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“You may as well start talking because one thing I have a lot of right now is time.”
Unexpectedly, Melanie reaches out, catching me off guard as her hand covers mine, pressing firm with reassurance, but hard enough to make me look at her again. “I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but I promise you with time you’ll get all the answers. I’ll personally make sure of it, but right now I need you to focus on you and the positives…”
Just when I thought this woman couldn’t surprise me anymore, she goes and does the unthinkable. “Wait… are you actually telling me there’s a positive in all this bullshit?”
“For you, yes… but only if you work with me and not against me.”
Fuck, she makes it sound so easy. “Do tell me your elaborate plan. I’m just dying to know what bullshit you’re about to throw my way.” The sarcasm rolls freely from my bitter tongue, causing Melanie to narrow her eyes at me some more. I learned a long time ago that good things don’t come to me. What everyone is failing to realize is, I’m not a kid anymore, and I gave up on fairytales years ago.
“Well, the main one being you won’t have to give up your dream of going to college.” Her eyes widen, excitement glistening there as though she’s just found the answer to all my prayers.
Anger courses through me as my heart beats faster in my chest. “Now you’re taking the piss out of me.” How the hell can she even sit here and make fun of me? Of everything that’s been taken from me. This might be nothing more than a joke to them, but this is my life. “I guess you think this is funny, right? Phoenix has been through enough already, but how about we fuck with her some more. See how far we can push her until she falls from the edge.”
I can feel the heat of my rage burning through my body, setting it ablaze like wildfire. From the balls of my feet all the way to the top of my head. It’s simmering just below the surface, ready to erupt like an unstable volcano at any moment. “Let me get this straight. You just told me that I have no choice but to pack up and kiss goodbye to Braxton, then in the next breath you’re telling me I’m still able to go to college?” I demand, refusing to back down until she tells me exactly what she means. “Which one is it?”
“Both?”
“You’re still not listening to me. Maybe you’re hearing me, but you’re not processing what I’m asking of you. You told me I have to get my ass out of here, so that means leaving all my dreams behind too.”
“No. You’ve misunderstood me. No one has said anything about you missing out on college.” A small smile plays on her lips, like she’s in on the joke and she’s waiting for me to catch on. My suspicions are heightened and I still don’t know if she’s just trying to make fun of me.
I’m still not following her. I’m confused as fuck. “I don’t understand.” I confess.
“Your education is important. There’s no way that the authorities would allow you to go without.” She sounds so confident but I don’t share her enthusiasm. The authorities have allowed me to go without for years. Leaving me all alone with the bad man. Refusing to help me when I needed them the most. “Plus, I’m sure you’ll have no problems making new friends at Stonebrooke Manor, what with your wit and charisma.” Now it’s Melanie’s turn to add the sarcasm, and not before I realized what she just said to me.
“Stonebrooke?” I mouth, unable to hide my shock. Also, aware that most people have to sell their soul just to get a look at the place. Stonebrooke is off limits to all but a select few.
“The one and only.” A genuine smile: the first to light up her round face as she beams back at me, and for the first time in a long time I struggle to find the words. Failing to express how I’m truly feeling.
“But…” I gasp, breathlessly. “But, how?” the words finally fall out of my mouth on a stammer.
“Why don’t you let me worry about the specifics. I need you to focus on getting your things packed up because,” she takes another glance at her watch, “your ride will be here in about thirty minutes.”
I’m still majorly pissed about being uprooted from my home without a valid reason, through no fault of my own. I’m angry. Furious as a rage I’ve never known twists deep inside me. It’s not fair that I’m being taken away from everything I’ve ever known, but then in a crazy twist of fate, Stonebrooke has always been the dream.
And now it’s been handed to me on a gold platter, fully fucking funded. There’s no way I can turn this down. Maybe thebad guy did me a favor after all. I’m not stupid. I know this isn’t a gesture of goodwill. No, this is a bartering chip. A sure-fire way to get me out of Braxton like they so desperately want, and against my better judgement it seems to be working.
I hate myself for my double standards, but this is Stonebrooke. It was always a pipedream. A place I used to fantasize about when things got tough and I needed to take my mind to a better place. Stonebrooke was always an impossible dream. A dream I never imagined could ever become a possibility, and now it seems it’s about to become my reality.
A reality at a high cost.
“I know I’ve asked a lot from you already, but I need you to do something for me.”
I laugh. Melanie is fully aware that I don’t owe her shit, either. But I decide to entertain her. “Shoot. But you know I’m making no promises.”
“Keep your head down while you’re there. Keep yourself to yourself as much as possible. Try not to attract any unwanted attention.” She warns, a flitter of panic creeping into her own voice. “I’ve pushed hard for this move so don’t make me live to regret it.”
“How long am I expected to stay there?”
“At Stonebrooke?” I nod, eager to know how long I’m being exiled for. “A minimum of one year, maybe three. It just all depends on what happens back here during that time.”
I nod back. A rare acknowledgement from me and I know she doesn’t miss it. I know firsthand that a lot can happen in a year, let alone three.
“It’s also important to remember that no one knows who you are at Stonebrooke. They don’t know your history so if you’re going to take anything from this, Phoenix… if you want my advice…”
“You’re going to give it to me anyway, right?”
Melanie rewards my humor with a small smile. “Keep it that way. Use this to your advantage. Take this opportunity and use it as the fresh start its intended to be.”
