Thunder Storm

Chapter 1

"Please mom! You can't do this to me it's my birthday," I turn on her.

Arguing with my mom gives me the worst feeling because she's my best friend and there's no denying that I can never win a fight with my mom, but try I will, because it's my birthday and there's only one day that I will turn 20 and finally start my "ty's".

"We haven't been here long enough to trust people, Seraphine," she tries to nail the point in my head while trying to catch my eyes.

"But mom you've met all my friends and trust me I'm 20 now, I know how to handle myself," I move towards her and look into her eyes now.

I know that it's been 6 months since we moved here but she have already met all my friends and I've had enough experience from my previous schools and constant travels that I know whom to trust and whom to keep a distance from.

"Okay then, I guess you don't need me; after all you just entered twenty." She tore her eyes away from me and moved to the kitchen counter and started cutting the vegetables for tacos that she makes on my every birthday.

I inhaled deeply, realizing my mistake and went to her, "hey....hey I can't afford making my best friend angry on my birthday especially when she's making my favorite tacos.....can I?"

She looks up at me and taking the queue I ask her the traditional birthday question, "so what's going to be my 20th birthday plan?"

Her face lit up, she took me in her arms and hugged me tight. I love it when she hugs me like that it feels like I'm still her baby girl and nothing in this world can hurt me.

I pulled back from her embrace to see her smiling at me. I look up at her because she's 5'11" while I'm 5'5" she is pretty smart for her age – I mean she's 42 when people start having back and eye problems but nobody can tell- we share the same hair color i.e. light brown with streaks of gold and the same small nose but she has ice blue eyes while mine are grey like the storm. I like to think that my features that are different from mom I got them from dad but I never tell that to mom because every time when dad's topic comes up she looks sad so I never ask her about dad.

"I was thinking maybe we could go shopping, then grab some snacks for the movie on our way home?" she asks for my approval.

"Now that sounds like a perfect plan; but, let me get ready first." I told her and without waiting for a response I climbed the stairs went to my room took my phone from the dresser and speed dialed Becca.

Becca and I met when I moved here on my first day of school. We just clicked the moment we saw each other and although we have nothing in common but we've grown close.

She picked up the phone on the second ring as if waiting for my call.

"Hey, there's a problem here. I don't think I'll be able to make it to the party, but thanks for all the efforts." I told her on the phone.

"WHAT!!!!" Ouch that was loud! I cringed and pulled the phone away from my ear. "What makes you think that you're not coming to your own party?" she calmed her voice by a notch.

"I already told you the first time that I won't come, but you wouldn't listen!" mom and I have been following the birthday tradition since god knows how long, I like to abide by the rules especially those that may have a negative effect if broken. "Now I'm going to go dress up moms taking me shopping, I guess I'll see you on Monday then."

"Oh! so it's her! she's the one who's not letting you come to the party, right? Still a mommy's girl huh?" oh god not this again!

"Hey you know it's not that! I really want to come but I really want to spend some time with mom." That's true though I haven't spent much of my time with mom because of my homework, assignments and quizzes and also because of her late night shifts at the office.

My mom works for a real estate agency due to which we get to travel a lot, and switch our houses after a little while. She talks a lot about Mr. Anderson from work, though I've never met anyone from her work except for when I was 5 and there was a man rushing us to the airport and my mom was a bit frantic as they talked in hushed voices. Since then we've been moving from one house to the other.

"I don't want to hear any excuses. I'll come and pick you up at 11:00 pm be ready." And without waiting for my reply she disconnected the call.

I looked at the phone trying to process what just happened and what to do next. But the top priority goes to my mom of course.

I picked out a black crop top with tiny elephants printed all over it, paired it with ripped jeans and changed into them. Put on my daily routine makeup and went downstairs. It took me about 15 minutes to get ready, I wonder who those girls are who take so long to do their makeup?

"Mom I'm ready let's get going!" I yelled over the noise of the food processor, grabbed my car keys from the dining table and went to the garage.

I'm not sure why, but just looking at my navy blue Chevy Camaro makes me cheer up; like ice-cream seems to cheer some people up. I sit on the driving seat, buckle up my seat belt, and turn on the air conditioner.

It's been 15 minutes since I've been waiting for my mom in the car. I wonder what's taking her so long and went inside to check on her.

I hear her talking on the phone in the living room. I crept closer to listen better.

"I know she's 20 now but our world is too brutal even for me to handle I don't think she can survive that...... It's for the best.........she haven't shown any signs yet but I will keep an eye on her."

What is she talking about? And who is she talking to? Is there something she isn't telling me? There must be an explanation. Or she might be talking about someone else but it didn't feel like it.