Snow White in Darkness

Chapter 4: Our worlds were destined to clash

I drive back home after school and open our main door. "Mom! I'm home!" I scream in a cliché sing song manner. "Rosa! Could you take my bag to my bag and coat to my room please?" I say, just as I see Rosa heading towards the kitchen. Once I hand over my coat and bag, I go in search of my mom. Correction... I don't have to search her. I can bet my 2000$ Prada shoes that she's in her art studio painting. I walk beyond our indoor swimming pool to the vast outdoor garden and then trudge the white stone path to the outhouse. On their 7th wedding anniversary, my dad turned the outhouse into an art studio after observing my mom going restless in the house. She keeps telling me it was a gift which brought tears to her eyes and no other gift compared to it. You could say that again, because around their 13th anniversary, my dad initiated his little escapades. Don't get me wrong, he loves my mom, but he loves younger, hotter bodies better. Once I reach the outhouse I knock on the door and immediately step in knowing full well she has ear buds in her ears and a 1980's jazz song playing on her iPod. She's standing in front of a vast canvas, painting a stormy sea with a lone survivor. It's not complete, but you can see the initial paints brushed across it. It looks dark and enticing. I sneak up behind my mother and kiss her cheek. She yelps and turns around. She mock glares at me and says," didn't your mother ever tell you not to sneak up behind people? It's rude!" I chuckle and give her mock innocent look."I'm sorry, My mother may have told me so, but her whole family has told her a million times to decrease the volume on her iPod so that she can hear the knocks on the door. I swear, one day she's going to get robbed and she won't even know it!." She looks sheepish for a second, but then smiles and ask me," How was your day sweetheart?" I jump and sit on the stone table next the huge window overlooking the garden and thinks of today. "Oh you know, the usual." I say and look out the window thinking of Justice, the arrogant jerk. There's a long pause and I turn around and look at my mom. She has this concerned expression on her face, which makes me worry. "What's wrong?" I ask and she scoffs and says," Exactly what I was thinking. What's with the scowl on your face honey. Did something happen at school. You've never come home with a scowl. Did someone say something?" Before she can ask a billion other questions, I start laughing, "Mom, me scowling is not the end of the world. Besides, I've never scowled in three years, I think it was due. It's nothing, just senior year is a lot tougher than I thought it would be." Liar!!! I think to myself. My mother walks up to me and hugs me. I close my eyes and savour her warmth and love. Cliché? I know, but I needed that hug!!! "Oh sweetheart! I'm sorry you feel that way, but it's very important that you do well this year. You can choose any college you like if you do well! Besides, why's mommy here if not to help you out." She pulls away and strikes a pose animatedly. We both laugh. "Thanks mom. " She straightens and says," Well, enough with the sappy part of the day. Now it's time for me to be supermom!" I groan and she glares at me. "Go get changed and get your books down. Don't make me say it twice. I won't blink before calling your friends and telling them all about how your pampered at home." I raise my eyebrows in defiance and she says "One...." I finally put hands up in surrender and say," Before you go all Wonder Women on me, I've got a party at 8. Jake's coming to pick me up." She fold her hands across her chest and says, "Got it. Two..." "Fine!!! I'm going!! I'll be back in another 20 minutes, book in tow, your Highness!" I scream while running out of the outhouse and up to my bedroom in the mansion.

Once I shower and change into a pair of shorts and a tank top, I go to the kitchen and set my bag down. I sniff the air and say, " Chocolate chip cookies with a hint of cinnamon. My favourite!! What's the occasion?" My mother puts the last batch of cookies in the oven and says," Well you were upset a few minutes ago and I thought this would cheer you up!" I roll my eyes and say," Mom. Seriously, I'm perfectly fine. My scowl couldn't have been that bad!" I cross my arms and pout like a child. My mother crosses the kitchen and starts removing my books from my bag, setting them on the kitchen isle. "Well, a little sugar therapy won't kill anyone. Just leave some for your father. It's his favourite too. I sometimes wonder what you got from me?" she says while placing the book in front of me. My mother loves pampering me and I secretly love it. Not that I would admit it to anyone outside this house. I smile and start doing my homework and studying for tests. It's almost 7 when I finish all my homework and studying. I shut my books and put them neatly in the bag. My mother's placing the cookies in a tray. I snatch one and dash up the stairs with my bag and hear my mom scream," Brianna Elizabeth Knight, you do not eat directly from a tray!" I chuckle and start raiding my closet for the party. I've got one hour to get dressed.