Chapter 1. Challenge One
*HONK HONK*
*Noises of old men yelling, and water splashing*
โhey hey.. wake up mallory..weโre homeโ whispered a familiar voice.
I woke up, my back is sore from the long trip. My mother was calling me. It seems like I have arrived at.. a dock?
โalrighttt, chop chop, get out my boat. I got places to be, hurry your bags and belongings onto the dock, before I take off with them.โ urged the old sailor man
I saw my mother grab my arm and grab all our bags and boxes. I was half asleep, I could barely walk. you know that feeling when you black out, when you stand up? yeah, it was that feeling. I finally got to my senses, and started waking like a normal human being. I look around.. old fishermans . Beards to a feet long, and shabby clothes..like a dog chewed them up. The smell reekedโฆ but luckily there was my mother pushing me into an automobile meteor. I didnโt even realize I had gotten away from the boat..I could still smell the fishes being pulled from the salty waters.
โFor a girl who slept for a full 18 hours.. Iโm surprised you still look tired..like a koalaโ chuckled my mother.
โโฆโ
I didnโt say anything. Silence echoed the car ride. What could I say? Thanks? Or should I have laughed at her corny joke? I donโt overthink something stupid, that came out of my motherโs obnoxious mouth, but my head was so fogged with emotion. no, she didnโt do anything wrong. This isnโt a story where the mother probably pulled me away from my father figure, and weโre constantly moving because weโre poor. Or a story where the daughter is just ungrateful and always argues with her mother. Now that would just be..odd. me personally, I respect my mother. we moved to Victorian, Canada for my moms studys..I think as an botanist? I support my mother. Her studies were never popular, no. But it was indeed something she found passionate about. And Iโm just a daughter that will help her..boring..unstimulating.. colorless โjobโ. Plus, the house weโre moving into was quite nice actually. Actually..really big for a house just for me and my mom. but you know, who am I to complain. I can already see my new life here starting to be exciting.
โmom..so this is our house..like officially right?โ I asked questionably
โwell, yes. that was the plan. no worries, Iโm sure youโll have friends off the bat.โ Smiled my mom.
โitโs not that Iโm worried about. โ I stated.
*silence again, echoed the car*
we both knew what I was worried about..
*HONK HONK*
โAYE! WATCH OUT! WHO GAVE YOU YA LICENSES FOR DRIVING LIKE THAT YA SCALLY WAGโ yelled the driver.
I look up to see weโre in our new neighborhood. Street lights werenโt turned on yet, but it was getting quite dark. The beach waves that were just a few yards away from my house, but large trees covered most of the view. The houses were actually..appearing much largerโฆ
โso are you just gonna sit there..? or help me carry the boxes and bags out? itโs not much..remember..the landlord unpacked all of our furniture.โ my mother said with a calm tone.
โoh, sorry! I didnโt even know we arrived.โ I quickly realized.
I got out the car and hurried to bring the bags near the front door, as my mother tried to unlock the house. The house looked like every other house on the block. no difference, just maybe lights being turned on and two lunatics trying to get into a house. yeah..totally not suspicious. And before my mother even got the keys in, a women ran to our house. well..not running, maybe a quick jog with her orange heels stomping before her. My mother quickly realized the women, and stopped twisting the keys into the door.
โmy my, isnโt it the new neighbors. Once I saw this house go on sale, I always prepared to greet new people into the neighborhood! Now, must I ask..how did you even get the money to live here?โ chuckled the white women.
She was talking actually really quick. I could see she wanted something, but she wasnโt the type to ask. Oh..and did I mention she was a blonde. Classic stereotypic neighbor.
โHeh, well yes. Me and my daughter, Mallory, are very happy-โ my mother said, stuttering along her sentence.
But it wasnโt too long until she got cut off.
โMALLORY? oh isnโt that just the prettiest name. My sonโs name is actually William! oh, and mommm, what would be your name?โ Bawled the neighbor.
โheh..well I was just getting to that. You can call me Miss. Saelim โ explained my mother.
โHow.. exotic..โSaelimโ and โMissโ. Divorce heh?โ The white women laughed.
I couldnโt help but ignore every damn sentence that women was saying. She didnโt know a thing about me. Didnโt she know the last name โSaelimโ is Thai. Itโs just common sense dumbass. Her obnoxious smile had me imagining Iโll be punching the air in any second.
โWell, I should get going. You can call me Mrs. Kay, I live in the house I just ran from. โ Mrs.Kay said while pointing at the house to our left.
I love meeting new people. But sometimes, It can be a pain when they know nothing. And when I say โnothingโ, I mean โNOTHINGโ. What could I possibly do..smiling is the only way Iโll get out of this situation safe.
โOh and Mallory! My son and his friends are at asterinโs shore! The beach near the lighthouse, you know..on the dock! Go meet them!โ Mrs.Kay exclaimed while jogging back in her house.
Me and my mother just awkwardly smiled until Mrs.Kay got back into her house. But my mother didnโt continue to unlock the house, she looked at the bags and then turned to me, with a grin. but not a normal grin, I knew she wanted something from me. I sighed.
โWhat mom. I was on a boat for about 2 weeks and now you have that grin, that I remember you having when you begged me to buy you a goldfish at a state fair back at home. What could you possibly want now.โ I sighed
โahaha, letโs make a deal Malory. I do all the unpacking-โ she stated
โDEAL DEAL!โ I exclaimed.
โ-But you have to meet those new kids at that asterinโs shore!โmy mother said with a big grin.
Wait, what did I just agree to again?
