~~~~
Raina
"There's something I need to tell you," Leslie, my best friend said.
I looked up from the rack of clothes hanger. We were out shopping, more like I dragged her to the mall. She had been moody all week and she seem perturbed all day. I was seriously wondering what was up with her. I would have loved to ask her but when Leslie Hale goes like this, it's best if she was left alone.
"Okay, spill," I said, not meeting her gaze as I checked out a blue off shoulder gown with hands and shoulders covered in black net. It was gorgeous but not as the one I had picked up for the party.
"You shouldn't throw this party," she said, "Or shouldn't be here either. You need to come with me." There was urgency in her voice.
There goes Leslie.
"Look, I know you always feel that everything's not safe but look all around us," I said. She was overreacting.
"I know it may sounds like I'm crazy but trust me, you can't be here on your birthday, let alone throw a party." Leslie said.
"Come on. What's the worse that could happen?" I said, picking another gown from the rack, "Besides, you are acting like a mom right now. It's not that I don't want a mom, I'd give anything to see my mother but you my friend, need to lighten up."
"Fine." Leslie said, giving up, "That dress will be nice."
Today was Saturday, next Saturday will be my birthday. My eighteenth birthday to be precise and things were looking up nice for me. Surprisingly, Aunt Lydia allowed me throw the party. It was probably because she always says I was not normal and that things like parties made me seem normal.
We paid for the dress, I made sure it wasn't too expensive because Aunt Lydia would behead me for emptying her bank account. We decided to walk to where we would get a taxi to board. I wondered why Leslie had always refuse to drive, she had a car.
"Why don't you ever drive?" I brought the topic up. My hands were swollen from carrying the bags from the shopping.
Her lips twitched into a smile, "Trust me on this, you don't want to see me on the wheels."
It was towards evening. That I know because the sun had long set and the clouds were turning a darker shade of blue as time ran. The moon had began coming out of its cage and lights from vehicles were flashing on everyone's eyes, too illuminating their path. Cold breeze blew and the hairs on my arm stood.
"It's cold out here," I said, "Luckily for me, I brought a jacket, unlike you."
"You always wear a jacket." Leslie blurted out. Her hazel eyes shown even more as her strawberry blonde hair danced around her shoulders.
"That's 'cause I need to," I said.
She was right, though. I always wore jacket everywhere I went to avoid my skin coming in contact with iron. I had been taken to countless doctors or specialists to ascertain the meaning of this strange allergy but each of them gave their each different theory which made me wonder if they really knew their job.
I felt like iron was my kryptonite.
"Don't you feel it too?" I said, "The feeling of iron on your skin, I mean?"
She shrugged and avoided looking at my eyes like she didn't want to answer the question.
"Let's just keep walking."
She was avoiding my question.
"Well, aren't you gonna help me with these bags?" I said. The bags were beginning to weigh heavier than usual. What kind of best friend just stand there and watch while I struggle with bags?
"Hey, I wasn't the one who told you to plan the party."
Ugh. She was being impossible right now.
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
Aunt Lydia's two kids were one of a kind. Maya, a nine year old with a strong inclination for candy and sugar in generally. I don't have anything against it but the fact that I am forced to buy candy every now and then, was my problem. Inspite of all of these, she was my favorite of the two. I enjoy reading bed time stories to her. She loved it when I tell her about fairies. She once told me I was like them but we laughed at the joke.
Fairies only exist in fairytale, right?
Dan, the seven year-old, was different. I loved the aura he gives, especially when he is inquisitive. He loved when I tell about vampires. He wouldn't follow the Peter Pan or Pinocchio he was supposed to listen to. Aunt Lydia's children was just as interested in opposing their mum as I was too.
The sad thing about all of these was that I felt like their mum. I was always dropped down with responsibilities like cooking for them which was frustrating because I don't think I was ever going to be as good as Aunt Lydia. Her food is to die for. I wasn't complimenting her though.
Aunt Lydia and Uncle Sam Verbana, as I was told to call them, told me my parents died in a car crash when I was a new born and that I was handed over to them, since they were closely acquainted. I didn't know whether to believe the tale or not, after all, I wasn't even aware of anything then.
The only proof I had that I had a mother who cared was a silver crescent shaped necklace which I never took of. If anything, that wasn't a lie.
°•°•°•°•°•°
A/N:
How did I do for an edited version?