They say the best lies are those mixed in truth, I like to think of them as myths. Stories passed down with threads of truth hard to unstitch from the tapestry of lies and folklore they have become untangled in over the years. I don't think of myself as a lier I don't lie I just never tell the whole truth.
The women in my family are special my mother used to say, we carry a blessing that to most would seem to be a curse. I am a kitsune, a fox spirit, seductress, trickster, and other names we have gained as we became legendary fables told to warn children from straying too far. Like my mother and all that came before her, I am cursed to bear this blessing until I pas it on to my children. Then I will begin to age and my powers will begin to fade and I will become human.
"Lily I know you wanted to stay in Sydney for another year still, but I think it's best we stay with Grandma" my mother says, looking at me in the rear view mirror. I know it's my fault we're moving again, I allow myself to get to close to people. That's a big no no on my mother's list of rules. The closer you become with people the more questions they ask, how do you still look so young? Where's your family from?
I press my face against the glass hoping something will catch my eye, It's been a long drive from Los Angeles and no ones really said anything. I don't hate her, mum always has done what she thinks is best for me even if it means always moving when ever I make any close friends.
Grandma has lived in Salt Lake City for nine years now and we've never visited, her since she moved there. A sign catches my eye Salt Lake City 10 miles, what's that 10 kilometres?
"Lilly honey we will be there in quarter of an hour" Mum says trying to start a bit of a conversation.
"Ok" I mumble and gaze out the window at the busy traffic.
We pull into grandma's driveway and there she is greyer than I remember but definitely her.
As we get out immediately she scolds mum like she's a child. " Summer Akia Daichi, you where supposed to arrive two days ago, I tried ringing you but your number just rang out, do you know how worried I was?"
" I don't have a plan for the US yet, sorry" mum replies.
" why are you so late anyway I thought you wanted to get here early so Lilly could get settled before school starts" grandma pipes up.
"Lilly will be fine, we did less driving than I anticipated Mum" Mum said through her teeth, her cheeks were getting flushed, I hate how these two argue every time over nothing.
"Come inside you two and bring your luggage, Lilly your bedroom is the one upstairs first on the right, I still can't believe your all most eighteen " grandma smiled, though I knew it was a forced smile as her teeth didn't show.
Clearly her and Mum where going to continue to talk and thought only adults were needed for the conversation. I don't mind I start to put my luggage away my new room is nice, plain but nice with mahogany floorboards and teal wallpaper, the same as Grandmas last house. I feel like reading but the room is dark though, and the light bulb is dull, of course, wish I was a lightning kitsune rather than an earth kitsune just this once.
"Well I'll have to open the curtains , hope the pigeons here aren't perverts" I mutter to myself. That's better I can actually read now, I lay on my bed and read a few chapters. "Uggh" I moan " I can't take this I'm just gonna get an early night sleep"
I take of my shirt, Unbuckle my belt and slippers off my jeans. I catch myself in the mirror standing in my underwear, I'm not ugly but I'm by no means pretty, I'm tall, unusually tall for a girl 6ft (183cm) skinny with no curves,minimum cleavage, more freckles than I can count, brown hair and cold blue eyes. My cheekbones are quite defined though, I could probably look decent if Mum let me wear makeup. Who am I kidding it wouldn't matter I can't be close with anyone anyway, so why bother.
Movement caught my eye in the corner of the mirror. "AAAHH" i scream, I see a boys face looking at me across from the house next door. I dive for the floor, my face is as red as a beetroot. How did I forget to close the curtains, why is there a pervert next door? How long was he looking? How much did he see? May he die a thousands deaths.
I crawl across the floor to grab a blanket to wrap around myself. I take a deep breath and stand up, he's gone his blinds are pulled down. I close my curtains and slump into bed, why in the heavens did he have to see me practically naked?