Chapter Two: The Grandparents

An exhausted sigh slipped through her parched mouth. The cleaning was done, and her apartment was spotless. A well deserved shower is in order, she thought to herself with a small smile remembering how she used to love really warm showers after school. She put away all of her cleaning supplies into the cupboard under the sink and rinsed her hands, thereafter going into her room to pick out a cool, baby blue skirt, a pair of grey tights and a plain white tee. If it was any other day, she would have picked out a comfortable set of pyjamas, but her grandparents could arrive at any time between now and tomorrow, and she needed to go out and buy some groceries as she was running out of eggs, instant noodle and milk, her three very important constants.

Grabbing her towel and underwear, she headed to the bathroom. She set her things on the marble counter and went into the stall to open the faucet and heat the water before she stripped and entered. The temperature was just right, and she felt her body begin to relax, her mind temporarily forgetting her problems as she allowed herself this luxury.

Her professor was right, she did indeed look like crap, just as she felt like crap. She worked hard, more than most students, and in the last few weeks she had been studying and working on all of her projects none stop, and there were times when she felt that slipped past her without her knowing, which usually ends up taking her through two or three days without sleep, an unhealthy habit that stayed with her through her high school years.

Mood ruined, she turned the faucet off and stepped out of the stall. After drying herself and changing into her clothes, she put her towel and old clothes into the hamper before stepping out and padding to the kitchen where she left her phone.

A small rumbling feeling quakes beneath her feet as she entered the kitchen, which made her look at the ground with a raised eyebrow, but she quickly dismissed it as her imagination as it was too small and didn't last all that much. She chalked it up to her just being hungry.

Just as she was about to put some pieces of bread into the toaster and check her emails on her phone, she heard the distinct sound of the electric gate opening seemingly by itself. However, upon investigating it by peaking through the curtains of the window, she saw that it was just her grandparents.

She sighed tiredly as rubbed her forehead in frustration. This was one of the things that she hated most about them, that they always, ALWAYS, came to see her unannounced.

Forcing herself to smile brightly, she slowly walked over to the door, grabbed her keys on the way, and unlocked it, watching as their old, small grey car rolled over the gravel and stones at the entryway to park just to the right of her door.

She rushed to help her grandmother out right as her grandfather pulled the key out of the ignition.

"Hello grandmother! Hello Grandfather!" I said I false cheerfulness. I'm sure that they caught on to my insincerity for they both gave me a rather dull and annoyed look.

"Alena O'Connor, if you're just going to stand there and look pretty, why don't you just go wait inside. Henry dearest and I will handle our own baggage." Said grandfather with a slight upturn tilt to her head, projecting her self diagnosed superiority to others, to the world.

Even though it was a simple comment, she knew that she could not argue with her grandmother, for things could turn very sour, very quickly, more so than they are now. So, being the obedient little girl that she is, she goes back inside and decides to make that toast that she was interrupted from making.

A few short minutes later, her toast had been made and buttered just the way she liked them, and her grandparents made a ruckus as they hauled all of their luggage in through the one-man-sized doorway.

Without really looking at her, they got their things settled in their room which was right next to hers. As they settled in, she nibbled slowly as she had lost her appetite at the sight of their disapproving gazes. Really, she should be used to it, as this has happened all of her life, one little mistake and it seemed like their whole world had turned upside down. It shouldn't even bother her at this point, but it truly does.

Although her grandparents are over sixty years old, they are selfsuficient and highly fit, perfectionists who seek only the best in life, and that includes their parentless granddaughter. In their minds, they believe that she needs to be scolded for every little thing that it does to prime her for the real world, that she will be feared into never making the wrong decision.

Some people might actually say that they are abusing Alena in a way that is damaging only her fragile mind. And that's who she is, a fragile person who could crumble and break at any given moment.

Her grandparents were so heartless towards her that she constantly feared that they might throw her away like a broken toy if she doesn't do all of her toasts perfectly.

Really, it bothered her because she's seen so many grandparents look at their brand children with such wonderment and awe that it seemed almost alien in a way. Sometimes, just at the very back of her dark head, she wished that she could have someone look at her like that, to have someone call her their baby like a parent would, to have someone wrap their arms around her as if she was worth protecting...

Her grandparents walked into the kitchen, inspecting every last inch and corner of the two bedroom apartment on their way, looking for clues of sorts to indicate that she had either had a party while they were gone, or that she had invited someone to stay with her.

They found nothing, so they stayed quiet while she made them some light dinner that included scrambled eggs and fried bacon that would satisfy them for a little while, just until she got back from the nearby shop to refill and restock the contents of her fridge and cabinets. Honestly, they knew that she had no friends, so why should they worry about such things like that. Besides, she doubts that she would make any friends any time soon.

After their terse dinner, she cleared up the table and washed the dishes quickly, not wanting to make them break the silence and insult her for her lack of variety in food. With the kitchen clean, she slipped on her favourite pair of blue Converse shoes and grabbed her bag and keys.

She turned around to face them and asked plainly, "I'm going to the shop to buy some groceries. Is there anything that you need or want?"

"Yes," Said her grumpy grandmother, "An air freshener would be absolutely lovely. This apartment smells just terribly awful. When was the last time you cleaned this place up, young lady?" She demanded, then added, "Oh, and some potatoes and onions as well. I'll cook some onion and potato soup for us since your cooking skills are adequate at best. Hurry up now, before the sun leaves you behindbin the dark!"

"Yes, grandma," Alena sighed and looked at her grandfather expectantly, "And you, anything you want?"

"A packet of salted crisps and a bottle of beer for me."

Alena nodded turned for the door. "I'll be back soon..."

And then she was off.