We park in their driveway without leaving tire marks on the pavement. One by one, we abandon the SUV. As we walk towards the house, the front door swings open. Kenya steps aside as we enter the living room together.
"What took you all so long?” she asks in an alarmed tone.
"A human came around her house, a teacher from school,” Daniel answers.
"Was he followed?" she asks with distress.
"No, we didn’t see anyone,” Daniel responds.
"Are you certain?"
Daniel becomes frustrated by her questioning.
"Yes. I’m sure.”
Kenya holds her forehead and proceeds to shake her headache away.
"The last thing I want right now is more innocent people killed,” she stops and looks at the floor, contemplating. "You all should've lured him away somehow.”
Daniel rubs the back of his head and looks away.
"Listen, mom, he was not followed. No one is gonna get hurt.”
She looks up at me with worry in her eyes, and I can feel the concern transferring over to me. Then she shifts her eyes at the rest of them.
"We don't want the humans involved. They can attract needless attention or get killed. I don’t want any more blood on my hands.”
She then tries her best to bury that worried expression.
“Did you manage to convince her about school?” she asks me.
“Yes, I did.”
“Okay, that’s good,” she replies bleakly.
She rotates and walks into the dining room.
"Well, I’m happy that’s settled,” she says with a hint of uncertainty. “You all go wash your hands and help me prepare the table.”
Everyone quietly empty the living room and walks upstairs. I, on the other hand, slip into a slight trance. The worry in Kenya's eyes has me thinking about my mom again. When I feel a warm hand touching my shoulder, I blink back into reality. I look up and see Jason looking down at me with his precious blue eyes.
"Hey, don't worry about it,” he says soothingly.
I nod to him softly.
"Come on,” he proceeds with a smile. "I'm starving. What about you?"
I let out a smile before walking with him upstairs. I actually managed to eat a full meal today, although I’m still a bit nervous about my mom. I begin to consider Jason's advice. What if I don’t need to worry? I disobey my negative thoughts, yet somehow I keep getting this bad vibe in the pit of my stomach.
After dinner, Jason walks me upstairs. He can read me like an opened book, or maybe I'm just that obvious. He looks deeply into my eyes and says...
"Keep your mind off her. She’ll be fine. I promise.”
His charming smirk and warm embrace did good damage to my paranoia. We break off into our separate rooms, but before we depart ways he winks at me and then says "Catch you later". Luckily my body didn't fight much to fall asleep…
Surprisingly, I wake up while the sun is out. I didn’t toss or turn all night long. Somehow, I feel totally refreshed. It’s a brand new day. I don't need to worry about yesterday anymore. I wake up with a feeling that my mom will be just fine. I yawn and rub my eyes before sitting up in bed. I hear busy feet and commotion outside my room, so I walk over to peep into the hallway to see what’s going on.
"Hey, what’s up guys?" I say to Jessica and Maria, who are about to make their way downstairs.
They turn to me with a smile.
"Oh my God, what’s up with your hair?" Jessica says with a huge grimace.
Maria sees my hair too and giggles at it. I look up to see my curls hanging in my face.
"It’s not funny. I have frizz problems, sometimes.”
Suddenly, Eric and Jason comes out of the room across from me, arguing about which baseball team is better. Their eyes lands onto my hair and then their conversation ceases almost immediately. Eric's jaw drops and Jason smiles brightly.
"Holy shit,” Eric says to me, well not to me, but to my hair.
I puff out air and shut the door close.
"Dude what the hell was that?" Eric's voice echoes into my room.
I cover my face in embarrassment.
"Dude, seriously, what the hell was that on Iva's head?" Eric asks again.
I begin to giggle to myself.
"I have no idea,” Jason replies.
"She looks like one of those troll-dolls,” Eric makes fun of me.
Everyone burst into laughter in the hallway. I walk over to my bed and flops face first onto a pillow. I moan in attempt to get this embarrassing feeling off my back. My self-esteem level has just hit rock-bottom.
Eventually, I lift my face and decide to start the day. I pick out a nice blue shirt, a pair of denim jeans, and a fresh towel from the linen closet. I try to remain unseen as I sprint across the hallway to the bathroom. I didn't waste much time doing my hair. I figured a nice, fluffy, ponytail would do just fine.
I walk back into my room and check my appearance in the door mirror. The mirror allows me to see my entire reflection from head to toe. I'm happy with the final results. I give my reflection a smile before opening the door. I’m starting to believe that Jason is some kind of mind reader. We both exit our rooms simultaneously. We instantly laugh at one another.
"The stalker strikes again,” he tells me.
"Yeah, I know, I have to file a restraining order against you.”
He laughs at my counter insult.
"Good comeback,” he compliments me.
He then looks up at my bushy ponytail and says…
"I see you tamed the beast, or whatever it was.”
I giggle mildly.
"I tried to.”
He looks down into my eyes with a super-charming smirk.
"I still think you’re cute, even on your worst hair days.”
I tuck my lips in and feel my cheeks beginning to burn.
“Thanks,” I reply.
We walk downstairs and into the dining room, where everyone is eating at the table. I’m totally surprised to see Daniel sitting down at the table today.
"Are you hungry, Iva?" Kenya asks.
"Yes,” I reply.”
"Come, have breakfast with us.”
I sit down at the table and Jason sits next to me.
Kenya places a plate of scrambled eggs and two blueberry pancakes in front of me. She gives Jason his plate afterwards.
“You made it down today,” I say to Daniel with amazement.
“Surprising isn’t it?” Kenya asks.
Daniel shakes his head and continues eating without saying one word.
"Iva,” Kenya calls to me while she reads the morning paper. “Margie’s relatives are dying to meet you. You should make yourself acquainted with them today,”
"Oh, yeah. Aero and Rave's aunt and uncle, right?"
“Yes. That's if you want to go.”
“I don't mind.”
Maria nudges me on the shoulder.
"A ponytail, is that it?" Maria interrogates.
"Yeah, I just gave up on it. It's the humidity that does it.”
Maria looks into my eyes, then at my hair, and into my eyes again.
"What?" I ask in a curious tone.
"Hey Rave,” Maria calls to Jessica, yet she's still looking at my hair.
"Yeah,” Jessica answers.
"I think we should do something about this problem.”
She looks over at Jessica and gestures to my hair. Jessica lips shifts sideways as she gazes at my hair. I can see her mind contemplating something mischievous.
"What are you two thinking about?" I ask curiously.
They look at me and back at each other.
"It’s worth a shot,” Jessica says to Maria with a twisted face.
After some peer pressure, we meet in Maria's room after breakfast. I can't believe I'm actually letting them do this, but at the same time, it’s a little exciting to finally get some girl time. As I sit down in a chair, Jessica and Maria
get some equipment prepped.
"Okay guys, nothing to crazy,” I tell them nervously.
"Okay,” Jessica says as she places a makeup kit on the dresser next to me.
"Have you ever had your hair done?" Maria asks.
"Not really,” I reply.
Out the corner of my eye, I can see Jessica putting several small jars on top of the dresser. I turn to her with my jaw dangling.
"What's all that?" I ask them in a high volume.
Maria shifts my face away from the dresser.
"Leave that to us,” Maria says with her chin in the air. “Stay right there. Don’t move a muscle.”
She turns and walks towards the door. When she opens the door, Eric falls flat onto the floor. Jason swiftly plays a fool, turning away and walking down the hall.
"What are you doing?" Maria asks the back of Eric’s head.
Eric pushes himself onto his knees and places his ear onto the door and knocks gently on it.
"It seems like this door has no termites either,” he whispers to himself.
"Termites? What the fuck are you talking about? Get out!" Jessica yells at her brother.
Eric shoots up and walks down the hallway. Maria sighs and shakes her head.
“Be right back,” she informs me.
She leaves the room for a minute and comes back with a box in her hands. She takes something out the box and plugs it into the wall.
"What’s that?" I ask with a pinch of worry.
"Oh, it’s a flatiron,” Maria responds.
"You’re going to burn my hair?"
"Yeah,” she says in a duh kind of way.
"I don't want to be bald.”
Maria and Jessica’s eyes instantly meet. They then explode with laughter.
"It doesn’t burn your hair off, crazy,” Jessica says with a giggle.
"It straightens it,” Maria adds. “Girl, you really have to get out more.”
"Oh, okay. That makes a lot more sense.”
It's been almost an hour. It’s taking forever for Maria to comb through my hair. I can’t help but cringe as she struggles to untangle my hair by each firm stroke. Afterwards, she massages some kind of liquid onto my scalp; a leave-in conditioner of some sort. Jessica is busy powdering my face and putting eyeliner on me. Then Maria puts her flatiron to the test. She slowly straightens a bunch of my hair at a time. Another thirty minutes later, I’m growing impatient.
“Are you two almost done?” I ask.
"Yup,” Jessica says cheerfully.
Suddenly, someone knocks on the door softly.
"Who is it?" Maria asks.
"Hey, we’re just wondering what you guys are doing? Eric asks.
"Go away!" Jessica yells angrily.
A hush comes over the room, but then I hear this low conversation taking place outside the door. Eric starts snickering about something before he clears his throat.
"Hey, I need a comb,” Eric whispers through the door.
"For what?" Jessica backfires with aggravation.
"For my hair dumbass,” Eric responds.
“When did you start combing your hair?” Jessica fires back.
Eric gets tongue-tied for a second.
“It's not for me, it's for Courage.”
“Bullshit, he has combs,” she fires back.
“Then it's for me,” Eric replies. “And I really need it badly because…I just do.”
Maria groans and picks up a comb from the dresser. She unlocks the door and then grabs the handle…
"Wait…” Jessica says very low.
Maria freezes and looks over at her.
“Slide it under the door,” Jessica tells her in a whisper.
Maria locks the door again. She then kneels down and slides the comb under the door.
"Shit,” Eric whispers lowly.
I can hear Jason snickering outside the door. Eric clears his throat again.
"Uh, thanks a lot,” Eric says. “But I'm going to need some, uh, hair-gel. I need the biggest, non-flat, bottle you have.”
I burst out into laughter.
"Aero, quit it, seriously,” Jessica says with frustration.
"Come on guys, we just want to see,” Jason says.
"We'll be down in five minutes,” Maria informs them.
“We don't negotiate with terrorists,” Jason replies. “We demand to speak to the hostage.”
“Yeah, we need to know that she's okay,” Eric adds.
“I'm okay guys,” I reply.
“Iva, is that you? Thank God you're safe,” Jason says in a relieved tone.
“Now, can you stop eavesdropping and go away?” Jessica asks.
"Oh, Okay,” Eric says in a childish tone. “Just hurry up.”
I then hear their feet marching away from the door.
“Finally,” Maria says to herself.
"Keep your mouth still for me,” Jessica says as she applies the red lipstick. "Okay, now rub them.”
I roll my lips around in a circular motion to get the crimson color on evenly.
"Wow, you look amazing,” Jessica says with a bright grin.
I feel the jitters bouncing inside my stomach.
"Bring me the mirror,” I reach forward with fluttering hands.
Jessica grabs the mirror off the dresser.
"Not yet. I’m not done,” Maria says.
I drop my hands and poke my bottom lip out like a little child.
"Don't worry, I'm almost done,” Maria assures me.
Seconds later, Maria puts the flatiron down on the dresser and switches it off. They both walk backwards and observe my appearance with amazed expressions.
"How do I look?" I ask with my excitement overflowing.
But they’re way too deep in a daydream to respond. I scan the dresser and find the mirror. I gasp loudly when I see my reflection.
"Oh my God,” I utter as I gawk at my reflection.
I look in the mirror to see this supermodel beaming back at me. Her hair is straight and curled at its tips. Jessica did a perfect job at getting rid of my annoying blemishes. I just refuse to believe it. It's impossible for me to look this beautiful, right?
"You like it?" Maria asks anxiously with her hands pressed together.
"Yes, I love it,” I reply honestly with my throat beginning to burn. “I mean, I can’t believe it….I’m…I’m finally beautiful,” I finish while swallowing down my emotions.
“You can cry. But not now,” Jessica tells me. “I don't want your mascara to run.”
“Okay,” I reply.
"We have to go show my mom,” Maria demands.
I stand to my feet. Jessica opens the door for me as I walk out into the hallway. I proceed down the hallway with the jitters spinning wildly inside me. I walk slowly downstairs and into the living room, feeling like a princess going to a ball. I see Kenya, Jason, and Eric waiting on the sofa. They stop breathing when they see me coming.
"Who is this?" Kenya says, nearly having a heart-attack.
She runs to me with her hands pinned against her chest.
"Who is this beautiful girl in front of me?" she asks in utter amazement.
She pulls me into a tight hug and leans back with a huge smile, studying me.
"This is how a queen ought to look,” she tells me with amazement.
I try my best not to smile too much. Kenya steps back so Eric and Jason can see me better. Their faces are priceless.
"You look awesome,” Eric says with a side grin.
“Thanks, Aero,”
Jason stands to his feet and approaches me.
"You look beautiful,” he smiles honestly.
Somehow, I manage to smile even harder. And here comes Goliath, marching like a tortoise down the steps. Everyone steps aside so Daniel can see my new appearance. He turns and spots me standing in the center of the living room. His stern look disappears and is replaced by an unreadable expression. Maria clears her throat loudly
for a response from him. His eyebrows go narrow again.
“What's the big deal?" he says while grabbing the keys of the dining table.
"Seriously, how does she look?" Maria demands a better response from her brother.
He nods his head.
"Great job,” he responds boringly.
Even though that compliment is halfhearted, it still means a lot coming from Daniel. He makes his way through the crowd and exits through the door.
"Well, that was fun while it lasted,” Jessica says as she walks out the door.
"He's always ruining the moment,” Maria says as she marches out the door behind Jessica.
Eric follows. Jason lifts his elbow into the air, which I grab without thinking twice. We exit the house and cram into the SUV, one by one.
"Be safe!" Kenya shouts as we reverse out the driveway and cruise up the road.
"Iva, just a heads up,” Eric calls out from the front passenger’s seat. “Be warned. Our aunt has a mole on her face. She hates it when people stare at it.”
I giggle.
"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind.”
Suddenly, my cell-phone alert goes off. I dig into my jacket and pull out my phone. I discover a text message from my mom that reads…
"HELP ME"
I gasp and catch my heart before it burst from my chest. I place my other hand on Jason's shoulder firmly.
"What's wrong?" he asks.
I look into his eyes with a frighten gaze. It takes a moment for the words to come out of my mouth.
"My mom…" I stop talking to breathe.
Maria turns her head towards me.
"What’s wrong?" she asks urgently.
"They have my mom. She sent me a text,” I can feel the panic inside me building momentum.
Everyone snaps alert. Jessica turns to me with shock in her eyes and asks…
"Are you serious? How do you know?"
"What did the text say?" Daniel asks in an urgent voice from the driver’s seat.
I gulp again, this time it goes down with difficulty.
"It said help me,” I reply.
"Shit, you have to be kidding me,” Eric says.
Daniel slams his hand against the steering wheel and yells...
"Damn it.”
The car skids to a rough stop. He turns the car around then zooms down the road at full-speed. My worst fear has become a reality. My mom's life is at stake. I find her number in my phone and press call.
I wait for the dial tone. It's ringing and ringing nonstop.
"She’s not answering,” I speak in a panicky voice.
"Keep trying,” Daniel orders me.
Suddenly, I hear her voice.
"Mom..,” I stop talking, realizing it’s her voicemail greeting.
"Is that her?" Jason asks.
"No, it’s her voicemail.”
I press call another time. Again, it rings constantly until her voicemail answers. My heart feels like it’s going to explode right now. I press call again with my quivering thumb, hoping she will answer this time.
"Fuck. It’s going straight to voicemail,” I cry out loud.
"The house phone, try that,” Jason says.
I stop and think for a moment.
"We only have cell-phones,”
"Call mom,” Maria tells Daniel.
"I’m about to,” he responds.
I continue to dial her number, but once again it goes straight to voicemail.
"Fuck,” I mutter.
I can feel tears slide down my cheeks as I give it another useless try. Jason pulls me close and holds me.
"It’s going to be alright Iva,” he whispers into my ear.
"Mom..,” Daniel says into his phone. “They’ve got Julia. Yes.....we’re heading over there now,” he says and disconnects.
The engine goes wild as we zoom through traffic. We fly pass cars on the highway like a rabbit to a mob of turtles. My heart is beating rapidly the entire way to Rochester. The car slides sideways, burning rubber, as we turn onto Meigs street. Daniel race down the street and lowers the car speed.
"What?" Eric blurts out with confusion.
I look out the window and see my mom pulling the trashcan from the curb in her pajamas. She turns and shows off her pearly-whites. I exhale deeply and wipe the tears from my face. Daniel rolls down the windows with a baffled look.
"Hey guys,” My mom says in her normal, not threaten for her life, kind of tone.
"Uh, um, Iva just had to stop by a get something,” Daniel says to her.
He shifts his face to me.
"Oh, yeah, right,” I say as I unbuckle myself and get out of the car.
My mom jaw drops and her eyes broaden when she sees me.
"What happened to your hair?" she asks shockingly.
I try my best to appear normal and not emotionally distressed.
"I got it done,” I reply.
"Who did it?"
"That was me and Jessica,” Maria responds.
My mom grins and nods her head with an impressed look upon her face.
"I love it. It fits you well.”
"I’m glad you like it,” I force a smile across my face.
Together, we stroll up the walkway and onto the porch steps.
"Hey, guess what? Your uncle wants to meet up for dinner. He's going to flip when he sees you,” she says as we walk into the house.
"Oh, really, that’s awesome,” that line came out somewhat convincing.
"He wants to hangout tonight.”
"Not tonight, um, I'm busy,” I say as I rush into my room and look around for something to grab.
I pick up something random off my bed and start to walk out of the room, but my mom folds her arms and leans inside the doorway; blocking me from leaving.
"You came all the way back home for a shirt?" she looks at me suspiciously.
"Um,” I look down at the shirt I grabbed and then back at her. "Yeah.”
"You’re acting strange. It's bugging me out.”
I blow out loudly. My frustration is totally showing its true colors towards her.
"Mom, I’m cool. Please, don't start.”
"Have you been crying? Your mascara is a little runny.”
I clear my throat as my brain comes up with a decent lie.
"No, um, it’s just been irritating me. That’s all.”
She grins halfheartedly.
"Okay. Well, Frank will be over this evening. I think some family time would be nice.”
"No mom, I told you already, not today,” that line came out a little rude so I revise. "I mean, just not today okay?" I finish in a milder tone.
She throws her hands up. I guess my irritation caused her to surrender.
"Okay, okay,” she says.
She turns away from me, but I stop her from proceeding into the hallway.
"Mom” I call to her. “I was just wondering, where’s your phone? I tried calling you earlier and I couldn’t reach you.”
"I don’t know. I was destroying the house looking for it. I must have dropped it somewhere, maybe in the parking lot yesterday. I just don’t know where my mind is sometimes,” she continues, thinking hard about where it could be.
"Well, mom, I have to run.”
I walk over and give her a tight hug again.
"I love you, mom,” I say while holding a lump in my throat.
My mom gently pushes me away from her. She stares deeply into my eyes, which are stinging badly right now.
"Iva, I'm not a psychic, but you've never been that hard to read. What is going on, really?"
"Mom, it’s complicated. One day, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything. It’s nothing to worry about.”
That’s the biggest lie I ever told her.
"I'll be fine. Call me later,” I say as I walk pass her.
She sighs and follows me into the living room. Before I leave the front door, I turn to her.
> "And mom, do me a favor, lock the front door okay?"
"Oookay…" she replies with uncertainty.
"Love you, see you later.”
I walk out the house and hurry into the SUV, taking my spot next to Jason.
"What’s going on?" Daniel says, eyeing me in the rear-view mirror.
"She thinks she dropped her phone in the school parking lot.”
"Those bastards are toying with us,” Eric states.
Daniel breathes out slowly as he starts the car.
"Well, we’re not playing any of their games,” he says as we glide down the street.
"Thank God she's safe,” Maria says in a relieved voice from the middle row.
"Yeah,” I agree with her.
My heartrate finally starts to slow down. Daniel puts his cell-phone to his ear as he drives with one hand on the steering wheel.
"Mom......yeah she’s fine....I don’t know.........she might have dropped it at the school lot..........alright we’ll be there soon,” he hangs up.
We head back to Glenworth, going the normal speeds limit.
"But why would they do that?" Maria thinks out loud. "Why would they make a false message? It doesn’t make any sense.”
"I don’t know,” Daniel says.
"Those bastards,” Jessica says angrily. "I have a bad feeling. Why would they do something like that for no reason?"
"They’re planning something. I just know it,” Eric says.
"Well, whatever they’re planning, we have to be ready,” Daniel adds. “It’s going to be okay, Iva,” he assures me through the rear-view mirror.
Jason puts his arm around me. I look into his eyes and smile. I then shift my eyes out of the window to watch the thick clutter of trees fly by in a blur. Then I see something strange. Something large is moving with us.
I gasp. It’s three of them, one is brown with a white patch on its eye, the other white, and the last one is gray. They are dashing through the woods. I quickly turn to Jason, his eyes meets mine. He sees the horror in my face. I look forward and yell...
"Wolves!"
But it’s too late for a warning. I shift my face out the window again. These massive wolves leap out of the woods at full-speed. Simultaneously, they ram the car on the side with a massive blow.
My body jerks left and right like a rag-doll as the world spins around me. My neck jerks violently and slams against the glass window. Now everything is completely black…
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