The Hybrid
Chapter 2 - Moving & Reunions

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with us, Aurora?” Darius, Damon’s father, asks from the front, his eyes trained on the road as we drive down on the relatively quiet streets of the town.

“I’m sure. I just want to spend some time where Mum and Dad used to stay whenever they visited. I know I’ll be staying at your place more often though, so you don’t have to worry.” I smile reassuringly at Theia as she turns around to look at me worriedly.

After that, a comfortable silence ensues until we reach the street where I will be staying. Exiting the car, I look up at the tall building which will now be my new home. It is outside of New York, a one-hour drive from the city that never sleeps.

Taking my keys out from my bag, I unlock the door and head inside, smiling as I remember the memories made here and how well maintained it has been since my family visited last year.

Mum’s decorative touch is still here, ornaments and pictures lining the shelves and walls. As I walk through the familiar and cozy home, my heart aches at how my parents will never be with me again. Climbing up the stairs, I reach my room and step in. The best part about my room is the large pane of glass that allows me to see the town below. It’s scary yet breathtakingly beautiful at the same time.

Lingering for a bit, I make my way downstairs to see the Valentine’s preparing to leave. I bid them goodbye, promising them that I will be over in a while for dinner. Closing the door, I turn and sigh at the sight.

This is how it’s going to be from now on, just me.

I head up to my bedroom first to start unpacking. It’s the room above the garden table on the patio. I set my luggage on the floor, rushing to looking at the balcony through the glass doors. It’s large with pretty flowers in pots of different sizes.

There is a large bed an inch away from the wall with fluffy, soft throws on it. On each side there are two bedside tables with two lamps on it and pictures of me with my parents that I had brought with me the last time I was here.

White, faux fur rugs are placed on each side of the bed and the floor is made of white hardwood. Turning around I see a work table propped up against the left wall with my computer on top. I walk over to it once I see the silver bucket of white roses. They are beautiful and fresh, meaning Theia or Sophia must have come around to fix up the place for me.

I grin at the colorful, inspiring pictures hanging on the wall behind the computer and a soft throw placed over the chair. Turning around, my hand grazes the doors to the small, walk-in wardrobe as I step towards the vanity table beside it. I know the wardrobe will be filled once I unpack. It’s inevitable.

There is a circular mirror on the wall with intricate detailing around it. A vase of red tulips is placed at the side with lace detailed containers to store my makeup in. A pastel pink barrel is also placed beside the vanity table with a few of the books I had left here last time on top.

Two picture frames sit in front of a lamp showing group photos of my friends and I. I chuckle softly at our goofy faces, my hand skimming the soft chair as I reminisce about the good times.

Two hours later, I’m done. Unpacking was easier than usual because this time I had managed to organize everything into boxes, category by category. It was still torture to decide where to put everything though but I finally did it. I stand back from the bookshelves and smile. Perfect. My books are in multiple shelves with ornaments next to them.

Everything is done and now? It’s time for food!

Hurrying downstairs with a growling stomach, I smooth my hair in the mirror beside the door before grabbing my keys from the ceramic tray and leaving the apartment. Locking the door, I head towards the sleek, black car waiting for me. I switch on the navigating system and type in the address to Damon’s house and in no time, I’m parking my car on the driveway and heading inside to the smell of something heavenly cooking.

But before I can take another step towards the living room, I’m tackled to the ground.

“Lily Mercado, you get off me right now!” I yell, laughing as I fail to push her off me.

“It’s been six months! I deserve some sugar, sugar!” She screams, pouting at me.

“Lily, stop hogging her!” Damon yells, trying to haul her off me, laughing.

“Never!” She screams back, swatting his hands away.

The next thing I know, Alex, Sophia and Christian have joined us on the floor in a wrestling match of ‘who can save Aurora first?’ I’m currently groaning at the elbow Damon slams into my abdomen. Kicking his chest with my foot, he yells out before falling onto Sophia.

“Soph - oomph! Christian get your hand away from my butt! Sophia talk to me! Are you alive?” I yell jokingly.

“I’m...fine. Ugh! Damon get off me already!” Sophia says, smacking his arm.

“I didn’t touch you, Aurora! I’m over here.” Christian replies, wrestling with Alex a few steps away.

“It’s Lily, you idiot! Damon pushed me!” She groans from somewhere behind me.

Sadly, Theia and Darius are on the couch howling with laughter as they watch on.

“Alright that’s enough! Break it up.” Damon yells, finally pulling her off me.

I sit up gasping, my stomach hurting. I have lost a shoe, my hair tie is gone and my cardigan is half off me. Damon throws my shoe and hair tie to me and I put them on before launching myself at Alex.

“Missed you!” I sing into his shoulder as he hugs me tight.

“Missed you too!” He sings, chuckling as we pull away.

Alexander Youngblood. We had met each other two years ago and instantly wreaked havoc. He’s my fellow sidekick, standing tall at about 6, 5 with light brown hair and aqua blue eyes.

Red, full lips and a button nose. Light freckles dot his face and his lip stretch to reveal a small white scar at the corner. His cheekbones are subtle but become prominent whenever he laughs or smiles and his jaw is as sharp as a rock. I would know. I slammed my forehead into it...twice. He’s of a muscular build, given the amount of hours he spends in the gym. I swear I would collapse if I spent that many hours exercising.

Lily pulls me into a hug, both of us screaming. Lily Mercado is what you would call a badass bestie. She is mixed as her mother is Indian and her father is from Spain and her parents are the coolest people ever! Long, brown hair flows down her back in waves with the tips dyed in pink and sky blue, her brown eyes alight with happiness. Her cheeks are slightly pink from wrestling and her lips are painted a dark red.

Finally, I meet Christian Wyatt. My tech savvy partner. We had had our fair share of fiddling with electronics, also managing to cut the power cord that supplies electricity to his house one time. He stands at 5, 11 with a lean build, blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. Stylish glasses frame his eyes and sit atop his nose. His lips stretch into a grin as he holds his arms out.

“Where has my partner been?” He asks, tightening his arms around me and lifting me up.

I laugh instead of replying. It’s so good to see my friends again and just as I predicted, they don’t question me about my parents like every other person did who knew. I’m glad that they can easily divert my attention. Soon, after I have met everyone, we sit down in the lounge room and catch up on basically everything.

I look back to see Sophia ruffling Damon’s brown hair. Her baby blues are lit up and her lips are stretched into a smile. She is the sweetest person I have ever met in my life and standing at 5, 5 like me, we are the smallest out of the whole group.

When dinner is ready we all run down the stairs and I join the others in the kitchen. We take our food to the gaming room and proceed to scream at the zombies trying to kill us. An hour later my throat is hoarse from screaming up at the TV, my head pounding from the other four screaming at Damon and I as we shoot zombie after zombie.

“Alright, I’m going to bed. Goodnight guys!” Alex yawns, scratching his head as he walks off.

“I’m going to head back too. Night, guys.” I state, fist bumping Lily on the way out, all of them shouting goodnight to Alex and I.

I wave even though they can’t see me. Closing the door, I get into my car before waiting for Alex to back out of the driveway. My eyes scan the streets of the town still crowded with cars and taxis, glancing curiously at the various stores, planning to check them out someday before I turn onto my street.

Heading in and making sure I lock the door, I climb the stairs until I reach my room. My bare feet pad across the hardwood floor towards the large glass pane that reflects the thousands of street lights down below. I sigh in content before walking into my closet to change and then run to my bed, bouncing as I fall on it. Feeling my necklace graze my cheek I take it off tiredly.

“I miss you Mum and Dad.” I whisper sadly, my voice hoarse and my heart aching painfully as I place it on my bedside table.

Getting under the soft covers I squeal in happiness. If my bed and I had a relationship, we would be going pretty strong right about now. Snuggling my cheek into the pillow, I drift off to sleep with the memory of my parents running through my mind.