L A K E

Rubbing my eyes from sleep. I stare the clean ceiling. Dust floated in the air from the morning light. I groan remembering yesterday. Coming to Richburg. Seeing long lost relatives. Running off and coming back. Coming to this house, going to a party, punching a bitch, then walking up to a stranger outside and asking them if they knew Olive. Luckily she did, and texted her for me.

Olive was still in her uniform when she came speeding up to the building. Her blonde hair messy and tangled. "I can't believe you went out and didn't even leave a note Lake! I was worried sick. Why did you go out in the first place?"

Leaning back against the headrest I shut my eyes, not answering her as she continued on. Once we got back. Olive told me to keep quiet because she didn't tell Grandma I wasn't in. Saying I was in the bathroom. She told me, we'll talk in the morning and I just nodded, falling asleep on the settee.

"You're finally up?" I jump out of my skin. Lifting my head from the soft pillow, I pull out the knife from under it to see Grandma stood above me.

I sigh, putting the knife down. Gasping. "Grandma, don't sneak up on me!" Grandma only raises an eyebrow, she looks from the knife to my eyes.

"I see you've finally able to say I'm your Grandma, Lake." I pout. "I do not need to sneak- if this is my house." She adds sternly, putting her hand out in front of me.

Hesitantly, I hand her the knife I got from the kitchen yesterday. "You don't need to protect yourself in this house Lake. Now please get up, and get into something less dressy, your lawyer's on her way." Grandma pointed out.

After cleaning myself full of yesterday grim I get dressed in a band tee and and some sweat pants. I put on some sock on impulse. Socks protect my feet from crap on the floors. It's going to take me some time to realise I'm in a clean environment.

Grandma told me to come and eat some breakfast so I make my way into the kitchen. The sweet aroma teases my senses.

Grandma's standing in front of the stove, her back to me with a spatula in her hand. Without look up, she lift the spatula to the Breakfast table. "Sit."

I salute her, then do as she asks. "Where's Olive?"

"Why, are you going to need her to pick you up again?" Grandma contributed, putting a pile of eggs and bacon on two plates.

Really, I thought Olive said she didn't know? Why couldn't she just mind her own business and stay out of mine?

I don't answer. Grandma travels herself next to me. She smells of what I'd imagine wildflowers to smell like, but the smell of the fresh food she places before us takes over, making my belly grumble.

"Olive is in the City right now collecting a few bits." I nodded, not really that interested. I lift my eyes to her watchful silver gaze. We state at one another. I see myself through hers, as she can do the same through mine. I felt like we were sizing each other up. We must have been doing it for a while because my grey eyes were starting to itch.

"You're strong. Stronger than you should be Lake. You're only fifteen and your eyes. Your eyes have seen things. Things I imagine no person should experience." I swallow a tight gulp, finally glancing away.

"Look at me?" She asks, gently. Drifting my eyes back to Grandma's face. She smiles a watery smile. "There's no point in saying sorry to you, Lake." I bite the inside of my lip. "You are far to angry and no apology is going to fix it. I could question my past actions. Why didn't I try harder? Why didn't I see Patricia for what she was? Why didn't I try and contact you more?" - Her voice broke at the end.

"Stop!" I scratch my head glaring down at the plate of food. "Just stop." I whisper, looking out of the window. I watch as a reddish orange butterfly flies past and into the trees.

Grandma sighs sadly. "Eat your breakfast before it goes cold." I pick up my fork and eat. I could hardly taste the food as I shoveled it in my mouth, already lost my appetite.

☁

Waiting for the lawyer to arrive later on in the evening. I sit down on the charcoal settee that's become my bed.

The door opens, revealing Grandma coming back into the room with a model. That's what I would call her a first glance. Looking closer. I see her straight black hair. Her eyes stood out against her tanned skin as they watched me like a hark. She's wearing a crisp suit and is holding a dark suitcase, that I knew had information about me inside.

Let's get this show on the road.

Grandma gesture to the pretty woman with a bright smile. "Lake this is Mandy Reed. She'll be your Lawyer and is a dear friend of this family." Mandy pull out her hand. I just look at it with my arms crossed, glaring.

"Are you just doing this for the money or do you actually do your job and realize I'm innocent?" Mandy smirks herself, keeping her hand out with a raised eyebrow.

"Lake, I don't take cases on where individuals are guilty. I'm doing this cases as a favour for your Grandma and Olive... but to give you peace of mind. I always win my cases." I purse my lip, watching her face closely for any miss information. I nodded satisfied, uncrossing my arms and reached my hand to firmly shake Mandy's.

Grandma looks baffled, and I snort. "You can never be to sure."

Mandy sits herself across from me on the grey lovesit, putting her briefcase on the coffee table. Grandma sits on the settee with me.

Mandy starts to unclip her case. The taps unclicking loudly. "Right Lake..." Then Olive busts through the door out of breath, her face stained.

"I didn't miss anything did I?"

"No, we're just getting started." Olive drops the bags in her arms to the wall near the door, blowing out a relieved breath. Then comes to sit beside Grandma. After greeting Mandy and giving me a smile.

"Lake. Everything we say is confidential. Remember that you have to trust me to get you out of this mess." Mandy says directly to me. I nod and she nods in return satisfied before picking up a piece of paper.

"I know this situation is frustrating Lake. The judge who allowed you to travel here was only lenient toward you because you haven't been charged before."

She was nice.

"Your ex-public defender has faxed me your information. Including a statement from him. It says here that you called him, and I quote, 'a self centered-money grabbing-bastard who need to eat a steady meal of rabbit food, instead of the donuts he honks down before seeing me.'"

I shrug when Mandy finishes. "He was pissing me off and he was leering at me, be thankful that's the only thing I said." I hear Olive chokes, but I kept my attention on Mandy.

Her lips raise. "Well, hopefully he learned his lesson... So Lake do you want to go through your statement for me."

"Haven't you read through the report?"

"Yes I have, but I want to hear it with fresh ears."

Feeling all three curious eyes watch me. I blow out a breath and tell them about the day I was arrested.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to vote and comment. :D

STORY QUESTION - So what do you think about Lake waking up like she did with the knife?

QUESTION OF THE DAY - What language do you speak?