“I still don’t understand why you just got the surgery, J-ia!” Chantel listened to her mother on video call.
Her mother has been living in South Korea, where she was a busy woman, trying to get ahead in her career. Chantel overheard her mother muttering some Korean here and there in their conversation. Like her father, her mother was not happy about Chantel’s choice to unlock her odd, and yet dangerous powers. Interesting enough, her mother also knew for a very long time about her powers and did not tell her the truth either. The waves of criticism hit Chantel like bullets.
Complaints ranging from about how wrong she was in getting the surgery and should have just stayed a normal child. Chantel wondered why her mother was telling her to hide? Was she not the one who encouraged her to be herself? Then again, maybe her mother’s reason to not get the surgery because living a “normal” life would be safer and better for her.
“Eomma…” Chantel got her mother’s attention when she flipped the switch from speaking English to Korean.
She saw her mother giving her a stern look. Making her mother angry sent a shiver down Chantel's spine. She could argue with her mother, but it was like talking to a brick wall with her. Chantel's father always told her she got her feisty bite from her mother: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Having powers was most likely the reason her parents divorced.
Sitting through her mother’s rants, Chantel also had to listen to her talking about on how she knew Darren was a “evil seed.” She wanted to stop the video chat, but she knew better since her mother would call back later to complain. As their conversation continued, Chantel noticed that it was time for her to meet her band at the studio, watching the clock on her laptop.
Waving goodbye to her mother before she turned off the video chat, her mother said, “Think about it, J-ia. Do you want your life to be like this?”
The video chat ended. Chantel took a deep breath, then pushed back her chair to head out. When she left her room and went down the stairs, she walked into her father, who was in the living room. They looked at each other for a minute, not saying a word.
“So, after talking to your mother, have you reconsidered your decision? You're going to put that device back in again, aren't you?” Her father asked.
Giving her father an icy stare back, Chantel did not answer, then headed out the door. She was so tired of having this same conversation. Sure, Chantel was being rude to her parents, but it feels like her parents would not accept her decision nor listen to her side. On top of this, the whole Lily being another woman named Rose confused her thoughts even more. Walking outside, the weather was cloudy and muggy on the path to the bus stop.
Chantel stepped on the autumn leaves that covered the sidewalk around the condominium community area, making her way to the bus stop. She met up with Jesse, who was standing in his old navy high school varsity basketball jacket and ripped black jeans. Chantel waved, then she stood next to him to wait for the bus.
“Hey, you’re here this morning. Where’s Darren?” Jesse observed around to see if Darren was around or even followed her.
“He got a head start, Jess. He said he had to meet with Linda at the label earlier and we’ll meet him up there.” Chantel pulled up her black hoodie hood up when the rain fell down on them.
The bus came in the nick of time as they hurried onto it. The two of them would have gone to downtown Clare Point View on their bikes but, in this weather, that is not happening today. As Chantel and Jesse stepped on the bus, they went to the middle part of the bus to find two empty seats and make themselves comfortable. She was still deep in thought about the events of what happened a couple nights ago at Robert’s music shop. There was a pit of guilt in Chantel’s stomach. Watching Jesse put his earbuds in his ears to listen to music on his phone, she got nervous around him.
Chantel bit her lip, still thinking it was not right for her to keep this secret from him. Throughout the bus ride, she kept quiet and did not bother Jesse as she fought through the inner conflict in her mind. Screw this: Chantel is going to tell him, even if it risks everything!
Before she could use her arm to reach out to Jesse, he pulled the cord to stop the bus. Looking out the bus window, they arrived at a tall, brown, brick building, the band’s label: Crimson Music Group.
She pulled her arm back to her side and gave up on this for now. The two got off the bus into the pouring rain, where the raindrops pounded harder on them. They rushed into the entryway of the building where Jesse and Chantel took cover from the rain. Drying themselves off, her eyes glanced at a woman, who stood in the building's entryway. Chantel sighed as she had seen this woman before many times she visited the building.
The woman wore tattered blue jeans, and a worn out, white shirt, and her black boots had holes in them. This woman always terrified her bandmates and her every time they would come to the building for studio time. The woman went over to Jesse and Chantel once again, who were making their way to the door.
“Hey! Don’t you ignore me!” The woman barked at them, then chased after them.
Jesse and Chantel paced themselves quickly to avoid her. Oh, how she wished this woman would leave them alone! When they finally reached the door handle, the woman grabbed Chantel by the arm and tried to pull her away from Jesse. She looked at the woman’s bloodshot eyes, which made her frightened even more! The more Chantel tried pushed the woman away, the more the woman refused to let her go.
Fighting the woman, Chantel shrieked, “Get your hands off of me!”
Suddenly, Jesse came between the two of them, knocking the woman away from Chantel, with the woman falling to the wet ground.
“What the heck is wrong with you, lady?!” Jesse shouted at her, grabbing Chantel’s hand and pulling her close to him.
The women just cracked a sinister smile at them, “You must Mr. Travolo and his buddies’ pretty, new, little muse. Tell that bastard I want that Miracle Drink!”
This woman’s comment bewildered Chantel. Thankfully, the security guard came out to escort the woman off the property. Jesse and Chantel walked into the building at last, with her still being shaken by what had happened.
“It’s alright, Chantel. She will not hurt us anymore, okay?” Jesse said, which she nodded in response.
Once Chantel settled herself down, the two of them walked into the elevator to continue their path onward to the studio, meeting with their band.
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