Chapter 9 - A House Full Of Secrets

Saphira

Did I even want to make new friends? The truth is. I learned that not getting involved, was a heck lot easier. What was the point in making friends when we would leave again. Look where it's gotten me now… I was lost in thought, but then mom pulled me back to reality.

"We're almost there!" Mom shouted on the top of her lungs. "Can you believe it?!"

I saw the shores of the pacific ocean. The sun was setting with beautiful colors, flowing on the waves. The sky was turning into a pretty shade of reddish purple.

It was absolutely without a doubt, amazing.

We were driving along the *Pacific Coast highway* and now I was paying attention to my surroundings.

Palm trees everywhere.

"Mom you know, I've never seen a palm tree in my life right?!" I asked with a nervous smile on my face. I started to laugh, a hard uncontrolled laugh. To me it sounded like I was having the hysterics. But mom started to giggle along with me.

As the four day trip and the two of us moving across the country, finally sank in, I was glad mom didn't grasp my anxiety. She usually was so perspective.

We pulled over onto a driveway and mom cut the engine off. There it was... A beautiful house. With reddish brown bricks and a white porch in front of it.

"Are you serious mom. I mean, it looks like the pictures but come on... we can't afford This!" I said with one hand covering my mouth.

It was to surreal. "You're right, we can't afford it." Mom said nonchalantly. "But then how did you buy this house?!" Come on, was she kidding me? She couldn't have bought this house unless she had robbed a big ass bank. I couldn't imagine that.... Though! She was this nice little secretary. That only did good in the world right?!

What was she keeping from me?

Mom walked across the grassy front yard. There we flowers growing everywhere.

"Spill out your gut mom!" I told her as she went up the white stairs, that were followed by the same color of bricks.

On top of it there were white pillars, that held up the left side of the second floor.

This part of the house was made of wood and was painted a deep color of Grey. It had a pretty little white folding window that looked like it was from a barn or lend from a romantic movie.

"Come Saph, were home." She was almost at the last step and gestured for me to come along.

I hesitated a bit to follow her. I wasn't sure we weren't committing some kind of crime here, like well I don't know trespassing?

Or breaking in to a I don't know how many million home? Then she unlocked the door. "How did you… ¬¬¬Where did you get the key from?" I asked with an astonished face.

"I've always kept it." She said as if it was an obvious fact.

On the right side of the house there was another staircase, but I didn't know where that led too, yet.

I slowly went up and shock came over me. My mom had lost her darn mind, that was for sure. It was obvious this house belonged to someone, who was actually living there. Because the whole place was furnished and there were pictures hanging all over the walls.

"Mom, you brought me all the way too Malibu, to make me your partner in what? Robbing houses!" I said while mom comfortably walked into the spacious and bright kitchen opening the refrigerator.

She looked at the fully stocked space, smiled and then closed the door again. I watched her and felt extremely uncomfortable as she picked up an apple out of the fruit basket, on the grey marble counter.

"What does that make me right now a...." I was so shocked I couldn't even finish my sentence. "You do know we're committing a felony now, right?" I yelled at her.

Mom turned around with both eyebrows raised. For once, I could not read her expression and then she started laughing. It had the same edge of hysteria in it, the way I thought I sounded like back in the truck. I just stared at her.....

"Okay." Mom said, after finally calming down. "What do you know about your family?" She asked.

I looked at her in confusion. Then I gave it a thought.

"Well I know my dad was an English man." Mom nodded encouragingly. "He was suppose to have blond hair and blue eyes. That is the reason why I look a bit different from you. I mean with my brown hair, blue eyes and all… And my skin being a bit lighter than yours. But further than that. I don't know much about him though... You never told me."

"Well about that, there is more I…" Mom bit her lip. "There is more I haven't told you. But this story is not about your dad. Or at least not all of it. Actually, it's about the family that I came from. My family and yours as well."

After Mom and I had our talk, grandma came up to meet us. They asked me to give them some privacy so I went upstairs. The size of my new bedroom shocked me. It was almost as big as our last one bedroom apartment.

I even had my own little living room inside my bedroom. I sat myself down on the bed and closed my eyes for a second.

In my head I saw Amanda sitting there. All alone. The last table in the cafeteria, is where we usually sat during lunch time. I remember my first day at school all too clearly. Black straight hair, that waved on her shoulders. Her dark bright eyes, with her thick black glasses, staring at nothing in particular. I never quite understood why she didn't have any friends before me. Once you got to know her, she was so easy going. Then my mind wandered back to the conversation mom and I had…

I always knew, mom was some sort of rebel.