8 8. Moving out.

Ever heard the say "old soul living in the body of a young?" Or a "young soul living in the body of the old?"

When a person acts and looks older or younger than their age, they are often judged that way. Most times if care is not taken you might end up offending that person by addressing them wrongly.

I am that person, that person is me.

I, Que Mo Hendricks had always look younger than my age thanks to the stubborn extra baby fats around my chin that refused to go. My rosy complexion give me the plump, healthy look of a baby and my almond extra large eyes really didn't help. Add my untamable silky mane to the list. Honestly the list goes on, I was like a giant baby on legs. Maybe because I was always timid around strangers and never cared about acting my age, I'd always been regarded as a kid even though I'm a frickin 23 year old. I often get offended at first but got used to it as time goes on, having to explain myself to every person is tiring so I just let them address me as however they like. It was another reason that sparks my dislike for Mie, we had similar features but she was beautiful with cute dimples whenever she smiled. While I, Que is often passed on for a kid, she was revered as the most beautiful girl in our school.

She hang around Kevin when she first came while we had to stay away and were mistaken as my sister and people often ask her how she copes with a jinx sister like me. The thought of being associated to me angered her to more than anything.

Well the feeling is mutual.

But that wasn't the case now as Que stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her caked up face looks 10 times older than her actual age. Even with the layers upon layers of foundation and god knows what Soph had smeared on her face, the wrinkles and dark circles were still visible. She tried opening her red eyes but the heavy eyelids drooped, whether from the heavy lashes and mascara or lack of sleep that remains a question. Or maybe both.

She have forgotten when last she had a good night sleep. Heck, the last time she had closed her eyes for rest was more than 4 days ago. Her head was throbbing, her body all sore and aching but that was the least of all her problems. Her eyes strayed to the corners where her bags were packed. Her mind reeled back to that night after her return from Sheryl the shaman.

𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰.

She woke up to Bubblegum meowing at the base of her bathtub. She had dozed off while soaking in the hot bath. The water had turned lukewarm so she quickly finished her stuff and came into the room. She applied a balm to keep the cold out and donned her pajamas beelining to bed when a knock came on the door. At first she thought it was her ears, when it sounded again she pushed herself up with a groan walking up and opening the door only to find Jiji standing there holding a cup of tea.

"May I come in?" she said after a deep breath.

"Sure," Que opened the door and returned back to the room. Jiji entered, maintaining a considerable distance between them.

"I made ginger tea for you, it should help keep the cold out."

"Ah..ahem. Thank you." she didn't said anything any further, uncomfortable with the silence, Que cleared her throat.

"Umm, I went to see a shaman in the outskirts of the city earlier." Small talks is the last thing she wanted right now.

"That's good, Que. Well, there's no need now. The gentlemen that just left brought good news. There's no need to be sad anymore, you are going to be rich soon." Jiji smiled. Que looked at the wrinkled face of the old woman and realized just how much time had passed. She'd forgotten the last time the woman had smiled.

"You see, their boss needed a wife and after some investigation, they found out about you and they believed you are the best candidate. I say God's finally taken mercy on you Que." She said with a laugh.

"Nice one, Jiji. I almost bought that for like one second." she muttered yawning as she make her way back to the bed.

"I'm not joking girl, this is serious. He needs a wife and in exchange you'll get you a job. It's two blessings at a time."

The woman looked serious and it dawned upon her she wasn't joking.

"Tell me you didn't accept it,"

"Why wouldn't I!?

"Don't you think it's fishy? Who'd marry a person like me and even offered to employ me with my condition. They must be up to something!" Que groaned feeling her head clearing up and the so much needed sleep slipping away. She knew from the start those constipated bastards were up to no good.

"You are in no position to question their motives, you are the one that's benefitting from this! Your curse? Don't you think they knew about it? Who wouldn't? They said they'll do their best in finding a cure for you. That is the best offer you'll ever get in your entire life, Que, think!"

"Jiji, I know we are poor and now that the library is gone it'll even be harder on us" she tried reasoning with her, "but we'll figure a way out. Please."

"Us? A way out? There is no us." She laughed. "Of course you'll figure a way out. How many people do you want to drag before you get be satisfied? Look at this!" she threw a white piece of paper at Que. "Take a look, it arrived this morning, oh wait, I'll tell you since you don't want to read. It's a notice given to me from the neighborhood. I either send you out or I pack and leave the neighborhood with you. One week before they contact the authority! All you've done is spread catastrophe where ever you go. You are no longer satisfied with taking individual lives, you upgraded to attracting chaos to the whole city." she screeched, the veins in her neck popping out.

"Do you think I didn't know what you did at the garden? Those recent attacks, who do you think was responsible? You!"

"Tell you what? I've had enough, the neighbors have had enough of your curse and decided to not take it anymore. How many more people do you want dead Que, tell me. Would not be satisfied until you have me dead?"

"I cannot force you accept the proposal Que, but I've done my best, Lord knows I've done myself. It's up to you to decide, you can either accept or move out. This is all I can do for you. I've fulfilled my promise to your parents. You are not a child anymore." With that she whirled around and left, slamming the door behind her with a last remark.

"Who knows if you're even human."

But Que wasn't listening to her. No, she had long blanked out when Jiji uttered those words. That sentence struct her more than anything else. They did it. They finally did it. They are chasing her out of the neighborhood. They are blaming her for all the attacks in the city?

She felt a heavy stone lodged in her throat. Like a status, she sat frozen on the bed, all the drowsiness, tiredness and soreness had evaded her along with her reasoning. She had no idea how the night passed, she haven't laid on the bed nor was had she gotten any sleep.

They are chasing her away, alone in this cruel world. She has no one left in this world, and no one is willing to employ her. At the end she finally decided to confide in Soph for advice. When morning came, Que rang Soph and told her everything Jiji said regarding the community of haters, aka their neighbors. Before she could even get to the part of those human traffickers, the line went dead leaving Que staring at the phone in her hand. She didn't even get to drop the phone when loud bangs appeared on her window threatening to bring it down. It was the mother hen, Soph. She was still in her pajamas and the makeup from last night was smeared all over her face looking like a wild animal.

Cursing the neighbors down to their ancestors, Soph paced back and forth within the small room. Que managed to calm her down after and hour and told her the next part. After a very long conversation, they've concluded that it'll be better to accept the offer and sign the papers. At least she'll get job and not forgetting the monthly allowance from the husband. When push comes to shove, she could fill in a divorce when she've saved enough to get her by.

That wasn't a bad advice, actually it was her only option now that Jiji has kicked her out. Over the years, all the properties left by her parents were transferred to Jiji as her salary.

She met Jiji and told her the choice she made and Soph dragged her out to get some fresh air. The fresh air she was referring to was banging on the doors of their neighbors and telling them Que would be moving out. The two faced mofos would first made a show of sadness and Soph would add an "oh it's okay. She's getting married and starting a job next week. She's starting a new life, basically."

Boy you need to see how their faces turns green as they were rendered speechless. It was indeed refreshing.

When she returned home that night, the papers were already waiting for her to sign. She went through it thoroughly before signing, making sure it was safe although they were stuffs she really didn't understand. As long as she wouldn't be sold off or involved in any illegal activities. After another hot bath, she went to bed hoping to get a good night sleep now that everything is decided.

She should have known that wouldn't happen, because as soon as she closed her eyes she was jerked awake by that stupid perfect voice ringing in her head.

𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯

𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘯.

𝘖𝘩, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦.

She shuddered feeling the presence of another body in the room. She locked the doors and windows, but even with the lights on she still couldn't shake off the feeling. She spend the night awake buried underneath her blanket trying to stop the stupid voice, but no. The following days and nights were all the same.

Que groaned tugging her hairs. Her head had been banging for days even tramadol seems useless. She looked at the bags again, to the side pocket precisely were a yellow tiny kitten was stuffed.

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

The little yellow kitten had a sticker glued to it. It says found you. She found the teddy on her window after her sleepless night this morning. That was how she knew where it came from.

Him.

It was from him.

Her palms tingles and she quickly averted her eyes groaning and yanking her hair again. She's been doing that alot.

*

"Ha! I can't get enough of the looks on their faces. Conceited hypocrites!" Soph banged the door opened without knocking (she never knocked) holding a black satin dress in her hand.

"They had the audacity to send in cheap gifts as blessings. Blessings! Who need their blessings! For 15 years, they've known you for more than 15 years yet none had the consciousness of talking to you talk more of comforting you. Not even when you lost your parents. Weren't they the ones that conspired against you to chase you out? Nonsense."

Ah, right.

"Are you even listening to me? Que!"

"Huh"

"Jesus Christ. What's wrong with you." She had dropped the dress on bed and went searching for something in her bags.

"Soph! I had just made it stop ruining my hard work."

"Chill, I'll return them. Today just focus on looking presentable." She took out a flimsy lingerie she forced me to buy 2 years ago and threw them at my face.

"What the hell is going on in your head Soph." I flushed beet red throwing it back at her, "I'm not touching that!"

She rolled her eyes and muttered prude under her breath.

"What was I saying? You seriously need to stop spacing out on me. Mrs Anderson, right. She send you a pack of tea bags earlier too. Like you needed tea! You'd probably starve to death had you walked up to her in the past and request for some. Are they all pretending to be nice because you are suddenly marrying some rich tycoon? Two faced mofos, what do they took you for? A two year old, you might look like a teenager but not a baby!"

"Hmmm."

"Right, try these on with these set and I'm not taking no for an answer. Becareful not to ruin YOUR HAIR! What have you done!"

Ops.

"I can't believe you ruined my two hours of effort in 5 minutes." Soph looked like she was on the verge of shedding tears.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to. My mind was somewhere and I mistakenly tug at it. It not that bad." She squeak.

"You are hopeless Que, really hopeless. Go get this on."

*

After much threats and few slaps, she managed to make the girl as presentable as she could be. The black dress reached below her knees and hugged her tightly around hips and bust, she had more curves than Soph so it was expected. But apart from that everything looks nice. Soph helped her with her bags and the farewell gifts to the car that had came to pick her up. In front of the sleek black car stood Beardy with his signature turban but Spikes was no where to be found. Somehow she'd expected to see their so called "boss", but ofcourse it wouldn't be this soon. Why did he need a wife anyway.

She got into the car after waving goodbyes at the neighbors who popped their heads out of the doors of their houses. Even at this point Jiji still maintained her distance from her. She couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes even though Soph promise to visit her regularly. All of the memories of her parents and those she cared for was at this place. Now she is finally moving out with her only pet as company, never to return. As she was waltz away to her new home, Que vowed to get rid of the curse that had ruined her life no matter what.