Waiting for Amber Skyy

Chapter 36

"I can't believe I have my own room!"

I beamed as Speck ran around the room, hopping on the bed and oohing at the little desk and lamp provided. She opened the closet and threw herself in, coming out covered in dust and sneezing. Running over to the window, she slid it open and basked in the sunlight. She opened her arms and smiled brightly, "This is so so cool!!"

I chuckled and watched as she went back to flop on the bed. She landed face first into the pillows and snow-angeled the fabric. "So comfy," she muffled before rolling onto her back with a big grin on her face. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed again. Sitting up she glanced towards me in the doorway and asked, "What about your room?"

My room was actually the guest room, and had the typical queen-sized bed and nightstand, along with a small closet full of old clothes and a vanity with a nice chair in front of it. Since we didn't have much aside from our bags, I took out the laptop and placed it there and went searching for an outlet when I heard Speck squealing in the next room.

"I got a bigger bed than you," I teased.

"No fair!" she pouted and flopped back onto her twin xl.

"Well at least you get a nice view," I walked over to the window and looked out into the world, letting out a sigh of happiness.

I never thought we would get to this point. After literally exposing what I was, mom was determined to keep me under her roof. She told me that despite all she did for James, he still left. I told her that I had a condition for staying, and she already jumped the gun and turned to hug Speck as well. Seeing her brown eyes glisten made my heart swell so much it felt way too surreal. Mom kept rambling on how she better not be dreaming, squeezed me again, then went straight to the phone to call up Dad. Dad. I had a dad as well, and by the sound of her conversation, he was coming home soon.

"This is so cool," she shuffled up next to me and stared out, watching the lady push her stroller down the sidewalk, hearing the sound of a basketball drum against the ground, feeling the carpet under our feet – it really was surreal. My insides were still leaping that I was finally home. I'll never see my old parents again, but at that thought my insides started to settle into an uncomfortable position.

How will my new parents, my actual parents, treat me? As much as I wanted to say better than my first ones, I actually hoped they were as good. My life was perfect and happy before. I remembered the trip to the Grand Canyon, my first time riding a bike, nearly everything that my mind could remember. The pinpoints, the moments, everything they used to hide what they really were, what they intended to do with me. Will my birth parents treat me as well, with, of course, the intention of just purely loving me?

"Hey," my shoulder jostled, pushing my thoughts away. Speck gazed up at me, "We're okay."

I shakily nodded, "I know we are." I placed my hand on hers and continued to gaze outside. The more I tried not to think about the bad things though, the more thoughts came flooding in. We were still on the run. What if they found us? What if ITex found us again? They wouldn't just grab us and toss us into cages. They had no use of us anymore. They would execute me, and I couldn't imagine what they would do to a renegade. My stomach twisted at even thinking of Mom and Dad. They wouldn't let them live, and I couldn't just let them die. But I couldn't just leave them, I just got here. I just got home.

"You're not okay."

I stared down at my white knuckles gripping the windowpane. I wasn't okay. Of course I was happy, but from everything that has happened to me, I couldn't just let it go. It changed me. It created me. How could I go back to a normal life? How could anybody, aside from my adoring mom, and hopefully dad, and Speck, accept me? I couldn't hide this. It was a part of me. This feeling, this gut feeling that I can't stay in one place. It wasn't safe. I didn't feel safe.