The Truth?

September 6,

It's been a week since I told her, I had to although it was a little early, but I think she understands. Understands but doesn't want to believe it. Things are going to be complicated for all of us now. Trouble's blowing in I can feel it.


I was sitting cross-legged on my mess of blankets, tapping the pencil on my face. It had been a week since I last talked to Lucien, other than when I needed to during school. I was completely convinced that what he'd said was a cruel joke because I was sneaking around his house. But something sparked in my brain every time I thought of it. "Could it even be a little possible," I thought aloud. I needed to talk to Lucien. My thoughts ended when my cell phone rang, Candace was calling, most likely to see if I could go to the pool today. They still had a week left 'til they closed and Candace has been taking every chance to soak up what was left of the sun. When I answered the phone, my suspicions were confirmed. I ran downstairs and asked Ms. Shirley. Barely waiting for the yes, I grabbed my stuff and booked over to the pool to meet Candace.

Sometimes I'd hated wearing my swimsuit, because it was backless and it showed my enormous birthmark. They were two distinct shapes against my skin. They were almost gold colored shapes that went from my inside shoulder blades down to the length of my hair, both ending in their own points. They were perfect shapes that looked like folded angel wings down to the feathers, so much so that people often believed that I'd gotten a tattoo.

My braided hair tickled my bare back as I jumped into the pool. I came up with my face toward the sky, my eyes closed, and I smiled when the sunshine made my eyelids pink. The break announcement came on the intercom so Candace and I went and sat on the hill. Then Candace looked up and said, "Nyx we're already like sisters and you basically live at my house, and my dad and I were talking about maybe possibly adopting you." I looked over at her, "What?" "Well actually we already put in the papers, so what do you think? I know you love Ms. Shirley and all but she's only a foster parent and you know she told you that she couldn't handle keeping you in her house much longer, and when you told me this I thought well what if you had a permanent family?" I didn't have anything to say; I was overwhelmed with joy, so I leaned over and hugged her. But something in the back of my mind was saying that something was off.

When I came back Ms. Shirley told me the news, that it was definite. I had a week to pack up then, I was moving in with Candace. I closed the room door behind me with a smile on my face. But looking around, the smile started to fade, leaving this place felt like leaving an entire life behind me. People had come and gone throughout my ten years here, but there were the few that had stayed with me and leaving them was leaving the only family I'd ever known. While living with my best friend was such a nice thought, it didn't feel right. My emotions were mixed, but the decision was final, I wasn't staying here. My gut was telling me a lot of things. First, that moving in with Candace was a potentially bad decision. And second, that what Lucien said might be the truth. I hope my gut was wrong on both accounts.