Chapter 27


    ‘I thought you’d never ask.’ The voice huffed, ‘You can call me Thalia.’


    ‘The voice in my head has a name.’ I nodded. ‘This is great.’


    ‘Look at it this way, we’re improving.’ The voice sounded happy.


    ‘Improving?’ I scoffed, ‘More like descending into madness.’


    ‘Hey, I’ll be along for the ride.’ The person in my head grinned, ‘It’ll be fun.’


    ‘Y’know, I didn’t expect the voice inside my head to be so d**n optimistic.’ I rolled my eyes.


    ‘Get used to it, Aurora.’ The voice chided me, ‘I’m here for the long run.’


    ‘Great.’ I sounded unenthusiastic.


    Garrett looked over at me from the corner of his eye, concern evident in his gaze.


    “Feeling alright, Aurora?” He questioned, more concern flooding through his tone.


    “Yup.” I popped the ‘p’ on my lips, “Just talking to the voices in my head.”


    I wasn’t sure what made me say that, but I didn’t really care. This week has been one for the books. I


    was nearly one hundred percent positive I had the worst week in history. Assaulted, frightened,


    abandoned, used. And it would only get worse from here. I’d be forced to live with Garrett, thankfully


    only until Friday. I could handle that, I told myself. A week of avoiding school and Garrett like the


    gue, should be fun.


    Garrett looked taken back, but a small grin formed on his face.


    “And what are the voices saying?” Garrett asked, making me raise my eyebrow.


    “You’re not concerned I’m hearing voices?” I scoffed. I couldn’t begin to understand this man. He


    appears into my life out of nowhere and tries to take on the fatherly role, only topletely throw me


    off. The look in his eyes was almost humorous, not that I gave a c**p about his sense of humor.


    Garrett shrugged, “We all hear voices sometimes. It’s important to pay attention to what they say.”


    “The voice in my head says I don’t pay attention.” I rolled my eyes, “She thinks she knows everything


    and refuses to be quiet. And now I sound absolutely insane.”


    “I don’t think you sound insane.” Garrett shrugged, his tone rxed.


    “Like I’d trust your judgement.” I grumbled under my breath.


    The first thing I needed to do once I was settled somewhere else, was find myself a d**n Therapist.


    And possibly some strong m********n.


    Garrett dropped me off at home, reminding me to be readye morning time.


    Packing my belongings was easy, it only took an hour of my time. All of my toiletries fit into a little bag I


    had, and my clothes fit nicely in my small suitcase. The rest was just little bits and ends, all fitting nicely


    in my book bag. I almost wished it took longer to pack, to give my mind a break from having to think


    about anything.


    Thalia absolutely refused to be quiet, insisting she had been quiet for long enough. I refused to listen to


    her, scrambling to find a way to put that brick wall back up. It was nearing impossible. The brick wall


    was in shambles, and nothing I did even began to repair it. By the time I gave up, it waste into the


    night and I had a horrific migraine.


    ‘Now, if you listened to me your head wouldn’t hurt.’ Thalia shrugged.


    ‘It’s your fault my head hurts.’ I grimaced.


    ‘Oh no, you’re not pinning this on me.’ Thalia shook her head. ‘If you’d just listen to me, you wouldn’t


    have a headache in the first ce.’


    ‘Why would I listen to you?’ I snapped, ‘Your a voice in my head. How sound is your advice?’


    ‘I’m confident in my abilities.’ Thalia shrugged, ‘First thing you need to do is stop avoiding Alec and


    Kade.’


    ‘Not going to happen.’ I shook my head, ‘In a week they won’t matter anymore.’


    ‘See, that’s where you’re wrong.’ Thalia shrugged, ‘Grace isn’t gonna hurt you again, not if you stick


    with them.’


    ‘Grace hurt me because I was with them.’ I frowned, ‘I’m not risking it again. I was almost raped. Next


    time I won’t be so lucky.’


    ‘Next time, Grace won’t be so lucky.’ Thalia growled like a wild animal. ‘You didn’t have me the first time


    around, not fully anyway.’


    ‘Problem solved, there won’t be a next time.’ I snapped, ‘I don’t want to k**l anyone, and I don’t want


    anything to do with Alec and Kade.’


    ‘You’re lying..’ Thalia’s voice was a silent whisper as my eyelids fluttered and I was drawn into a deep


    sleep.


    As usual these days, the morning came much too soon. The sunlight streamed into my bedroom,


    making my tired eyes ache miserably. A soft knock sounded on my door, and I waited for Melissa to


    come in. As strange as it sounded, I could smell her. She smelled of faded perfume and body wash.


    Both were strong in my nose, but not overwhelming.


    “Your–Garrett’s going to be here in a few minutes.” Melissa called out, not bothering to step inside my


    room.


    Thalia became angry within the confines of my head, and the urge tosh out at Melissa appeared out


    of nowhere. Something she did or said pissed Thalia off. Goodness, I sounded crazier than ever.


    Melissa made the voice inside my head mad, call an ambnce and get me some strong m********n.


    “So is that it?” I snapped, “The caring mother routine done and over with?”


    My voice didn’t sound like my own, it sounded rougher and much more angry than I could ever


    manage. I felt like I was handing over the reigns, giving them to Thalia for just a moment.


    Melissa’s washed out blue eyes narrowed at me, and she stepped into my bedroom with an air of


    superiority. Thalia wanted tough, this woman was superior to no one.


    “I don’t know what you’re insinuating.” Melissa snapped, her words dripping with venom. “None of this


    would’ve happened if you hadn’t called the f*****g Social Worker.”


    “I’m insinuating you’re a s**t mother who only cares when it benefits her.” Thalia growled lowly, and I


    watched as Melissa’s washed out eyes widened. My voice sounded hostile, more hostile than I could


    ever manage on my own. If looks could k**l, Melissa would be on the floor already.


    Melissa’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She was far out of her element. I had never


    spoken against her this way before, never antagonized a reaction from her. She knew I had her


    cornered. She couldn’t deny what I had said, because we both knew it was true. Melissa wasn’t a


    narcissist incapable of admitting fault, she was simply a s****y person who made even shittier


    decisions. I stood from the bed, Thalia in control of my movements. It was like stepping into the


    passenger seat of a car, the car being my body. Thalia approached Melissa, and she backed away in


    response. Thalia kept going until Melissa was standing just outside our bedroom.


    “That’s what I thought.” Thaliaughed, augh full of repressed malice. “Have fun with your husband,


    Melissa. The two of you deserve eachother.”


    Thalia mmed the bedroom door shut with incredible force, and I was amazed the door hadn’t been


    destroyed in the process. I knew Melissa was just an inch away from being hit by the door, she


    probably felt the gust of windsh at her face. Thalia relinquished control over me, and I finally realized


    I had been trembling in rage.


    ‘Rx.’ Thalia sounded like she was talking to herself, ‘Not yet. Now’s not the time.’


    ‘Anger issues?’ I raised my eyebrow at her.


    ‘You’d have anger issues too if you were stuck with a human girl who never spoke her mind.’ Thalia


    snapped in my head.


    ‘Touche’ I nodded, grabbing my bags in my hands.


    I hobbled down the stairs, thankful Melissa was far from my line of sight. I made it out the front door


    without seeing her once. Seemed she didn’t like her little chat with Thalia. Garrett came up the porch


    steps, and I didn’t argue when he took my bags and suitcase from my arms, throwing them into the


    back of his sedan.


    The drive was quiet for the most part. I watched out the window, noting how far we were from town.


    “You’ll have your own room.” Garrett nodded, “You can pick which one you want, they alle with


    their own bathrooms.”


    “How big is this house you have?” I frowned, pursing my lips.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    “Six bedrooms, six baths.” Garrett responded. “Only three bedrooms are taken, so you have three to


    choose from.”


    “One for you and your wife, another for your daughter.” I stated with a nod.


    “Yes.” Garrett nodded, his small smile looking strained. “The third is my office.”


    “I see.” I nodded, and resumed my defiant silence.


    I wanted to ask what he did for a living, but thest thing I needed was to know him. I already knew he


    had a wife and daughter, and that was all I needed to know. Anything else, any form of attachment


    would only make it harder to leave. He had his family, and I wanted a chance to find my own.


    We drove into the woods for a bit, but quickly made a left hand turn down a road I hadn’t seen before.


    The house appeared on our left, nestledfortably into the woods but sitting off the side of one of the


    main roads. The house was absolutely massive, sitting at the end of a private culdesac.


    “They haven’t built any other houses nearby yet.” Garrett murmured, pulling the sedan into the


    driveway.


    This was the house you saw in the movies, the one with the happy family and their golden retriever. It


    was even set with a white picket fence. Maybe in another life, this could’ve been my home. A life where


    Garrett embraced me instead of pushing me away, a life where he had raised me himself. I noticed the


    house was a couple minutes out of town, but not as far as the little area Tori lived in. We walked inside


    the massive house, and I noticed how our footsteps echoed in the foyer. Garrett set my suitcase


    against the wall and piled my bags on top.


    “Are you hungry?” Garrett turned to ask, “We have Lucy with us, she takes care of things while I’m


    gone. She’s also an amazing cook.”


    “You have your own personal chef?” I scoffed.


    An older woman with fading blonde hair stepped around the corner. She was a little plump, her body


    forming a gentle hourss shape. She was dressed nice yet casual. An apron was thrown on and tied


    around her waist, something white and powder like clung to the apron.


    “He wishes I was his personal chef.” The plump woman gave Garrett a stern look.


    “Speaking of Lucy.” Garrett chuckled awkwardly.


    “Hello there darlin, let me look at you.” Lucy had a slight southern ent. She stepped forward and


    eyed me up and down, not once making me feel ufortable. She smelled of biscuit’s and coffee, a


    combination I found extremely pleasing.


    “Well, you certainly got your Daddy’s eyes.” Lucy nodded, a grin breaking out on her face. “You know


    how to cook?”


    “Not at all.” I shook my head, “But I wouldn’t mind learning.”


    “I think we’re gonna get along great.” Lucy gave me a sly grin, one I couldn’t help but return.


    Lucy reminded me of my Grandma. Grandma was much thinner before she died, but she had the same


    faded blonde hair and spunk.


    Delicate footfalls came down the stairs, and I nearly whipped around at the echoing sound. Everything


    seemed much louder in this house, I med it on theck of furniture. An older woman came down the


    stairs, her teenage copy following closely behind.


    I assumed this was Garrett’s wife and daughter–my half sister.


    My half-sister was taller than I, even though she’s two years younger. Long legs and high cheekbones,


    just like her mother. Their hair was the color of honey, blindingly beautiful. It was a color I hadn’t seen


    on a person before, just cheap imitations. They both had deep chocte colored eyes. I couldn’t help


    but notice Garrett’s daughter didn’t have the same eye condition as her Father and I. Garrett and I were


    the only ones to have two different colored eyes, the simrity made me feel ufortable. I wanted


    something that distanced me from Garrett, not brought us together.


    I almost expected this entire afternoon to go smoothly, but the sneer on the teenage girl’s face ruined


    those thoughts. I med Thalia for my burst of optimism.


    The teenage girl’s Mother had the same disdainful sneer on her smooth face, looking at me with


    something simr to disgust.


    “Aurora, this is my wife and daughter–your half sister.” Garrett smiled, looking truly at ease as he gazed


    at his wife. “My wife, Veronica and my daughter Kady.”


    “So you actually brought her here.” Kady scoffed looking me up and down.


    “Kady.” Garrett’s tone was one of warning, the smile on his face dropping at his daughter’s attitude.


    That familiar sense of power and superiority swirled around Garrett. Kady seemed affected by it, her


    face turning down in offense as she took a few steps backwards. Even Veronica looked ufortable,


    shifting under her husbands powerful presence.


    “She’s nothing.” Kady sneered, “Weak and ignorant. I should’ve been your first born- I should’ve been


    the one to rule–“


    “Enough, Kady.” Garrett bellowed his hostile voice bouncing off of every smooth surface. Kady flinched


    at her Father’s harsh voice, her lip quivering before she stormed up the stairs. Veronica shot me one


    last disdainful re before she rushed after her daughter.


    “I will leave you to it.” Garrett cleared his throat. “I’m afraid this has been an adjustment for all of us.”


    I didn’t respond, my mind was still working through what Kady had said. Of course, it didn’t make any


    sense to me but I was beginning to expect that by now.


    “Don’t worry about her, darlin.” Lucy shook her head, “She’s too used to getting what she wants. Girl


    needs to learn some manners before she goes spewin’ that nonsense.”


    I couldn’t help the hysterical giggle that left my lips. Everything was now dawning on me. This was


    where I’d be living. If I thought living with Frank and Melissa was bad, I had a feeling this would be


    worse. At least Melissa and Frank simply ignored me at all costs, Veronica and Kady were much more


    confrontational.


    “Don’t go tellin’ your Daddy I said that.” Lucy chuckled, patting me on the shoulder. “Lets go get you


    somethin’ to eat.”


    “I actually have to be at work in a few hours.” I frowned, realizing I hadn’t told Garrett before hand.


    I wasn’t sure if he’d want to know, or if he simply expected me toe and go as I pleased.


    “I’ll let your Daddy know.” Lucy nodded, “Just leave him a note and I’ll make sure he gets it.”


    “Thanks Lucy.” I nodded, thinking she was the one bright spot out of this entire situation.


    Lucy led me into the kitchen, fixing me up a te of delectable looking food while I sat at the counter


    writing Garrett a short note.


    Garrett,


    I have work today at the restaurant we went to. I’m working a double so I won’t be home until 10


    tonight.


    -Aurora