Unravelled

[CHAPTER 6]

CHAPTER 6

Lara's POV

I don't normally laze around on Saturday mornings because I love doing things when the sun's up. I wake up as early as eight during the weekends. Be it household chores or a walk in the park, mornings will be perfect to get things done.

But not today.

I woke up to the sound of a car honking outside my house. Nope, not Mom. I reached for my phone and looked at the screen; 09:37. Golden sunlight rays poured into my bedroom through the lifted window. I pulled my sheets back up so that they enveloped my entire body. I was about to doze off when another long honk woke me up again.

Frustrated, I lazily dragged myself to the window to see what was going on. It wasn't everyday my neighborhood gets so busy.

From my sight, I saw a truck parked a few houses away opposite mine. Two men were carrying a couch while another unloaded boxes from the truck.

A new family was moving in today. I vaguely remembered Ryan telling me about it a week ago.

On normal days, if I happened to be outside cleaning my yard, I would run to their house and offer some help. Once, I even volunteered to bring a kid named Nikki to the park while her parents cleaned their new house.

But like I said, not today.

I'd had an exhausting week during the first week of school. The school had to cram everything in the first week. Signing up for clubs and sports. Club meetings. Pre-tests. Pop quizzes. Counselling talks. Everything. Which explained why I still felt like curling up in my bed all day.

The gradual rise of commotion outside was the reason that I went straight to the bathroom instead of staying in bed.

After a bowl of Cheerios, I started working with my chores. I continued with upstairs after I was done with downstairs. I was making Mom's bed when a sudden wave of tiredness hit me. I took a quick glance at the clock at her bedside table. The minute hand just ticked to the next notch, showing twelve sharp. Until then, I hadn't realized that I'd been doing household chores for more than two hours.

I sat down at her bed. It'd been almost a week since I'd seen her. During the week, I went to bed even before she came home from work. I tried waiting for her last night so that I could tell her about my first week of school but I guess I must've had fallen asleep.

After my parents were divorced, my mom had been working hard to support the family which only includes me and herself. My dad was capable of taking care of himself and I guess his girlfriend, Lorraine as well. My dad still gives me allowance on a monthly basis and I'll admit it's not little.

My parents got divorced when I was six. There weren't any fights or anything like that. They just decided that they didn't love each other anymore and better stayed as friends. I followed my mom ever since, but I still visited my dad when I have the time. Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Given the situation we're in, I told my mom that she didn't have to work this hard. We have more than enough, I said. She still thought she should put in more effort so she could provide the best for me.

She leaves for work in another town as early as four in the morning on most mornings, so she can reach there on time and only comes back after eleven. She takes up a part time job on Saturdays and only rests on Sundays. But sometimes, her job takes up her Sundays too.

Which is why I do the chores. This is the least I could do to help her.

I was watering the plants when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I hit the answer button before even looking at the caller ID. It's either Kelsey or Lia.

"Time for shopping!" the caller said as soon as I picked up the call. "I'll pick you up in fifteen." It was Lia.

"Thirty. I was cleaning my house and now I'm in need of a shower," I replied.

"Ew, guess I'll pick Kelsey up first. Adios!" She hung up on me.

I relied on Lia and Kelsey for rides. They offered to give me rides to school even though my house is only three minutes away and when I could use a walk in the morning. Though, I usually take ten minutes at my pace.

After a quick shower, I picked out a pink sweater and a pair of tights from my closet. I threw on a beige woollen scarf around my neck as it was getting chilly outside. I slipped on my knee high boots, grabbed my bag and got into Lia's car.

For the past year, the three of us would normally spend our Saturday afternoons going shopping while the boys went to the gym. We'd then meet up at Sushiville for sushi.

At 22:17, Lia dropped me off by the mailbox in front of my house. She drove off after we waved goodbye. I was surprised to see my mom's car parked at the porch.

I inserted the house key into the bolt and turned the doorknob. Once I let myself in, I called out, "Mom?"

Footsteps descended the stairs and the smile that I longed to see finally came into view. I took a few strides before I was in her arms again. "Oh honey, I missed you. How was your week?" she asked.

I waited a few more seconds before releasing her. "It was exhausting, but great!"

She could see I wanted to say something so she said, "Why don't you tell me about it?"

I recounted my whole week to her and asked about hers when I was through. We talked for hours in the hall, accompanied with Pringles and coke.

"... so I've gotta work half day tomorrow," she said with a tired smile.

"But mom..." I whined. Sunday was the only day we could spend our time together.

"I'm sorry, honey. I promise to be back by seven so we can have dinner together."

"But mom..." I repeated, hoping she could try to take the day off.

She patted my head. "No buts. By seven okay?"

I sighed and gave her a tiny nod.

"Good girl," she said. Looking at my neck, she continued, "Say, where's your chain?"

I looked down at my neck. I knew what she meant. The chain that both my parents bought for my fifth birthday. It was a gift from them, together. It's basically a personalized name necklace with my name on it. I bring it around in my pocket wherever I go but I always wear it whenever my mom's around.

"Oh it's in my pocket. In my jean jacket." I told her. We chatted a little more after that before retreating to our bedrooms.

Before going to bed, I took out my jean jacket just to reassure myself that it was still there. I placed my hand into the right pocket, then the left. Nothing. I tried another time. Again nothing.

It was gone.