Chapter 2


I end the call. I have no idea what's her problem. I put my phone on my dresser and left it there for the rest of the night. She seemed mad. She's never mad at all. We talk about everything
~
Over the past few weeks, things have gone from bad to worse. Maddy has started acting like nothing happened in the past few weeks. She pretends that she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. I think she’s mad at me, but I don’t know why she would be….Viktoriya is the only person that talks to me now. Mum and Dad don’t talk to me at all anymore.
The dinner table is always silent. Last night I asked them if I could go to Viktoriya’s house. Mum said I can go and pretty much shoved me out the door. That was the first time we’ve talked since she asked me about how my day was at school. That was a three weeks ago.
~
Viktoriya’s Mum came and picked us up after school today. She said she was really glad to finally meet me. When we got to their house, I just stare in shock. It’s not really a house, It’s more like a mansion.
“Viktoriya, you didn’t tell me you lived in a mansion! This place is huge. Are you guys rich or something?” I ask with excitement.
“No,” Viktoriya giggles. “My great grandfather left this place to us back in 1999 and he told people that if anyone touches this foundation, besides his family, that he'll sue them.”
“Wow, so has anybody tried yet?” I ask.
“No, my great grandfather is still living here with us. Everyone is too afraid to get close to this place.” She laughs.
“Really?”
“Yeah, he’s been with us since I was born. I know this place is pretty big, but It’s not so bad once you get used to it.”
“Wow.” Is all I can say. She motions me to follow her inside. Their house is full of new things that I’ve never seen or heard of. It sort of reminds me of a small castle.
“How did you guys get all this stuff?” I inquire.
Her Mum looks at her and shakes her head, but says nothing. Viktoriya answers, “My great grandfather made them. He said that he had a vision on what he wants to do with our lives.”
“And he’s still here...but where is he now?”
“He’s in the living room now, watching television.”
“Mum and Dad says television is bad for you brain.” I say as I look down at my shoes. She’s rich. Her Mum and Dad have money. She has everything that she could possibly want. I don’t ask how much everything had cost, because it would be rude. It would have been like saying she’s a super rich, upper class girl and I was a lower class girl.
She looks at me while I think to myself and she says, “I’m not a higher class than you, Emma. And I am not rich. My parents are. I am not.”
She says it like she can read my mind. I guess I’m more of an open book than I thought. I quickly change the subject so I have time to see the rest of the house.
“Hey, can we go see the rest of the house now?” I say.
“Yeah, come on we can go to my room.” She grabs my arm and leads me upstairs to her room.
“Wow, I thought your room was going to be big.”
“No, I told Mum and Dad that since we have a big house I don’t want a big room. I am very messy, so I decided having a smaller room would be better.” She tells me while I walk around the room. She has light purple walls. Her room is extravagant, and mine is dull.
As I walk around and look at her things. I see a picture of her and a woman sitting on her desk. I pick it up and look at the back of it. To my surprise and confusion, it’s dated to the year 2100. 2100? But it’s only 2080… Maybe something’s wrong with her camera.
“Tori, when you took this photo your camera’s date was wrong.” I point out.
“Yeah,” she sighs. “Everytime I try to take a picture it changes the date and I have been trying to get it to the right date.”
After touring her house, we talk about why our state has been under attack. We talk about how we would change the environment if we could. We work on our homework for a little bit, and later, her Mum asks me if I want to stay for dinner. It takes me a while to answer seeing that I have been having fun with them. At home my parents don’t bother to spend time with me like they used to.
“Can I at least give you a ride?” Tori’s Mum asks me.
I just shake my head and say, “Actually, I think I’ll walk home. But thanks anyway!”
When I get outside it’s still daylight out. I look at the time. My watch says it’s seven o’clock. Good, I still have time to get home before supper.
So I put in my headphones and start walking toward my house. By the time I get home, Mum and Dad are sitting on the couch. I say “hi” to both and go to my room to finish up homework. I flinch when my cell rings. It’s the blocked number again.
“Hello?” I say. It’s the same voice as last time.
“Emma, are you home now?” the person on the other side asked. The voice was soft and feminine.
“Why is that any of your business? Why do you keep calling me?” I say sounding more annoyed than ever.
“It’s very important that you stay as far away from Viktoriya that you can.” The person replys, completely ignoring my question.
“Why should I listen to you? I don't even know who you are.” I say with a sneer voice.
“Trust me.” The woman says. Then she hangs up.
The next day I tell Viktoriya about the phone call.
“Do you know who it was?”
“No, all they said is that I shouldn’t trust you.”
“Why would anybody tell you that?” she asks, seeming confused.
“I don’t know. I just think this person might just be jealous that you and I are hanging out.” I propose.
“They could be. Hey what’s been going on between you and Maddalyn?” she inquires.
“I really don’t know. She hasn’t been talking to me recently. Actually, now that I think about it, nobody has said more than two words to me for the past month or so. Well, except you, of course. I feel kind of… invisible. Does that make sense?”
Actually, it does. I understand completely.