The Secret

Chapter 12

I ran up the stairs looking for Ryder. Mom was chasing me, screaming things I didn't understand. I could barely see through my blurred vision and I ran through the first door I could see. It was the wrong door. My dad sat on the bed holding a bottle that was almost empty. He stared at me and became angry. I tried to back away but I bumped into my mom who roughly pushed me away. 

"Andrea, I told her to not come in here," my dad barked standing up from the bed. I screamed when he came closer to me with pure hatred sketched into his face. I didn't know parents could hate their children so much. I was only ten and they treated me as if I did some horrible thing. They treated Ryder the same but not right now- I was the victim. 

Mom stared at me with pure disgust. "She doesn't listen. I guess we are not punishing her enough honey." I started to cry as I backed away to the far corner of the room.

"I-I'm s-sorry d-don't hurt me p-please, Ryder!" I screamed for my brother hoping he could hear me if he were home. My dad took a big sip of his drink and spit it in my direction. 

"Ryder isn't hear for you this time," he said stalking closer and kicking me in my side hard. That's when he came in.....

"Aura, are you even listening to me?" Clarisse asked snapping her fingers in my face waking me from my daydream. I was behind the register at my very boring job. This was the only other place where I couldn't wear my usual outfit, I had uniform to stick to which included an ugly shirt and pants and what added to it was the hat with a huge cup on the side of it. It has been three days since Daniel confessed and it's been three days since I've seen or spoke to him. I didn't know what I was going to do. How do I just go on with my life? Now, I look at everyone differently. 

I'm more paranoid than ever now that Sabrina seems to have taken an interest in me. And her talk on sacrifice had me creeped out. I didn't know how to handle all of this and my best solution was to avoid it. But that wasn't even working. Daniel was trying hard not to be avoided, he always called and I had to leave my house earlier so I wouldn't catch him outside waiting for me. School was even more difficult but it was a good thing he wasn't in any of my classes. 

Also I started to have nightmares and flashbacks about when I was younger. I didn't know why it was happening but I didn't spend any time on it. The past was the past and I couldn't do anything to change it. It was the future that counted and my future was as far away from Daniel and his people as I can get.

"I'm sorry Clarisse, what were you saying?" I asked and she scowled at me. She was my boss and she was a friendly one too. Unless you didn't listen to her. She was as close to a friend as it can get, she walked with a sense of power and now I was questioning it all. Could she be one of them?

"After you are finished at the register, I need you to clean the tables. Tammy isn't feeling well so I sent her home. You can leave after you are finished, it's a slow day today," she said looking around at the almost empty place. I watched how the light reflected off of her afro. 

"Ok, I will," I replied. Clarisse nodded and walked away. She was usually more talkative but I guess she wasn't having a good day. I was about to grab my supplies for the tables when I heard a voice. 

"May I have a chocolate milkshake?" the melodious voice asked and I turned around to face it. My heart stopped at the sight before me. He had neatly cut black hair and his eyes were a shade of purple that I have never seen before on anyone. He had hard chiseled features and his mouth was pulled up into a warm smile. I reddened when I noticed that I was staring.

"S-sure just a moment." I quickly walked to the back and made his milkshake. I walked back and handed it to him. "There you go, that would be $3.00."