Time To Change

2. String Bracelets

  Okay, I'm sorry this took a while, and I guess my excuse is that today is the only free moment I've had all week! Stupid work, school and study :/. ANyway, new part, much longer than the other, took me like three hours to write, and I apologise in advance for any grammer errors as I haven't proof read it!

Anyways, enjoy!

  Skidding to a halt outside my uncle Chris’ house, I stretched out like a cat. We'd been driving for over half an hour since I'd got back in the car, yet my clothes still hadn't dried, but the rain had cleared. Figures. Someone appeared at the doorstep and my mum hopped out to greet him. He was young looking, his skin a nice tan colour, and his brown hair slumped casually over his forehead in a way that only Chris’ could. Jumping out, I slammed the car door, catching both of their attentions. Seeing my mum frown, I leaned against the car and smiled. Looking at Chris I shrugged as he raised one eyebrow, that one thing I just couldn’t do.

"You look like a drowned rat. Did you decide to go for a walk in the rain?" He asked, walking over with a cheeky smile on his face.

"You could say that." I mumbled. Laughing, he ruffled my golden hair, just like he had when I was little. After wrapping me in a big bear hug, he grabbed my suitcases from the boot and carried them inside. I followed him, gazing up and around the lounge as we walked through it.

“House looks good.” Mum commented. Turning around, I found her standing in the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed her following me.  Chris nodded, dumping my suitcases beside his black leather couch.

“Thanks, renovated it all myself. Took a while.” He said, smiling. Glancing around, I noted that the light and mid tones of blue stripes used for the wallpaper matched the cushions leaning on the couch, as well as the cd rack located beside the giant flat screen TV. The carpet was a crème colour, contrasting well with the blues, and tying it all together nicely.

“You seem to know your colours.” I pointed out, gesturing at the cushions and the walls. Chuckling to himself, I blinked at him. He seemed to have gone a little nuts.

“Okay, I had a little help with that.”

“Ah,” I nodded. “That makes way more sense; I was starting to think you’d fallen into the depths of colour-ism, or whatever you call it.” He smiled at me, teeth showing and all. Laughing, I looked back at my mum, remembering she was there. My laughter ceased in a second as I saw her questioning look, and I looked back at my uncle, almost apologetically, and stormed past mum, slumping heavily down on the white wooden steps. Peering down the street, I watched as a few kids kicked a ball around on the road, in a simple game of football. There was something harmonising about seeing friends playing a fun game, although slightly competitive, and the longer I watched, the more peaceful I felt. That is, until someone tapped on my shoulder.

“Huh?” I asked dumbly, looking up to see my mum looking down expectantly.

“I’m going now.” She said, stepping back, expecting me to get up to hug her.

“Whatever. Have a nice drive.” Was all I said to her. Anger flashed in her eyes at my rudeness, but I turned away. I was the one who was supposed to be angry anyway.  Her heels clicked against the steps as she descended them. I looked away as she reversed, cringing as she tooted at the kids kicking the ball around to move out the way as she drove down the street. Hearing a footstep behind me, I looked up to find my uncle plonking himself down beside me.

“What’s up?” He asked, resting his hands on his knees.

“Nothing.” I said, a little too quickly. He looked at me, but I refused to meet his gaze.

“You annoyed at your mum because she’s leaving you here?”

“No.” I said a little too quickly again, and upon hearing him chuckle, I blushed. I hated blushing; it made me feel childish. And I most definitely was not childish.

“Do you want to talk about your mum?” He asked, his voice laced with sincerity, which annoyed me. Standing up, I brushed the dirt off my arse.

“No, I don’t.” I answered, walking down the short smooth driveway to the footpath. I heard him get up and trail after me.

“Where are you going?” He inquired.

“Out.” Was all I said as I turned onto the footpath, walking away briskly, the filtered sunlight hitting my face.

  As I passed the kids playing football, one of them little ones kicked the ball right at me. Knocking me on my shoulder, I stumbled a little.

“Watch it.” I growled. The thoughts of my mum had tainted the harmonious impact of the game, and now all it did was make my stomach clench. The little boy who’d kicked it at me looked like I’d just slapped him in the face. I guess figuratively I had. Stalking away, I walked barefoot out of the street and onto the main road. Only a couple cars passed by as I walked, even though it was mid-afternoon. The layout of the shops was old fashioned, with pretty much every shop spread out along the road, the designs looking like they’d been dumped there from a 1980’s movie.

I slowed my pace as I passed the first few shops, one being a vet. The next was an opshop. At first I walked past, not taking any interest, until a glint of something caught my eye. Retracing my steps, I pushed open the door to the shop, a shrill bell ringing through my ears. Tentatively, I took a step into the shop, rickety shelves containing jewellery, books and ornaments were randomly placed along the walls; tables of bags, photo frames and vases lay out at intervals, and racks of clothing and shoes were randomly placed in the middle of the shop.  Glancing around, I walked over to one of the jewellery displays, finding the owner of the glint. Picking up the necklace, I held it up into the light. The chain was golden, darker than my hair, and the links were so small, it was hard to tell when one finished and the other started. At the base of the necklace hung an amber jewel, encased in gold, and about the size of my thumb. It was the most beautiful piece of jewellery I’d ever seen, and I had no idea how someone could’ve given it away.

“Hello.” Someone said, making me jump ten feet in the air, spinning around, I found myself face to face with a lady slightly older than my mum. Placing the necklace back onto the shelf, I let go of the short breath I’d been holding, and straightened my damp dress.

“Gosh, you scared me there.” I said, pushing my hair out of my face. Her brown hair cascaded down in waves, and had little bits of grey streaked through it. Her arm was covered in string bracelets, and she wore a long, multicoloured bright dress. She reminded me of a hippy. Her chocolate brown eyes stared at me, catching my gaze, and I couldn’t look away. They seemed to bore into my skull.

“You’re hiding something. Something so big, it’s eating you up inside.” She commented, her voice almost mystical, eyes glazing over. One of her hands reached towards my shoulder, resting on it. Shaking it off, I backed away, looking over my shoulder towards the door. My heart was hammering in my chest, and palms were sweaty. I kept an eye on her, but the only other strange thing she did was shake herself out of it, literally. When she looked back up again, she seemed to remember what I’d been looking at.

“$25.29.” She said, staring at me again, but less intense.

“What?” I asked. I felt my eyes widen, and I held a hand out towards the door, ready to run. She didn’t jump on me or attack me though, only blinked.

“The necklace. $25.29.” She repeated. It took a while for her words to sink in.

“Oh, right.” I said finally. “Thanks.” I mumbled as I finally escaped back out onto the street, leaving the quiet shop back into the noisier world. Mind whirling, I stepped out onto the road, looking at the sun. I heard a loud toot before I looked to my right, finding myself almost face to face with an oversized black jeep, barrelling towards me.

o.O Oh no! :OOOOOOO What's gonna happen???

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