Dreams Never Last

chapter 7

I sat at the kitchen table atmy house. Strange enough, mother was the one that called me down. She hasn't said a word as she fix herself some food.

After ten years alone with her, I had learned that she would never cook me food and I had to learn to do so on my own.

"Mona," Mother said finely.  "I'll be gone for the next two years. I believe I could find you responsable for the house in that time. I'll send money to your bank account for any payment that should be made and for groceries. When I come home and this house isn't in perfect shape, you better find yourself a better recidence. I'll leave the day before your birthday."

With that, my mom walked out the room with food in her hand.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said under my breath.

The day past fairly quickly and I went to my closet. It would be the fifth soon so I had to get ready.

I chose the most formal outfit I had. A red dress with a black belt.

I heard a knock at the door and looked at the time. 22:43. Damn, that boy is early.

I ran to the front door and open it.

The man behind the door made my blood freeze and then boil.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed at him.

"Your mother invited me," Leo Black said. 

I felt my stomach turn. Leo Black only left school a year ago (and he was three years older then me), but when he was still in it, he and my mother were... together.

I use to come home and they were at it, savagely. Clothing torn and scratch marks down their bare back.

And to make matters worse was that Leo and I was a couple back then. This was all before Dan was even in the story.

I sat on the steps of the house and waited. Today was my birthday and surely my brother would be coming for a quick visit.
I was ten and that meant my brother was going to take me to the zoo. He had pinky  swore that once I was ten, he'd take me.
I was sitting outside in the cold, because I didn't want to mother to get upset again. If I ever mention Nico, Mom would get upset and hit me. She would yell at me and say it was my sorry excistence that caused him to run.
I'd always feel the stabs of the words, but never particulary understood.
I sat here since sun up and  the day was nearly over when I realised Nico was coming.
I curled into a tight ball and sobbed my eyes out.
"Hey, what's the matter?" I voice said and I looked up. It was a boy. A teenage boy. I had seen him around a lot. He and his family had moved into the house three houses down.
He would always flash me a smile when he walked by the house.
"My brother broked his promise," I sobbed. "He promised to take me to the zoo on my tenth birthday. But he didn't show."
"So your brother broke a promise," the boy said. Then he nodded. "Well, that is a dick move. Come on, I'll take you." He offered me a hand and slowly I took it. He pulled me to my feet.
"But I don't even know your name," I said then smiled. "My name is Evelyn Mona Rhinestone."
"Leo Black," he said and with a slight motion he shook my hand. "I think I'll call you Mona. Evelyn is too mature and serious. You're still young and innocent. You need to have more fun first."
He draped his arm around my shoulder and we started to walk.
Since that day Leo and I became great friends. He would always treat me when it was possible. When I was twelve, we started kissing. Walk in the park turned to dates in the local dinner. Time in front of the TV turned into cuddle sessions.
Two years had past and I was happy. Leo never pushed me into sex knowing I was young still and in the two yeats we were together we hadn't had a single fight.
Leo was at football practise and my art class was canceled. We had a big date tonight and in a way it made me glad art was cancelled. It gave me more time to prepare myself.
I walked into the house and stopped in my tracks.
My mom was doing in on the table counter with a guy.
Behind me the door slammed shut and the guy turned around and I saw his face.
The guy was Leo. I turned around and ran.

Now the sight of Leo only disgusted me. When ever they got together, I always made sure I was far away.

They weren't even sorry, didn't at least apologize.

I'd suspect such things from Mother, but never from Leo.

I opened the door even more to allow Leo in.

"Coming from a date?" Leo asked.

"Don't even try, Leo," I hissed at him and walked away. "You know where my mother is."

"I think the talk would include you too," said Leo.

I scoffed. Yeah right.
"Mona," Mother said. "To ensure you don't break the house down, I asked Leo to look over it instead."

"What?" I shouted. "I can look after the house without a babysitter!"

"This isn't about the house," Mother said sternly. "This about you stealing money from me. I could have gone to the police when I found out. Instead I brought Leo. So be grateful."

Outrage filled me. I didn't even knew she had money laying around

"I never stole money from you!" I shouted. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Leo shuffle uncomfterable. Good.

"Then where is it?" Mother shouted back at me.

"How the fuck should I know, you damn whore?"

Before I could see it coming, my mother slapped me. First it felt like heat was spreading on the left side of my face and then the pain came.

I felt my fangs starting to lenghten, but with every might I retracted them.

"Wow, ladies," Leo said and stood between us. "Calm down."

I horn honcked outside and I turned around and grabbed the first pair of shoes I could find. Boots, they just have to do.

"Evelyn," Mother shouted after me.

I went out the front door and heard Mother rushing after me.

I had reached Kristoff's car, when she yelled again.

"Evelyn, we are not done talking! Get back inside this house!"

I turned around and look at Mother. Leo stood behind her, hands on her shoulder.

"Why don't you yell a little louder, Mother!" I yelled back. "I don't think the people heard you all the way to China!" And I turned around again and climbed into the car.

"Evelyn!" she shrieked.

I turned to Kristoff and hissed at him to drive.

In the review mirror I saw Leo talking to my mother.