CHAPTER 2: Secrets
1114 Words
The door creaked open as I stepped into the modest living room, the weight of the day's events still clinging to my shoulders. My sanctuary, my home, offered a brief respite from the chaos of high school. The aroma of my mother's cooking lingered in the air, a familiar comfort that eased the tension in my chest.
"Hey, Mom," I called out, my voice tinged with weariness.
She emerged from the kitchen, a warm smile on her face that quickly faded as she looked into my eyes. I sensed a gravity in her gaze, an unspoken weight that hung in the air like a storm on the horizon.
"Jade, sit down. We need to talk," she said, guiding me to the worn-out couch. I furrowed my brow, the unease settling in the pit of my stomach.
"What's going on, Mom?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
She took a deep breath, her eyes searching for the right words. "Before your 18th birthday, there's something you need to know. Something about who you are."
My heart skipped a beat. The mysterious revelation cast shadows over my mundane existence, and I leaned in, eager to unravel the secrets that had remained concealed for so long.
Before she could continue, a sudden knock on the door echoed through the quiet room. Three sharp knocks, deliberate and assertive. My mother's expression shifted, a mixture of concern and caution. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"I'll be right back, Jade. Stay here," she whispered, her eyes locking onto mine for a moment before she headed to the door.
As she opened it, the hushed murmurs of unfamiliar voices reached my ears. Three strangers, cloaked in an air of mystery, stepped into our home uninvited. I watched from the couch, my confusion growing with each passing second.
"Good evening, Mrs. Sloan," one of them said, a very tall and Muscular figure with piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold secrets of their own. The others nodded in acknowledgment.
My mother's tone remained polite but wary. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
The strangers exchanged glances before the blue-eyed one spoke again, "We've been monitoring Jade's situation closely. It's time for her to know the truth."
My mother's eyes darted to me, concern etched on her face. I felt a chill run down my spine, a foreboding sense that the carefully constructed walls around my reality were about to crumble.
"Jade, honey, go to your room for a bit. We'll talk more when they leave," my mother instructed, her voice a mixture of reassurance and urgency.
Reluctantly, I rose from the couch, casting a final glance at the trio of strangers. Their presence raised more questions than answers, and as I retreated to my room, I strained my ears to catch fragments of the conversation unfolding in the living room.
The door clicked shut behind me, muffling the voices, yet leaving me in a state of suspense. I perched on the edge of my bed, grappling with the avalanche of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.
The hushed tones outside my room blended into a vague murmur. My mother's voice, an anchor in my life, sounded strained, burdened by the weight of undisclosed truths. I strained to decipher their words, but the sentences remained elusive, leaving me to piece together a puzzle with missing fragments.
Minutes felt like hours as I sat there, caught between ignorance and revelation. The air grew thick with tension, and I couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that my life was hurtling towards an unforeseen precipice.
Finally, the voices outside my room softened, and the door creaked open. My mother entered, her eyes tired yet determined. She sat beside me, her gaze meeting mine with an intensity that spoke volumes.
"Jade, those people... they are here to help you understand who you really are," she began, choosing her words carefully. "You're not just an ordinary girl."
Confusion struck me " what do you mean I'm no ordinary girl mom, tell me what's going on" I said looking at her.
My mother looking at me " I can't tell you tonight, just come down for dinner we can finish talking about this tomorrow after your last day of school" she said turning and getting up
"What do you mean tomorrow, I need to know now!" I said angry
"This is too much for me, I thought we had more time please baby tomorrow I promise" my mother said with a sadness in her eyes.
I decided to drop it. I mean I waited this long one more day won't hurt.
Descending the worn staircase, I could sense the lingering weight of the revelations in the air. The strangers had left, leaving behind a sense of anticipation and uncertainty. As I entered the cozy dining room, the aroma of my favorite meal greeted me, momentarily grounding me in the familiar.
"Mom it smells amazing in here" I said with a little drool on my lip
My mother, her eyes soft with concern, laughed as I took a seat. The conversation began with the ordinary—the weather, the usual routine. I spoke of the challenges at school, dancing around the shadows of the week's torment without revealing the depths of the bullies' cruelty.
As we exchanged tales of the mundane, my mother listened attentively, her love a silent anchor amid the tempest of unspoken truths. "Jade you're so smart and beautiful" my mother said snapping me out of my ramble. I turn to look at her. "mom you always say that" I said looking down at my plate. " Because it is true, the world is a beautiful place and have so much love to give you." "you'll see." she says before taking another bite of her food.
That was easy for her to say. My mother was someone to die for 5'7 Beautiful brown skin, with deep green eyes, and she had curves in all the right places. She just turned 42 last month and I know personally how many proposals she's turned down since my dad passed away 10 years ago. not only is she Beautiful she's the best person in the world. So welcoming, warm, and kind. She'd give her last to anyone in need. which is why I love her so much.
"Ok Babe Off to Bed you have a long day ahead of you" she said before shooing me out of the dinning room.
I go to my room quickly strip off my clothes and lay naked in bed, letting the cool breeze from the window engulf my room. thinking of all the possibilities of whats to come
- Writer
