𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥

♛ Chapter three

𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝟑

 𝙏𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙖 𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙯𝙞𝙥-𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙗𝙖𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨.

The drive was one of THE worst experiences of my life. And I once had to sit through an entire class staring at miss Baltimore's completely wrong foundation without saying anything. Her neck and her face were two different shades! That was awful, but this was  somehow worse. We made multiple stops at a couple shabby, small inns. Vintage was back but there was a total difference between vintage-chic and just plain old and gross. The whole time mum kept trying to talk to me but I completely gave her the cold shoulder.

We were still driving by Saturday, somewhere in Colorado. Then suddenly the car stopped. In the middle of nowhere.

"What are you doing? Are we going to another inn?" I asked frantically looking around. I decided talking to her was fine, only when absolutely necessary and I had to proceed with caution.

"No, honey we're here!" She said gesturing to the surroundings. We were parked at the side of an empty road. There was nothing but grass for what seemed like forever. Bordered around the grass was a forest. It was still sort of dark but nope, I couldn't make out any houses. I looked at her like she was insane, which she clearly was. My mum had lost her mind somewhere between New Jersey and Colorado.

"Where exactly is here?" I asked apprehensively. This had to be some sort of practical joke. I was being punked.

"Your aunt lives on a farm, her house is down there, see," she said pointing to a house in the distance that I could just about make out. I thought it was bad before but... this?! I couldn't handle this. My heart was racing, my palms felt clammy and I was feeling dizzy all of a sudden. I was probably allergic to the countryside I thought.

"A farm? You never mentioned anything about a farm. Mum,? I-I can't live on a farm... " I said hyperventilating. Oh god, this wasn't happening.

This was real, this was my reality.

"Well... Sweetheart, look I'm sorry but right now you don't really have a choice. I tried to tell you but you were obviously too busy ignoring me," she said mimicking my thoughts. "Except you plan on staying here I'd start carrying your bags out of the car" she finished getting out of the car and she began taking her bags out of the trunk.

I sat there for a while, content to just sit and sulk until she turned around and drove me home. But she didn't look back, she just kept walking lugging her suitcase behind her. Reluctantly, I got out of the car but not before I had a mini meltdown. Which I'd earned.  Then I grabbed my suitcase from the trunk. I thanked God that I made the rare choice to wear my Air Jordans instead of heels as the mud squelched beneath my feet.

"Wait!" I called out dragging my suitcases along. I took itty-bitty steps, my shoes were all white and I did not need them getting ruined with mud. I had multiple bags in each arm and a backpack. I looked ridiculous... not that there was anyone around for miles to see me.

The walk was short and just slightly uphill but soon we reached a moderate sized (though small in comparison to most houses in the town I lived in new jersey) ranch.

Mum knocked once and immediately the door was opened by ... my aunt, Rhonda. She looked like my mum's mirror image, though where my mum was lean and tall she was on the short side and all curves. She was in pyjamas and a grey robe was wrapped around her, but it looked like she hadn't slept all night. She gave me an awkward hug while I  held my bags and ushered us quietly inside.