Troubled

CORA PHILLIPS I walked towards the hallways, my two best friends by my side, we were laughing at something I had said earlier, my shiny blonde hair shaking as I laughed. Students in the hallways greeted me as my friends and I passed, but I could see the envy in their eyes, they wanted to be me, of course..who wouldn't?, I was the most liked and most popular girl here at Excellent high school. "Hey Cora!" They greeted. I waved all of them, smiling warm smiles as I did. My alarm clock shrilled from my bed side, disrupting my dream and waking me from my sleep. I sighed, I knew it was a dream from the very beginning, my life could not be that perfect, but for a split second, I had hoped that the dream was my life, but my life was a nightmare...so who was I kidding? That could never be my reality, my hair was not even blonde or shiny. It was a dull, murky shade of brown, contrasting with my eyes. My eyes had always been two different colors.. heterochromia they called it, but it only made people stare longer. Thank you nature, as if being pointed out by everyone including your family was not enough, I had to get one blue and one green eye. After getting ready for another day of school I go downstairs to greet my parents have breakfast and leave, but I was sure it won't be as simple as I had painted it, better get it over anyway. As I descended the stairs, I heard mom whispering to Dad, well I heard it anyway. "Try to keep her away from Cory." She whispered fearfully, you see, even though she whispered, I heard it loud and clear as if she talked to me. I was not surprised by the whisper..mom had always been scared of me..the fear made her age faster, her brown eyes were circled with wrinkles, she always looked tired. I understood..I totally did, I mean if you had an eighteen years old daughter like me, you would probably look worse. I put on a fake smile, the one that only comes out around my family. "Good morning Mom, dad" I said kissing their cheeks, I felt mom become tense, but dad, smiled, like he thought it was just a phase.. nothing too creepy about me. "Do not forget what I told you." My mom harshly whispered to Dad as she went out. I heard all her whispers because of the wind, I don't know how to explain it, but once someone whispered or talked about me somewhere, the wind Carries it to me, I can't really remember when it started, but since I can remember.. that's how it has ever been. "Hey Mom, where are you going?" I asked trying to suppress the feeling of abandonment, ever since it started..mom had been avoiding me, no matter how much I try to get her to talk to me, it didn't work, at first I thought it would pass, but it did not, it only got worse, now I am stuck, pretending that my own mother did not hate my very existence. "To get something very important." She said and dashed out of the house, no pet name, no smile, no nothing. I forced my smile and turned to Dad, "Are you going to work today?" He smiled, "no honey, I am on babysitting duty, i took an off day today to look after Cory." He said buttering up a toast for me. I gladly accepted when he offered, he still called me pet names, did not hate me, and still made food for me, I was grateful. "So where is Cory?" I asked about my little brother, he came down with the flu and was home, he was the only one who did not understand the situation at home, and still considered me his big sister. "He is still in his room, probably playing games." He said without hesitation, this is one thing I loved about my dad, he was not scared of me, he did not write it on his face that he would exchange me for half a can of soda if he had the chance..but mom on the other hand?, She made it crystal clear she did not like me, I was sure she was going to put me up for adoption, if she had the chance, thankfully my Dad wasn't with her on this. My dad and I were very different, despite my unusual eyes and ugly hair color, I was very beautiful, even my mom admits that, she always said my beauty was the only thing I had going for me. I was unusually beautiful, just one look and you are hooked. My dad on the other hand was not so easy on the eyes, his facial features were crooked, makes me wonder how he got married to mom anyway, maybe because of his kind heart. "Can I go see him?, Cory I mean" I asked tentatively, I had heard what mom said, I knew it was not the first time, but I still wanted to see him. "Are you taking permission to see your own brother?" I smiled my thanks at him, he knew just how much I loved my brother, it was not hard to miss. As I left the kitchen, I went to wear my contacts, I did not want Cory to see how unusual his sister was, I never took them off in front of him. I knocked on his door lightly, I heard a little come in from inside, "Hey Cee!" I called him by his nickname, he was on his bed cocooned in blankets, playing a game on his phone. "Hey Cora!" He said in his baby voice, he was four but his baby voice had not left. I smiled warmly at him. "How are you feeling?" I asked petting his head. "I am better now, all thanks to that terrible medicine." He said revealing his missing front tooth. "I told you, I knew you would feel better." He smiled, I felt it, the familiar feeling..it was coming and I was close to Cory, I weakly stood up, breathing heavily. "Cory, are you okay?" He asked looking worried. I smiled painfully, "Cee..I..I.. have to go..go to school now." I said backing away from him. The pain was too much, before he could come close to me I backed away into my room. I really hated living like this, especially when I didn't have a clue as to what was going on. I felt hopeless, once again, I welcomed the darkness.