It was mid-December, close to Christmas time. Lumen was sleeping in her queen sized bed soundly. Outside her window small snowflakes were seen dancing as they fell outside. Lumen's alarm on her phone for 7:00am goes off for school. Lumen reaches for her phone and turns off the alarm. She sits up on her bed and yawns. Lumen goes in the closet and puts on some clothes, a black t-shirt and jeans. Lumen grabs her book bag and goes in the kitchen where Claudia is making breakfast. Her parents were sitting at the table, her father with a cup of coffee in hand while looking through paperwork on his computer, and her mother eating avocado toast while reading a fashion magazine.
"Morning Mom, Dad, Claudia" Lumen greeted,
"Morning Lumen" Her father greeted while keeping his eyes on his computer
"Good morning Lumen, did you sleep well?" Claudia asked,
"I did, and I woke up to a lovely morning with the snowfall we are having"
"Lovely? Not for our driveway, Claudia dear when this snowfall ends can you shovel our driveway?" Vivienne asked,
"Will do Mrs. Smith" Claudia said, "So Lumen you excited for winter break?" Claudia asked,
"I think it'll be nice to take a break from school for a while and spend Christmas together as a family" Lumen said excitedly,
"Lumen you know Claudia is our housemaid. She may have worked for us for nearly two decades, but that still doesn't make her family" Vivienne scolded,
"Vivienne please, Claudia has helped raise our daughter since she was a baby. Lumen has every right to call Claudia family" Alexander explained,
"Very well if she loves Claudia that much, guess she doesn't mind me taking a ski trip to Sugar Loaf next week from Thursday to Saturday" Vivienne remarked in a rude manner,
"Vivienne, that's during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day" Alexander pointed out in a worried manner,
"And?" Vivienne asked in an unamused manner,
"Umm, nothing never mind" Alexander said in a disregarded manner,
Lumen sighed to herself with discontent. Claudia brings Lumen her breakfast: waffles and milk.
"Here's some waffles dear, better eat them up before the bus arrives" Claudia said in a cheer-up manner,
Claudia pats Lumen on her head, Lumen smiles warmly and eats her breakfast. Lumen grabs her coat and book bag, then walks outside her house to her bus and goes to her high school. Lumen looks out her window with music playing. At school, Lumen goes through her classes doing class work, writing quiz and test dates, and trying to plan on what to take care of first before going home for the winter break.
During lunch Lumen is seen sitting at a table with a small number of students. She pulls out her packed lunch: a honey ham and Munster cheese sandwich with chips and ice tea. Unknown to Lumen, a guy at another table with his buddies was subtly watching Lumen. Henry Miller, a guy of Lumen's age who comes from a family whose wealth exceeds Lumen's family. Henry was a tall guy with light brown hair, fair skin, and green eyes. Henry was a smug and haughty student for his academic achievements as well as his achievements in multiple sports such as track and basketball. His father manages a major sector of a bath iron works in Brunswick. One of Henry's buddies Erin notices Henry eyeballing Lumen.
"Hey man you okay?" Erin asked,
"I'm good, just eyeballing that angel over there" Henry said as he pointed to Lumen,
"Lumen Smith? The loner chick, you're kidding right?" Erin asked,
"I'm not Erin, I tell you that girl will make me the luckiest guy in the world" Henry said in an infatuated tone,
"You gonna do ask her out?" Erin asked,
"Better than that my friend, you'll see" Henry said confidently,
After school, Lumen is seen exiting her bus and arriving home to find her parents in the midst of another argument in the living room. Lumen's heart sunk, she sighed heavily.
"Have you seen the bills Vivienne?! How could you spend 375 dollars on your hair?! You just got it done a month ago!" Alexander yelled,
"Well excuse me, I have to look my best. I am your wife after all!!" Vivienne snapped back,
Lumen walked past them and went upstairs to her bedroom, passing by her parents. Lumen closed the door angrily. She throws her book bag aside and collapses on her bed, tears ran down her face.
*knock *knock
"Lumen it's me Claudia, may I come in?" Claudia asked from the other side of the door,
Lumen sighed and sunk her head in the pillow. Claudia entered the room with tea and a plate of fruits to find Lumen in another depressed state because of her parents fighting. Claudia walked up to her, putting the tray of food aside on her bureau. Claudia sits beside her and pats her on her back in an attempt to comfort her.
"It's okay...it's okay" Claudia said comfortingly
"I can't take it anymore Claudia" Lumen cried,
"I know honey, I know. You will someday I promise you"
"I'm gonna be 18 in 6 months, that 'some day' is my day" Lumen declared,
"Honey, you should consider the consequences if you leave: Where you'll stay, how to support yourself, you can't just runaway without a plan" Claudia explained,
"What do I do then?" Lumen asked,
"I'll figure something out, I promise you sweetheart"
Meanwhile downstairs Lumen's parents are seen arguing downstairs. Lumen's father is seen tossing aside unpaid bills while his wife sits unamused on her arm chair with her wine.
"Vivienne, these bills you have brought us will ruin us!! Your expensive taste and lack of care for my well earned money has put us in a spot I really hoped would never happen!!" Alexander exclaimed,
"Well maybe if you worked, harder longer hours, we wouldn't be in this situation!" Vivienne said nonchalantly,
"I work nights! Weekends! I haven't had a proper vacation in months and I have never been able to spend any quality time with our daughter because of you!" Alexander said in an exhausted manner, "What else can I do?!" Alexander asked angrily,
"There's nothing more you can do, you're clearly incompetent. Besides I already arranged to have something that can easily erase my debt and financially support us better than you" Vivienne explained,
Alexander looked at Vivienne confused.
"What arrangement are you speaking of?" He asked,
YOU ARE READING
Lumen's Awakening
Hombres LoboLumen Smith, a teenager from Auburn, Maine, is raised by her nursemaid, Claudia, while her neglectful parents focus on their middle-class lives. As her 18th birthday approaches, Lumen discovers she is to be forcibly married to the son of a wealthy f...
