Love is a Dangerous Game

Leaving Home (3)

The next morning, however, I woke with surprise to find my bedroom stripped of everything, all my possessions messily packed into multiple crates. I ran down the stairs in panic. My mother and father were sitting at the table whispering to each other. My smug brothers were laughing together on the sofa, and when I entered the room, everyone went silent. “Good luck.” My eldest brother whispered. They left the house with smiles on their faces.

I sat at the table silently and poured myself a glass of water, hoping to keep myself busy.

“Lorelai.” my mother said sternly. “Go get changed. You’re going to your aunt’s house. You’re brothers are waiting outside for you.”

“Mother, I don’t leave until next week.”

“You are a disgrace to this family. You disobeyed our rules and left the house. We allowed you to visit the market, and ride your horse, but you took advantage and disobeyed us! You could’ve caused a m******e! Don’t you know of the danger you are?”

“Mother I -”

“Go.” She turned away, crying into my father’s shoulder. “I never want to see you again.” Then she mumbled, “My scandal of a daughter…”

“Father?” I looked towards him pleadingly. He responded with the most disgusting look on his face.

“We trusted you, Lorelai, and you responded with betrayal. We were only trying to protect you.”

“No.” I was crying now. “You were protecting yourselves from me all these years. That is why I’ve never known anyone until yesterday! Why you didn’t trust me enough to send me to the market until I was sixteen! Why I’ve been locked away all these years! You see me as a burden. A savage. I’m glad to leave. I’m not the monster! Those ashamed of peoples true identities and personalities are the monsters. Who else would tell their friends and family their own daughter was dead, because she had some flaws once a month?”

My mother was still crying into my father’s shoulder when he yelled, “You betrayed your own mother! She was hurt by her own sister years ago and this is how you treat her?”

“It’s not my fault! It’s not my aunt’s fault! If you were willing to get to know her, you would see how kind and loving she was! You are the real monsters!” I took a deep breath. “Goodbye, father.” I turned and ran outside, slamming the door behind me.

During the ride to my aunt’s all I could think about was how lucky I was to leave my abusing parents. They were the ones who invited me to go to the market. Lawrence was such a gentleman, I couldn’t help but leave to see him again. My brothers weren’t expected to return home before sundown. They practically lived in the village. Why were they so harsh on my curfew? It was all so silly I began laughing at myself. I was free from my parents now. I was going to live with my aunt, and write Lawrence as soon as possible. Perhaps we would grow closer together someday. I adored him. He was willing to take me home, and pay four pieces just to get to know me. I smiled to myself thinking about his crooked smile and adorable dimples. My life has been miserable since I can remember. I’ve never been adored by anyone but my aunt. And I rarely saw her. Looking into my future, all I could think about was how I would get my happy ending someday.

We arrived at my aunt’s house the next day, without my brothers saying a word to me. It was quite peaceful.

“Bye, Lorelai.” Said my younger older brother. He was the sweeter one, and actually embraced me after arriving to my aunt’s.

“Goodbye. Be good.” He smiled. I lightly brushed away his bangs, and wiped the slight tear falling from his eye. “It’ll be okay. I’ll write you, okay? I mean, if you’d want me too.”

He nodded. “Be safe.”

“I will. Our aunt is excellent towards me and is very kind. Goodbye.” We embraced again.

“Bye.” He whispered. My eldest brother waited in the carriage, not bothering to say goodbye. I wasn’t that close with him anyway. My sweet brother hopped in and they left.

I was sad to leave the village and home I grew up in, but so relieved to start over as who I really was - a Siren.

“Lorelai!!” My aunt skipped through the door, squeezing me as hard as she could.

“It’s good to see you, too.”

“Yeah!! We’re living together! This is so exciting! Come on, I’ll show you to your room.” She practically dragged me through the house and up the stairs, finally stopping to take a breath. “I present to you, the best suite in the house!” I squealed with joy.

“So, how has Emily been treating you?” My aunt asked. Emily is my mother’s name. She forbid me to ever say it in her presence, afraid I might curse her. Which doesn’t actually happen. “It’s been… alright, I suppose.” I shrugged. “She isn’t perfect and neither am I.”

“I’m sorry, Lorelai.” She said.

“It’s alright, aunt Faith.” That was her name. As a child, she was almost lost to this world because she was born too early. Doctors refused to help her. So she was named Faith. I loved that name. It was somewhat ironic she lived because of her circumstances as a siren.

“Well, we’ll start over here. At least you can. Your still young.”

“But I’m not living the life I thought I would.”

“Yes, but you can do it. Your life will be different here. Because we are so distant from civilization, we’re safer to act as humans do. Live, laugh, and love.” I nearly choked at those words.

“Love?” I chuckled. “We can’t love. Love means death.”

“Yes, but we have each other. Oh!” She stood. “Speaking of people, you got a letter.” She walked to the table and picked up a brown envelope. He wrote me? I thought surely, hopefully, he would forget I existed like anyone else would easily do. I gulped and stared at the delicate parchment in awe. “Well?” Faith exclaimed. I slowly tore open the envelope. The words were messily written, but it was the most beautiful writing i’d ever seen. Before I even began reading, I gazed at the letter before me. Finally, I began.

Dear Lorelai,

I understand we only just met, but I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You carry a unique personality, and are absolutely breathtaking. I enjoyed getting to know you, and wish to explore more about you in the days to come.

I own a somewhat difficult backstory as well, Lorelai. My mother and father were once so in love. However, when my mother died, my father fell into a depression until he found my stepmother. I’ve never seen him so happy unless he was with my mother. She was lovely. She had long red hair like yourself, and a wonderful cheery personality and attitude. I’ve always wanted to find the love my mother and father once shared. Because my stepmother couldn’t care less of me and my sisters, I have to watch over them most of the time. My father is practically mesmerized by her.

So, we have much in common. I’ve lost family and carry burdens much like you. I hope you’ll let me get to know you more, and perhaps we can become friends. I really hope to see you again, Lorelai. You are so sweet and kind. Please write back soon.

Yours Truly,

Lawrence

Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I sat there, in complete shock at what he had to say. He thought I was beautiful and kind. He suffered too. He was despised of by his stepmother. I cleared my throat. “Wow.” I gasped. Lawrence was much more kind, and very handsome. He was strong and tall, and had the most enchanting smile. I frowned. If only the circumstances were different. “Oh, Lawrence.” I whispered to myself.

“What’s wrong, Lorelai? Is it something from your mother?”

“No.” I held the paper to my chest. “It’s something else.”

“Well, is everything alright? Who wrote?”

“Do you have any parchment I could possibly use?” I attempted at changing the subject, hoping to keep Lawrence to myself, but failed to do so. I turned to my aunt. “Please?”

“Who wrote, Lorelai?” She pushed. “I’m not your mother but I am your legal guardian now. You don’t have to keep secrets from me. We’re the same species. You can trust me.” She smiled. “So, who wrote you?”

I took a shaky breath. “Um, well… just - just a friend.”

“Oh. Yeah, the one you nearly kill - “

“No!” I talked more quietly. “She doesn’t speak with me anymore. It’s someone else, I met in town a couple days ago. No - no big deal, though.”

“If a letter makes you tear up, I don’t think it's a big deal, sweetie. It’s okay. You can tell me anything, remember?”

“Okay.” I exhaled slowly. “His name is Lawrence. I met him in the market. The next day, we spent the day together, talking. He is very kind, so you don’t need to worry.” I turned to leave, ashamed that I broke the one rule that is essential to a Siren’s secrecy. No human contact.