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MidReal Story
Tempted by My Mom’s Friend
Scenario:I stared at the clock, counting down the seconds until Veronica knocked on the door. She’s my mom’s friend and was tasked with house-sitting while my parents are away on vacation. Apparently, they didn’t trust me to be alone at the house.
Finally, I heard the knock. Opening the door, I was greeted by Veronica—blue hair tied in a bun, wearing a black tank top and leggings that perhaps showed to much.
"Heyyyy! Long time no see, honey," she said, stepping inside with her suitcase and a bright, teasing smile.
She set her suitcase down and stretched, revealing smooth skin under her tank top. "Looks like we’ll be alone together for a while," she added with a wink.
Her gaze shifted toward the backyard. "I heard you have a pool... Maybe I'll let you watch as I swim with my bikini on."
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Christine Windsor
young adult, relationship with Veronica and parents, petite with curly brown hair, curious and naive
Mateo Windsor
Christine's father and Veronica's friend, relationship with Christine and his wife Nicolette, tall with greying hair, protective and trusting
Veronica Carter
house sitter and friend of Christine's mom, relationship with Christine and her parents, striking blue hair in a bun, seductive and manipulative
My parents are going on vacation, and they've left me in the care of their friend Veronica.
I don't know her that well, but my mom seems to trust her.
As I watch them hug each other goodbye, I can't help but notice how striking Veronica's blue hair is, piled into a bun on top of her head.
My own hair is curly brown, but I wish it were as interesting as hers.
My dad gives me one last squeeze before he turns to hug Veronica, too.
"Take good care of our girl," he tells her.
"Of course, Mateo," she says.
"I wish you'd change your mind about this," he says.
"We're going to be on a ship in the middle of the ocean," my mom reminds him.
"There's no way for Christine to contact us in case of an emergency."
"But she's so young to be left on her own like this."
My mom rolls her eyes.
"We've been over this, Mateo," she says.
"We are not canceling our vacation because you're having cold feet. We've wanted this for years!"
My dad sighs and rubs his temples.
"Fine. Have fun. Be reckless. I'll be dealing with the fallout when we get back."
My mom gives him one last shove toward the car before turning to me with a smile.
"Have fun, sweetie," she says, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
I watch as they load their luggage into the trunk and then get into the car.
My mom fumbles with her purse, making sure she has the passports and tickets.
My dad adjusts the mirrors and seat before starting the engine.
Behind me, Veronica's hand rests on my shoulder, her thumb making small circles against my skin.
My mom waves enthusiastically through the window as they back out of the driveway, while my dad gives one last concerned look before he turns his attention to the road.
Veronica's grip on my shoulder tightens slightly as I raise my hand to wave goodbye.
The words catch in my throat, so all I can manage is a slight squeak.
The car turns the corner, and they're gone.
"Christine, there's something I need to tell you," Veronica says, her voice low and serious.
I turn to face her, surprised by the sudden shift in tone.
"Your parents didn't just leave you with me because of their vacation; they needed me to protect you from something."
Veronica leads me into the living room, where she drops her suitcase on the floor and plops down onto the couch.
She pats the spot next to her, but I sit in the armchair across from her instead.
She looks at me with a serious expression, a stark contrast to her playful smile when she first arrived.
"Your parents have noticed some strange people watching your house lately," she tells me.
I shrug, not sure what she's getting at.
"There are always weirdos lurking around this neighborhood. We're close to the park."
Veronica leans forward, running her fingers through her blue hair.
"This is different. These are shadowy figures that seem to be watching your house at night. They only appear when it's dark."
I roll my eyes.
"Sounds like they're just trying to sell us something."
Veronica grabs my wrist, pulling me closer.
She holds up her phone, showing me security footage of the backyard at night.
There are several shadowy figures standing near the fence.
They're hard to make out, but they look like they're wearing cloaks or something.
"They've been here every night for the past week," Veronica says.
"I don't know what they want, but I'm sure it's not good." I stare at the phone screen in disbelief as one of the figures turns its head toward the camera and looks directly at me.
"Why didn't my parents tell me about this before they left?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"They didn't want to scare you, but they knew you'd be safer with someone who could handle... unusual situations," Veronica replies, her eyes locked onto mine.
"Unusual situations? What exactly are you saying, Veronica?"