Into the Aether_Part One(33)

“Get out.”

“Mom... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I—”

“I said, get out.”

Lara slowly got out and gently closed the door. Without looking at her daughter, Linda sped away, tires squealing.

Wiping at her tears, Lara zipped up her jacket and put her backpack on. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, and walked down the sidewalk in the direction of her house.

She kept reviewing the conversation in her mind, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Why did I say those things to her?

Because she deserved it.

No, she didn’t. She’s trying to keep both our heads above water.

That doesn’t excuse her for not telling me about Dad.

Lara continued arguing with herself, oblivious to her surroundings. She approached the rear of the Glenridge Mall parking lot; a bus stop was full of people who were slowly filing onto a parked bus. She looked up and saw two figures running toward it, but the bus had already started driving away. Lara looked down at the pavement again and kept walking.

“I can’t believe you don’t have your car,” a female voice said.

“Courtney, you know I had to get the transmission fixed,” replied a baritone voice.

Courtney? Lara thought.

Looking up, Lara saw Courtney Rathbone standing half a foot apart from a burly teenaged boy, who looked at her with an annoyed expression. The boy was wearing a Leaside varsity jacket, a black sweater, and heavy blue jeans. He held several plastic and paper bags in each hand. Some bags were from a sports nutrition store, containing large jugs with words like ‘Protein’ and ‘Workout Formula’ written on them. Other bags were from someplace called Lavish Lingerie, and these were much smaller, pink, and clad in polka dots. Somehow, Lara didn’t think they were for the boy.

Courtney was dressed in leggings, a blue skirt with matching purse, and an oversized sweater. She was wearing no jacket and wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm.

“Some boyfriend you are,” she said nastily to the boy with a dramatic sigh. He gave her an equally nasty expression. The two started to walk toward Lara. For a moment, she thought about turning around, but it would add an extra twenty minutes to her walk. She continued toward the feuding couple, still looking downward.

Their footsteps were drawing closer now, freshly laid salt crunching beneath their feet. Just keep walking. I don’t want to argue with you right now. Just keep wal—

“Hi, Freak!” Courtney said in a mocking tone. Lara looked up to see a self-satisfied smile on her face. Courtney shifted her weight, her arms still crossed in front of her.

Lara continued walking, looking back at the sidewalk.

“Did you hear my father is buying the strip mall where your mom’s shop is?” Courtney said. Lara slowed slightly. “I heard her lease is coming up in two months. She’ll have to renegotiate it. Something tells me that spot is going to get a lot more expensive. Shame, too. I guess it was the cheapest location in the area.”

Lara still didn’t stop walking, but she was fighting the urge to turnaround and scream at Courtney.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. Word around town is that she’ll be going bankrupt soon. Bye-bye business and bye-bye house. Don’t worry, though, I guess they have shelters for people like you.”

Lara stopped, her breathing quickening. Tears stung at her eyes while a dull ache formed at the back of her throat. She stood with her back to Courtney and the boy. Their eyes were on her as they waited for a reaction. Calm down, Lara told herself, and started to walk away again.

“Not only is your mom a failure at business, but she’s a failure as a mother too.”

Lara made a sharp about-face, walked right up to Courtney, and pointed a finger at her. Courtney looked at her expectantly. Lara thought of dozens of things she would have loved to say before she slowly shook her head.

“You’re not even worth my time,” Lara said, sneering. Turning around again, she started back down the sidewalk.

“What did you say to me?” Courtney strode over to Lara. “No one, especially you, talks to me like that.” Lara looked back at Courtney and gave her a haughty grin. Courtney grabbed Lara’s shoulder, spun her around, and slapped her hard across the face. Lara was knocked backward, slid on an unsalted patch of ice, and started to fall. She caught herself with one hand, scrapping it against the sidewalk.

Courtney laughed scornfully. Lara’s hand and cheek stung and hot tears spilled down her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes shut as a molten rage filled her. For a moment, she tried to stop it, but… Why? Lara let go of any restraint and allowed the rage to fill her to the brim; her anger toward her mother, her fear about the business, and Courtney—they all fuelled the hate that burned inside her.

She would make Courtney suffer. She would make them all suffer.

“That was a mistake,” Lara whispered.

“What was that, Freak?” Courtney asked, still laughing.

“Court, let’s go,” the boy said.

Lara opened her eyes. Courtney’s mask of triumph broke into one of terror. She took several steps backward as Lara stood. She felt powerful and free. There was no good or bad, no doubt. Only revenge. Courtney would pay for all the wrongs she had ever committed, and Lara would be the instrument of her punishment.

Courtney continued to walk backward. “Court, what’s wrong?” the boy asked, seeing the look on her face. “What the hell is wrong with your eyes?” he asked, his voice cracking in fear as he looked back at Lara. No light reflected from Lara’s eyes; they were pools of pure black hatred.