Page 1 of I Despise You
Chapter 1
IFUMBLE WITH MY KEYas I try to get the old lock to work. The door finally opens with a loud squeal and I push my way inside.
I hesitate as I kick off my shoes in the hallway.
Chocolate.
The whole apartment smells like chocolate, and I don’t even know why. I glance at the clock on my phone, wondering if I’m late.
Nope, not late.
I’m early, actually.
My mom should still be at work, and my little sisters with my grandma. So why is my nose filled with sweet deliciousness that makes my stomach rumble?
“Liliana, honey! Is that you?” my mom calls from the kitchen, and my eyebrows shoot up.
Huh.
I guess she got off work early today, which is a surprise, because her boss never lets her do that. Hell, I’m pretty sure he’d keep her 24/7 if he could.
“Mom?” I poke my head through the door, my eyes widening at the sight of the table. “Are we expecting someone?”
The whole table is set up, with our fancy plates and silverware that we use only on rare occasions, and I know I haven’t missed anyone’s birthday.
Four plates.
Does that mean it’s going to be just the four of us?
“No, we’re not expecting anyone.” My mom lifts her gaze to me, her brown eyes meeting mine.
There’s a sparkle in them that I don’t see very often, and especially not after she comes back home from work. Has she gotten a promotion? She’s been Herbert Waldorf’s, secretary for years.
“What’s going on then?” I lean on the doorway. “Do you need any help?”
She adds some more whipped cream to the chocolate cake. “No, honey. I wanted to finish this before you got here, but... Doesn’t matter. Your sisters will be here soon.”
I watch her as she starts cleaning up the counter. Something else is different about her.
“Did you dye your hair?” I ask. Her hair is dark brown like mine, but now it has a different hue. It’s shinier. More chestnut.
“Yeah. Do you like it?” She runs her hand through her hair with a grin.
“Sure. But maybe you could’ve picked red or blonde so that people stop saying we look like clones,” I tease.
Almost every person who sees me and who knows my mom tells me I look exactly like her. My sisters never get any of that. I’m the only one with dark brown hair and eyes like my mom’s while my sisters have light brown hair and hazel eyes, just like their dad’s. I’m also about my mom’s height, but not as slim as her.
Suddenly, unease fills my stomach.
“Are you... um, dating someone?” I ask, holding my breath for her answer.
The last time my mom was acting like this, she ended up marrying Timothy. Then my little sisters were born. And then, one day, Timothy just packed his things and left, and we haven’t heard from him since.
“No. It’s nothing like that.” My mom waves her hand. “Sit down. I have a surprise for you.”
“For me?” I move to a chair, taking a seat, and do my best to hide the relief spreading through me.
I don’t think my sisters are ready for a new dad, and neither am I, which is probably selfish of me. But I don’t want to see my mom hurt again, and I definitely don’t want to hear her crying in the bathroom every night after my sisters go to sleep.
