Hiraeth // H.S.

Chapter 2

The car dropped us in front of a luxurious, fancy apartment, nothing like I've ever seen back home in Toronto. There aren't really many apartments in Toronto, more houses, or in the case of rich people, like my aunt, the occasional mansions. Of course, my aunt would be living in a place like that, but I thought she would be living in a five floor castle like a queen or something, but maybe she decided to downgrade when her husband passed away. The apartment was very modern and brightly lit, but what I liked the most was the spacious garden that surrounded it, which seemed to go on forever. That was something I didn't have back home. God, I need to stop comparing everything in Los Angeles to everything back home or I'm going to burst into tears right on the spot.

We hopped out of the car and went inside the lobby where a man dressed in a suit was sitting on an office chair behind a desk, who I'm guessing is the concierge.

"Good afternoon, miss Garcia." greeted the man, after politely standing up.

"Oh please, Theo. You know I started going by my maiden's name when Robert passed away. By the way, this is Della, my niece, she's going to live with us from now on."

"Sorry, miss. Nice to meet you, Della." Theo warmly declared. I decided not to reply, not because I was being disrespectful and rude, but because I don't really feel he's that ecstatic to meet me due to my horrid appearance and harsh demeanor.

We went into the elevator to, you guessed it, the last floor where the deluxe penthouse was. The apartment was actually very beautiful and well decorated, also very huge so I think I won't be able to find my way around it. I was snapped away from my shameful gaping by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned around to be met with the figure I was dreading to encounter. Mason has really grown up, he's almost as tall as I am, and I'm only hoping his attitude and childish behaviors have matured along with his physical appearance.

"Well hello there, ugly duckling. Long time no see." Mason egoistically orated.

"Still the same old childish Mason, I see." I sarcastically remarked.

"I would say you're still the same ugly duckling, but puberty must have hit you hard," he retaliated with his eyes unabashedly roaming down my body. "Cause you're looking fine."

I scoffed and turned around, and decided that I'm really in for a not so delicious treat, considering I'll be spending most of my time stuck in this apartment with a horny sixteen year old. Oh joy!

"Go read a book or something, and give your cousin a break. She's just got here." My aunt scolded.

After touring the entire penthouse and getting bored out of my mind because of my aunt's very detailed explanation about how any kind of light can dramatically change the way a certain color appears and how it's important to take light, both in its presence and absence, into consideration, I was finally guided into my room, which to my delight, was navy with hints of my favorite color in it, gray. I would have bothered with unpacking, but since the only attires I currently own are the ones that were offered to me back at the police station, and the one my aunt just gave me to wear after telling me to 'freshen up'.

After a well deserved bath, I trudged down the stairs into the dining room to have dinner as instructed by my aunt. My hunger was evident by the growls that were escaping my stomach as soon as I smelled the aroma of the mouthwatering food.

"Thank god you took a shower. I didn't want to say something but you smelled as disgusting as a skunk." Mason sassed.

I didn't bother with an answer because my stomach was chanting: foodfoodfoodfoodfood! Our dinner consisted of no exchange of words, except for the occasional 'pass me the salt' or whatever, the clinking of forks and knives on plates, and the hums of appreciation coming out of my mouth only because I've never tasted something this delicious. I wouldn't classify my mom as a good cook, but I never told her that. I would usually just eat at my best friend's house or prepare something for myself, but it was far from what my aunt had fixed.