Chapter 8
999 Words
The next day, Denise woke up surprised that Aunt Lilian hadn't shaken her awake at dawn as usual. The events of last night were still fresh in her mind, hanging over her like a heavy shadow. She got up and prepared for school, trying not to think too much about those dreaded memories.
She stepped into the living room and paused. The dining table was set with several dishes, mostly her favorites. This is strange. But how can I refuse?
“Are you feeling better this morning?” her aunt asked as they settled down for breakfast.
“I’m alright, and please, I don’t want to talk about last night.”
“That is okay,” her aunt said softly. “I'm always here whenever you are ready to talk about last night.” She reached for Denise's hands.
Denise eased her hands away, finished her tea in one quick gulp, and stood up, hoisting her backpack on her shoulders.
“Can we go now? I don't want to be late for school.”
***
At school, she followed Aunt Lilian to her teacher's office, only to be told to return to class. This is bad. What horrible things is she going to tell my aunt?
She looked around and noticed that all the students and teachers were already in class. Denise grew more anxious about what they were discussing behind the closed door; she moved closer and pressed her ear against it.
“I apologize for any inconvenience, but it’s urgent we have this talk,” her teacher said.
“Don't be silly, being here is important to me. I just hope it's for a good cause,” her aunt replied cheerfully.
“Sadly, it's not.” Her teacher's tone dropped. “To be honest, Denise's performance has been poor. Extremely poor.”
Denise flinched.
“Take a look at her test script,” the teacher continued. “She didn’t even make a pass.”
The words pierced her.
“I’m so sorry about that,” Aunt Lilian sighed. “Things have been really hard on her, losing both parents at once, the relocation, all of this. If you…” Her voice trembled, making Denise's heart sting.
“That is exactly why I wanted to speak to you,” her teacher cut in gently. “Have you considered having her see a therapist? To help her get over these difficulties?”
“No, she is not seeing a therapist,” Aunt Lilian declined. “She is just going through a challenging period, and all she needs is love and guidance. She will step up. She is the smartest child I have ever known.”
“The test result says otherwise.”
It suddenly became quiet. Denise inched closer, waiting to hear her aunt's next words. Is she going to make me go see a therapist? The thought of telling someone how she feels and talking about her life made her stomach churn.
“I will need time to think about it,” was all her aunt said.
“Take all the time you need,” was the last thing Denise heard before leaving for class.
Her heart was heavy on her way to class, with guilt for not putting in any effort on the test and knowing her aunt had to deal with the consequences of her carelessness. She knew she ought to be more focused, more responsible, but lately her mind had been sprinting too quickly. No matter how hard she tried.
Evening came too quickly. Denise paced the room, unable to sit still for a moment. Every thought looped back to the same place; she knew her aunt too well, especially when it came to discipline. There was no easy way out. Tonight wouldn’t be an exception.
“Why did you fail your midterm test?” The question came right after dinner, sharp and direct.
Denise gritted her teeth, looking away from her aunt. “I don’t know,” she muttered.
“Oh, don’t give me that crap.” Aunt Lilian stood up, frustration rising as she walked towards her. “I’m asking again.
Why did you fail your test? You have all the resources you need to prepare.”
A beat passed… just long enough for Denise to feel the pressure on her chest before she finally burst.
“I can’t concentrate!” she yelled, her hands clutching at her hair. “I just can’t. I have been thinking about Agatha nonstop. It’s been three weeks, three whole weeks, since I last heard from her.” She took a breath, tears gathering faster than she could blink them away. “Each time I call, she’s either at school, asleep, or busy with this or that, and it’s driving me crazy. God, just tell me if anything happened to her and stop lying to me. I’m not a fool.”
Tears burned behind her eyes, and she buried her face in her hands, letting them fall freely.
Her aunt’s expression softened instantly. “My God… is this what you have been bottling up?” she asked.
Denise nodded, wiping her tears. She never imagined that failing a single test could c***k her open like this, releasing everything she had been holding.
“Agatha is fine,” her aunt said, drawing her into a hug. “She’s just been busy with college and other stuff.”
Denise looked up to her aunt, studying every shift in her expression, searching for anything she might be concealing. “I’m sorry for how I reacted. I don’t know what came over me,” she said. “And I’m sorry about the test, and I promise I’ll do better.”
Her aunt hugged her again. “She’s your sister. Of course, I understand how you feel, how worried you have been.”
But even as her aunt comforted her, there was a faint flutter of doubt deep in Denise’s chest, a persistent feeling that her aunt wasn't telling the whole truth.
- Writer
