Silhouettes of America - Book 1 of The ARMOR Series [Completed]

3: Feel Better | Avery

Current Time: Tuesday, 10:00 EST
Current Location: San Francisco, California, USA - 37.7749*N, 122.4194*W

I walked out of the Principal's office with a pained heart. A mixed feeling of guilt, hesitancy, and anger burned my soul. The events in the past suddenly replayed in my mind like an old melodrama.

The rain had stopped, turning the ground moist. The night grew darker by the second and people hated it for killing the light.

I walked on the streets of Sacramento barefooted. I was hungry and broke yet never asked for someone's help. Truth is, I don't need footwear, food, and shelter. The crime I've done that night took my sanity off and there's no way I can be sane again.

A black SUV stopped infront of me and the windows rolled down to reveal a man with a clean-shaved face. He looked kind and I impulsively sensed the man's kind nature. My instinct didn't get me wrong when the man told me that he wanted to take me into his home to survive the night. I relented after a few  minutes but never let my guard down.

The man brought me to his home in San Francisco. I scanned my eyes around as I entered the grand house. There were paintings of Pablo Picasso hanging on the wall. I watched in awe at the crystal chandelier suspended in the ceiling, so magnificent. A big flat-screen TV stood in the middle of the living room where a little boy was watching Captain America: The First Avenger.

"Dad, who is she?" the boy asked as he saw me.

"She's Avery, an orphaned girl I found on the street. From now on, she's gonna live with us."

"Avery Lavigne!" I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Rob calling me with the name of 2000's pop-punk-rock princess, Avril Lavigne. He stood up from the bench and grinned as he approached me but it turned into a worried look the second he realized I looked unhappy. "W-what happened?"

"Back off Rob, before the students see us and create rumors again."

"Why do you care? It's not true Avery. You can't let their perverse judgment eat you!"

I walked past Rob and strolled to the gate. Rob followed me and grabbed my arm. "Why don't you tell me what's going on, Avery? We're twins, right? Your problem is mine too," Rob tried to convince me. Before I could answer him, Mr. and Mrs. Sandlers came. Mr. Sandlers was holding his wife who had been crying.

"Mom?" Rob released his grip on me and strode to check on his mom. Mrs. Sandlers pushed both her husband and son away as she stepped closer to me. "How could you do that, Avery? You cursed the principal inside his territory. Do you think it would do you any good?"

I looked down on my foot. I can't see Mrs. Sandlers in the eye after what I've done. "No," I said when I finally found my voice. "But I said it because he deserved to hear it."

A sound of flesh colliding with flesh sounded in the air. I gasped in disbelief, holding my cheek. It's the first time Mrs. Sandlers did such thing to me and it hurts so bad like hell. "We didn't take you in to grow into an insolent witch! We gave you good food; we provided you clothes, shelter, and education, and this is how you're gonna repay us?" Mrs. Sandlers yelled.

"Mom! Leave it!" Rob snapped but Mr. Sandlers held him back.

"Since when did you learn how to punch girls? Or is it from your lineage? Maybe you came from a violent household and you pretended to be helpless so we'll pity you. Am I right? Tell me!"

Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. "So you regret adopting me now Mrs. Sandlers? It's okay. I can understand your compunction. However, I can't let you diss my bloodline for you know nothing about my blood," I said, emphasizing the word blood.