Chapter 7

The kiss was passionate, Ingrid shut her eyes tightly. It was different, his touch made her feel like she indeed didn't deserve to be here. That's it! Passion is what she craved for, that's what was missing on that first day when she slept with Clover. She had to admit it, she wanted Giovanni. She slid her hand down to his thighs while the other one roamed around his chest, loosening his tie.

"No, Ingrid...." he pulled away from the kiss, "you promised you'd tell me about yourself. You didn't even call me, remember?" Giovanni held both her hands up and looked into her eyes. "Oh, that..." Ingrid turned away and brought the sheets closer to cover her breasts.

"My last name is Kramer, I was the only child of Lilly and Logan Kramer." "Was?" Giovanni asked. "They died in a fire when I was eleven years old. I got adopted by my Aunt who had a daughter that was a year younger than me."

Ingrid explained that life was a little tough after her adoption. There were times when her Aunt made it so clear that all she ever cared about was Kate, that she didn't care if Ingrid got sick or chose to kill herself. Ingrid told him about the nights she spent outside the house because she couldn't finish her chores on time. "I remember once,Kate and I were in 1st grade, Aunt May came home with our school reports.

I ran to give her a hug, she opened her arms and for a moment, I thought that I was finally winning her love for me. Then I realized that the hug wasn't for me when she dodged my hug and gave hers to Kate," she explained, "It was funny for me later because I got yelled at for getting second place but Kate got praised for getting sixth place. My Aunt told me that it was a shame if I came right below the winner, because no one remembers 2nd place."

Ingrid started to stare at the wall, Giovanni could tell that she was reminiscing about the old days because he could see her tearing up. "So, what exactly brought you to this place? What did your Aunt do that pushed you this far?” Giovanni asked. Ingrid was forces to begin to remember as she told the story of that day, not so long ago;

***

"Aunt May! I have great news, I got accepted into the University of Melbourne to venture in my programme of Psychology!" Ingrid yelled as she ran down the stairs, waving her papers in the air.

When she got downstairs, she found Kate standing next to her mother. Aunt May was perusing through what looked like Kate's results while Kate stood with her hands folded. "Oh Mother, you know I'm smart, those guys framed me and gave me the wrong results," her mother looked up and said, "You're right, I'll just have to pay for the fee for you to rewrite your exams, okay my beloved?"

Aunt May had no problem blowing money on her daughter. She inherited all the fortune that Ingrid's parents left her, apparently she managed to convince everyone that Ingrid's mother wanted it that way. Unfortunately, it was rare that Ingrid ever benefited from this fortune, all except the fact that she could still live in the huge house with the both of them.

"Oh, uhm...excuse me," Ingrid says softly, "I just wanted to let you know that I got accepted into the University and..."

"And what? what has that got to do with us?" Aunt May cut her off before she could finish. "Well, I'm kindly asking if you may help me out with my tuition fees just for the first year, I'm certain that I will manage to prove myself worthy of the 100% scholarship in the second year if I continue to be an A+ student," Ingrid said.

"Are you crazy? Do you really think that I will waste my time paying all that amount of money when your cousin needs the money to get into school as well?" Ingrid looked confused, she didn't understand how a senior high school student would compare to one being accepted into University.

Kate whips her hair and starts heading for the stairs, "Oh, and Mother? Don't forget to tell her that I plan on turning her room into my party playground," she says as she continues to walk up the stairs. "What? what is going on here Aunt May?" Ingrid is overwhelmed as the many thoughts of what that sentence could mean fill her head.

"Ingrid, I am sick and tired of your ungrateful behaviour, I gave you a home but you still seem to stress me out. So, I'm kicking you out, you have one week to find a place to live and a job," Aunt May says, walking away from Ingrid.

It didn't make sense, 'what ungrateful behaviour have I shown?' Ingrid couldn't help but think to herself. She followed behind Aunt May, "This is not fair, I've done nothing but stayed out of your way ever since you took me in. You can't do this!"

Aunt May turns around and swings her hand to slap Ingrid, " Don't you raise your voice at me, pathetic cow!" Ingrid places her hand on her cheek and thinks of all the times she's had to deal with this physical and mental abuse ever since she was little, "You took my inheritance," Ingrid says under her breath.

Aunt May walks closer to her, demanding that she speaks up, "You took my inheritance by force! and still I did nothing, why do I deserve this?" Ingrid asks as she stands tall, she had never thought of standing up for herself before.

"You have no evidence on that matter my dear, you are just as pathetic as your mother was," Aunt May started to chuckle at the sight of Ingrid's angry face. "So this is the little red face you've been hiding all these years? I knew that you would crack some day, gives me more reason to throw you out," Ingrid is beyond angry as she hears this. She wants nothing but to beat the woman that stands in front of her.

"You are the most evil woman I've ever met," Ingrid says to her as she starts to cry. Aunt May grabs her by her red hair, kicks her in the belly and tosses her right at the wall. Ingrid screams in pain, not just physical pain. Her throat aches from all the sadness she's been bottling deep down. Everything she struggled so much to keep and to gain was now disappearing far away from her grasp, and she was only given one week to pick herself up.

"You are the most useless daughter anyone could ever have, no wonder your parents preferred to die than to stay alive with you. Now get up! There is lunch to be prepared!"

Ingrid stayed on the floor until her Aunt was out of sight. She had no one to turn to for help, she had no friends. Her Aunt never gave her the chance to make any. High school girls were always the types to go for parties, even the unpopular ones could attend, it was a shame to say that Ingrid came below everyone.

All she ever paid attention to was getting those good grades, hoping that her Aunt would be proud of her some day. She made no room for boyfriends, no love, just school.

She got home early to bow down to the woman that took her in. 'If she didn't want me from the start, why did she take me in after that fire? ' This question always popped up in Ingrid's mind after every fight, every beating, every insult.

Now she had to come to terms that she was better off on the streets than in a home that gave her nothing but grief. Ingrid walks into the kitchen clenching her stomach, "She's right, I can't live here anymore, I'm grateful for her wickedness towards me." She begins to prepare lunch and fancily serves it on the dining table.

Whenever she served her lunch, all she had to do was ring the bell in the kitchen and everyone would come and eat. She wasn't allowed to sit at the table anymore because her Aunt always found reasons to keep her away from Kate. Ingrid didn't mind, she liked her personal space.

When she was certain that everyone was in the dining room, Ingrid went to her room and packed all her bags, all her necessary things that only managed to fit in two suitcases, she never had much. So she waited; for the right time to leave.

Dawn was arriving in the city of Apollo Bay, Ingrid knew the time that her evil family would wake up from their sleep, and she wanted them to find her gone Tiptoeing down the stairs with the bags of clothes, she couldn't help but wonder what she would do if she left at this hour....

***

"And with that, I left the only home I had ever known, on a journey to live with a sex addict and hopefully find a job, but I ended up here instead," she wiped her tears, she didn't want to cry. She got up and started to dress. Giovanni got up and stood right behind her, "You know, it's not too late to take a different turn right now, I could help..."

"I don't want your money, Giovanni. I don't need your help, I'm sorry but I'll manage," Ingrid said as she was away from his reach and grabbed her coat. "Now if you excuse me, I was also booked for a few lap dances, so if you excuse me," Ingrid held the door handle, but Giovanni put his hand on top of hers, "At least, call me and let me know when you get home, may you please do that?" Ingrid nodded. "How about you walk me to my car from the back door before you go to the lab dance booth?" He suggested.

Ingrid smiled and agreed, she took him outside and to his car, "Please, don't forget to call me," Ingrid assured him that she'd get in touch. He pulled her close and gave her a long hug. She waved as he drove off. She started to head back inside, she turned around because she had a feeling that someone was watching her.....but she chose to ignore that.