gasped for air. She shut her mouth the second her mother did not return the innocent smile she gave her.

       A cheeky smile crept up to Margot's lips, and she slightly shook her head at Amelia's clumsiness. "Hey, hey. Why don't you take a break from organizing and explore the town or something, while I fix Nana's box?" Margot suggested as she walked up to Amelia and rubbed her shoulders. "Just don't forget the groceries, please." The girl sighed and nodded with a smile on her lips. She pecked her mother's cheek and thanked her, before grabbing the house keys and sprinting out the door while yelling an 'I'll be back by noon!' and a 'Love you!' to her mother.