Chapter 8
Chapter 8
After my pointless conversation with Melissa, I hopped in the shower.
My body refused to put me out of my misery and allow me some restful sleep.
Instead, I laid awake staring at the chipped ceiling mulling over what Alec and Kade had said to me.
How could they possibly think I belonged to them? I had just started school here, and I hardly even knew them. Yet they claimed I belonged to them, as if they had known me forever.
It would’ve been easier to ignore the twins if I wasn’t feeling this annoyingly strange connection to the two of them. Sure, they were drop d**d gorgeous but some innate part of me wanted to be around them. It was as if my instincts were pushing me closer to them while the logical side of me pulled away. Nonetheless, my body seemed to react on it’s own under the twins touches as if it wanted to be claimed by them.
I had no choice but to go to school the next day. Melissa had a day off and the last thing I wanted was to be stuck inside with her and Frank. Their arguing would torment me enough.
I pulled myself from the bed with a tired groan. I had slept a total of four hours last night.
I grained as I looked down at the d***y pile of clothes in my room. I had completely forgotton to do my laundry yesterday, leaving me with minimal options on what to wear.
I had a floral t***h high dress, a pair of extremely short shorts, and one pair of fuzzy pajama pants.
Choosing the option that would grant me the least amount of attention, I slipped on the floral dress. I paired it with an old jean jacket I had available and a pair of ratty old sneakers.
My eyes were bright and somewhat bloodshot as I stared into the mirror. I glared at the bags forming under my eyes and silently cursed the twins.
I came downstairs at the last minute, ignoring the d***h glares Melissa shot my way.
“Aurora, come here for a minute.” Melissa called out, and I ground my teeth together.
My body instinctively clenched as I approached the woman who had carried me in her womb for 9 months.
“Yes?” I pursed my lips and stared into her pale eyes.
When I had first moved in with Melissa, it hurt to look at her. Every time I looked into her pale eyes, I saw what she could’ve been. She could’ve been the Mom to teach me about boys, to take me out to the mall and spend afternoons laughing and watching movies.
She could’ve been so much more if she had only tried, if she had only cared in the slightest.
Over time I stopped seeing what she could’ve been. Now, I only saw her for what she was.
Something lurked in her pale eyes,and I knew any kindness she portrayed would be false.
“Why don’t you call the social worker and tell her you were just being dramatic.” Melissa said nonchalantly, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.
“Why would I do that?” I frowned, crossing my arms as I looked into her blue eyes.
Frank sat off to the side in his recliner, watching something on the TV. I purposefully kept my eyes away from him.
“I’ll tell you what, if you do I’ll split the checks with you.” Melissa’s voice was unusually soft, and I wondered how much effort she put into her words.
On extremely rare occasions Melissa would say or do something that made my insides hurt with longing. The softness in her voice caused a sharp pain to radiate through my chest, wishing she wasn’t
putting on a cheap facade.
“Think of how much that could help for college.” Melissa pointed out, and my chest continued aching.
I had no idea she even knew of my plans for college. I certainly had never told her, and she never asked.
I clenched my teeth and fought against the pain, “Let me think about it.”
“Of course.” Melissa nodded, turning back to her task in the kitchen.
I turned my back and headed for the front door.
“Have a good day at school.” Her words sliced through me like a knife, and I was sure she knew the impact they had on me. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
My heart ached the entire way to Tori’s car, and for once I desperately wanted to walk to school.
Tears formed in the back of my eyes, making my head and throat ache.
Just when I thought I hardened myself against any pain Melissa could cause, she did something that hurt me.
Whenever Melissa wanted something, she used everything she could at her disposal. She knew deep down I wanted a Mom, that I wanted to be loved and accepted. She’d pretend to care for as long as it took to get her way, reverting back to her usual self once she succeeded.
“You feeling alright?” Tori raised her eyebrow at me, pulling out of the driveway and down the road.
I took a few seconds to compose myself, and chase away the tears that threatened to form.
“Yup.” I forced the word from my lips, “Didn’t sleep very well.”
That was one thing I was beginning to truly appreciate about Tori. When you wanted to drop the subject, she didn’t fight it. She simply went with the flow.
“Loving the dress by the way.” Tori smiled, nodding to the floral dress I had on.
I shrugged, “I’ve had it for a few years. I forgot to do laundry yesterday.”
“You need to let me take you shopping sometime.” Tori sighed and shook her head, making her fire kissed curls bounce.
“I told you, I don’t have the money for clothes right now.” I raised my eyebrow at her, knowing she could be quite stubborn at times.
“I already told you-” She started, but I cut her off.
“Nuh uh, nope. You’re not buying me clothes.” I shook my head, “I could never pay you back for that.”
“Once again, I already told you I wouldn’t need you to pay me back.” Tori rolled her eyes at me, “My family can definitely afford it.”
“If I say maybe will you be satisfied?” I lifted my eyebrow at her, grimacing when a smirk came over her face.
“Yes, yes I will.” Tori smirked.
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes, but a smile played on my lips. “Maybe.”
“Good, maybe is two steps away from a yes.” Tori grinned.
“And one step away from a no.” I snickered at her.
The first two classes went perfectly. I somehow managed to maintain an A average, and turned my homework in on time. School never came hard for me, it was everything else that gave me a hard time.
My third class was just another speed bump in my normal day.
Kade and Alec once again sat on opposite sides of the table, leaving me to choose between who I was sitting next to.
The two of them looked cocky and gorgeous as they stared me down.
I could feel my face heat uncomfortably as their dark eyes trailed my exposed legs.
I should’ve just worn the fuzzy pajama pants to school.
Kade leaned against his chair, his short hair tousled to perfection while the t-shirt her wore showed off his defined arms. Alec’s hair was intoxicatingly messy, and the leather jacket he wore made him look like some kind of bad-boy biker.
If I was being honest, I didn’t really have to choose who to sit next to. Kade was more stoic and serious than his brother, while Alec seemed to be more playful at times.
Instead of choosing, I just picked randomly. Either way I would be tormented.
I plopped down next to Kade and made sure the hem of my dress was tucked under my bottom.
“Looks like the little doll chose you this time.” Alec smirked at his brother, his eyes flickering dangerously as he looked me over.
Kade leaned farther back in his chair and draped his arm over the back of my own. There were a few wary glances from some of the other students, but no one said anything.
I let out a long sigh, setting my books on the desk and opening them to today’s assignment.
“Something wrong, sweetheart?” Kade’s rough voice was low in my ear, making me jump unexpectedly.
“Just wondering if I can ever catch a break.” I stared pointedly at Alec and Kade.
I nearly wanted to laugh at the innocent looks that fell on their chiseled faces. Even with my discomfort around them, I was becoming bolder with my reactions. They continued pushing my boundaries, and in return I began pushing back.
“Why would you want a break, sweetheart?” Kade murmured in my ear, a smirk on his face.
“Especially when we’re having so much fun, little doll.” Alec’s devious smirk matched his brothers.
I raised my eyebrow at the two of them, ignoring the feeling of blood rushing to my face.
“The only ones having fun are you two.” I grimaced at the two of them, turning my attention to the teacher’s enthusiastic lecture on the nineteenth century.
“Are you not having fun?” Kade’s voice sounded amused, shooting goosebumps down my exposed legs.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I mumbled, keeping my eyes locked on the teacher.
“We’re going to have to change that, brother.” Alec smirked, his voice growing husky.
I kept my attention on the teacher for the remainder of class, but Alec’s words stuck with me. Something about the way he said them held some underlying meaning. My stomach twisted into knots, and I suspected they had something planned.
My next class was quite miserable.
I sat next to Tori as usual, but that didn’t stop Grace from being unusually cruel today.
Typically I could ignore the snide comments and insults, but she was growing much more bold.
“Such a shame.” Grace snickered to her friends, “The little freak didn’t show up today, I was hoping something happened. Too bad she’s back.”
Grace sighed as though I had massively inconvenienced her and all of her little friends laughed.
I made the mistake of rolling my eyes, not finding her little comment amusing in the slightest.
Typically I had self-control when it came to bullies, but I was feeling unusually cranky lately. I felt constantly on edge and agitated, with no explanation on why I felt that way.
“What was that, freak?” Grace spat, standing from her desk and stomping over to me.
The smell of her designer perfume was strong and almost sickening. It made my head feel strange and floaty.
Her strong perfume triggered my gag reflex, and I clenched my teeth together to maintain some control. Some distant part of me wondered if I was pregnant. The first girl pregnant without ever having s*x, a hilarious anomaly.
Tori sat next to me, rigid as can be. Her face was reddening, turning the same shade as her fire coated curls.
Alec sat across the room, talking to a group of guys about something unimportant.
“Why don’t you leave her alone.” Tori spat, sounding much more venomous that I ever could.
Grace turned to Tori and snickered, “So the little freak can’t defend herself now?”
“F**k off, Grace.” Tori growled. It was such a strange sound coming from a girl as small as Tori.
“Ooh, you’re so threatening.” Grace feigned shock, “Why not let the freak stick up for herself. Got a little crush on her?”
“I don’t think Alec would like how you’re talking to Aurora.” Tori glared at Grace, speaking loud enough to catch Alec’s attention.
My eyes flickered over to the g*d-like twin and I couldn’t control myself in time. My eyes flickered over his towering form, lingering on the dips and grooves his muscles formed in his shirt.
Alec’s dark eyes locked on my own, then flickered over to an equally pissed off Tori and Grace.
What happened next was somewhat strange, and I would’ve given more thought to it hadn’t my head been swimming by Grace’s overwhelming perfume.
Alec said nothing to Grace, but his expression turned furious and deadly.
Grace paled, all traces of anger wiped from her slim face.
With one last glare that screamed absolute hatred and m****r, Grace turned around and twitched back to her seat.
Alec nodded once at Tori before his dark eyes flickered back to my face.
“Stupid b***h.” Tori grumbled under her breath.
I laid my head down against the cool desk and took a few calming breaths. My head was completely swimming now, the smell of Grace’s perfume was lodged somewhere between my sinuses and frontal lobe.
“You feeling alright, Aurora?” Tori’s concerned voice was close by.
I opened my eyes for a second and looked at her concerned face, “Yup, just feeling kinda nauseous.”
“Do you wanna go to the nurse?” Tori frowned, her eyes flickering somewhere across the room.
“No.” I sighed, lifting my head from the desk slowly. “It’ll pass. Honestly, Grace’s perfume is just really strong.”
“If you say so.” Tori looked at me strangely, “I could hardly smell it.”
“Maybe there’s something wrong with my nose.” I shrugged.
Tori stood from the desk and walked over to the window, cracking it open wide and letting a gust of fresh air invade the classroom.
“You’re amazing.” I sighed, leaning my face against my hand.
Tori snickered, “You flirting with me Aurora?”
“I just might be.” I chuckled alongside her.