6. T H E C R U Z F A M I L Y

“Welcome, Mariah.” Aunt Lourdes’ hugged me while the maids took care of my stuff. “Your house is so big,” I complimented. My eye caught on the beautiful carved statue on the corner and the massive staircase.
I waved my black hair on my right shoulder.
The walls were covered in golden rod Обои with a hint of yellow-green vines as the design. “Are Ты hungry? We’re about to eat lunch,” she looked at me.
I pursed my lips. “Um, yes,” considering the fact that I didn’t eat along the long way, made me hungry as I smelled the scent of the Еда from the kitchen.
“Okay, let me lead Ты to the dining room,” she held my back as we walk.
Standing by the door of the dining room, a servant greeted us ‘Good morning’ with a smile on her face. Wow, I mouthed. Aunt Lourdes smiled. The first thing I’d noticed was the the beautiful chandelier. So classic and bright.
On one right corner stood a collection of china’s placed inside a mahogany cabinet. It must be really expensive.
I also had noticed the long dining table. The таблица setting’s served in an American style. On the middle of the таблица stood a beautiful arrangement of white flowers; I don’t even know what it’s called. I never saw one before. By the edge of the таблица near the mahogany cabinet, a tripled candle light stood there covered in red ribbons. Aunt Lourdes and I sat down in the каштан таблица with her kids.
I didn’t notice ‘em inside the room already. In front of me Riley sat. I smiled at him but all he did is he ignored me. I felt something tingly rising inside me.
Beside him sat a girl, about I don’t know a bit younger than Aeyla? Her hair colored in brownish black hair at the length up to her shoulders.
She smiled at me. I did the same back. At my right, a fine black haired girl went to sit beside me. I think she’s about nineteen years old of age. Near her, I can hear the sound of a rock Музыка band playing in her earphones. She mouthed the lyrics.
Aunt Lourdes looked at her. I’m definitely sure she understood on her mother’s look meant. The girl cleared her throat as if she has something to say.
“Okay, let’s pray first before we eat,” her voice certain. After the prayer, we all grabbed ourselves Еда on the table. I let them scoop first, then me. “Mariah, help yourself on anything,” Aunt Lourdes offered. “Um, sure,” I let out a soft laugh. I got a стейк and poured some cream of суп in my bowl.
On the other side of the room, I can here classical Музыка playing. I guess its Beethoven. “So Mariah, how old are you?” the girl beside Riley asked.
I quickly answered, “Seventeen,”
“Oh, same age as Riley,” Aunt Lourdes сказал(-а) looking at him. Riley said, “Yeah,” and he forced to laugh and stabbing the стейк using his fork. “Well Mariah, Ты know Ты are very welcome to stay here with us. Otherwise feel free on everything.
Act like it’s your Главная already.” Aunt Lourdes face looked gleeful.
I looked at the girl’s faces, they nodded. I looked at Riley but he was busy with his cell phone. Is he mad at me или something? I think there’s a problem. I sighed.
“Thank Ты for having me here to stay for the summer. I really appreciate it,”
I forced a smile.

“And this is your room,” Aunt Lourdes opened the door. I felt my mouth open.
The walls are painted in a персик color with a hint of autumn leaves to complete the piece of the room; a double постель, кровати stood with white and red оранжевый sheets.
There’s a стол письменный, стол on the other side of the room; above me was a chandelier fan; white and оранжевый stripes of the curtains.
I’ve noticed an Энджел masterpiece above the white sofa. “Oh, you’ve noticed that?” Aunt Lourdes asked. “Yes. Its very elegant,” I stared at it. The Энджел was sitting on the облако with a book on its hand.
“That painting is from my mother. We placed that here because the color of its frame Форс-мажоры the color of this room. And I’m very glad we found a place to hang it,”
She sighed and continued, “Ever since we got here in McKinley Hills, we didn’t find a good spot to hang this one. Unexpectedly I told your mom, that I invited Ты to stay here. So yesterday, we were fixing everything in this room. Until one of our maids here saw that painting in the attic, I told her ‘That would complete the room of Mariah’ then here it is.” I smiled. Aunt Lourdes also told me that the painting was believed a ‘good luck’ thing in any house in any room. Wow.
The conversation lasted about 15 minutes. “I hope Ты liked the room Mariah,” She сказал(-а) holding the door knob from the outside then closed it.
“Oh, I’m lovin’ it right now,” I said. I wander around the room.
I shifted my weight to the terrace. Wow. The image of the garden made me jump. “That’s classic,” I gulped. Below me was the swimming pool. I saw Riley rose up in the water and a maid handed a towel to him. He caught me staring at him.
We looked in each others eyes for like a few секунды then he broke it.
He went back inside and I did the same.
I sighed.
I found my luggage’s in the corner of the room near the bathroom door.
My bodies moved to the corner and unpack my things.
After a few минуты of unpacking, I took a nap…and closed my eyes.

The Далее morning made me jumped a little. Someone made a knock on the door.
I was a bit lazy to get up. “Yeah?” I called out. A brownish hair poked out of the door, “Hi, did I wake you?” her voice as if innocent. I sat down the постель, кровати looking at the time on the nigh stand. “No, not at all,” She sighed and closed the door behind her. “Were going to church actually, I mean if Ты want to come,”
I stood up, “Yes, I would like to come,” She observed the room. “Okay, great.
So I guess you’re not ready yet,” she stared at my clothes from yesterday.
Man, I fell asleep that long. “Yeah um, Ты know what, I’ll just take a душ for a while,” I smiled.
“Good, see Ты downstairs,” she went for the door.
I opened the closet door. “By the way, I’m Angeline,” she smiled. “Okay,” I replied and she shut the door.
After a few minutes, I was dressed in clean clothes and I smelled like roses.
I went downstairs.
Everyone was in the table. Aunt Lourdes Чтение the daily paper, Riley texting, Angeline eating so as the black haired girl called Jamaica Ann. I sat beside Angeline.
After I grab a блюдо of Еда and ate, we all stood up.
Aunt Lourdes announced, “We’ll be leaving in 5 minutes, Jamaica Ты drive the Volvo. I’ll go get my bag,”
“Why can’t I drive it?” Riley protested.
“’Cause Ты have a car and besides, you’re already an expert,” Jamaica teased.
Riley scoffed. Irritated.
“Whatever,” Riley went out of the door, Honda keys in his hands.
“Don’t worry about him he’s just not in the mood, Ты know,” Jamaica looked at me.
“He must have a problem,” I сказал(-а) looking at the ceiling.
“Let’s not talk about him, we have church to attend,” Angeline went out of the door.
Aunt Lourdes went down from upstairs.
We four people went inside the Volvo, a silver one.


After church we went to dine in in a Chinese restaurant. Angeline told me that the manager here was a close friend of my mother and her mom. My eyes grew bigger.
A few weeks passed me and Riley’s sisters went to a girls-night-out in 74th Street, we talked about me, to get to know me something like that. The week before it we went to celebrate Aunt Lourdes’ 41th birthday. Riley was still not in the mood.
He kept his cell phone busy.
The секунда week of April, we planned to go in the most beautiful пляж, пляжный in the world, Boracay beach.
I stepped my foot in the sand, it made it sink a little. The sand was made of tiny particles and its color, white. I loved it here.
Considering the temperature, it’s really hot in this place. I wiped my forehead using the back of my hand then took a sip of манго shake.
“Riley, stop texting!” Aunt Lourdes сказал(-а) irritated. “You’ve been busy there for the last two hours, can’t Ты do something else?” Aunt Lourdes sounded like my mother. She faced Riley, a bit worried, I suppose.
“I need some air,” Riley went out of his chair.
I sighed.
What really is happening to Riley?
To be honest I’m concern about him.
“He’s losing his mind; the air is already surrounded by him!” Jamaica shrieked.
“He meant a moment, like a moment alone.” I looked at Jamaica.
“I know but—“
“Jamaica, leave him alone for a while. He’ll heat down, too.” Angeline cut her off.
Jamaica scoffed and opened an In Style magazine.
“I’m going diving,” I went to the water.