The sky shone orange as I left school.  I glanced at my watch. It was 5 pm.  Geez, I have to meet my relatives this evening. 

You always have that aunt who cares about your grades more than your parents and gives study hacks as if she's Einstein himself.

And always a bragging cousin too.  Well, meeting them would be boredom.  I hate studying as well.

I thought about this as I walked back home. My sister opened the door.

"I'm back," I said in a small voice.
"Nah, you're alive," said my sister as she took my bag.
I knew what it meant.  They were here.  Which means I won't be alive for the next couple of hours. 

"Hey, Mia! "
That voice... No... Damn.........

"Oh, meeting you after so many days.  I got a scholarship to study at the DeClaires university here. You know.  I recently scored a hundred in my math, physics, chemistry, and even biology, History, and Geography damn... It would be best if you worked hard too... I mean, you should follow me. Right sweetie? "

She winked literally?..

"Well, we follow people with brains, not people who brag. "

"what the - "

"That's right complete it or you can't curse to spoil your goody goody image. "

"bitch-" she muttered under her breath.

"Thanks fellow one except for I'm a bad one. "

She stomped out of the hallway to the living room where my aunt sat chatting with my mom about the rising price of vegetables.

"Tomatoes are still going well, but potatoes are beginning to worry me. "
Said my mom.

"yeah Potatoes are too expensive now."

"Well aunt they aren't,  you've got one sitting beside you. "

Susan glared at me but smiled at my mother again, "Aunt Diana, Mia sure is cuuuuuute. "

"ah yeah. "  agreed my aunt.

"Nope Susan is way cuter what do you call that.... Umm... Yeah sweeeet potato. "

"Mia! Greet your aunt respectfully! "

"ah.. Good evening Aunt Fiona."

"Yes, what's is your percentage in class?"

"95% in my recent test."

"Well, our Susan ..my Susan is doing better but she scored badly in Economics."

"oh that's sad.  May I ask how much? "

"99" replied Susan with a sad voice.

Damn... that much dollars I could possibly purchase a Gucci perfume.

My mom looked triggered. She signalled me to move upstairs.

"Oh that's unfortunate! "

"I'm taking your leave. " I said and went upstairs.

I kept my bag on my table and looked outside the window.  The sky had turned purple.  It was my favorite time of the day. I wanted to go outside feel the twilight. 
Somehow the soft light on my face seemed to wipe away my tiredness.

So I sneaked out of the house through the garden door.

My town is a small one in the hills and very close to the main city of Hatmin, so I took the narrow alley near my adjacent house and set off to Hatmin. 

The sky was slowly turning darker as I clutched my bag closer. The wind had turned chilly as well.  A few school boys rode their bicycles and were returning home.  I walked along the uneven pathway that came before entering the city. 
It takes 30 minutes by walking to reach Hatmin. 

I felt welcomed when I heard the familiar market cries. 
The streets were flooded and the crowd seemed way too cheerful. 

I walked around the market checking out shops.  Suddenly a very cute necklace came into my sight.  It drew me towards it,  I felt pulled.  It had something aesthetic about it.  I went towards it and gazed at it.  It had a silver overturned rose attached to it. I picked it up.

"Ids a beaudiful biece."

I looked up at the old lady, probably the owner of the shop. She had wrinkles around her eyes curved to perfection, and her lips serene yet soft, with an elegant yet mischievous smile. Her cheeks gave of vibrant color and her eyes showed knowledge of something unnatural, they were intelligent.

She again spoke with her thick accent. 

"You dond find diis here..id iz brezious. "

"how much is it?"

"ah...dwo handred dallars "

"$200 for this?! "

"esss. Id iz brezious I said. "

Normally,  something this expensive was not in my purchasing list. But this seemed to draw me to it everytime I glanced at it. Something told me that I wanted it like never before.

I checked my wallet, I had only $20 with me. 

"Can I purchase this on installment? "
She gave me a confused look.

"I mean, I have only 20 dollars now. Can I come back to give you the remaining $180 tomorrow? "

"Uh... Okay... "

"Thank you," I said happily handing her the $20 bill.

She placed the necklace in a black box and said. "Rebemberr mizzy,  Neber Bear diis necklace for bore thaan tvwennti fbour haours."

"Why? " I said. 
She just looked at me and smiled which seemed was not for me.
I looked behind me to see if anyone was there or not but I saw just a crowd of people busy in their own shopping.

I looked back at her.

She had disappeared.