Chapter Five

They located the subway after a little effort and got right in. Aubrey was seated while Liam wasn't, he was just glued to the window as he watched the environment.

After a while, he came to sit next to her.

"A lot has changed since we left," he stated, the pain still in his voice. He never wanted to leave New York City but his mother forced them, he could remember it vividly as though it happened yesterday.

Flashback. (September 2013)

"Bambina! The show has started already, you are missing out!" he called out to his sister.

"Which show? Instant mom?"

"Of course! What other show do they play my this time of the day, you better come here now because I won't tell you what happened in this episode if you ask."

"I'm coming, don't be a big baby,"

A few minutes later Aubrey came downstairs. Her palm was colored in black, she had changed clothes as these weren't the cloth she wore earlier.

"Aubrey! What did you do?"

"Shush! You can't tell mom, she will kill me and then kill you for letting me do this,"

"Fine, I won't tell on you but what exactly did you do,"

She walked up to their big couch where he sat comfortably and say next to him.

"I was dying my hair black, again and before you start lecturing me again I didn't do it because I felt out of place, I did it so that when dad comes home, he will see me looking different."

They both went silent at the mention of their dad, he has been gone for almost three months and there wasn't any sign of him. Their mother has hired detectives all around town to help find him but to date, they haven't even gotten a lead.

"Amata?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think dad will come back? Do you think he left because of me?"

"Dad will come back, I don't think so, I know so. What I don't know is how long it will be before his return. Moreover, who gave you the stupid idea that he left because of you?"

"Momma did. She told me this morning that day left because he hated me and my freakish behavior, especially my hair and birthmark."

Liam grew angry. "How dare she say that to you! She is lying sis, I am sure of dad. Dad went on some kind of business trip and will be back shortly,"

"Then why hasn't he called?"

"Because he isn't with his phone you moron, I found his phone in the upstairs bathroom, I haven't shown mom yet and might never will, there are games inside, Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls and my spec Assassin creed. I play them in my room late at night. Dad will come back to us and dying your hair is fruitless, if you don't like the hair color now, wear a wig. Soon you will cherish the hair,"

"I guess I can wear a wig and about dad's phone would you let me play games sometimes?" she pouted.

"Yes, if you behave well," he replied with a short laugh.

"Aubrey!" someone called from outside.

"That's mom, she will kill me if she sees my hands, what should I do?" she panicked.

"Go wash it off with soap or detergent while I hold her off for a while,"

"Are you crazy? It won't go off, I tried so many times before coming out but it refused to go off. She's gonna kill me, she warned me to stay away from her closet and I stupidly went there and took the dye,"

"Oh that's stupid, how could you go into her room in the first place, that's an invasion of privacy,"

"I know and I'm sorry, now isn't the time to lecture me. Instead, help me, tell me what to do,"

"Let's just go and open the door for her, I'll think of something—"

End of flashback.

"Amata, what are you thinking?" Aubrey asked, shaking him thereby disrupting his thoughts.

"Ehm?"

"Were you sleeping with your eyes open?"

"No, are we there yet? He asked, changing the topic swiftly.

"Not yet but soon, we are just two steps away,"

"Then why did you tap me? I was enjoying myself,"

"I figured that and that is the same reason I disturb you, I can't let you get too comfortable here and fall asleep, if you do who's gonna carry you out? Not me I suppose."

"I know you hate me enough to wake me up if I fall asleep, I'm not stupid to fall asleep on a subway, unlike a certain someone sitting next to me," he said and winked.

Her cheeks turned bright red, "it was just one time! You don't have to keep remembering it," she cried.

He laughed and decided not to taunt her, for now. Who knows the hateful words their mother told her this morning.

"Just let me be, I won't fall asleep but I just need to rest my head for a while,"

"Sure, okay. But be rest assured that if you mistakenly fall asleep I will abandon you here and get off, by the time you wake up you might be in another city," she said laughing.

He ignored her, eased back, and continued going down his memory lane.

Flashback

"Mom we are coming!" He screamed.

"Just ask normal and don't allow her to suspect us,"

"I'm sorry,"

"For what?"

"For complicating your afternoon and making you miss out on Instant Mom,"

"Oh you will pay, you must pay for doing this. I'm taking your pocket money on Monday and will use it to bribe the neighbor's daughter to turn on her Wi-Fi for me so I can rewatch this episode on YouTube," he said with a smirk.

"I knew it, you are always cunning. Well, I don't mind just as long as we escape mom today,"

"We will wait here,"

Aubrey stood there and tucked her hands into her pockets, Liam opened the door for their mother and she came in. The unhappy look on their mother's face told them that something was wrong and coupled with the fact that she was back early from work they couldn't help but conclude that way.

Their eyes followed their mother's every step, she removed her shoes, toss them aside, and sat on the couch they previously occupied.

"What are you two doing standing there?"

"Nothing, mom, why are you home? It's not 4 pm yet. We are curious as to why you are back this early,"

"Are you saying I can't come back home whenever I want? It's my house in case you haven't realized that,"

"No mom, what he is saying is that we want to know if something is wrong and if we can help," Aubrey said for the first time since she got here.

"Really? Well, actually you can help. Both of you, go into your room, pack all your belongings, we are leaving town today." she dropped the bombshell like it was nothing leaving our mouths hanging open in shock.

That was the beginning of their fallout as a family, the more they traveled around, the more they care less about things.

End of flashback

Liam blinked twice, all that happened after then clouded his mind. He remembered how they begged to say goodbye to their friends, to go to school for just one day, and take permission to leave but their mother refused, threatening to leave anyone who goes out behind without food and water.

"We are here," Aubrey said but Liam was too deep in thoughts to hear her.

She stood up, hung her backpack, and gave him a resounding slap on his cheeks and that got him up.

"Hey! What was that for?" he yelled in pain.

"You good me you weren't going to sleep but you are here doing worse than sleeping! Get down before the subway starts moving again."

Liam came down from the subway muttering some incoherent words.

Looking at the tall building in front of her, Aubrey said:

"Look, Maria Middle High school. Our school for the next two to five months, why do I have this feeling that it will be worse than all the previous high schools?"

"I don't know and I seriously don't care, my days of caring about school are over, let me just go in and get it over with," Liam said brushing passing her, his mood swings has started again, it always does when he comes across something that reminds him of responsibility.

"Amata, this is a new school. Keep your nonchalant attitude at bay and let us start afresh,"

"There is no starting afresh Aubie, why will you start afresh knowing fully well that mom will wake up someday and tell us to pack our things, we will discard friendships we built, we will forsake everything we worked hard for and move away with her to start all over."

"How many times will you repeat this circle before you wise up and stop trying Bambi, stop!" he yelled and walked away in anger.

"Amata, wait."

"What do you want to say huh? There is nothing to say sister, absolutely nothing. I started the day wanting to be the good son and be happy but what I remembered on the bus– what mom has been doing to us for the past years, is unfair. Acting happy will only bring us nothing but sorrow,"

You stared at his retreating figure, confusion was written all over you. From the way, he behaved this morning you never thought he would go back to his old lifestyle.