Pretty Brown Eyes (Laurmani)

III

Tuesday afternoon

"Mom! Dad! I'm home from practice!" Lauren shouted throughout her parents' mansion.

"I'm in the kitchen sweetie!" The Cuban girl heard her mom shout back.

Lauren placed her gym bag down beside the couch and trotted towards her mom.

"Lauren, I got a call from the school's nurse saying that you're taking care of a girl named Normani Hamilton?" Mrs. Jauregui aka Clara, asked throwing her tomatoes in the pot.

The pale girl gently nodded her head and frowned, "Mom, you should see her face. Its like someone used her as a punching bag and demolished her eyes. Its all swollen and bruised."

Her mom gave her a curious stare, "Where is she from?"

Lauren shrugged. "From what I've heard around the school, Normani was adopted."

"By who?"

The teenager shook her head. "That, I do not know."

Her mother closed her eyes, thinking. "She's a mystery Lauren. Be careful."

And with that, she gave Lauren a kiss on her forehead and continued with her cooking.

Walking away from the kitchen, Lauren was interested in finding her father. She hadn't heard him when she called for him.

"Padre, where are you?" The green eyed girl asked walking into her parents' room.

She heard some rustling in the closet, "In here chica!"

Lauren walked inside it to find her father looking through some briefcases and papers.

She cocked her head, giving her father a humorous look. "I don't think those papers like it that you're messing with them."

Michael looked up at his daughter and threw a paper at her. "Omg dad! I was only playing!"

He laughed. "Don't mess with me Michelle."

His laughter quieted down and he gave Lauren a serious look. "It was not in my intentions to bring you to this dinner with me but I have to."

Lauren raised her eyebrows. "What dinner?"

Mr. Jauregui sighed. He knew how much his daughter hated these things. "Its a business dinner that I have with Jim Jones."

"Isn't he that guy that thinks he's always doing something helpful and likes to be the center of attention?"

Lauren's father chuckled deeply. Oh how he missed his daughter's sense of humour. "Yes, that's him. We are having the dinner at his house. Me, you and your mom on Friday. So dress comfortable."

The Cuban girl smiled. "You know me so well papá."

~

Laying in her king sized bed, Lauren's thoughts wondered to Normani. How is she doing? Has she iced her eye before going to bed? What if something worse happened to her?

"Gosh, I don't think I'll ever find out more about her." She whispered to herself, looking up at the ceiling.

It's like Normani wants to say something but is afraid to say it as well. That bruised eye speaks for itself.

"GOD! ALL OF THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!" Lauren shouted as she chucked a pillow at her room door, almost hitting her mom as she walked in.

Clara looked at her frustrated daughter and sighed. "It's about this Normani girl, isn't it?"

Lauren breathed out a breath and laid straight on her bed once more. "Its...complicated."

"Complicated that it turns you red? Or complicated that it makes you feel some sort of way?" Her mother answered, crossing her way to sit on Lauren's bed.

The Cuban girl didn't answer. She just kept looking up at the ceiling.

"I've been in your place before Lauren. Just tell me what makes you so angry and I'll try to give you some advice."

That got Lauren's attention. She sat up and gave her mom a very serious look.

"It was on Monday. I had gotten switched to a different Math class. The teacher asked me where I wanted to sit and I choose to sit besides Normani who everyone told me not to sit next to." Lauren ran both of her hands frustratedly through her hair, pulling harshly at her roots.

"Well you know I already don't follow rules so I did what I wanted. I asked Normani what her name was and she was so quiet. It was as if all rebellion was torn out of her and everything that was left was pushed in a cage."

Clara saw the anger swelling up in her daughter's eyes and that caused the motherly instinct to come out.

"Go on. Tell me what else the children said." The Cuban woman stated, wrapping her arms around her angry child.

"They called her a racial slur in front of the teacher.....AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING! HOW CAN YOU ALLOW SUCH IGNORANCE IN THE CLASSROOM LET ALONE RACIAL SLURS?! HOW FUCKED UP ARE YOU?!"

Steam was now blowing out of the Cuban girl's ears and her skin was growing hotter by the second.

"It isn't rocket science to see that Normani is a black girl. Is she the only one in the school?" Clara questioned.

Lauren nodded, not wanting to open her mouth.

"You also said she had a bruised eye. Did she say what happened?"

"No. She didn't answer me at all." The teen replied.

Clara placed her chin on top of her child's head, "Something is going on at home with her. I would advise you to not get involve with that. You would only hurt her if you involve yourself."

Lauren shook her head vigorously, "Madre, I just can't sit down and let her be abused. She needs help."

Mrs. Jauregui sighed. She knew how head strong her daughter was and nothing was going to convince her other wise.

"Yes, she needs help but we don't know what powers we are playing with. We don't know who her adopted parents are. They could be very powerful people in the society, Lauren."

"But no one is above the law mamá."

Clara laughed at that statement. "That's utter bullshit. People with money is always above the law. That's just how the world works. The poor man is always served the cake from the bottom of the pot while the rich man gets the exquisite meals," Clara looked at her daughter one more time before getting out of the bed, "But you, Lauren, I believe you can change that. Your influence is grand and your persuasiveness is legendary. But for now, get some sleep. Your high school journey isn't over as yet."

~

So look at me coming back from a long break. I'm glad I have given you guys two chapters at the same time. I think I might stick to that way more often.

Well see you guys later. I need some rest.