Readers Of The Future

7. Sorry

It's midnight but I had to wake because I couldn't sleep with the yelling from downstairs. This time, it's Mother and Mr.Milestone engaged in a heated quarrel.

Milestone wasn't home at the time I entered my bed. I heard him park his car outside and walk inside five minutes before the wrangling began. Their's is not that intense as Mr.Milestone is pleading with an exasperated Mother while she rants and call him names.

"It only happened once, Honey! I did it with her only this once! And I'm really sorry! I could I have been so stupid?" I hear him say in a tone I have never heard him use before.

"Once? That's not what that secretary said! You're a f*****g liar!" Mother yells at him.

"I pretended to hate my own daughter just to show you how much I adore you! I treated her like a stranger just to impress you because you wouldn't accept her! And this is how you reward my loyalty? By f*****g your boss's secretary?" She screams bitterly.

"What she told you was a lie! Don't you see she wants you to leave me?" Mr. Milestone says in a lower voice.

"I'm not the one who is going to leave this time! This is my house and I want you out of it! I rather be alone." She declares and I hear him exclaim in shock.

"Please baby! Don't make rush decisions. I'll love Walker like my own daughter if that's what you..." She cuts him short.

"It's Alena you fool! And I ain't letting you discriminate her anymore, not after you f****d that w***e!" She tells him and he just stays silent."You're such a jerk!" She adds.

"Please don't make me leave you because of this! I'll do for Walker...Alena I mean, whatever it is you two will like. Just let's put this behind us and move on." He pleads.

"It's that simple for you, isn't it? I really don't know why I'm still talking to you? You're nothing but a brainless sack of meat!" I hear her storm out if their room, slamming the door behind her.

That marks the end of the argument and I again bury myself between the sheets andtry once again to get some sleep.

* * * * *

I'm standing on a well nurtured lawn facing an elegant mansion house with a voluptuous swimming pool on the side. I can smell the scented water from where I stand which is like eight metres away.

Wait! How did I get here? Did I sleepwalk into a rich man's home? One of this days I'm going to end up in a police cell.

A door opens and a Teenage boy runs out. It takes time for my eyes to zoom into his face and my heart jumps in excitement. I'm seeing Mike again!

He halts near the edge of the pool and looks around the water as if searching for someone. Then he calls out despite there being no one in sight.

"Dean! Are you in there? Dean! Your dad is looking for you." He says to the silent waters. Did my Mike go mad? Why is he calling the name 'Dean'? Maybe it's some other Dean.

At the center of the pool, little bubbles rise to the surface. A head and smooth, built shoulders pop out suddenly and I freeze.

The person Mike was calling was none other than the arrogant psycho I know, Dean McDonald!

He has been in there all this time? How could he be human.

He begins to swim towards the edge where Mike waits and I realise I can't stand in the shadows anymore. I may be afraid of him, but I ain't letting him lay hands on Mike, he'll have to kill me first.

"Run! Get away from him!" I scream at Mike. Just like the last time I did that, everything fades away. I find myself curled up in my bed and someone is knocking on my door.

* * * * *

It's blissful to have your mother wake you up for the first time when she has never done it before. Yes, Mother is knocking on my door, calling my real name.

"Alena! Better wake up before you get late for school. Your breakfast is waiting downstairs." She says knocking on my door.

"I'm coming, Mother." I answer dragging my body out of the bed. Mother may be talking sweet to me for the first time, that doesn't mean Dean isn't planning on murdering me anymore.

But I don't intend to hide in the school library the whole day because of him. I can't be that weak. If he is going to slit my throat, I may as well spit on his face before he does it.

At least I know it was just a nightmare when I saw him so close to Mike. I don't know why people tend to dream with those that they fear most hurting those that they love most.

I rush through the usual morning preparations, quick shower, brushing, dressing and finally confirming my glasses are in my backpack.

Only after searching all chambers of my backpack that I remember they no longer exist. I got nothing to hide my eyed. How am I going to break the news to Mother?

She just began talking sweet to me last night, I don't want to mess that up this early. I will have to lie.

I slip my newly earned diamond watch on my wrist and cover it with the sleeves of my oversized shirt.

I carry my bag down the stairs and into the livingroom where Mr. Milestone is having a father-daughter talk with my half sisters regarding yesterday's morning incident when the two exchanged blows in a fight for Dean.

Mr. Milestone smiles up at me like it's the first time he is noticing me. "Morning, Alena! Your Mom is waiting for you in the kitchen. You may join us after you get your breakfast." He says with a forged smile and I see my half sisters roll eyes. Obviously not happy with the idea of me joining them. Like I would like to.

"Alena! Come in here, honey!" Mother calls from the kitchen.

Just for the sake of being polite, I turn to answer Mr. Milestone.

"I'm in a hurry to get to school, I can't join you. But thanks!" I say and head towards the kitchen.

"Have a good day then!" He says and I bit my lip to abstain from calling him all the names that I think suits him.

"You too, sir!" I force the words out of my mouth. Honestly, I wish he could walk away and never come back.

"Had a goodnight?" Mother asks the second I enter the kitchen.

"Good." I lie. I think she's just acting like she cares about me because she wants to make Mr. Milestone regret having been unfaithful.

She hands me a plate of freshly backed bread smeared with chocolate butter cream. She then picks an apple from the fringe and places it on the plate beside the bread. Next, she pours me a cup of blacktea and sets it on the kitchen table. I walk and take a seat next to it.

"Eat fast, I'm driving you to school and I don't want us to be late." She says and I almost choke on the bread.

"What!" I exclaim before I can stop myself.

"You heard me, I'm driving you to school today." She confirms her earlier statement. I want to jump up and down like a kid but I don't want to show just how joyous something as small as a free ride makes me.

This means I won't have to worry about Dean attempting to run me over the second time. God bless this day!

I do my best to eat as fast as she said. Until she speaks again and the whole of me shudders.

"Racheal told me you lost your glasses. Tell me what happened." She says in a surprisingly calm tone. She isn't mad about it? The sky will fall tonight!

"I had an accident. I got distracted on my way to school yesterday. A car hit me but I didn't get hurt. Only my glasses fell and broke." I say since I can't tell her the whole truth, it's horrifying.

"I'm really sorry, I should have been driving you." She says and I just shrug. I know this sweet personality isn't here to stay. "You don't have to wear them anymore if you don't like them. Your eyes are okay." She adds and I feel like there is a part of mevthat just gained it's freedom.

"Okay then, let's go." She walks to the door as I run and empty the remains of the bread into the dustbin. I put the plate in the sink before following her out.

She ushers me into the backseat of her car while she takes the driver's seat.

I let myself enjoy this ride, get to know what it feels like not to having to foot.