Lorelei and Cora

Chapter 6

Lorelei's POV

I woke up in an unfamiliar place, feeling disoriented. When I saw Cora asleep beside me, I felt a bit of comfort, but panic quickly set in. I feared that my father or her mother had sold us into servitude. "Cora, where are we?" I asked as she groggily woke up. "We're in my childhood bedroom, Lorelei. You and your dad moved in last night. David brought us home at 11 PM and put you to bed because you were out cold. I figured you needed the rest after everything with Jaylen," Cora explained. Guilt washed over me as I remembered how little sleep I'd gotten because of my father. "I haven't slept well in ages because of him. He's hurt me so many times. I'm sorry your mom ended up with him," I admitted, feeling ashamed. "I just got out of the hospital a month or two ago because of what he or his friend did to me. Thankfully, it wasn't a pregnancy." Cora turned away, clearly affected by what I said. I instantly regretted downplaying what had happened, especially since my father had gotten her pregnant. "I'm sorry, Lorelei, for everything you've been through," she said softly. "I'm relieved you weren't pregnant. The thought of terminating a pregnancy is unbearable. When I opened up to our friends about my experiences with Jaylen and my mom's boyfriends, Marinette, Roxy, and Renee turned their backs on me. They said they didn't see me as a friend anymore. As they walked away, Renee texted me, asking if I was pregnant, because she still considered me a friend. The day before that, I felt changes in my body and rushed to the pharmacy for a pregnancy test, an abortion kit, and some headache medication. The next day, the test confirmed my worst fear—I was pregnant. When I sat in the bathtub, preparing to use the kit, I miscarried. The pain was worse than anything Jaylen had ever done to me. I still have the kit, just in case, because he's trying to get me pregnant again, and maybe you too," she said, sending a chill down my spine. "I wish it had been a pregnancy," I said quietly, "I contracted syphilis and was sick for two months. By the way, my father said something about you before he raped me. He said, 'Girls your age can get pregnant!' He told me that right after you and your mom left," I added, feeling the weight of those words. Cora's face went pale. "Lorelei, Jaylen mentioned me? I—I can't handle this," she exclaimed, panic in her voice. "I understand, Cora, but at least we have each other now. We won't face this alone anymore. I'm glad we're sisters," I said, trying to calm her down. "I'm glad we're sisters too," she replied, her voice shaky. "But let's get an extra hour of sleep. We wake up at 8 AM on weekends and 6 AM during the week, because David drives us to school at 7:30." Cora nodded and closed her eyes, and I did the same, feeling the pull of sleep.

I woke up an hour later, hearing the bedroom door open. For a moment, I braced myself, expecting my father to walk in, but instead, a stranger entered. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of safety when she spoke. "Good morning, Cora and Lorelei. I'm Leslie. My job is to wake you, clean your room, and make sure you eat. Your parents want to see you both as soon as possible," she said before leaving. The weight of my new reality settled in, and I couldn't help but wonder what was coming next. Cora seemed to sense my thoughts as she exclaimed, "Behold the three grand doors in our chamber! To the left is the bathroom, in the middle is the hallway, and to the right is the wardrobe, now stocked with new clothes for you and Jaylen. Leslie and David have even given us new toys, a princess bed, and everything we need to thrive. Your old things are gone, Lorelei—burned, erased from existence." Her words hit me harder than I expected. Everything from my past was now gone, replaced by this new, unfamiliar world. I quickly made my way to the bathroom, eager to explore my new wardrobe. As I scanned the clothes, my heart swelled with delight. I chose a stunning red dress, pairing it with a golden bracelet and necklace. After changing in the privacy of the bathroom, I took a deep breath. "Are you ready to go to the dining hall, Lorelei?" Cora asked, her voice a mix of nerves and excitement. "As ready as I can be," I replied, trying to match her energy. We walked through three hallways and down a staircase, eventually reaching a grand door. My father was on his phone, and Ella was adjusting her appearance. "Good morning, girls! Lorelei, you can call me 'Mom' if you want!" Ella chirped, her tone cheerful. Jaylen, my father, glanced at me and added, "Ella, is it okay for them to use our names? That's how it is in my family, right, Lorelei?" I hesitated for a moment before answering, "Only if that's okay with you since I've always called Dad Jaylen." Cora's voice broke in, full of excitement. "Guess what, Lorelei? You're going back to Crestwood High tomorrow!" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. I couldn't contain my joy. A wide grin spread across my face. "Ella, that sounds fantastic! Thank you!" Ella smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Lorelei! I hope you have an amazing first day back at school. And Jaylen, I'm fine with our names being used. So, girls, remember to call me 'Ella' and him 'Jaylen!'" "Thank you for enrolling me, Ella, and Jaylen!" I said gratefully, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Ella called after us as we made our way out, "Don't forget to pick up your books from the office tomorrow!" Cora led me on a tour of her sprawling estate, and I couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur. I wondered how long Cora had to navigate through all of this.