209-Dizzy

Spilling Contents

I did not belong here.

This was literally Cinderella's castle meets full house, and I was nothing more than one of the mice.

Ashton took his time showing me the house, pointing out each room and it's function. But, by about  10 rooms in, I'd already forgot the last 5.

This went on until we landed at a particular door, which had a completely empty interior.

"This, will be your room." Ashton said, pushing his way further in. "Obviously, we've got some work to do, but eventually.."

It was very spacious for a bedroom, and it had a nice walk in closet. There was even a floor to ceiling window that overlooked the front driveway.

To say the least, it was a huge upgrade from my room at home.

"We'll hire an interior designer, and you'll be able to work with them." He said, with a sheepish smile. "I wanted to have the room done before you got here, but none of us were sure what you'd like.." He rambled.

"Thank you." I said, interrupting his spill. "It's lovely."

He seemed to visually relax at my words, it was endearing to think that my approval mattered to him.

I watched him leave the room for a moment, before returning with a familiar bag.

He sat it on the floor in the middle of the room and looked to me.

"Your parents packed you a small bag back when you first came to the hospital." He said, as I walked over to the sack and sat down in front of it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, while emotions started coursing through me.

"I knew something was up with your parents, when you started to talk to me in hospital, and I didn't want seeing the bag or whatever they put inside it to stifle our progress." He said, now sitting beside me, looking worried.

"So you just kept it from me?"

"I didn't want to go through it and invade your privacy, but I also didn't trust them to not put something in it to upset you."

I didn't look at him as he spoke. I wasn't sure why I was having such strong emotions, but all I could feel was anger and hurt.

Who was he to keep something from me that my parents had brought?

"You should've told me." I said, slightly above a whisper.

"I'm sorry Alice, I was trying to protect you, honestly."

I shook my head and tears started slipping from my eyes.

"Do you want to be alone for a minute?" He asked, speaking softly.

I nodded, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak verbally.

He shifted and stood, leaving the room and closing the door slowly behind him.

My hands were trembling as I fiddled with the zipper, trying to open it.

The bag they'd used was my first piece of luggage I'd ever owned.

Mom bought it for me when I was being shipped off to my grandmas for the first time.

She lived in a different state, but my parents were fighting and wanted me out of their way so they bought me a plane ticket anyway.

That was the worst summer of my life by far.

They had sent me to Grandma Eissa's, my dads moms house and she hated me.

I was never the favorite grandchild, that title was always saved for my younger cousins.

I never really knew them, but the little interactions we had weren't good.

They used their power for the worse, making my life a living hell.

Basically, they got a free pass for that entire summer, blaming every stupid decision on me.

And my grandmother went with it.

Anything for her precious babies.

I spent my time doing chores, taking the blame for my cousins, and hiding out in the small back room I'd been allotted.

Often times, my room was the only place I was allowed to be. The living room, kitchen, and common areas were off limits, saved for only her and them.

I also have vague memories of her burning and demolishing my keepsakes from home, normally has a form of punishment.

Needless to say, the bag already had bad connections in my mind, but my parents probably didn't remember that, and just grabbed the first sack they found.

Shaking off the memories and refocusing, I picked the bag up and turned it upside down, allowing the contents to spill out on the floor in front of me.

My heart stopped as my eyes made contact with one of the small artifacts that sat in front of me.

I felt my body tense up, and my hands grow cold and shaky.

I don't think I realized, just how badly I'd fucked up, until now.