Chapter 2: Chapter 1 – The Mysterious Relative

Melina stood outside the funeral home, rain pouring heavily around her. The clouds wept for her as she turned to watch her usher leave with her parents’ coffins. Around her people were leaving and giving their condolences but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. All she could hear was the officer’s words from that fateful day replaying in her mind over and over again.

“We’re sorry to tell you this, um Melina, but your parents aren’t going to make it home tonight. They passed away in a car accident. We’re sorry for your loss...”

After those words everything had become a blur. She couldn’t believe what had happened and the pain of their death was hard for Melina. She wanted to cry, to scream but she couldn’t. A wave of numbness had washed over her, drifting through the last two painful days.

She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t sleep, eat or even talk. And not being able to cry her pain, it made her feel worse, leading her on a downward spiral. Her parents were dead and she couldn’t show her sadness. All she could do was watch as others did things for her.

And now with her parents’ funeral ending, she would be leading a new life. Everything had been arranged by the kind officers and she was going to move in with some distant family member, someone she didn’t even know. She was moving to a new city too and before she could even say her proper goodbyes.

Melina clenched her fist, the paper in her hand crumbling as her fist tightened. She was angry and sad and hurting so much but she couldn’t do anything about it. Leaving while her parents were being buried…

“Miss Rana. Miss Rana.” A hand shook her shoulder suddenly, breaking her away from her thoughts.

She looked up to see a tall, brown-skinned man in a black suit and glasses standing next to her, holding an umbrella over them. He had dark brown hair with gray streaks and a scar running over his right hand. The hand on her shoulder. The rain continued to pour, the funeral home almost deserted now.

“Yes...” Melina replied, pulling away from the man.

“Miss Rana, my name is Steven March. I’m here to take you to the airport.” The man pulled out a piece of paper from suit jacket and handed it to her.

She looked at it and saw the emblem on the paper. The same one as the one on the crumbled paper in her fist. The one stating that she was moving in with a family member. Taking it from the man, she opened it to read.

 

Dear Melina

This is my assistant Steven. He’ll be accompanying you to the airport and back home. I apologize for not being there but when you arrive I’ll be waiting. I’ll be sure to have your favorite foods prepared for you.

JR

 

Melina sighed, looking back at the man before looking back down at the note. It seemed JR, her distant family member, was rich. Unlike her debt-ridden parents. She still couldn’t believe that fact. Her middle-class working parents were actually so poor that they owed thousands to loan sharks. And all because of their drinking and gambling.

Melina knew about both the drinking and gambling, she had seen it happen a few times. But to think it would be so bad that they owed so much money. Anger rose in her. How could they do that? How could they go to loan sharks for money to waste on games?

She didn’t know how she was going to pay off everything, because now the debt fell onto her. She was sixteen so at most she could get a few part-times. But it wouldn’t be enough to cover the interest. The house and all its belongings had been sold and the amount was still a lot.

She could drop out and get a full-time job…

Melina shook her head. Leaving school wasn’t an option. She wanted to at least graduate from high school. Maybe she could ask this JR person for help. No, she couldn’t. JR had already done enough for her, taking her in when no one would and helping with the funeral. She couldn’t ask for more.

Melina sighed, trying to stop the thoughts. She was tired and needed to catch a flight. She could think of what to do later. She looked back at the man and nodded her head to show her understanding.

He smiled and said, “Great! Do you have anything you want to take with you?”

Melina pulled her backpack across her shoulder. Everything in it was all she could save from the loan sharks. “I have everything in here.”

Steven paused for a second before replying, “Okay then. Please come this way Miss. The car is just around the corner.”

Melina nodded her head before following the man. They walked for a few minutes, coming to a stop near a black limo. Steven opened the back door.

“Miss…” Steven held the door open and the umbrella over the opened door.

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Melina got in, sitting down on a soft leather seat. As Steven closed the door behind her, she spotted a person in the driver’s seat. 'JR is really rich,' Melina thought. 'First an assistant and now a chauffeur and limo.'

Steven got into the passenger seat and turned around, pointing at the driver. “Miss, this is Gabriel. He’ll be your personal driver from today.”

Gabriel greeted, “Miss.”

Melina gave a small smile before letting it fall again. Steven, seeing that greetings were over continued, “Gabriel let’s get moving and Miss…please make use of the towels next to you. I fear that you may catch a cold in this weather.”

Melina turned to see a few towels lying on the seat next to her. She picked one up and warmth covered her hand. Pressing it against her face, she let the hot towel warm her cold body. Melina had been so focused on her parents’ death and the problems with the loan sharks that she hadn’t even realized how cold and wet she had gotten in the rain.

Drying her long black hair, Melina looked out the window watching as they drove through the downtown city on their way to the airport. They passed shops and parks and other places she’d grown up going to.

Melina felt the change. Her life in the city was gone now and she was really leaving her home. And while she didn’t have many friends, being an introvert and all, she knew she was going to miss her friends.

Hopefully they would stay in touch but she doubted it. Keeping long distance relationships going was hard and it didn’t help that she wasn’t really close to anyone. Melina leaned her head against the car window.

It was best to forget about this city and try to start afresh. She didn’t want to think about anything. She was tired of having to suddenly grow up. She wished everything could just solve itself and leave her to enjoy her teen years.

Melina closed her eyes dreaming of a better future before slowly drifting off to sleep.

 

 

***

 

When Melina awoke see from herself lying on a soft bed. A red duvet covered her and the lights were dim. She sat up and looked around her. She was in a small room, the room just having a bed, closet and table.

On the chair next to the table, sat her black backpack. She hurried over to it and checked to make sure everything was in it. Walking across the soft carpet floor, Melina walked over to the door near the closet and opened it.

Inside she found a small bathroom. But it was a little different from a normal bathroom. It looked similar to the ones on planes she’d seen in movies. It took Melina a second to realize she was on a plane. And not just any plane but a private one. 'It couldn’t be JR’s, could it?' Melina thought to herself.

“What the hell is going on?!” Melina felt herself sliding down the wall trying to take in everything that was happening. “How is this-”

“Miss are you there?” A knock sounded from the door across the room as a woman’s voice called out to her.  

“Yes…” Melina stood up and turned to the direction of the door.

Opening the door a little, Melina found herself staring at a blond-haired woman with an air hostess outfit on. The light brown woman looked to be in her late twenties and had bright green eyes.

“The plane will be landing soon. If you want to get changed please do so quickly. You’ll need to be in your seat in the next five minutes.” The woman said as she stared down at Melina. “I would recommend the change. Your clothes…”

Melina looked down to see at her black dress and understood what the woman was trying to say. Her dress was wrinkled and had water stains all over it. It didn’t help that her dress was black velvet and was obviously ruined by the water marks.

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to change now.” Melina nodded her head before closing the door behind her.

Walking back over to her backpack, she pulled out the only other outfit she had. A pair of ripped jeans, a t-shirt and her leather jacket.

'Better get dressed and hope JR is a snobby person when it comes to clothes,' Melina thought as she closed the bathroom door.

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