Lea
Slowly, the doorknob turns and the door creaks open while I stand statue-still. My father peaks his head into the room, scanning it with the same surprise that I must have worn on my face when I first came in.
“Hey dad,” I wave awkwardly at him.
He pushes the door open wider, “woah, this is something, isn’t it?”
He speaks, still enticed by the magnificence of the room.
“Yeah,” I agree, looking up and only now realising the leafy patterns grooved into the ceiling. I wonder if that was hand-grooved?
“Have you managed to settle in?”
He asks, now looking at me. He takes a few strides forwards to take a seat on the chair belonging to the dresser that is standing against the wall.
“We’re only staying a night, dad. I don’t think I need to settle in.”
“Mhm…” I hear the sound of his grunt succeeded with an uneasy silence. My father and I have never been able to hold up a conversation for long.
“About that…” He continues, clearing his throat. “Your mother and I have decided that it’ll be best to stay here while finding a new place.”
“Sorry?” I lean closer to make sure I’ve heard correctly.
“We thought it’ll be best if we stayed here until we find another house.” He repeats.
I’m not sure whether I should feel ecstatic that I will be living in this mansion for longer, or concerned that I’ll be living with River Parker.
Don’t get me wrong, the family are very kind for letting up their home for us to live with them, but their son is a bit of a dick. Just a bit.
“How long do you think we’ll stay here?” I ask, pushing the thoughts of River’s remarks earlier to the back of my head.
“As long as it takes, a couple of weeks, or maybe a couple of months.”
Oh no.
A couple of months. Under the same roof as the dickhead. This will be interesting.
“Well, what about the house? What’s going to happen to our things?” I inquire but wish I didn’t after I see the pained expression that my father pulls at the thought of the wreckage.
“I’ll speak with the insurance company tomorrow, nothing for you to worry about though. Just focus on school.” He replies, itching the back of his neck as he does when he’s stressed out.
Of course, that’s his response to most things. Just focus on school. Don’t let it affect your school work. Get the top grades.
I appreciate having parents that are so adamant on my academic success, but when it get’s in the way of actual parenting, like the things that are more important than school, that’s their downfall. I don’t blame them, though. They’ve had it rough and so they don’t want me making the same mistake.
“Don’t stress out too much,” I tell him. It’s what I’ve been telling him ever since I can remember.
***
That night, I slept like a baby. With my knee’s curled to my chest, cheek on the pillow and bum stuck up as high as possible, and it’s the best sleep I’ve had in my life. The softness of the mattress cushioned my body heavenly as if I was sleeping on air.
The duck feather duvet wasn’t too heavy, nor too light, just perfect. I’ve never been happier to wake up at seven in the morning before, however, the moment of happiness instantly drains from my mind.
School’s a bih.
I push the duvet cover from me, exposing my bare arms and legs to the rays of sunshine pouring in through three large windows and the balcony of the wall to my left. I sigh, a bittersweet sigh.
Bitter, because I have school in an hour, and even though I love the subjects, most of the pupils that I have to share a classroom with are just not my type of crowd. Sweet, because I feel like I’m in heaven and I’m loving every minute of it.
Swinging my legs off of the bed and balancing on the soles of my feet when they meet the rug below, I jump up from the mattress and make my way over to the balcony, smiling in anticipation – I’ve never been on a balcony before.
After unlocking the door with the key that is hanging from the lock, I turn the handle and inhale the fresh air that whips around my face and hair as soon as the door slides open.
Steadily, I step out onto the tiled balcony floor, hopping because of the coldness under my toes as I reach for the railing. Leaning my head forward, my eyes try to take in all the acres of blinding greenery below me.
I am gob-smacked.
If I had a view like this to wake up to every morning, I would be a morning person.
Green, bushy trees scattered across the large plots of freshly cut grass, decorated with a vegetable patch at the far left-hand side.
Beside it sits a rectangular greenhouse, its glass walls glinting in the morning sunshine. Situated right in the middle of the garden is a swimming pool, its blue water looks like a thousand sparkling diamonds from where I’m looking. I don’t usually feel envious of things like this, knowing that if I have a roof over my head, I’m probably more well-off than some people in this world.
Nonetheless, seeing a view like this in real life, not just on television, does make me wonder what it’s like to be rich.
“Liking the view?” Says a familiar voice a couple of meters to my right.
Reluctantly, my eyes are turned away from the view to look in River’s direction, and my happiness is slightly killed.
“I was ,” a small smug smile tugs at my lips.
“Ouch, that hurts. Right here.” He says mockingly while patting the left side of his chest.
He’s just gotten out of bed, his hair is messy and his eyes aren’t even fully open, but he still looks damn good, damn it. Why can’t genes like his be shared amongst the population, not just given to one person? Despite my efforts, it’s hard for me to ignore his bulging arms that aren’t covered by his white vest. He does have some nice muscles…
What? No! Shush Lea. Eugh. Gross. Quit it, stupid girl!
“Awh, sorry, is your ego hurt?” I tease. Honest to God, I try to ignore his physique, but my eyes seem to be enjoying his view more than they enjoyed the view of the garden.
No! I said quit! Stupid girl. I swear, when River leaves, I’m going to slap myself in the face.
“A little,” He smirks before turning to walk back into his bedroom. He stops in his balcony doorway and twists to face me again. “Breakfast is in ten minutes, hurry up.” Then, he disappears.
“Wait!” I call after him, jumping to the edge of my balcony just so that I can get that little bit closer to his.
His head reappears, and then his whole body comes back into my craving sight…Uh oh. My craving sight? There is definitely something wrong with me. He waits for me to speak with his arms crossed over his sturdy-looking chest and a bored expression plastered on his face.
I swallow, “I don’t have anything to wear to school.” I state. “All my clothes are in my house.” My house? More like my pile of bricks and concrete that can hardly be proven to have once been a house.
“So? Go in your pyjama’s.” He points to my current outfit, then spins around to head back inside.
“River!” I squeal. “I’m not going in my pyjama’s!”
His eyes meet mine once again, yet his look is really intense. Although he’s stood quite far away from me, I can make out their warm colour and the thick eyelashes that protect them. At this angle when the sunlight is shining directly into them, they’re the colour of a burning fire. “Why not? You look cute.” He debates, eyeing me.
I suddenly feel extremely self-conscious.
River Parker just said I looked cute.
Wait…
He just…
After exploring my legs, my mid-riff, my breasts and arms, his eyes finally meet mine again, but they’re a much darker shade of brown this time. Maybe they change colour when he get’s turned on?
Oh my God, Lea, you need counseling. Sorry to break it to you, but I think you’d be the last person River will be interested in.
“River! Are you checking me out? You pervert!” I step away from the side of the balcony, away from River, that way he wouldn’t see my flaming cheeks.
“River! Are you checking me out? You pervert!” He repeats exactly what I’ve said, only in a high pitched ‘girl-voice’ that sounds more like a strangled cat or a dying seal.
“You’re so mature,”
“Say’s the girl who thinks I was checking her out,” He hits back, and I’m not sure why, but his comment hurts, just a little bit.
See, I told you! You’d be the last person River will be interested in.
The goddam voice in my head is always right.
“So? Do you have anything I can wear?” I ask, returning to the original subject.
“Yeah, plenty, that’s if you wanna look like a dude,” He snorts.
I sigh, “River, please. I have nothing, absolutely nothing, can’t you just help me out this one time?” I’m serious now, he too can sense it by the way the smile fades from his face.
It’s true what I’ve said, I’ve lost
everything, and all my possessions are gone.
“One second.” He gives in, rolling his eyes at me as if I’m a nuisance.
Okay, good, we’re making progress.
Maybe he’s not as bad as I thought he would be. However, after a good ten minutes of leaning patiently against the concrete balcony wall, I start to doubt whether he’s helping me or ditching me. I lean over my balcony railing again, ready to yell at him for being a dickhead, before a knock on my door interrupts me.
I enter back into my room, running towards the door and turning the handle before whoever is on the other side can knock again. A slight gasp escapes my lips when I see River standing in the hallway, holding a pile of folded clothes in his hands.
“Look, I know I’m good looking, but you don’t have to make your feelings for me that obvious.” The dickhead smirks.
Was my gasp that loud?
“Well, you must like me since you went through the trouble of getting me those clothes,” I say slyly, nodding towards the garments in his hands.
He raises one eyebrow, “did I mention these clothes are my
girlfriend’s ?”
Girlfriend?
River Parker has a girlfriend?
Of course he has a girlfriend, dimwit. Why on earth wouldn’t he?
“Thank your girlfriend for me then,” I say.
“Will do,” he replies, handing me the clothes before turning and walking away, down the corridor.
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