Black Truths White Lies

{6 Years Ago}

"Fuck it all, that damned weather lady with too much makeup said the day was going to be sunny as the rainbow, but it's raining blizzards," I muttered as I trudged into the house. The weather woman, with her perfectly painted smile and sunshine predictions, could kiss my soggy sneakers.

"Well, well, well, looks like someone didn't listen to their wise old aunt. Natalia, you look like a dripping wet mess. Honestly, I’d prefer the opposite." Aunt Kang Sun Hee said from the living room with pure amusement as she crossed her long legs and sipped her hot tea.

Aunt Kang Sun Hee, my mother's gorgeous Korean best friend, who was anything but old and mostly resided with us, possessed an uncanny ability to predict the weather, among other things.

She had warned me not to leave the house today or to take an umbrella at least because there would be a downpour by mid-afternoon, but choosing the pride of a rebel, I didn't listen. And now here I am soaked to the bone, thoroughly defeated, dripping with my wet pride after running through the rain. The Mexican weather in May was a damned affair.

"Have you heard from Mom and Dad? They were supposed to return yesterday," I asked her in a nonchalant voice, ignoring her playful jab.

Sun Hee raised an eyebrow, her sharp, amber cat-like eyes filled with knowing. "Worried about your parents all of a sudden, are we?" She questioned, her voice laced with playful mockery.

I gritted my teeth. Sun Hee knew my act better than I did. But the truth was, the silence from my parent's end since they traveled gnawed at me, and the sudden news of an existing relative from my mother’s side had left me with more questions than answers.

"Actually," I forced a nonchalant shrug, "I was just wondering if they called or if you heard anything?"

Sun Hee's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face before it morphed back into its usual playful facade. "Oh, buttercup," she said, her voice softening. "You know I don't meddle in your parents' business. But speaking of meddling, how was your date with..." she trailed off with a smirk.

I shot her a glare, but before I could retort, we heard the clank of heels, and we both turned to see my darling brat of a sister, Noelle Aurora Beltran, walk down the stairs, dramatically swaying her still-growing hips. She was wearing a tight leather skirt that was shorter than life and a red crop top that was mine, and I had been looking for it for months.

I gaped at her, bewildered. What the fuck is she wearing? And is she wearing makeup? My makeup? Oh hell no!

"Language Natalia, cross your heart," Sun Hee sharply turned to me and said in a scolding tone.

“But I didn’t say anything out loud.”

“Buttercup, your face did, and that counts as a foul, so cross your heart now.”

I made a sign of the cross on my heart as Noelle, finally down the stairs, with a devilish smile etched on her thirteen-year-old pretty face, declared as she twirled around, "Don’t I look ravishingggg!"

Sun Hee and I rolled our eyes at the same time.

“What do you guys think of my makeup? I did it myself.” She said, blushing coyly as she tugged her hair behind her ears.

“It’s very beautiful, Pumpkin.” "Yeah, I could tell you did it yourself… when are you going to clean it?" Sun Hee and I said it at the same time.

Sun Hee gave me a scalding look at my sarcastic comment, and I rolled my eyes.

“I mean, look at her! She looks like Chucky…” I said, cringing dramatically. I knew the statement would bring her down from her high horse. She hates Chucky.