Haunted Love

CHAPTER ONE

"Gemma, would you get off that damn phone and help your father and I? Theres still some boxes in your room that need to be brought down."

"Mhm" I mumbled, still distracted by my cellphone.

My mom hasn't been acting the same ever since the whole idea of moving to Ohio was even proposed. My dad finally got a job promotion, which means he'll probably be spending more time in his "office". For an oblivious teenager, even i know he's cheating on her. I still don't know if shes oblivious, or too afraid to confront him.

I lean over the kitchen Isand. My long, blonde hair covers my face. Tears begin to gather in my eyes. A frog grows in my throat. Reading the text messages from my best friend made this whole situation grow real. Scarlet and I have known eachother for 3 years. On the first day of our freshman year in High School, we bonded over wearing the same shirt. Ever since then, no one has been able to understand me the way she does. I could tell her anything. "Will you ever come back to New York?" "You know, if i make a few phone calls with some agencies, My parents can have you adopted by tomorrow". That made me giggle. Even in the shittiest situations, Scarlet has been by my side. I didnt have many friends in High School. I was never confident enough to approach anyone. People misunderstood my insecurity with weirdness.

 Those people are the reason I feel like I was never given a chance in life. I know the Gemma inside me wants to wear makeup, dye her hair and be the social butterfly. But shes suffocated and silenced by the dark Gemma. The depressed, insecure, " I-Hate-My-Life" Gemma.

I dont know what made me this way. Perhaps it is the fact I'm an only child. I never had anyone to look up to, or anyone to guide. I sure as hell don't look up to my parents. My dad is a cheating, lying bastard. His late night stays at the "office" always ended with him coming home smelling like sweet Victorias Secret perfume, and panties hanging out of his breif case. My mom could never be this stupid. Does she know? Even if she does, she could never leave. She has no job, and no intentions of getting one. Especially now that my dad's promotion means more money. They have a cold, empty relationship. The thought of me being concieved out of love seems impossible. I feel like they're "love" is the result of a broken condom.

I hear the screan door close, awakening me from my daze. "Seriously, Gemma? Your father's waiting in the car about ready to take off. Lets go get those boxes before he leaves without us." I had no doubt he would. He could care less about either of us, except I was the only one who could realize this.

I stuffed the boxes in the trunk of the Range Rover as best as I could fit them, then sprawled out across the back seats with a blanket. I was looking forward to the six hour drive to Ohio. It gave me an excuse for me to put in my head phones and drown out the world. Something about long car rides always comforted me when i was little. I got to spend hours trapped in the same place with my parents, which rarely happened.  But now, I realize we were all trapped in two different ways. I was trapped my own perception of two parents and their daughter who all loved eachother to the moon and back. My parents were trapped in a cold, empty marriage and i was the ribbon wrapping us all together.