I wasn't happy at how my brothers reacted to me leaving, but what did I expect? They're just like every other man who thinks women are overdramatic and should just get over anything quickly so they could have them back in their selfish lives! I'm so done with men. After my fight with my family, I traveled to Georgia to start a whole new life over there. I was at the airport waiting for my aunt Gracie to come to pick me up, that's when a strange guy walk d up to me. He was in his forties I suppose and had grey eyes, he totally looked like the type of guy who would woo any woman regardless of age. Whatever he wanted to say, I would not listen, I told myself as I looked away from him.
" Hey," he said, flashing me a smile and I grunted in response before I said, " What!". I knew I was being too defensive but I know men now, they can't be trusted.
" Are you Cierra?" He asked, ignoring my hostility. I sighed and removed my face cap as I looked at him, he just stood there smiling innocently but I didn't buy it.
" Look, Mr I haven't seen her okay? Never heard of her" I said with a shrug and he chuckled at my obvious lie. I shot a glare at him, wondering why he wouldn't just get that I don't want to speak to him, then my heart slammed against my chest as I suddenly suspected he was probably one of Trevor's friends - sure he is older than Trevor, still it could be.
" Look kid, I'm your aunt's fiance, here to pick you up. You don't have to lie," he said and he narrowed my eyes as I looked at him suspiciously then I burst out laughing at how pathetic he sounded. He was probably an admirer who thinks he had a shot with my Aunt Gracie. Not even the purest of men could get to her, but this so-called fiancee's appearance screamed " player!" He definitely doesn't stand a chance with her. Heck, she reported Mr. Shaw to the police because he stares at her a lot! No this must be a joke. There's no way I'm following some punk trying to pose as my aunt's fiancee.
" Sweetie?" A familiar feminine voice and my jaws dropped at who had called me Sweetie, Aunt Gracie was glowing for the first time! She wasn't wearing her dull gowns and all, instead, she wore a strapless top and VERY fitting denim pants. I buried my face in my hands, this was not how I expected things to be! What on Earth happened to unfashionable, strict, and boring Aunt Gracie?! She's the one I need right now.
" Cierra?" She called sweetly when I didn't hug her the way I usually do whenever I see her.
" Hi" I managed to say as I hugged her and perceived her cologne which smelled like roses.
" How are you baby?" She asked as she held my face between her hands as she looked at me adorably.
" Umm... I'm okay" I said nervously.
" Cierra!!" Molly, my cousin squealed as she pulled me into a very suffocating bear hug, Jean her twin joined in hugging me and I smiled because I too had missed them. They too had changed as they wore make up and looked really pretty unlike before when their mother dressed them like grandmas.
" Woah y'all... don't kill her," Aunt Gracie's fiance said and they giggled. They actually seemed to like him a lot but as for me, no man could pass my vibe check - not after what I've been through.
" Cierra this is Keith, our mom's fiance," Molly said.
" I've sort of changed since I met Keith" Aunt Gracie admitted sheepishly. I just stood there trying to prevent my anger from being obvious, I'm really good at that but what the hell does "sort of changed" mean? I remember my summer holidays lacked fun because of her literal hundreds of rules that always boiled down to " no boyfriends, make-up, and sex". My cousins and I enjoyed breaking those rules back then when I still liked boys.
We literally looked like our grandma's most of the time. My cousins and I had such a hard time breaking her " no partying" rules without her knowing. Now, she's gonna be cool with that?! I came here to start over and I thought Aunt Gracie would be the perfect person to keep me protected from men.....you know what? Nevermind. Keith took my luggage and put it in the trunk. He has to be crazy rich like my dad, for him to be able to afford a car like this. My cousins don't seem to have even a slight hint of disapproval of him. Why would they? They craved for popularity at school but their mum wouldn't let them because of her beliefs that it was vain to want such a thing, now that he's in the picture, they would be having their dreams come true - I mean, look at how drastic they've changed.
Molly who used to be quiet and reserved was now a literal chatterbox, that was one of the ways I could tell them apart. Now, they seemed to have switched roles since Jean Is more reserved now.
They started telling me all the latest details about the guys in their school. A summer ago, I'd have been thrilled to listen to them talk about the boys in their school but now, I don't wanna hear a freaking word about a boy! I need to escape this discussion.
" I don't feel too well," I said. They all stared at me like I said I'd die soon.
" Just a headache" I added quickly.
" You two should leave your cousin alone... she needs rest! It's late." Aunt Gracie said in a hard tone. Good thing she's not all soft now.
Keith started the car then I rested my head on Molly's shoulders and slept off.
*******************
Jean woke me up when we got to their house. It didn't look any different, the lawn was well mowed, as usual, the flowers were blooming due to the extreme care aunt Gracie gave them and when we got into the house.
Aunt Gracie served dinner after we had all freshened up but I was too tired to stay up so I went to bed with hopes of having a good night's sleep before school the next day, but my nightmares got the best of me.... Nightmares of my sister and best friend Cece.
" Sweetie it's okay" I heard Aunt Gracie say as I woke up in the morning, I must've screamed this time around.
" It's just a dream" she added as she pulled me to her chest and patted my back.
" She was here" I said wiping my tears.
" Sweetie listen to me. It's gonna be okay, there was nothing you could do." She said cupping my cheeks. I honestly don't know how that worked but I did feel better.
" Wait, did mum tell you umm... anything?"
" I know about Cece" she said with a sigh.
" Just you?"
" And Keith" she said and I cringed at the mention of his name.
" Can you trust him?"
" I swear he's not gonna hurt you. Besides, you should know that I love you and my daughters too much to leave you girls at the mercy of a cruel man. He's nice, you'll love him" she assured me.
" Okay"
" It's 7 am, your cousins are already getting dressed and doing all the stuff you now probably hate"
She could tell I was surprised at her statement. I guess she hadn't lost her ability to read me.
" It was obvious sweetie, I just knew that you don't care about stuff like that anymore, that's why you came up with the whole headache thing"
" Nah Aunt Gracie, that was legit" I lied.
" Liar" she said laughing softly as she patted my head. I don't even remember the last time my mom came to check up on me and cheer me up after a night mare.
" Aunt, could you please not call me that anymore? - Sweetie. I- I don't really like it."
" Okay" she said, then she shut the door. Almost immediately, she knocked and came in again.
"About what to wear.... Just do you, don't try to look like crap...to avoid the guys, you're too Pretty for that it won't work, trust me okay?"
I nodded. She looked at me with so much sympathy that normally would've pissed me off and then she left the room.
I sat on my bed and stared at my room. It was nothing like the room Cece and I shared. It was small and had floral designs on the wall... mostly roses. There were no posters on the wall unlike my previous room, still I liked it here.
I could see myself in the mirror opposite my bed. My brown skin was flawless,my Amber eyes was -according to Damien, very tempting,my curly hair almost reached my butt. Oh my God! I forgot to straighten my hair, Its going to take forever to make it look straight like Cece's! There's nothing i can do now.
" Mum.... Miss grumpy is taking a lot of time getting dressed" kevin yelled.
He was Keith's spoiled son, he didn't come with them to the airport because he wasn't sure if I'd be" worth it". Imagine the nerve. Lucky for Aunt Gracie, he absolutely loves her, he's already calling her mum! That's pretty hard these days for kids, especially a 15 year old human being like Kevin. After hitting the showers and spending about 10 minutes moisturizing my mane of a hair and doing a light make up, I stepped out of my room to meet literally everybody in the sitting room staring at me. They'd obviously been waiting for me.
"Umm...sorry for taking forever" I said clumsily.
" It was-"
" -Freaking"
" -Worth it"
Jean, Molly and Aunt Gracie told me in succession.
" You look hot" Kevin said checking me out.
" Kevin she's sorta like your cousin now, that's gross!" Molly said, making a face and I just swallowed and looked at no one in particular.
" No Molly, it's me being a honest dude". Kevin said with a smirk.He put on his headphones and yelled " y'all coming or what?"
" Let's go" Keith said opening the door.
I was grateful he didn't pay me a compliment because I would've felt nauseous and that was the last feeling I wanted to have but as he started the car I felt nauseous.
It was my first day as a Junior and I honestly wasn't thrilled considering how awful the first day as a sophomore was last year. Though, I was able to pull through... still, in my heart I prayed that I wouldn't suck at this school.
Despite my lack of interest in Molly's chattering, I could tell that her school definitely had a high number of male hotties and that's something I really don't want to bother me or distract me, not after what I've been through. It's only made me stronger, definitely not weaker. So I'm gonna have to shake off this nervousness, because THAT'S NOT ME.