Don't Blink

Chapter seventeen

'Follow your heart. Do what you love. Because I was constantly struggling with that. If it's in your heart, go for it. Don't listen to other people'
-Maz Jobrani

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mayla got to her house block, noticing her father's car in the drive way.
Mayla froze.
It was only 2pm, her father doesn't finish work until 5.
Something is up.
Mayla slowly walked to the door, her long hair covering her eyes and her beanie holding it in place.
She opened it slowly and quietly, trying not to bump into her father.
Mayla walked into the house and closed the door quietly and tried to tip toe through the hallway and up the stairs.
But Aphria was sitting on the stairs, noticing her straight away.
"Harry, Mayla's home!" Aphria said, standing up.
Mayla felt uneasy.
Like something isn't right.
Her dad walked in with an angry look on his face, making Mayla confused.
"Hi dad, how was-"
"Don't 'hi' me missy, what have you been doing?" He demanded.
"What are you taking about?" Mayla asked.
"I told you to say home but you went out with Aphria!" He said.
"It was her idea!" Mayla argued, glaring at her half smiling friend.
"Yeah but you stormed off, being missing for most of the morning!" Mayla's dad said "May I ask you again; where have you been?"
"With my great grandmother!" Mayla snapped "She is close to dying and I'm trying to hang out with her every second I got...and is the only person treating me like normal around here"
Her father looked at her confused.
"All of you are still treating me like I'm glass" Mayla said "I've had enough of it!"
Mayla tried to push past to get to her room but her father stopped her.
"Mayla, young lady if you think-"
"Ground me, I dare you" Mayla snapped, looking at her father "I don't know what's a problem with seeing my sick great grandmother"
"But you never used to see her" Aphria said.
"I care about my family!" Mayla said "I care that mum went missing and I'm trying to find her, I care my great grandmother is on her death bed, I care that my father thinks I'm delusional that I can't remember what happened while I was away!"
"Mayla, I know you know what happened, you look...sadder than before, you just need to tell me" Mayla's father said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
Mayla moved his hand from her shoulder.
"Like you would believe me anyway" Mayla muttered.
"Try me" he said.
"Okay" Mayla said, looking at her dad "I got sucked into a portal to the realm of reflections and I was almost stuck in there forever. And Mum was there, Mum is trapped in there. And now everything that is happened to me there is haunting me! That's why I always pass out, because of the memories!"
Her dad looked at her shocked.
"You asked for it and I gave it to you" Mayla said "Any-"
"Are you sure you're okay? We might need to take her to the hos-"
"I am telling the truth!" Mayla snapped "I actually thought you cared about me, that you would have believed me..."
"Mayla..." he whispered.
"Apparently not" Mayla said sourly "I might as well disappear like mum did and never come back"
Mayla pushed past her father and then Aphria, who tried to gave her foot but missed.
Mayla heard her name called as she ran up the stairs and into her room, locking the door.
Aphria stared at where her friend went with shock.
Mayla's dad thought she was joking but Aphria knew she wasn't.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mayla sighed and looked down to her bedroom's wooden floors, remembering her Great Grandmother's warning.
She sighed and laid down on her bed facing up, looking at the off-white roof.
"Mayla"
"Hi Lucas" Mayla replied to her friend "I'm not in the mood right now"
"What happened?" He asked.
"Family stuff; keeping lies from me again" Mayla stated.
"That's rough" he replied.
"Are you with Alicia?" Mayla asked, her voice tried.
"No, why would I be with her?" He asked "And why are you calling your mother by her first name?"
Mayla sighed.
"Her and Aphria have set up a plan to make sure I stay in my world" Mayla said "But I need to do my swearing in person and they don't know that"
"So...you're coming back?" Lucas asked, almost too excited.
Mayla nodded.
Lucas was concerned that Mayla hasn't looked at him once, just staring at her roof.
"Mayla, why aren't you looking at me?" Lucas asked.
"It's a long story about..." Mayla said and then groaned as knocking started.