Hidden Close (Jr. Year)

Chapter 50

Part 50 Of The First Draft

“What really happened, mom? You can't tell me you're nothing more than a test subject. You're a human being....aren’t you?”

My mom did not laugh or waver, and instead moved forward with her grim explanation,

“I wasn't meant to have a child. When I met your father, I fell in love and escaped with his help. When you mentioned that Ignitro was still around, I knew that I was his target. To think, Mindi....I...I don't know what I would have done if I did not have you. If I had died, I would have missed you getting married....”

What my mom had said really did not surprise me. I asked her, ever too curious,

“Did Lana tell you?”

My mother stopped crying for a moment, and explained, with a sort of collected calmness that is only found in one such as my mom,

“No...she didn't tell me anything. Let's just say I found out about your engagement through my womanly intuition. Mindi, I want you to know that you never have to hide anything from me. Your father and I are actually quite happy that you have found someone. We’ve waited for years for you to find something or someone that would make you happy. I swear, Mindi, when you smile the angels cry tears of joy.”

My mother held up her hand, and then continued on with her story,

“When we came to Knoxville, we had the idea of starting a new life. As the years passed, we had you and wished only to survive as humans do. When we had heard about the mysterious and somewhat infamous Eisens making contact with you, we knew that our past would return soon. To think, others like us that would come to settle down so close to us. It wouldn't have surprised me if they knew about us.”

My mom paused and I used the opportunity to ask her something that was weighing heavily on my mind,

“Where did the lamia come from?”

My mom mentioned at first one fact,

“The government did not make us. We have a legend that says a powerful witch made herself into a lamia, and that she named the lamia after her. Folklore merely refers to her as Ameila The Heretic.”

Ameila The Heretic. What a grand title. I was mesmerized by this short story she had told me, and wished only to ponder who this Ameila might have been. As always, I excused myself,

“Mom, can we talk about this some other time? The turkey is catching up to me....”

My mom nodded, and as I exited the living room, she wished me a good night,

“Sleep well, my child. I love you, my precious daughter.”

I smiled, and hurried up the stairs and into my room, plopping onto my bed. Lana was there, and she was already asleep. She might be depressed for quite some time, and I knew that when she comes to, I need to spend some time with her. I’ll do anything to erase Lana's pain. I know it's immense, but someone like me knows what it is like to feel her sorrow, making me the best candidate to make her forget what has happened. Oh, Lana, you haven't lost an ounce of strength. Don't you realize it's a nightmare to be alone in this life?

Lana was there still in the morning, staring at me as I rose from my slumber. She asked me, in a light and hesitant voice,

“I have to hide it from Brad. I don't think he'd understand.”

I shook my head as I rubbed my eyes, and told Lana, my tone hoarse from recently returning from my rest,

“He’d understand. He's an Eisen....”

I instantly realized the error of my ways, and tried to ease her away from the idea. As I started to speak, I noticed she was already gone.

“Lana, baby. Don't do anything rash.”

I thought, wishing for her to hear my plea. I waited that whole entire day for Lana to return, and when she did, she bore a smile on her face, telling me in advance what had happened. Her clothes were rumpled, her makeup was smeared, and she told me that her and Brad have officially made up. Lana explained, as she blushed,

“Brad wasn't angry at all. In fact, he thought I was victimized.”

There was one thing that I was dying to know. I asked Lana, gently,

“Lana....was Clara your first?”

Lana became even more flustered, and then told me, as her eyes hung low,

“She was my first girl. As for the rest of my years, there is some things that I wasn't quite proud of. I hope that I don't anger you with that fact. I had too many summers in which my hormones got me into trouble. I've only been with three people, and I want to save myself for Brad when he is older. I'm so ashamed, I really am, but hey, I'm still breathing.”

I tried to put everything in perspective.

“Maybe you had to be with a girl to know that you want to be with Brad.”

Lana laughed, and she concluded our heart-to-heart conversation with,

“Good point.”

Life isn't ever easy for a teenager, and we are living proof of that. Lana was trapped into something she had never done before. She's such a brave person, yet Clara brought out the worst in her. Clara won't go away on her own and I know it. She's detestable, she really is. You have to hate a woman who uses good looks as a weapon. That side of women is something that I believe that most females are unaware of. Men use money and strength, but a woman uses grace and sensuality to get what she wants. Clara truly is a woman befit of the title siren, being someone who lured Lana to the rocks, nearly sinking her. Lana survived, and I'm happy that she is now back to her old self.

I'd better keep an eye on The Weekend Freak. I'm sure that Mister Paulson can give me anything I want while I'm there. I need to confront Clara again. I want the real truth about her this time. I don't want her to just give random hearsay and rumors, I want an explanation of why and how she knew about us. She has to be part of a bigger conspiracy. The only thing I can hope for is her honesty and that I also don't fall victim to her siren spell.