Sciamachy

Chapter 8

Ianthe's pov-

"Mom, I'm going out tonight. Mind if I come home a little late?" I said later on that day coming home from school. "Out?!? With who? What's their social security number? How many friends to they have? Are they legal in this country?"

Mom crawled from her yoga mat and made her way towards me with the grace of someone from "The Exorcist."

"WHAT THE HE-"

"I just learned how to do that." My mother smiled somehow expecting me to be proud of her. Honestly what I just saw scared the hell out of me, and I planned not to have any more surprises from a priest any time soon. "Mother," I breathed out tiredly.

"The priest isn't a 24-hour-service. At least I don't think so."

"Haha you have jokes," Mom said flatly.

"But what's this thing about you wanting to go out?"

I tried to sound nonchalant and not nervous at all, but every nerve in my body told me I didn't belong anywhere in the crowd. "Someone invited me to a party and I thought I'd be a good sport and go." Mom looked at me suspiciously. "I thought parties weren't your thing. Besides, you know what happened last time." She finished with a chuckle.

"Mom..." I groaned not wanting her to reminisce on a very sad day. "I remember like it was yesterd-"

"Mom! Okay I get it." She was about to talk about my "incident" involving birthday girl Abigail Lear (*cough bitch! *cough) in fifth grade when I threw up on her. Sure it wasn't my finest hour, but pride counts for something right?

"Alright, alright. Yes you can come home a little later." She hugged me after being done from packing up her yoga equipment. "No drugs, don't get pregnant or you'll die."

"Mom why are you here then?"

"Honey Botox adds years for you."

"Oh." I said quietly. Not really wanting to go deeper into the world of plastic surgery, I made way to my room and thought about Orion for a little while longer. He was quite possessive today. I never expected him to be that way. Orion was more jittery than I thought. And his friend was...interesting. Lying on my bed I stared aimlessly, until my phone ringed with the caller ID of Jake.

"Hola stranger," I said needing a distraction. "Hey Ianthe. Dude, I'm picking you up." His voice was commanding and authoritative. "Umm and why did that not sound like a question?" "Because it wasn't, text me your address I'll be there in a minute." I would have been just fine with skateboarding to the party, but I might as well took the opportunity of a faster way.

"Fine," I said finally. "Good." Jake said in relief, and with an almost audible smile. "Oh and Jake?" I said letting my suspicions take over. "Yes Ianthe?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Jake stiffed a laugh. "W-why would anything be wrong?" He asked nervously. "Well because... you know what? Never mind man, just call me when your outside." I thought better of what I was about to say, until I just let it go and went with the flow. "Alright then. Later." The line went dead, and I got up to make myself look presentable. Going to my bathroom I brushed my teeth and pulled down my skirt from earlier today.

"All done." I said to myself satisfied.

It wouldn't matter anyways, I could never change who I was, nor what my natural appearance looked like.

Ooh, I say we should cut the hair first, that way you look even more insane.

Like us!

I jumped up. Looking around the bathroom and finally into the mirror at myself. "Who said that?" I half yelled at my reflection.

Oh shut it, we were only trying to help.

"And help me how might I ask?" Giving in to trying to find out who these people were.

Well you DID say that you were unhappy with how you look.

"I never said- are you twisting my words?!?"

Hey, we call it how we see it honey.

Another voice piped up with brutal honesty.

I couldn't believe it, here I was having a conversation with myself. "Well you... whateverwhas, I have a party to attend, so leave me the hell alone." I stated matter-of-factly.

Oh, all right. One voice said reluctantly.

But we'll be back.

I sighed in relief, thankful for this weird conversation with myself coming to an end. I'm going crazy so I might as well accept it, or at least deal with it later.

Silky meowed at me from the bed. He hasn't really been here for long but he's already claiming stuff in my room. Like my phone whenever it gets hot, and my pillows.

"Hey Silks." I said to him fondly. "Ianthe is going to a party. You make sure none of my stuffs get missing, okay?"

Silky meowed once as if saying okay. It was strange though, Ms. Dorothea hadn't called or came to check in on him ever since she let me have him. It was weird, but I didn't care, I loved him with all my heart. Smiling to myself I heard the honk of a horn outside my window.

Outside a car pulled up, knowing it was Jake I went downstairs to meet him.

"Goodbye Silky! I love you!"

My mom already beat me there.

Shit.

"Hellloooo!!" My mother waved her hands at Jake as he made his way to our door step. He looked taken aback at her hospitality and...Niceness, if that's a word. Other than that I would think a guy would be cautious when pulling up to a parents house, but mom was...Err, exceptional. "Hey Mrs...?" "Lancaster. But with a Ms."

"Oh. Sorry Ms. Lancaster." He said with an apologetic smile.
An awkward silence fell between them, leaving me to have to break the ice by finally leaving. "Mom." I called flatly.
"Mhmm?" She said still looking around. I sighed inwardly. I need the replaceables. "I gotta go. Please move from the doorframe."

"Wha-? Oh, sure! Okay..."

She wouldn't move.

"Alrighty then...!"

She was still as stiff as a tree.

Finally mother sighed in exasperation and said, "I'm sorry your friend here looks like someone I know. What's your name friend-of-my-daughter's?"

"Foushee. Jake Foushee."

"Ahh well... Okay! Ianthe I'm gonna be working a little late so you know what to do."

"Yea mom, I know what to do." Jake and I walked to his car with my mother calling out to him: "Keep her safe!" as I buried my face in the palm of my hands. "Your mom seems coo-."

"She's not she's weird."

Jake laughed at what I said. "But I love her, and when you love someone it doesn't matter right?" "Right." Jake replied still smiling. "Anywhoo!" He started the engine of his Jeep. "We have a party to attend." Music blasted through the radio and a total speed demon took over the wheel.

What did I get myself into?