I'm Already Gone

Chapter Two: A Rough First Meeting

-2-

"Lana! Why'd you swear like that?" Mrs.Kirsche called from the kitchen. I stood stock still, and the man cocked his eyebrow at me, a confused expression coming over his face.

"Is there a problem?" he asked in perfect German, still giving me a puzzled look. I quickly turned around and ran up the stairs towards my room, ignoring Cara's cries for me to come back. I quickly inside my room and raided my desk drawer, finally coming up with the envelope my mom gave to me when I was a child. With trembling hands, I slid out the photograph inside. When I studied it, I had my answer.

Without a doubt, the man that had come to the door was Niko.

I sank down to the floor, my hands still shaking while clutching the photograph. I began to crumple it as I grew angrier and angrier. The man I despised so much, who just ditched my mother as soon his career started to look peachy for him...

"Lana?" Cara said softly from the doorway, walking towards me slowly. When I didn't respond, she slowly sat down next to me, looking at the picture in my hand. "I didn't know my parents knew him. I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" I asked, my teeth clenched. "You weren't the one who ran out on my mother without so much as a goodbye!" At the last word, I began to tear the picture into shreds.

"Lana! Stop!" Cara cried, snatching the rest of the picture from my hands. When I tried to grab it back in desperation, she grabbed my hands, looking right into my rage filled eyes. "Calm down, Lana. Shh. Breathe."

I tried to slow down my rapid breathing, and after a while, it stopped being so harsh. Cara let go of my hands, and I sighed, starting to calm down a little.

Cara and I are pretty much best friends at this point. A few months ago, I told her about Niko and how he had abandoned my mom. She understood why I was so angry, and she was really supportive about it. 

"You've got to face him, though..." Cara said quietly, and I knew she was right. "My mom will be wondering what's going on."

"You're right," I said, and stood up slowly, my fists loosely clenched. "Let's just bite the bullet, then."

I headed down the steps with Cara, and we walked towards the dining room, where everyone was already sitting.

"What took you girls so long?" Mrs.Kirsche asked, serving everyone their food. She gave us each a questioning look, but I ignored her. 

"Nothing, Mom. Sorry if we appeared rude." Cara said quickly, giving small smiles to Niko and his wife. 

"Don't worry about it, hon," Niko's wife said, giving us both a big smile. "Have a seat." She gestured towards the two open spots across from her and Niko. 

"We will." Cara grinned, and she took the seat across from Niko. I gave her a grateful smile before sitting down beside her, trying to avoid all eye contact with him. 

"Where's Matea?" Mrs.Kirsche asked as we all tucked in to our meals. Niko smiled lightly at the question.

"Our girl is over at her friend's cabin for a few days," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Hopefully not getting into too much trouble."

I stopped mid-chew when he finished speaking. Our girl? They have a daughter? So...I have a half-sister, then?

 Cara glanced at me with a surprised look on her face, and I gave her one in return. I didn't know I would ever have any siblings, and now I do.

"How old is she now?" Mr.Kirsche asked, going for another helping of roast potatoes. Mrs.Kovač answered this one.

"She just turned thirteen last week," she said, grinning at the mention of her daughter. "She's going to be a teenager soon...the thought makes me both happy and sad."