Blood on the Crystal

-1-

-Aphrodite-

"It isn't my fault that they can't contain me in their stupid school." I said humourlessly while scrolling through the reviews of Olivia Rodrigo's newest song. All over they were good.

"Aph, you literally broke a girl's nose. That also because she ate your sandwich. A FREAKING SANDWICH, APH." Iris de La Valliere, [ generally sweet, loving, caring, et cetera ] my motgerexclaimed while slamming her hand on the table. Although others are scared of her when her ferocious form awakens, I am not. Mostly because she is as harmless as a Manatee.

"Last time you made a boy lose his thumb, because he punched you, when you took his candy. Next time, you cut a girl's hair as some practical joke. And now, you do this. Aph, you changed 4 schools in 3 months. What do I do with you?"
The podcast I was listening to ended, so I took the earphones off assuming that Maw has finished. But she was still staring at me with wide open eyes. Although being cranky at times, Maw was quite cute with her short-cut ombre hair, sea-green eyes and round face. She resembled a cute dolphin sometimes...

"Aphrodite de La Valliere, I have made a hard decision. It is utterly impossible of me to raise such a troublesome child like you on my own. I am going to shift with one of my... friend in California for some open job opportunities there. Hence, you are going to stay with your Uncle in Marfa, Texas until further notice."

"No arguing" she added when I opened my mouth in protest.

"But Mom, I truly hate it there. It is way too humid for my taste. And also, Uncle Ricky hates me after I ruined his birthday cake last summer. I'm sure he will get tired of me within 1 week." I said hastily. "Aph darling, I know... But this is a huge offer. Once I get the job we can shift to California permanently and settle there with a totally new life. Just think about it." She gave a huge sigh before continuing. "We have till the end of this week. Say your goodbyes."

And that was my cue to slam my hands on the table and walk to my room. I could feel Maw's sympathetic gaze boring into my back but i didn't look back. We did this a lot so I'm basically accustomed. But I couldn't get out of my head what Maw said right now. I cannot shift to my Uncle's. I hate him, he hates me. Period. But... Although I am feeling this hatred towards Marfa, there is a small corner in my heart which was positive about this. But... why?

I was already tired enough after the whole day of bullying and harassing juniors. So i laid on my chest in my bed and video called my bff --- Uma Roy. It wasn't hard to tell from her bronze complexion, a curly mass of black hair and name ( duh ) that she came from the family of a typical indian aunty. Just the more caring, and less cranky ones. Uma was the #1 source of gossip in Eastwood High. From who has a eating disorder, to who's dating a teacher... Uma has it all. And probably that's a half-reason for me to like her so much.

"Yo, why so grumpy ?" asks Uma.
"Yea... Were you grumpy when y'all shifted from India to Mexico ?" I replied trying to hint something.

"Uh... Nope. Actually i was quite happy being free from the clutches of my grandma and aunties ." exclaimed Uma making a pleased face.

"Ugh, you are of no help, pal ."

"Wait up, where is this moving-out emotions coming from? You are not leaving mexico are you? OMG, I'm gonna die..." This was so Uma. Always jumping to conclusions.

"Yes... Apparently my mother finds it difficult to raise me alone, I gotta shift with my uncle leaving in Texas. Lame ain't it?" I said.
Uma grunted "That's rubbish. You are not that much of a trouble. Just a little itty bitty bit. Please don't move out Aph. Do you want me to talk with Ms. Iris? It'll be a matter of my grace before she changes her mind."

"Well, although I'd appreciate that, you need not do much. Uncle Jade cannot tolerate me. You will probably see me limping back into this havel of mine after a few weeks after breaking his precious egyptian vase or feeding his aquarium fishes to a stray cat." I smirk.

Uma breaks out laughing. The only thing I'm gonna miss of  Mexico is this heartful smile of Uma. Even after losing her mother, this girl from Calcutta was always cheerful and happy. Nothing disturbed her. I was kinda jealous of Uma sometimes due to her no-depression movement. I wonder what it would like to stay in Marfa. But one thing I was sure of, it will be anything but good...

After talking for a few more minutes, Uma's dad called her so she had to go. Sometimes, this friend of mine uses bengali language to speak and I am left in complete darkness. I lay on my back this time and put my hands behind my head. I started thinking about new ways to harass my friends and slowly drifted off to a quite uneasy sleep.

DREAM SEQUENCE

I was standing in a dark room. It was darker than usual. I could figure out because normally the voices would come from statues surrounding me. I could make out their silhouette. But today, it was darker. And yes, I have been having this stupid dream for atleast 3 days now. Ineteresting eh?

"You cannot stop the doom..." he initiated as usual. Something about dooms and awakenings.
"We will awaken, and all will fall." another voice spoke. A rather female one.
"She will wake us up from our eternal sleep. She will ki..." This was a new one. But he/she/they stopped mid sentence. Although I try to speak, I utterly fail everytime by choking. Guess the dream just wanna embarass me badly.
"STOP." A chill ran down my spine. That voice... That one... Oh-Oh shit. She... She will make me fall again, and I will wake up. I will feel terrible, my head will spin and my body will ache but atleast i will wake up from this hell of a dream. Right?
"Aphrodite de La Valliere. You cannot prevent the end. It will commence. She and He will help. You cannot stop us. You---cannot."
And I fell down the eternal darkness.