A Lost Object [h.s]

Chapter 1

Aurora

I sat straight up, quietly on the edge of my bed, my legs touching the floor and my arms crossed over each other on top of my thighs. The door to my room creaked open. My mother popped her head in through the small opening of the door. She stared me down before meeting my eyes.

"They will be here any minute now Aurora. Get dressed pleasantly and come down."

I didn't respond to her order. I continued to sit quietly in the same position averting my attention back to the white wall in front of me. The noise of the door creaking and closing sounded. I stood up once I knew my mother was gone. I walked to my walk-in closet and opened the doors. I didn't have many belongings in the closet. I would throw everything away after a few months of having them. I didn't enjoy the clutter.

I pushed through the collection of hanging dresses my mother brought for me to wear for tonight. A 'special occasion' is what she called it. It was anything but. I settled on a long-sleeved olive green dress that reached the tip of my toes. I arranged my hair in a split pulling my brown locks over each side of my shoulders.

The noise of the doorbell could be heard from all the way up here. I slipped on my flats before stepping out of my room to head downstairs. As I approached the living room my mother and father were greeting a middle aged lady and man, surely about the same age as them.

The lady wore a flowy black dress that had spaghetti straps. Her dark hair was pulled up into a neat bun. She smiled at my mother after pulling back from their hug. The man was next to hug my mother. He wore a long-sleeved yellow silk shirt with a yellow tie with blue polka dots and black dress pants with big black boots. I turned my attention away from them looking at the person behind them.

Standing in the corner behind the lady and man was a boy my age. He had to be my age or no older than 23 at the least. He had the same features as the lady. He was tall. He was way taller than I was. The boy had long brown curls that went a bit past his collar bone. He wore a white floral print suit with a black button up underneath. He stood behind his parents, with his hands crossed behind his back. His face resembled the bored look plastered on mine. He had no plans on making eye contact with me and honestly, neither did I.

The sound of my mothers' very fake happy voice brought me out of my trance.

"This is my daughter Aurora." She grinned from ear to ear as she introduced me to these people. Strangers.

"It's nice to meet you sweetheart" The lady, whose name I recently learned was Jane, greeted me, pulling me into a soft hug. My mother gave me a look when I didn't hug her back. I slowly wrapped my arms around the lady before bringing them down again.

"You too," I spoke. My voice coming out squeakier then I intended it to. Austin, the man, the stepfather, didn't bother with a hug. He held out his hand for me to take. I hesitantly put my hand in his. He shook it for quite a while with a big smile plastered on his face.

"It's nice to finally meet you,"

"Yeah. You too." I was tired. I no longer wanted to be here. I just wanted to go up to my room and hide under my covers in my pitch black room to sleep away the aching pain in my chest. That's all I've wanted to do for months now, but my mother wouldn't allow me. She always found a way to get me out of my bed. Always. I hated it. I hated it so much.

"And this is my son Harry," Jane spoke. She pulled 'Harry' by the arm pushing him in the middle of the little circle created by the five of us. A look of annoyance took over his features.

"What a delight to finally meet you, Harry." My mother laughed, instantly attacking him in a hug. This is all so wrong. I have never in my life seen my mother act... so fake. It was as annoying as it was entertaining.

They didn't bother introducing the two of us to each other. Instead, they took the conversation to the dining room where the dinner my mother cooked was prepared. I stayed behind. Letting out a sigh as I stood in the middle of the doorway. I needed time to let all this register right now. I wasn't sure I even fully understood what was happening at the moment. I rubbed my hands together before running them over my face.

"Aurora come and join us!" My mother yelled from the dining room.

I rolled my eyes before closing them. I inhaled and exhaled deeply before getting rid of the resting face expression that I knew I was showing before going to join them.

I sat at the only available seat which just so happened to be the one right next to him. I sat down quietly, grabbing my fork, not wasting any time on eating the food.

"What do you do for a living?"

That was the last thing I heard my mother say before I zoned out to the only place I felt most comfortable.