Griffin

Chapter 1: Meeting

The inside of the house is as magnificent as the outside, I walked in through a giant double door, and a woman in her mid-50s held the door open for me.

She smiles at me, I try to return her smile, but I can't for the life of me, instead I look straight ahead up the beautiful stairways that sit in the middle of the house leading to more rooms, more doors, and more locks, like a maze that traps you in, snare you in with its beautiful decorations.

I drew in a shaky breath, clenched my fist, and breathed out " Let me show you to your room, it'll be down here" she said suddenly, I turned to look at her, and she smiled at me again, this time I glimpse sympathy in her eyes, I managed to give her a small smile back.

My hands tremble slightly, I reach down to grab my luggage and follow her down the hall " I know you still have school; you are expected to keep going to your high school. I'm not sure how much your parents have informed you of your new role, but there are things you must do each day before you go to bed, of course, we will make time for you to complete your schoolwork."

When she turned to look at me, I nodded, I didn't trust myself to speak, afraid it would come out as a plea and beg her to let me go back to my family. I couldn't do that; I can't do that to my family.

" It's not as bad as you think, sweetheart. Open your heart to them and they will take care of you. They are not cruel." I look at her, she has wriggled on her face at places that indicate she had her fair share of laughter and smiles, maybe it's not all bad here. It won't be so bad here; I try to reason with myself.

We reach my room, she opens the door, it's a beautiful room, there's even a good-sized table and a comfortable-looking chair for me to do my schoolwork. " My name is Lisa, if you need or have questions about anything, please let me know. We will go over things once you have enough time to unpack and get situated with your belongings" she said looking down at my luggage. My one and only luggage. 

I hold on to it tighter. 

"Thank you," I mumble. 

"If you need anything else-"

"I don't need anything else." I quickly respond. 

Silence hangs in the room. 

"Of course. I'll leave you to it then, sweetheart." Lisa said 

I wait for her to leave before walking farther into the room. 

I close the door with a soft click. 

I sit on the bed without feeling it. 

I stare at the picture frame without knowing what's in it. 

I turn toward the open window; the wind flutters the huge curtains; I shrink smaller into the room. 

I lift my legs off the floor and hug it against my body. 

------

I must have fallen asleep. I glanced at the clock and realized it was 7 pm, with a panic I rushed to the door swung it open, and came face to face with a smiling face, I gave out a yelp.

" I'm sorry to give you a scare, sweetheart." Lisa said " I saw you were resting, you had a long day, but it's time we go over a few things. Come with me to the kitchen." Her eyes drop to the floor behind me at my unpacked luggage. 

She turns without another word, and I follow behind. 

I freeze when I see who's sitting at the counter eating his dinner with a laptop open in front of him.

Lisa walked over to the fridge poured out a glass of milk and set it next to his plate for him "You should have told me when you'll be home so I can prepare all these for you instead of heating everything like this " He looked up from his laptop, hazel eyes found mine, his piercing gaze stab at my nerve like a thousand needles.