How To Be A Queen (Myths Finding Love #1)

Chapter 8 - Creepy New Friends

© All rights reserved for How to be a Queen. This story is based on Greek Mythology however the plot and some characters are ORIGINAL and all MY OWN WORK. These are the products of my imagination and countless hours spent writing. Please do not copy/ reproduce in any way.

CHAPTER 8- CREEPY NEW FRIENDS

Aerith's Room
New York City

-Aerith-

I woke up when my alarm clock went off.

I rubbed my hands sleepily over my eyes and stretched my body. Every inch of me hurt especially my chest and my throat. I stood up too fast and it resulted to the room spinning. I sat down again and took deep breaths to make the nausea go away.

I thought back to last night and the last thing I could remember was being thrown into the pool. I remember the paralyzing fear and then the burning in my lungs as I struggled to get air. I remember someone blowing air into my lungs. That part was weird because the air felt cold at first. It was soothing at the same time. It made my entire body numb and it chased the pain away up until the point where it started to get hotter and hotter until it felt like I was on fire.

I also remember seeing the blurry outline of a man.

And after that, I don't remember anything else. How did I get home? Did Claudine arrive and drive me? How are my clothes dry?

I rubbed my face with my palm as I struggled to recall. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. Before I could open it, Cathy, my foster mother, entered.

"Aerith, we need to talk," she said. I nodded and she sat on the other side of the bed. I knew already what this discussion is going to be about.

"You're eighteen now. You have to step up and take responsibility of your life. It's time for you to move out and find your own place. Living alone will help you become a more responsible person. And don't you want to live somewhere where you'll make the rules and don't have to follow someone else's?" she asked.

I looked down and stared at my lap. She's been saying this for a long time now. The little time I had seemed to run out. I had no other choice. "I understand. I'll start looking right away. Thank you for everything you've done for me, Cathy," I told her.

Cathy was actually one of the nicest foster mothers I've had. Others only took in kids because the state gave them money for it. And they spent all of that money drinking most of the time. I've been in houses where there's basically no food and the living conditions were bad. When I was with that kind of family, it was every man and woman for himself.

Cathy wasn't like that. Her house was in order and there was always food, you just have to cook it yourself. She was strict with the rules and she wasn't really the affectionate kind but she made sure we woke up on time and did our best in school. She explained over and over again how education was something no one can steal from us.

She nodded to me. "There will be another girl coming a week from now. See that you've moved out then. Maybe you could go live with that rich friend of yours."

I winced. "I'll ask her."

"Good," she replied and then exited the room without another word.

-♔-

I arrived in school and headed straight to class. There was still no sign of Claudine and this got me worried. I sent her over a dozen text messages but received no reply.

While waiting for class to start, I placed my pencil over my notebook and began to sketch. Time flew as my fingers and my pencil flew over the paper. I had memorized every detail of him and now I was sketching it into the paper to somehow bring him alive even though it was only through a drawing.