CHAPTER 1
1326 Words
Rory’s POV
“Why don't you take your nasty opinions and shove them up your ass?”
“Oh yeah? Well, I hate the day I met you. I regret it.”
Here we go again.
My parents were fighting for the umpteenth time this week and I was sick of it.
I got my clothes into a bag and slung it over my shoulder. Running down the stairs, I was met with them yelling profanities at each other in the kitchen.
This particular fight started because my dad thinks my mum put too much salt in the chicken soup and honestly, it tasted fine to me.
They didn't bother to quiet down at my presence or acknowledge me.
“Mum, Dad. I'm going over to Stephanie’s.” I yelled at them, standing in my shorts and tank top with my Converse shoes and hair up in a ponytail. I waited for a second and got no reply; instead, their voice got louder.
I rolled my eyes, pulled the door open and walked out of the house.
It was sunny outside and that's what you'd expect when it was the middle of September. The summer holiday was almost over, and I was looking forward to school because I couldn't keep running over to my best friend's house anytime my parents fought.
Right?
—
Stephanie's house came into view, and I pulled open the door, walking in.
We were practically almost always at each other's place, so we began to invite ourselves right in. Her parents' cars weren't in the garage so she was definitely home alone.
We could finally watch those Horror movies her dad banned us from seeing.
I skipped up the stairs to her room with joy.
Her door was a bit open when I approached it, and I heard a voice.
Huh?
“I've always loved you Steph. It was always you.”
I pushed the door open, letting it bang on the wall and stood in the doorway facing the two people I believed I could trust with my life, cuddling on the bed with their hands all over each other.
“Rory! What are you doing here?!” Steph pushed Tyler off her and adjusted her blouse before walking towards me with a guarded smile.
“It's not what it looks like,” Tyler muttered from the floor.
“Oh really?!” I said in a high-pitched voice. My brain was blank and I didn't know what to think or do. I could barely breathe and my vision began to blur.
“Rory? Are you okay?” Steph reached out to me and touched my shoulder. Immediately she did, I flinched back and came back to my senses.
My eyes trailed to the vase sitting on her table, not too far from me, and I reached out and picked it up.
“Don't do anything crazy, Rory bae,” Tyler called out with fear in his eyes.
“Rory bae? RORY BAE? Really now? I wasn't your bae when you were professing your love to my friend? My freaking best friend?” I took a step forward with each word I spoke, and Steph, who was previously in front of me, had rushed over to Tyler's side.
I raised the vase and watched them scream in horror as I smashed it to the ground, making sure not to hit either of them.
The fear in their eyes was enough satisfaction for me.
I smirked and if they could get more scared, I'm sure they did.
“I no longer have a boyfriend named Tyler, we're done and Steph? Nice job throwing away years of friendship over a stupid boy that can't stop failing his classes.”
I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. I thought I'd burst into tears but I didn't do any of that. My heart ached though. For losing my best friend rather than my lover.
I had nowhere to go now. So I went to the only place I could think of.
Mama Berry's ice cream shop.
—
I sat by the window, taking each scoop of their mango and berries special when I felt eyes on me from across the street.
I didn't react at first till I got this prickly feeling in my chest. I turned sharply in that direction, but I didn't see anyone there.
Strange.
It started to unnerve me so I decided to go home.
Back to the shouting.
—
“Mum, Dad, I'm home,” I called out as I pulled off my Converse.
“Aurora darling.” My mum appeared first with a fake smile on her face. “Where have you been? We were worried sick about you.”
“Of course you were,” I said sarcastically and walked past her. “I was at Steph’s.”
“Your father and I need to speak with you.”
As much as I knew this moment would come, I felt a lump in my chest.
“Yeah? About what?” I feigned indifference.
“About our family,” Dad said, coming down the staircase with two travelling boxes behind him.
“We're getting a divorce.” They said in unison and I felt numb for the second time that day.
I always had this silver of hope that they would get back together and we would be happy like we used to be but…
“You'll be staying with your mother and I will move out. I'll visit during holidays though.” He said, a bit too enthusiastically.
“Whatever,” I muttered and ran up the stairs, making sure to bump into him on my way up.
—
“WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?”I yelled, throwing my music box that my dad gave me on my 8th birthday at my mirror.
The shards of glass fell to the ground after the loud sounds they made.
I heard footsteps run up the stairs and knock at my door, but I didn't open it.
“Aurora dear, are you fine in there?” my mum called out.
I walked over to my dresser and scattered all the things that were there, from jewellery boxes to vases and picture frames, relishing in the noise they made as they crashed to the ground.
I picked up my scented candle and was about to light fire to my bedsheets when a glistening envelope caught my eye.
It was green and really sparkly and it had this weird emblem on it.
I looked around my room wearily before walking towards it and picking it up.
Mum was still banging on my door but her voice had faded in my head as all my senses were focused on the envelope.
I slowly opened it and unfolded the letter.
“Dear Aurora Hale, we are pleased to announce that your admission into Thornheart Academy was successful and we are thrilled to have you as a new member of our prestigious school.”
What the hell? A new school? Was this mum's doing?
How dare she–
Wait… a new school, that means new beginnings right?
I rushed to the door and pulled it open, making Mum almost stumble in.
Her eyes widened as she took in the state of my room.
“What happened here? Aurora, you better start explaining yourself.” She had that stern look in her eyes and her hand was on her hip, while her left foot tapped the floor like those mums in movies.
“Let's forget about that for a minute, Mum. You got me into another school?” I asked excitedly and she frowned.
“Another school? What are you talking about?”
I raised my hands to her face to show her the envelope.
“What am I looking at here, Aurora?”
Huh? I stared at my hands and was met with nothing in them.
Where did the letter go?
- Writer
