Chapter 19

A little time passes and we're in music class,

"Now your test is very simple, all you have to do is perform and I'll grade you" Mr Vincent echoes, we all look at each other, that sounds easy, "but you'll only perform songs based on some words and emotions"

We all groan.

He brings out a box filled with cards and places it in the middle of the classroom,

"You're meant to pick two each and perform a song on what you get. You can choose to perform in groups if you please just make sure it's spectacular!" he grins and takes his seat.

We sulk and take our cards,

"What'd you get?" I ask Debbie trying to see her cards,

"I got 'Hope' and 'Pop'" she sighs, "you?"

"'Slow' and 'heartbreak'" I put my cards down,

"So you're singing like a sad song?" She asks,

"Yeah I guess. I wonder what Daylon and Bryan got" I could only wonder.

School is over and Debbie kisses me goodbye, I spend about 30 minutes with Daylon on maths and then he takes his leave.

I'm walking down the hallway and I see a black feather on the floor, I rush to pick it up and place it close to my chest. I look around to make sure no one was looking and I slip it into my pocket and head to class for detention.

Days pass and things only become more interesting, people revising for tests and practicing for it. I have the song I'm going to perform in mind and I've been practicing but I won't lie I'm still kind of nervous. Suck it up Eris.

Daylon is not bad for a history tutor. Okay he's actually really good and way better than our history teacher. He makes it fun and understandable, it's like a whole museum with the history textbook is in his head.

It's Saturday and I'm headed to the park to see Cody, I spot a boy in a pullover holding a green lantern action figure,

"Cody?" I call him softly and take my place beside him, he turns up to meet my eyes,

"Eris" he hugs me firmly and tries to control his tears, "I'm sorry" he sobs,

"What are you apologizing for?" I pull him back to look into his eyes,

"I couldn't do anything. Nothing at all!! I'm such a coward" the tears stream down his face. I wipe them with my thumbs and cup his cheeks,

"Don't say that. You're the strongest person I know"

"And you're the one I love so why must I say goodbye?!" He's at the point of screaming and breaking down,

"Shh!" I embrace him once more, "we're not leaving each other, I promise. I won't let you go. We can always meet up like this"

"But Eris why can't we be a normal family?" His cries were getting louder and I could barely hold myself back,

"Cody, I" I finally breakdown myself, I hug him so tight it could kill but he embraced it and returned the gesture. I didn't want to be away from him but I guess it's what fate has for me.

And I accept it.

We spend a couple of hours together before he leaves, it's already evening and I walk back drained. I hold the door knob and turn it letting myself in, I see a familiar figure sitting and talking with Debbie and her parents,

"Aunt?!" Maybe I'm hallucinating,

"Eris" her eyes dilate softly,

"What's going on here?" I demand to know,

"Your aunt wants to take you with her" Debbie's mom explains,

"I'm not going" I finalise. I didn't want to be hurt again,

"Eris I know you're still angry at us, I would've come to pick you up but I just found out yesterday from Cody" she explains herself,

"It doesn't matter. I'm capable of taking care of myself" my eyes narrow and I bite my lips to suppress the tears,

"Eris dear, you have every right to be angry. My brother is an asshole and doesn't know what he's thrown away" she curses at my dad and moves closer to me, "please come stay with me Eris. I won't feel good if I don't take you home with me" she cups my cheeks,

I move back instinctively until I feel Debbie's hand on my shoulder,

"Go with her Eris" she begs me, "don't hold the hatred anymore. Let it go" she hugs me and my tears spill, I didn't want to but it's hard not to.

In the end I agree to go with my aunt, we arrive at her house which was not too far from Debbie's and school, so it was okay. I marvel at the duplex,

"Wow aunt, when did you get this?" I don't remember her house being this bgo so I was surprised,

"After my brother made a mockery of my financial status, so I decided to level up" she smiles to herself, she grabs my bags and ushers me in.

The house is large and spacious and I couldn't believe it, the furniture was covered in expensive white leather and the walls painted in the same color. The stairs were made out of the finest of wood and the fireplace was more extravagant than it ought to be.

"Your room's the first door on the right" she smiles and hands me my bag, "get rested, we're going shopping tomorrow. You need new clothes. In the meantime, I'll go prepare dinner for us" she places a kiss on my head and enters the kitchen.

I slowly walk up the stairs, taking in everything like a toddler. I open the door to my new room and I'm greeted with purple walls with a single white streak that runs across it, a large double door closet, a cute reading desk and bedside table, a huge standing mirror, an impressive bathroom with a cute pond like tub and a separate shower, the view was incredible. My bed was so big it could comfortably hold four people and it had soft fluffy pillows and sheets in the color purple.

"Wake up Eris, it's all a dream" but I wasn't waking up, it was all real. This was real. Heck I felt like a rich kid. Maybe this is how Daylon feels everyday.

I arrange my clothes in the wardrobe and head to the bathroom to wash up. I come downstairs to meet an inviting aroma, I miss my aunt's cooking.

"Do you like your room?" She smiles at me,

"Thank you so much aunt" it came from my heart,

"Anything for you Eris. You're special to me you know" she plates our food and we sit to eat, she says a short prayer before we begin, "I know things have been hard for you"

"Yeah" my eyes shift and my heart aches,

"You're safe now Eris" she smiles and places her hand on mine, I smile at the affection, "for how long have you had this nail polish on?" She examines my fingers,

"A month now" I scratch my head and she sighs, the color was almost completely gone and I laugh,

"I'm going to doll you up just you watch!"

"Not again!!" I remember what happened the last time, I looked like Tiffany,

"Suit yourself but you must look good!" she commands and I nod,

"So aunt, still just you?" I smirk at her,

"Yes, until I find someone who doesn't resemble your dad" she rolls her eyes and I laugh.

It's been so long since I've seen her and she has changed. She's become better. Things weren't so good for her back then and my dad refused to help, but look at her now, she's in affluence. I'm proud of her.

I retire to my room and I see a black feather on my bed, I grab it and add it to my collection before I finally drift to sleep.