Outcast

“Quick Maya, follow your siblings out. Don’t worry about the remaining breakfast. You can have it when you come back. I will be preparing your favourite today for dinner.” My mother enthused, as she patted me on my shoulder, when she saw my siblings walk out of the dining room.

And even though I appreciated the fact that my mother looked after me like no other, how could I tell that I always walked to school every morning, despite entering the same car with my siblings. I wanted to ask her when I would be getting my own car, even if it was a rickety truck, since I was well past sixteen, but my father’s glares caught me short. Did the old man know what his other children were doing to me? Or did he know what I wanted to say? I didn’t think so. Werewolves didn’t read minds.

“Okay mom. Thank you. You are the best.” I managed to spurt out, before taking up my bag which I had kept at the foot of my chair before settling down to eat a few minutes ago.

“Alright then. Have a nice day.” she said, dropping a kiss on my head, watching me intently, a smile on her lips, as I got up from the chair and trudged out of the dining room toward the exit door in the kitchen. It was easier and faster to get to the garage through there than walking through the sitting room to the outside.

When I got outside, I saw that my sister’s car was still in the garage. But of course she would wait, even though I knew that she would have prefered to speed along with my brother. She only waited so that she would not get into a bad sack with my mother. That was the only reason since she loved to do anything that would put her in mom’s favour, even if it meant coloring me dirty and bad in front of the woman. Bad for her that mother wasn't as narrow sighted as our old man who literally worshiped the ground she walked on.

“Are you going to keep standing there, troll?” I heard her ask from the window of the driver’s seat and sighed. I wanted to stand my ground for once and tell her off, and then walk away from the car since she would still dump me halfway to school once she was sure that we were out of the view of our house-so that I wouldn’t soil her reputation according to her.

But if I went ahead with my plans, then mother won’t be happy. And that is what she and my brother, her twin, thrived and capitalised on, the fact I would rather take and swallow their insults than offending my mother.

“Your door is locked.” I said rather in a bored tone, pointing at the object in question.

“It's open, dumbhead. Check it out and stop whining. I don’t have all day to chat with you. You are not worth my time.” She mentioned, bursting the gum in her mouth, her face fixated on the side window of the car by her side.

I sighed, and tried opening the door, but it was locked, just as I had thought, just as it had always been every morning. It was now a drill, to make me look like a fool before entering her car.

“Oh sorry, my dear…” She said in a high pitched voice, that grated on my nerves. “I seem to have forgotten. You can check it now.” she tapped on the open tab, smirking at me.

Demon. I cussed, before opening the door and getting into the car.

“Today, I won’t be dropping you by the usual spot. I need to pick up a friend, and I am sure that she won’t be happy to stay in the same car with you. You understand?” she cited, immediately I relaxed into the seat and shut the door of the car.

“Yes, just get on with it. I am already late to class.” I said before I could stop myself. The silence that ensued in the car after my statement gave me the chills. I have never spoken to Lilian like that, because I had feared for my life and sanity. I didn’t know what had prompted me to speak that way since I was already used to her hostility, but I wished I could take it back.

“Did you just talk to me like that?” Lilian asked, drawing my ear before I could even give an answer to her question, not that I had any to give.

“I am sorry. I am just stressed out lately. I am sorry.” I chanted out. Exhaling in relief the next second when she let my ear go. But her next move had left me in shock, I hadn't seen the slap coming and so when it had landed on my left cheek, I had remained stupefied, not believing the turn of events.

“I don’t care what you are dealing with. Never talk to me that way, or else, I will make your life in school a living hell, more than it already is.” she stated, before turning aside and starting the car.

I wanted to coil up like a ball and cry. But I didn’t want to do that in front of Lilian. She might shout out that I am staining her seat with my dirty tears. I have had enough of her drama for one day, and so turning aside to my window, I took in a deep breath, willing the tear of frustration to remain in its store and not humiliate me further.

Luckily, the air was clean as usual, and I kept taking deep breaths in and exhaling out to keep myself in some sort of control. Whatever that was. It was another hell day in school and I had to be prepared for it.

The ride hadn’t even gotten up to five minutes when Lilian stopped the car, and told me to get out.

“I will be picking up my friend at the next junction.” she said emotionlessly.