Chapter 13
After being dropped in front of miss Rodriguez's mansion, I slowly make my way into the house.
Martha opens the door.
"Hey!" She flashes. "How was your first day of school?"
I walk into the house. "It was...good, I guess.
"Hmm, you guess? Tell me about it." she peers at me.
Martha walks further into the house and I follow. "Miss Rodrigues told me to inform you, her granddaughter would be coming tomorrow evening, she would be sleeping too. She said she has told you already that her granddaughter visits sometimes...I'd advise you to be very selective with your outfit, it's going to be a formal dinner.
Don't think too much Sophie, I told myself.
She walked through the center of the room, both curved stairs at our side as we emerged into an open space.
"Wow!"I couldn't help but exclaim. "How haven't I ever seen here before?" It was a parlor. When coming from the entrance door, the view of the end of the room is a plain wall with A breathtaking picture of a woman in a bikini, playing with her child at the beach. But then moving further into the room, it turns out to be a large parlor with glass windows and the mind-boggling view of a swimming pool Hangout. There were white cozy-looking chairs that were arranged in a round shape just like the room. Each side of the room had a middle table and numerous lights on the carved white ceiling. A squeal escaped my mouth, combined with a little jump.
"You haven't been here earlier?" Martha questioned with a smile.
"No, I haven't." I walked towards the gigantic picture on the wall, the reflection of light on it made it shine. Outside, the beautiful scenery and blue water screamed at me to come over.
"Wow. If I were in your shoes, I would have gotten lost on the first day." Martha stated.
I give a one-sided smile. I was just tired that day and pissed. My eyes dart towards the swimming pool."Is anyone allowed to go in there?"
"...I am not so sure, because even though the water is changed every once in a while and the pool is cleaned constantly, probably to maintain the view too; nobody uses it."
"Why?...Including you?"
"Nope. I use a smaller one though when I have the time."
"Oh...That means there is another swimming pool?"
"Yes."
After an evening meal of spinach and tomato pasta with poached eggs that were strictly recommended by a Miss Rodriguez that I had not seen since morning, I retired into my bedroom, went through all the topics that were treated at school today, and attempted all my assignments.
Martha later knocked on the door and dropped the uniform I was going to be wearing the next day. One glance and I forgot it existed, I was engrossed with my books.
After hours of study, I collapsed on my bed with satisfaction.
....
The loud ringing tone of my phone woke me up. After lamenting about the fact that I had fallen asleep on my uniform, I picked the call. It was no one else other than mom. We had been talking for over fifteen minutes.
"Okay, okay. So...How was it?" I could tell mom was smiling.
"How was what?"
"Your first day??"
"Oh. It was great. They were all nice...except for...they were all nice. The whole school saw me coming down from a Telsa car."
"Nooo." mum chuckled dramatically.
"Mom, it is not funny. It sucks."
"Well, any friends yet?"
"Yeah!" I roll my eyes."I guess. People were really nice to me..." Probably because they think I am a humble, rich lamb.
"I am excited. I know it's going to be great this year."
"...I hope. Um...Do you have an idea of when we are going back home?"
"...To be honest...I do not."
I sigh." Mom, even if I end up making friends, Im scared of even trying."
"...Do anything that feels right to you...Okay?"
"...Okay," I whisper, quite uncertain.
"Umm, Have you called lucy?"
"No."
"...Okay. Well, I called to make sure you are doing okay. Do not forget to tell me if anything goes wrong."
"Of course, I will."
"I love you, Sophie."
"I love you too mom...Thank you."
She smiled. "You are welcome, darling."
After she hung up, I sat still for a few seconds hesitating whether to call lucy.
"She should better be nice!"
Lucy picked as soon as I called her which was a good sign.
"Hello?" She chirped.
"Hello, lucy!" I tried to sound excited.
"...Oh, Sophie. Hi." Her voice dropped.
"Um-"
"If mom told you to call me, then you can hang up now." She said nonchalantly.
I unwillingly kept silent, searching for words.
"...Bye! Enjoy your uninteresting life, sister." She said and hung up.
"I am sure you are happy now, mom. I have called her and she has ended up making me feel worse about my...uninteresting life." I blurted, flinging some pieces of cloth to the other side of the bed. Instead- Instead of her to be a comforting sister, just like I try to be? Well, no! She just does not like-like peace!! She prefers-"
"Sophie? Are you alright?" A soft solicitous voice asked.
I turn to the door. It was Martha...Obviously...That lovely soul. I sight, "Yes. I am just lashing out audibly, in my own little way."
She settles down into a small smile. "Why would you be lashing out in the first place?"
Questions! something I dislike. surprisingly, I didn't mind telling her. "...She's...Not very nice to me...My sis." I sat at the end of the bed, bowing my head slightly. Martha still stood at the threshold. I wouldn't have minded her coming in, but I wasn't going to tell her to."
After a while of silence, Martha walks slowly into the room. She squats in front of me and bends to look me in the eye. I look away shyly and she doesn't persist.
Sophie...Dont disbelief me when I tell you I understand. What would make you act cruel to someone...Put yourself in her shoes. You might say nothing, yeah; but people are different there might be something you don't know...Just never stop loving!
Yeah! Something I don't know. If only she knew that we were going through the same thing...
She stands." And you know, some people are not nice too... It could be home training, Past experiences, personality, so many more, so do not let it get to you...Okay?
"Yeah, thanks."
She grins. Now, where are the uniforms I dropped here, earlier today?