《The Blood Wolf》


 The Dinner

    Revolution: a major sudden change in the structure of society


    I was too upset to breathe, too mad to think, too vicious to socialize, too depressed to eat; I was definitely on edge.


    I lay in bed, with my face buried into my pillow. Stifling my cries and it acted as my tissue to dry my tears. I couldn¡¯t stop the flow of waterworks that trickled down my face.


    My life had been ruined. How did this happen? This was all my fault. I should have kept quiet as she told me but I was just too darn stubborn to listen.


    I sat there and remembered what had happened some days ago, I was broken.


    Completely broken.


    I was a train wreck. Two weeks after, here I was. Still broken but healing. I was in mourning for my mother, Kayceen Chambers. She was my best friend, my rock, my teacher, my role model but most importantly, she was a mother that could never be replaced.


    She was my mom and I loved her.


    It was my fault. I killed her and for that I know I don¡¯t deserve to live. I promised to never hurt her and I did. I took a deep breath. My eyes were filled with tears and I was ready to leave. I had said goodbye to her but I never really meant it. Whenever I said goodbye, it was like saying, I¡¯ll visit you soon mom.


    I let my fingers slide over her gravestone once more. It said, ¡®Kayceen Vanessa Chambers, a loving daughter, a wife, a mother, and a friend¡¯. I stood up and brushed the knees of my jeans. What was engraved on her stone wasn¡¯t enough.


    She was more than just family and a friend. So much more and no one would ever know because she was gone. With a heavy heart, I walked away. This was the last I would ever come to visit though. I promised myself this time. This time, it would be the last. I wanted to forget. To forget the hefty price I paid. The price of my mother¡¯s life.


    I cried all the time I walked home. It was silent and it was late, around ten. I needed to leave the quiet and lonely house that was once cheerful and happy for a bit. It brought back too many memories. I had cried enough. I was done crying. Being in the house reminded me of her.


    It was the simplest of things that reminded me of my mom, like the way she folded the clothes or how every few days she¡¯d be cleaning. At times I had fun and I was happy. I wanted to tell her everything then I remember she¡¯s gone. I felt guilty because I was laughing not long after she passed and that made me a bad person.


    <hr>


    I started to notice the little things, at dinner, the food tasted bland and not because the cooking was bad but it didn¡¯t taste the way she always cooked it. Remembering that she isn¡¯t here anymore hit me hard like a ton of bricks and it hurt.


    Mom wasn¡¯t here and dad wasn¡¯t himself. He left early in the mornings and returned early the next day. He sometimes fumbled up the stairs but maybe he was just tired. He was a cop and that meant he worked late but now that mom died he almost never came home. He had been burying himself in work ever since. As of late, he started to make more of an effort to be home but I know that only had to do with Ma, who stuck around after mom¡¯s funeral.


    I realized I had neared my house and I froze up. I was panicking. The ground under my feet felt as if it was shaking. It looked as if it was opening up. I was crying; I didn¡¯t want to go home. I didn¡¯t want to go back to that house. I bent down and I cried my breathing heavy but shallow.


    ¡°Make it stop, please. I can¡¯t take it anymore. Please! Dad! Help!¡± I cried silently, pleading for a release. ¡°Someone... Help me!¡± I whispered.


    The ground stopped shaking but now I saw the past. I was reliving the final moments of mom¡¯s death. We had crashed but it was my fault. I woke up, everything a haze. Everything was upside down. I looked for a way out and crawled out of the extremely bent up vehicle. I had injured my arm. Any sudden movements felt as if someone was tearing my flesh. I had a huge cut, so much that my flesh was hanging off. Then I remembered... Mom. I ran to the other side of the car and I saw that my mom wasn¡¯t moving. She was still in the car. I reached through the broken shards of glass of the window and shook her.


    ¡°Mom, wake up! You can¡¯t die on me!¡± I shook her frail form even harder. ¡°Mom, please wake up!¡± I screamed.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Suddenly, my favorite song started to play. I heard my mom¡¯s voice in the form of a song. This wasn¡¯t a part of the memory. It was a recording of my mom singing to me. It was a song that comforted me many times in the past. I closed my eyes listening for a while and slowly the panic went away. The song brought me back to the real world. My breathing evened out and I was able to stand up once again.


    I took out my phone and looked at the caller ID. I allowed it to ring out. I just stared at my phone, trying to compose myself. It rang again and this time, I answered.


    ¡°Hey, dad,¡± I answered cheerfully.


    ¡°Hey kiddo,¡± he replied. ¡°Have you left the cemetery yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I left not too long ago,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Could you get me ginger ale at the store on your way back?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m almost home.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you buy a bottle yesterday at the store?¡±


    ¡°I-uh... The thing is...¡± Dad became silent and I waited for him to continue. He seemed as if he was trying to either come up with a lie or explain the complication.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    Did dad hang up? Just as I was about to check I heard laughing in the background and I knew it was Ma.


    ¡°He said he slipped!¡± she answered for dad.


    ¡°How did that happen?¡± I laughed, I was curious. I wanted to know the story of how he slipped and what it had to do with the ginger ale.


    ¡°Never mind that¡± my dad spoke up. ¡°Just hurry and get home.¡±


    I nodded and soon realized he couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°Yes, dad. I¡¯ll be there in five. Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡± I hung up and kept walking but a bit faster this time. When I got home and dinner was already on the table.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m back.¡± I said as I walked into the dining room.


    ¡°Nia, are you okay?¡± asked Ma. She was looking at me closely like she had noticed something.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine.¡± I smiled at her. However, she didn¡¯t seem convinced. My eyes were still sore from crying so much. My dad walked in from the kitchen with some drinks and put it on the table.


    ¡°Sit down and let¡¯s have dinner.¡± He told me seriously and I nodded. Even though I was happy for the save, dad didn¡¯t look happy at all. I was about to sit down and eat but then I remembered to wash my hands. I did and then sat down.


    Tonight we said a brief prayer and we ate. Dinner was silent, my dad hadn¡¯t said a word and neither did Ma. They were quiet, too quiet. This was unlike Ma to go so long without saying a word. Dad didn¡¯t once look at me or ask me to pass him the ketchup. This was weird. We were having french fried chicken for God¡¯s sake!


    I felt so uncomfortable that I started to pick at my food unconsciously, while occasionally peering at the pair in front of me.


    ¡°Umm, are you guys okay?¡± I asked suspiciously, and as I did, Ma¡¯s eyes glanced up at dad. Maybe they had an argument. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t a problem at all.¡± He looked at Ma. He was serious and his voice tense. He jammed his fork into a piece of chicken and ate it.


    ¡°Okay...¡± I said, backing off. I didn¡¯t want him to get mad at me. There was silence and we kept eating. No one said anything and it gave me time to think.


    ¡°Richard, I think you should tell Nia. She¡¯s old enough to know and Kaye would¡¯ve wanted her to know.¡± Ma had suddenly spoken up. It sounded like something she couldn¡¯t keep to herself any longer.


    ¡°Eureka, I¡¯ve made my decision already it¡¯s not up for discussion,¡± my father blandly replied while still eating. He was being careful not to meet my eyes. ¡°I no longer wanna talk about that.¡±


    Then it went back to silence. What does Ma mean by I¡¯m old enough to know? What doesn¡¯t dad want to tell me? It was very odd to see the two like this because they were always going at each other. It was sort of like watching two apes fight for a bunch of grapes; except this was done in a playful manner. They seemed young by nature.


    ¡°Dad, tell me what is going on? You are behaving weirdly. ¡°I tried again. I really didn¡¯t like his attitude. It was something important. Ma wouldn¡¯t have brought it up if it wasn¡¯t.


    He suddenly stopped eating and dropped his fork in his plate; he got up and took his plate to the sink, leaving us at the dining table. I got up; pushing back my chair but my grandmother stopped me. She held onto my hand and shook her head. She was clearly warning me.


    ¡°Give him some time Nia.¡± I nodded and pushed my plate away. ¡°He just needs a minute.¡± I had lost my appetite.


    ¡°But look at the way he was acting. I think I should talk to him.¡± I stared at the door he just slammed.


    ¡°Give him time. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± I sighed and nodded giving up. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I know I am.¡± She smiled and looked at me with such concern.


    I wanted to sleep. It was almost midnight. I had plans with Ma tomorrow and I needed to be energetic. I didn¡¯t want to lag behind from lack of sleep. I sighed heavily; maybe a good night''s rest is what I needed to help unload my heavy heart.


    ¡°Ma, I¡¯m going to my bed,¡± I told her as I kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t stay up too late¡± she smiled mischievously at me as if she knew something I didn¡¯t. She always asked if I had a boyfriend maybe that¡¯s what she was going on about, but nevertheless, I answered as I left to my room.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±

 Wake Up Call

    There was quarreling downstairs, and I couldn''t sleep. It was 2: 00 am, in the freaking morning, and here I was awake and losing beauty sleep. I tried to close my eyes and stack the pillows on my head but the shouts bore through.


    It was definitely very awful, but then I heard my name. It piqued my interest so I got out of bed and hid in the staircase where it was dark. From where I was hiding I had a good view of the kitchen and living room.


    "Look at yourself. You need to be a man and stay strong for Lex. She lost her mother too."


    "I''m sorry. I don''t know what got over me." My dad apologized with his head down like he was ashamed of something.


    "Drinking, smoking and doing drugs is not going to change what happened. You reek of whiskey. GO CLEAN YOURSELF UP!" Ma shouted at him and I could see the raw expression on her face, disgust dripping from her voice.


    My dad snapped. "You''re no better than I am. Kaye invited you to Thanksgiving dinner every year and what did you do? You told her you couldn''t make it because you were ''busy''."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Yes, I was busy with the firm. You know that Richard" her voice simmered like she was trying to convince herself.


    "Pathetic. That''s what you say. Even though you were probably in England sleeping around with some random strippers, drinking and playing poker. Celebrating and having a heck of a time. Then you show up on the day before the funeral, crying as you cared. We called your phone, your workplace and left millions of voicemails. You have no right to judge me."


    "Greg is not a stripper!" she defended.


    "Get out of my house you hag!" my dad bellowed. My heart clenched.


    "Shut your filthy mouth Richard" she warned.


    "You''re a sorry excuse for a mother. Make sure you''re out of my house by 10:00 am today."


    "But what will Lex say?" she worriedly asked. My heart jumped and raced like an antelope at the sudden mention of my name.


    "Make something up like you always do. You are good at that." He shouted the reply as he walked towards the staircase.


    It took me a while to register that he was coming my way but I got away just in time.


    I had just witnessed a family feud.

 Ice Cream

    I dragged my sorry self-down the stairs not bothering to tame my wild bed head or change my clothes. I sat around the island in the kitchen and I noticed a yellow sticky note, with my favorite little words. ''Enjoy the sunshine, sunshine'', then and there I knew it was Ma.


    The sticky note was stuck to a bowl with a spoon; I looked about, my eyes flickered to the magnificent cereal box that stood in front of me, in all its glory. Involuntarily, my stomach growled like the thunder giving way to a storm. I went to the freezer and grabbed the milk and plopped back down into the chair. After chugging down my cereal, I remembered the events of last night.


    I lay in bed, not making a sound as footsteps approached my bed. My back was turned and I didn''t plan on getting reprimanded for eavesdropping. I felt my bed sink and I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath.


    "Chyenne, are you up?" he questioned. I know I should have probably not pretended but I did.


    "I know you''re awake because you''ve gotten quite stiff since I''ve sat here. Listen," I could smell the whiskey and the weed on him. "I''m sorry about what happened at dinner. I have a lot on my plate and it''s a little more than I can chew." He thought it would be appropriate to make a dinner joke and I could hear the smile in his voice.


    No. No, I didn''t turn around and forgive him. To forgive him would be too easy and what was going on with him changed everything. Instead, I just kept still. He seemed to get the memo that I wasn''t planning on answering anytime soon, so he kissed my cheek and left.


    I was angry at dad for disrespecting and shouting at Ma. But was what he said about Ma true? The question which was the query of the year; that kept doing somersaults and cartwheels in the back of mind was, what my father was hiding from me?


    I put the empty bowl into the sink and dumped the empty carton box into the trash. I waltzed all the way to Ma''s room. You guessed it, we were to go dancing...


    I knocked on the door and she invited me in. She was already done with the packing, except for the fact that she bought too much stuff and it couldn''t fit so like always I was the human heavyweight.


    "Thanks, Lex." She smiled half-heartedly as she zipped her suitcase shut. She always called me Lex regardless of my actual name but I never paid any attention to it.


    "Why are you leaving so early you have two days before your actual fight. I m-mean flight" she laughed.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Yes. She laughed.


    "I know you know why I''m leaving. Your dad doesn''t want me here."


    There was a knock at the door and we remained still. "Eureka, it''s Richard. I''m sorry about last night. You can stay. Scratch that." He sighed. "Please stay."


    I turned to look at Ma expecting to see a full on grin but instead, she looked determined and her smile was... Weak?


    "It''s okay Richard; I think it''s time I get going and I''ve already booked a flight, but thanks." I furrowed my brows. I was confused. Why did she refuse his offer? Dad left, leaving us in silence.


    "Ma, why did you refuse. He apology


    "I know, but a drunken man''s words are the thoughts of a sober man. We can spend a little time together if you want. We could go for ice cream before I leave." She knew I couldn''t resist the power of ice cream and eventually I gave in.


    "Fine, but I get to choose what flavor you eat. You keep eating vanilla like it''s the only flavor in the world." She laughed at my bargain.


    ______________________________________


    I stood looking at the freakishly large ice cream chart. It had about two thousand different flavors. I''ve basically lived here all my life and every time I came here I never got tired of gazing upon it. It was like the holy grail of ice cream. But to me, it was the ''Eighth Wonder of the World''.


    "Chyenne Chambers would you stop staring and choose the ice cream already. People are looking at us as if I got a retarded grandchild." Ma complained uncomfortably.


    She walked towards me and pushed my lower jaw up. "You better keep it closed or you''ll catch flies with that thing" she smiled. I faced her only to meet the most amused grin I''ve seen in a long while.


    "Okay, no need to get your panties in a twist. The pistachio ice cream for you and the vanilla is for me. Might as well see why everything you eat is vanilla flavored." She raised her brows as we collected our ice cream. She stared at me as I was about to take a taste.


    "Lex, if you don''t like it, can I have it?" she asked innocently.


    "The doctor''s orders said nope." I smiled evilly at her; making sure to upset her a bit.


    "This doctor doesn''t like me one bit. I don''t know why I agreed to this. I mean come on this is pure torture to my taste buds."


    "But Ma, you haven''t tasted it yet." I laughed at her. "Just try it please?" I was begging with every fiber of my being, also known as my famous brown puppy dog eyes.


    Finally, she gave in, she took a taste and her eyes widened. I acquired this as my cue.


    "So how is it?" I prodded. "Is it everything you imagined?"


    "It is good, I guess" her shoulders slumped in defeat, and her voice dropped a little lower, almost a whisper.


    I couldn''t help myself. "What was that? I didn''t quite get that." I teased. I laughed at her shyness about being wrong about the taste of the ice cream.


    "Fine. It tastes better than the vanilla one." She retorted, smiling a little.


    At least I won this round. Yeah!!

 Saying Goodbye

    My dad and I were at the airport saying our goodbyes. Well, at least I was. He was the one who wanted her gone and I wouldn''t be surprised if he put on a show.


    Just as I suspected. The hypocrite.


    "Goodbye Eureka, visit soon," but obviously I didn''t believe a word he said. He was the cause of this and summer would be over in a month or so. Time waited for no one and soon summer would have seemed like a fantasy. Like it never happened.


    He and Ma walked away to some distance so I couldn''t hear their conversation.


    I was in all black, even though I was still in a stage of mourning for my mom, I was now mourning for the time I''d lost with Ma. I''ll miss her; I sighed and soon enough they returned.


    "Lex, come here" she called and I went to her. I realized how upset my dad looked, but we still spoke in private.


    "If you ever need anything call, okay baby girl?" I nodded feeling a sense of urgency within her chased words. She hugged me and left for her flight.


    The drive home was silent, not a comfortable silence but one with tension thick in the air. I didn''t say anything to him and neither did he. He kept his eyes on the road and once in a while he would sneak a quick glance at me.


    I couldn''t take this torturous silence so I turned the radio on. ''I''m in love with the shape of you'' blasted through the speakers. I smiled and breathed the words of the song. This song was one that I loved.


    Soon enough we arrived, I got out and went around to the backyard. I listened to tunes and viewed some people''s Facebook page. I texted one of my friends back in England where I used to live some years ago.


    Why did I move? We left simply because my mom wanted a quiet life in the country, so of course, we packed our bags. There wasn''t a problem with Caramel, California, but it was anything but that. It was a place that resembled paradise, with street parades, people dancing, laughing and rich music. It was a magical place because it was festive.


    Me: I missed you, Cassie!


    Cassie: Me too Chyenne, me too. Are you ever going to visit?


    Me: I don''t know. I mean, my mom just passed and my dad is acting all awkward. I don''t think that''ll be anytime soon.


    Cassie: I heard and I''m sorry.


    What do you mean awkward? Lol. Isn''t Mr. Chambers always awkward? He''s a weird dude you know...


    Me: Smiling* I don''t mean like normal weird. I mean more than usual.


    "Nia, dinner is ready!"


    Cassie: typing...


    Me: Hey Cassie, it''s dinner time. I gotta go. I''ll text you later.


    Cassie: Save some for me.  Bye!!!


    I went to the kitchen pulled up a chair and sat around the island. I was ready to eat. There were two settings instead of three and I immediately felt sick. The knife to the right and the fork on the left and the napkin placed above the plate. Dad always objected to this, he preferred his knife to the left and his fork to the right. He said it was more comfortable.


    He and mom had a debate about this back in England and the rule was that no one was allowed to eat unless they settled this dispute.


    Cassie had come over for a sleepover that night and we were starving. Good thing Cassie brought snacks or we would have literally been rocking the skeleton''s trend. It was midnight before they finished. My mom was a strong-minded individual, and I admired that about her. Even though I could''ve starved that night.


    The food got cold and mom accidentally forgot the turkey that was in the oven. She burnt it to a well finished black crisp. The turkey was almost none existent when she showed us what the huge four-pound turkey had become.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Black Dust.


    We ended up going to Topanga''s Grill. Topanga''s was my all-time favorite place. It was always nice and homey. Not to mention the food. It was the right place both for meat eaters and vegans, like Cassie.


    Yeah, tell me about it. That girl is missing out on the scrumptious wonders of meat. Oh, how I missed Cassandra.


    "... Your hands."


    "Huh? What about them?" I asked quizzically while turning to look at my father, who was putting the salad on the table.


    "Did you wash your hands?"


    I looked at my hands as if I thought they were clean, frowned, huffed and got up to wash them. I wasn''t nasty. I was just really lazy around dinner time.


    "That''s what I thought" he joked as he sat around the island too.


    I smiled at his need to be right and after I washed my hands; I joined him. He was about to dig in but just before he did, I slapped his hand away.


    I inwardly grinned. Sweet, sweet revenge.


    He looked confused because I did that but he soon understood why.


    "Let''s pray. I told him. He always forgot and I was always the one to remind him. We held hands and I prayed the one prayer mom couldn''t stand.


    "Lord, we love you and we thank you. We invite you to our home to eat with us." I know that was sweet, short and perfectly okay so why wouldn''t my mom like it? But what you didn''t know was that it actually doesn''t end there.


    "I ask that this food will be nourishing and won''t leave us like the skeletons in Mr. Cheshire''s bio class. Bless the meager and bony hands who''ve prepared it. I also beg it is not as bad as it looks. Father, I pray that we will still be alive after we have consumed our dinner and that the privy won''t be occupied in the night. Amen." My dad gave me a look and neither of us could hold it in any longer and just like that we burst out in laughter.


    We ate and washed the dishes and after, we sat around the island, relaxing. We were talking and I couldn''t help but ask. It was the only thing I wanted to talk about.


    "Dad, what is it that you don''t want to tell me?" he became silent and looked at me as if he had caught me, smoking pot with a Jamaican boy, who was sporting a wicked Mohawk, and piercings in his ears, nose and bottom lip.


    "It''s nothing. I don''t want to talk about this Chyenne. It''s something you don''t need to know about and I recommend you stop asking." He sighed and got up to walk away. Something started to burn inside of me and before I knew it, I shot up out of my seat and my voice rose a little higher than I actually intended it to.


    "Don''t you dare walk away! It is about me. I have all the right ht to know. If it was the mother she would have told me; for crying out loud I am your daughter! What could be so scared that you couldn''t tell me?"


    To be honest I was expecting a different reaction from him but it was surprising when he laughed at me. He was clearly amused and it pissed me off. So I shouted at him and said the worse possible thing I could think of.


    I laughed too and pointed at him.


    "I wonder what mom ever saw in you. She must be dancing and prancing up in heaven because she''s so glad to get away from something like you. You are an awful husband and an even worse dad. I only wish mom was here to see what kind of man you really are." As soon as I said it. I regretted it.


    "You little b*tch!"


    He jolted towards me and my head whipped to the side. It was loud. There was a harsh burning sensation on my cheek. It happened, but I couldn''t believe it, and I kept my head like that for only God knows how long, until I worked up enough courage to face him.


    There was a single tear that was swimming in my eye. I was determined for it not to escape but it betrayed me and that single tear ran down my heated cheek. I kept quiet, even though my insides were screaming out to hit him back with more force than he ever thought was possible for a seventeen-year-old.


    I didn''t mean what I had said earlier but now I changed my mind. I definitely meant it now. Damn, I was fuming, and he saw it. My insides were on fire, blazing like a thousand red suns. I realized it was the first time I was ever this mad and it took more strength than I had to control the urge to slap him dead. However, I liked it.


    The man before me, who I called my dad, had hurt me. His eyes softened at the sudden realization. He understood what he did and brought his hand up towards me.


    "I''m sorry Chyenne. I''m sorry. I-I don''t-


    I pushed his hand away. "You don''t know what came over you?" I scoffed.


    He was a dreadful human being. I didn''t want to look at him anymore, so I turned on my heels and walked away. I went to my bedroom and slammed the door shut.


    He hit me, was all that ran through my mind. I looked into the mirror and saw a handprint my cheek; not to mention the cut that must''ve been caused by his wedding ring. It was not really deep but it was deep enough to bleed.


    I was dark skinned but with that force, it showed. I washed my face, being careful not to irritate my swollen cheek. The blood on my cheek made me look brutal. I wiped the blood off and brushed my teeth then went to bed. Before I turned the lights off I locked the door.


    If anything I was going to be a rebel. I was the leader and the only member of this rebel army and I wasn''t planning on going down without a fight. This was the beginning of the Rebel Revolution...


    I was in it to win this war.

 Rebel Detective

    The next morning, when I was deep in sleep; I was awoken by the consistent soft knocks on my door. I looked at my kitten clock and it was only 6:30 am. I inwardly groaned and covered my head with the pillow.


    It was safe to say I wasn''t a morning person. I tried to sleep but couldn''t because not only did it become more consistent but it got louder. It was a while before it stopped and my dad spoke.


    "Chyenne, I''m off to work. I left the pancakes out, you can have them for breakfast and I bought chocolate milk too. Enjoy your day kitten."


    I heard his footsteps leaving and I sighed in contentment. I was still upset and today was just phase one of my plans. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. They argued for me to go back to sleep. I ignored them and went to the lavatory and had a nice cold shower. I know it''s weird to have a cold shower in the mornings even though I''m not a morning person.


    Yes. And who tell hell has cold showers anymore. They were quite refreshing and it helped me to think things through. It calmed me. Especially after what happened.


    In the shower, I sorted through my thoughts. When I got out I brushed my teeth and combed my hair. My hair was curly at the roots and kinky at the ends. I squeezed half a bottle of curling cream into my palms and rubbed it into my hair. It helped but it just wasn''t enough.


    I got my hairband and caught my hair in one with puffy ends. It was a ponytail... Almost.


    I took one look in the mirror and decided it was okay. I changed into a navy blues sweatpants and a blue T-shirt that said, I''M BRITISH B*TCHES!'' I liked it. It was definitely me.


    I went to the kitchen and took the chocolate milk from the freezer. It was next to an ''I''m sorry'' apology note. I rolled my eyes and after I finished the milk I left, not bothering to have any of the pancakes.


    I went upstairs and walked down the hall. I passed my room. I went to the library and sat and read a book but I was too distracted to stay put for long. My curiosity led me to dad''s room. I opened the door and entered. There was a king-sized bed in the middle of the room. There were two closets; the one on the right was for him and the other for my mom. There was a large window right beside of mom''s mini bookshelf.


    She loved to read her nursing books. Next to that was her dresser. I swear it had everything: makeup, hair products, perfumes she had never used, lotions, shampoos and conditioners, brushes and combs for all hair types, lip therapy and face masks. You name it, she had it all.


    She wasn''t a barbie doll or obsessed with the way she looked but she was always prepared for any emergency. I went into her closet. All her clothes were still here.


    Thankfully.


    I fell to my knees and I cried.


    I missed her so much.


    Her closet smelled like her. She had an amazing scent that I just could cipher. I took a deep breath and hugged her clothes. It was the first since her death that I had been in here. She wasn''t here anymore and all I had left were her clothes and this silver necklace she gave me.


    It was a beautiful silver necklace, with a tiny crystal on it. She begged me to never take it off and I never did. Not even once.


    I tried to stand up to leave but my foot got tangled into something and I plummeted. Some boxes on the top shelf fell on me. I groaned for it had fallen on my head. I tried my best to put them back quickly.


    When I was done I realized there was a small shoebox in the corner. One that I''ve never seen in my mom''s closet. I kneeled and pulled it closer. In red marker, the word ''classified'' was scribbled across it. I didn''t think much of it but curiosity had the upper hand.


    I opened it. There was a bunch of blank papers so I took them out. There was a note taped to the bottom of the box.


    I read it aloud. "Dear Richard, if you are reading this it means I''m dead. I love you for making me happy all these years. The purpose of this letter is to tell you that I''ve hidden the file. If I haven''t shown Chyenne. Do it for me. It is in the safe behind the family painting in your office. Remove the file and tell her truth. She deserves the truth. Please, Richard. The password is 252002. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and a loving father. I love you, Richard."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    I put back everything and left the room. I stopped crying. It was time to figure out what was going on. I marched out of their room and went to my dad''s study. It was locked. So, I went to my room and climbed the tree outside my window. I held on and climbed over some more. I was being very careful not to look down. I was scared of heights.


    Really terrified.


    But I had to find out what my dad was hiding. I was halfway there and what I dreaded happened.


    I looked down.


    And from the height I was at, I instantly regretted the idea of climbing this very old tree. It had been here long before we bought the house and with my weight, I was afraid the branch would break. I slipped and I held on tight for dear life.


    I wasn''t planning on dying today. I regained my balance and continued to venture on. My breathing was steady. I was afraid that if I breathed too hard I would slip and fall for sure this time.


    I was now in the open window of the study. It was a good distance away from the branch I was on. One wrong move and I was dead. I braved up and jumped through the window.


    I landed safely through the window. No major damage. He always forgot to close the window and it was the perfect time to search for his study.


    I looked for the painting. It was situated right above the mantlepiece. I took it down carefully. After all, my dad paid a lot to get it done. Behind the painting was a keypad. I typed in the password.


    The safe opened and there was indeed a file. But there was also a bag of weed along with some money. For the time being, my focus was this document, so I ignored the other contents of the safe. I left it open. I honestly felt like Sherlock Holmes for finding a clue, locating the document and jumping through the window like a ninja.


    I sat around my father''s desk and opened the file. I read line for line. My throat was dry in anticipation. My eyes roamed over the paper. I learned one shocking thing.


    I read for more juicy details. I could tell there was more. And that is when it happened. The door opened and standing there, looking very astonished was my father. He who was inhaling some white dust on a mini-tray


    Cocaine.


    My heart skipped a beat; both at the founded new knowledge and his current actions. My heart ached.


    He was wearing his suit. I thought he was going to work. Sadly, I was mistaken. I closed the file and stood up. I took it up and walked towards him.


    "So this is what you''ve been hiding?" I asked.


    "How much did you read?" he probed, not answering my question.


    "Not much." I sassily replied.


    "Why didn''t you want to tell me?" I bellowed, not hiding the bitterness I felt towards him.


    "You didn''t need to know. You are better off not knowing and since you haven''t gone that far, let''s keep it that way." He replied as he tried to take the file away from me with one swift swipe. He failed for I had already pushed it hard on his chest, checking the file at him.


    "You can have it." He held onto the file and heaved a sigh.


    "My mom wrote to you, practically begging you to tell me if she didn''t get a chance. But you just kept it to yourself."


    "Kaye is gone and I''m all you have left. So you better start treating me with some damn respect. The respect I deserve." He quarreled hysterically, while he trotted around the room.


    I laughed for at this point I didn''t know whether it was him or the cocaine talking. It was the right time to bring it up.


    "How can I treat you with ''respect'' if you''re an alcoholic and a stoner?" I used air quotations to stress the word respect. Obviously, he didn''t know that respect was supposed to be earned.


    I yelled as I left the room. I slammed the door behind me.


    I plopped down on my bed and reached for my phone that was on the nightstand. I dialed Ma''s number. I stared at the send button. My frustration was slowly slipping away.


    "Walking away from me won''t change a thing. I never wanted you as my child. I only took care of you because of Kaye." He declared downstairs.


    The anger was back and I smashed that big green button and held the phone up to my ear. I was furious and I wanted revenge. But most importantly I wanted to get away from that filthy man downstairs. The phone rang twice.


    "Hello," she said.


    "Book my flight," was all I managed to say until a determined smiled crawled its way onto my face and carved itself there.


    There was silence and I was beginning to wonder if she was in this with me or not.


    But when I heard, "Its already done. Start packing; I''m on my way."


    I proudly grinned and the line went dead. I was going back to England.


    Somewhere where I never had to see that man again. I would make sure of that. He meant nothing to me anymore. He didn''t own me. I wasn''t his trophy. Not anymore.


    I was no longer his daughter. I was no longer adopted by him.

 The Flight

    The flight from California to England was long. I left Caramel-by-the-Sea, California at 7:47 pm on Sunday. Today was Monday at 3:47 am. I went to pick up my suitcase from the baggage claim area. Ma said nothing and neither did I. She had a lot of explaining to do but I was already too tired to discuss it.


    It was a long drive to the house and I flung my bags on the floor and let myself fall to the couch when I arrived. I didn''t even pay attention to the interior because all that was on mind was sleep.


    I awoke in the morning with a blanket over my body; well most of it was on the floor. I didn''t sleep well last night. I had twisted and turned all of the six hours I was asleep. I was in a living room and I shot up wondering where the hell I was. I started to panic forgetting that I wasn''t back at home because of Richard.


    "Breakfast is ready." I sighed in relief. It was Ma who was calling me; I remembered the events of earlier. I got up and was immediately greeted by the pain that ricocheted up my spine.


    That''s what I get for sleeping on the couch.


    Typical lazy me.


    I walked around getting a bit lost in the maze of this house.


    I apologize... I meant a mansion.


    It was a really, really big, huge colossal mansion.


    I couldn''t even find the kitchen. I finally gave up on trying to find my way.


    "Ma, I''m lost!" Hopefully, it was loud enough for her to hear.


    Someone appeared behind me. He was tall and slim and very old. He walked away without another word. I didn''t know what to do.


    I had conflicting feelings.


    Should I not follow this strange and creepy man who could possibly kill me? Or should I follow him because no one would allow such a man to be in here unless he was apart of this noble establishment?


    Well, here goes nothing. I hope Ma can afford to buy a new black dress for my funeral...


    I followed him, hoping I wouldn''t regret it when he was sawing my leg off.


    The place was bigger than anything I''ve ever been to. It was about the size of fifteen soccer fields. Okay... Maybe not fifteen but it had to be a lot of soccer fields.


    "Good morning, Lex" she sang happily.


    "Morning" I grouchily replied; not that it was intentional.


    She handed me a cup of tea, mint to be exact. It was just what I needed. I took a sip and it warmed my whole body.


    I sighed and inhaled the minty scent which earned me a laugh from Ma. I glared at her a bit before I continued to sip my tea. The man I had followed was nowhere to be found now.


    Scary!


    There was an anxious silence as I sipped my tea.


    "How did you find out?"


    "I found the note, then climbed onto the tree outside my window and into his study. I found and opened the safe. Behold. The file was there." I said proudly.


    She looked horrified. "I''m sorry, I didn''t tell you. I felt that Richard should have done it."


    There was no need to be angry at her because weirdly, I understood. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I nodded. "Just tell me the truth."


    She was leaning on the island. "Kaye was in love with the man of her dreams. He was her fianc¨¦. Kaye soon gave birth to you. I thought she was happy or so I thought until she came home without you."


    She paused and inspected my face. I took a deep breath. She was silently asking if she should continue. I spared a weak smile and she proceeded. She sat beside me.


    "She told me she had to give you up for adoption because she was trying to protect you. She changed your name and other stuff about you. You were adopted by Richard as a favor for Kaye. He was in New York waiting for her. She and Richard fell in love. They took care of you together."


    I took another sip of my tea, allowing it to warm my fingers as I listened. "Years later, they married and you grew up calling him your dad. She was planning to tell you about your birthday. Well, your fake birthday, next year. But, but..." she trailed off and I finished her sentence.


    "But she died."


    I hugged her and buried my face into her blouse. I wanted to ask her what my mom wanted to protect me from but from the way she told the story. I knew my mom hadn''t told her everything.


    "Thank you, all I wanted was the truth."


    She returned my hug, "There is more than you need to know. Get cleaned up and ready by twelve."


    And just as she said that the scary man was there again. My blood ran cold and goosebumps eroded my skin.


    I held my hand out to him and he took it. He had a strong handshake, and just like that, I knew he was a man who cut straight to business.


    "I''m-


    "Chyenne Chambers." He looked over at Ma as he said it, "Nice to meet you, Miss. I''m Prescott Stones."


    "Prescott, please show Chyenne to a master bedroom in the west wing."


    He nodded, "Right away, Mam. He walked away and this time I followed without hesitation. Mr. Stones was way too quiet. So I thought I should make conversation, but it was much harder than it looked.


    "Nice weather we are having today. Don''t you think so Mr. Stones?"


    I know it''s a failed attempt. I am a bad conversation starter. But c'' mon give me some props for trying."Please, call me Prescott Miss" he replied elegantly.


    "So... How long have you been working for Ma?"


    "For a very long time Miss."


    "Please call me Chyenne" I boldly retorted, finally feeling as if I was getting somewhere with Mr. St- Prescott, but he didn''t reply.Well, that wasn''t so bad.


    We downed many hallways passed many rooms and we took the elevator instead of the stairs; until finally, we came to a hallway with many black doors. My room was the last one down the hall on the left.


    "Have a nice day Madam." he bowed before leaving.


    At least he stopped calling me Miss, so that''s an improvement right?


    Ugh, back to square one.


    I opened the door and went inside. My bags were already here but they were empty. The room was huge. It was so big I could''ve gotten lost in there. The bed was in the middle of the room. It had a canopy over it with large, white, draping, silk curtains.


    It was beautiful.


    I had a bay window and a large balcony. When I looked outside, I saw the forest. It seemed like I was in the middle of nowhere but even if it was so, I was glad I was far away from him.


    My clothes were already hanged, folded and put away in the walking closet and some drawers. My room was of a beautiful ocean blue wallpaper. The lavatory was huge. I had a desktop with a computer and a large flat screen television hanging from the wall.


    <hr><hr>


    It was everything anyone could ask for. I took a shower right away and did my hair. I lay down on the couch and watched t.v. for a while until I was hungry. I left my room only to end up in the hallway with no chance of getting to the kitchen without being lost.


    It was now that I wished that this mansion also came with a map.

 The Beady Green Eyed Bug

    The hallway seemed deserted. I thought I could find someone to help me locate the kitchen in this place. Yeah, you guessed it. Bad idea. I put my ear against the door opposite to mine trying to assess if anyone occupied the room. I should have just knocked.


    I heard music blasting through, so I opened the door but unfortunately, because I''m a klutz I opened the door and I stumbled in.


    I bowed my head, feeling embarrassed; I was caught eavesdropping, but nevertheless, I apologized. "It''s not what it looks like." Chy, are you sure about that? "Okay, it is what it looks like but I-I-I, am so sorry for doing that it won''t happen again. I was only trying to-


    "You talk too much" was all I heard before I looked up. Excuse me. I was trying to apologize here. He was taller than I was and dark-skinned like me. He had jet black shaggy hair but what I envied were his very deep green eyes and his very defined dimples. His eyes were beautiful. Yes, he was handsome but that gave him no right to say such a thing, especially because he didn''t know me. Assuming I was talkative was wrong.


    And before I knew it, I answered the little tramp. "Oh! I-I-I''m sorry." I fakely stuttered. "I didn''t know I was talking to an idiot." I sarcastically replied before smirking as I walked away.


    Once again, trying to find my way like a lost puppy. But I still felt victorious.


    I walked down the hallway and took a right.


    "You''re going the wrong way!" he shouted from his door.


    I stopped and did a thinking stance, "Did I ask for an annoying GPS? Wait, let me think. Umm, no!" I ignored him.


    "Okay. Have fun blabbermouth!"


    "Douche bag," I grumbled under my breath as I stomped away from that horrible green-eyed monster.


    I ended up in a big room. I was so upset about that idiot back there. Ma needed to warn that prick because I wasn''t putting up with that behavior.


    There were beautiful paintings and drawings plastered on the wall, and beneath each was a title. I passed them, admiring each work of art. There were drawings of nature, people, festivities, and simple ordinary things.


    I came across the human realism section and that is when I saw one mixed media painting which caught my attention more than the others.


    It was a picture of a woman. I couldn''t see all of her faces because there was the black thread covering half of her appearance. The silk black threads represented her beautiful black hair. Her brown eyes were slightly darker than mine. Underneath the painting was the title, ''A Woman''.


    I reached up to brush the thread away so I could see her clearly but someone pulled my hand away. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"


    I looked at the hand that was intensely squeezing my wrist, and then I looked at the owner of that hand. Ugh. This guy again? It was the ''wise guy''.


    I pulled my hand away and kept silent. I realized I was overstepping. His green eyes turned a darker hue. It was no longer an emerald green. His eyes were now fierce forest green. I wasn''t normally startled by small things such as this, but his presence became cosmic, even I was a little fearful.


    I dared not to utter a word because that painting meant something to him, and I knew I had no business meddling in it. But what''s the worse that could happen if I replied?


    "Ignoring you and finding my way," I said before I quickly exiting the gallery.


    I saw him clench his fists but I was thankfully out of punching range.


    Whew... That would have been ugly! I stalked out of the room before he could you know... Smash my brains in. I walked around different hallways coming across many different rooms that surprisingly didn''t lead to the kitchen. Did you know this place had a game room? Awesome!!!


    But at least I knew I was still going the wrong way.


    It was about another ten minutes of walking around until I really admitted to myself I was lost. I managed to find the hallways with the black doors. Finally.


    But I was in a dilemma. I didn''t remember which room was mine. So I opened each of them, one by one. I opened door after door and now I was down to two of them. I had to make a decision.


    Was it the one on the left or the one on the right?


    I closed my eyes and hoped for the best as I opened them. I chose the door on the right. Yes, you guessed it. It was indeed not my room. It was in fact that jerks room...


    I slammed the door shut and my eyes widened. I had seen the most horrible thing ever. It was gross. I felt like prying out my innocent little eyes.


    He was flexing and he was shirtless. I shot into my room like an aimless rocket and hit the floor with a thump. Then I quickly got up and shut my door. I was now in the safety of my room. Why didn''t anyone tell me I was bad at guessing stuff? I was once more alone and dying. I wasn''t dying because I had seen jerk face shirtless but I didn''t get to the kitchen and I WAS STILL HUNGRY!!!


    <hr>


    There was a knock on the door. I opened the door only to see it was Prescott. "Good day Prescott."


    "Good day, Madam," he responded. "shall we go?"


    I followed him into the living room. I was led to the limousine and standing outside was him.


    Wiseguy. He was actually wearing a shirt this time.


    "Hello dear. Do you like your room?" Ma questioned who was casually standing beside the monster. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Yes, I do. It is quite lovely. Thank you, Ma."


    "It''s not me who you should be thanking." She said smiling, "he helped."


    "Eureka made me give up my room and help redecorate it so you could move in. I had so much fun." He said in an overly sweet voice and sarcasm.


    But because I already disliked him, I sweetened my voice, more so than he did, "That was so nice of you. I appreciate it." I lied through my teeth. I gave him a cut-eye and went inside the limo.


    It was a black limo, with spacious insides, and black leather seats with a flat-screen TV. It also had a pail with champagne on ice. It was magical. Until... He sat beside me. And across from us sat Ma, who was sporting a very big and mischievous smile. This obnoxious dude and I shared a look.


    No, he didn''t say anything nice to me. Instead, he took out his iPod, plugged his earphones in and placed them into his ears while glaring at me with extremely green beady eyes.


    We drove back to civilization. Just kidding. The streets were busy, and the city was alive and vibrant. We stopped in front of a large building. We went inside and we didn''t even stop at the reception desk.


    It seemed to me, that Ma, I mean Eureka was well known here. She was a well-accomplished lawyer in London. She walked in and took charge as if she owned the place. Nope, I wasn''t amazed. I was dumbstruck. I was so fascinated words couldn''t explain.


    We took the elevator and ended up on the sixteenth floor, and when the elevator doors opened I saw heaven. There were many people walking around busy doing whatever they were so engrossed in. The place was huge.


    Recently polished marble floors?


    Chandeliers?


    Transparent glass offices?


    I must admit, I felt like a celeb. But none of these feelings showed. I was determined to act cool. The wise guy looked completely used to this and I was absolutely not. I felt out of place in a very new world. It''s been so long since I''ve seen London.


    I fiddled with my necklace to calm my speeding heart. I was about to try my luck with the wise guy... You know, patch things up, be nice. Before I could the elevator doors opened and we stepped into this glorious contemporary palace. People, who I assumed were workers and not paparazzi, swarmed Eureka like a hive had found a new species of pollen that they couldn''t wait to thrive on.


    She was queen bee here. You go, grandma!


    "Mrs. Redman, what do I do about Mr. Shaman and his awful accusations. The media is asking for an exclusive interview bu-


    "The files are all in whack and my assistant quit on me on the last minute ca-


    "Mr. McKenzie is upset. He wants t-


    All there was was a noise and a frustrated crowd; suddenly, I was less excited about this place. They were shouting like a bunch of children who had their lollipop taken away. Not only was the noise too much, but I was standing smack in the middle of it, Eureka and that green beady-eyed bug.


    I turned to look for help but all I found was trouble.


    "Overwhelmed." I was shocked that he acknowledged my presence but at this point, I was going to take what I could get. Before something stupid and mean could leave my lips to mess up this, I nodded.


    He chuckled in response and I smiled at the sight of the amused beady green-eyed bug. Then everything went silent. I turned to look and I saw Eureka with her left hand coiled up into a fist. She was dominant. It was the first I''ve ever seen Eureka take so much control without even trying. I knew she was a businesswoman but I never thought she was so well known and respected.


    "Minerva, get me my coffee," she demanded. "All the other persons who have issues relating to people in the company report to me, by the beginning of next week. If it is not a life and death situation. Then you have until the end of the week."


    She took a deep breath before continuing, "Mr. Robert, make sure you have the most important files on my desk involving our A+ clients by the end of tomorrow."


    "Yes Mrs. Redman" the guy who I assumed was Robert obediently and hastily replied before running off to complete his task.


    "Ms. and Mr. Ricketts set up a conference meeting with the press by Thursday." They gave her a reassuring nod before they disappeared.


    "Samuel get a status update on Mr. McKenzie and what is going on. Also please let him know I''m here."


    She sighed. "During the course of today, the rest of you can come to me to sort out any other thing I''ve missed."


    I listened as she professionally assembled the different problems and assigned the jobs to persons who were capable of completing them. "Two of you come with me. The rest you are dismissed except Johnson."


    I was dragged along, and I knew who it was before I saw him. I just followed the little green beady-eyed bug until he let me go.


    "Hey, what did you do that for?" I questioned annoyingly.


    "Saving you from the sharks." He smirked, answering my question. We were just around a little corner away from everyone. I stood there watching them and wondering why this dude kidnapped me.


    "Johnson, please watch the kids" I heard Eureka say.


    Oh crap!


    "We should probably get back, they''ll be looking for-


    "Shhh. You''ll give away our location if you don''t shut it," his hand was over my mouth as he whispered.


    I thought about licking his palm so he would move his hand but then again I don''t know where his hands had been.


    I quieted down and he slowly moved his hand. I thought it was a good time to scold him now, "Don''t ever do that again you buffoon!" I whisper shouted loud enough so he could hear but the arrogant thing smirked before he became stone cold.


    Yes. Yes, I called him a thing. He doesn''t deserve a better title.


    "I only did what I did because I was sorry for you. Don''t expect it to happen again. And frankly, I dislike you more than you dislike me."


    I was waiting for a clever comeback to crawl all the way up my throat and zap him but it never did. I remained mute. He smiled again and walked away leaving me there to find my way around this big place. May I have scolded him little too much?


    He smiled again like he was happy I couldn''t say anything and walked away leaving me here to find my way around this fortress, and all I could think about was how pissed off I was about his behavior. I walked off in the opposite direction, forgetting I was ''saved'' by that idiot.


    But it was too late to take a step back.


    "Gotcha!" the lady with brown short hair smiled at me while gripping my shoulders.


    Tight. Way, way too tight.


    "Follow me this way, Ms. Chambers." without hesitation I followed, what else was I going to do? Run? She took me to an office where there was a man sitting around his desk. Before I entered, I read what was on the door.


    ''Leading Partner, Devon McKenzie''


    What was I doing here? Oh, crap. Was I in trouble?

 The News

    I felt sick to my stomach. Why did the leading partner of whatever this company was, wanted to see me? What did I do? I bet it was that green-eyed bug''s fault. He was the one who kidnapped me and I agreed to stay and be silent.


    Oh, I see. Not a good example... Hehe.


    What kind of hostage am I?


    By now, I was standing in front of him. The boss. He was dark skinned like the beady-eyed bug. He had cropped jet black hair. He was in a very neat fitted and expensive suit.


    He looked powerful; he had a stern face and a beard that was recently shaved. The bead of sweat from my head had dripped down to the back of my neck.


    Then he broke it, "Thanks, Janet. That is all. Please leave us." Janet respectfully bowed and left. She had the features of a Korean woman. Her beautiful brown hair shimmered as she walked off.


    "Please have a seat," he said, gesturing to the seat on the left. I sat down unaware of what was next.


    "Mr. McKenzie, I have just arrived and if this is about sneaking off. I sincerely apologize even though in my defense it wasn''t entirely my-


    "It''s not that at all. It has nothing to do with that. This has to do with the reason why you''re here in England and why you are in my office. Also, it''s about what you discovered about yourself."


    I immediately felt uncomfortable. "Sir, with all due respect, you have no business meddling in my affairs. I find it inappropriate that you would question me about my personal life."


    His stern countenance never faltered as he reached into a drawer and took out an envelope. He handed it to me.


    "Open it," he said.


    I obeyed and when I did, I realized it was a copy of my birth certificate. I skimmed through it not really paying attention to my name age or anything else except my father''s identity, and when I was done I could not comprehend what I had seen. I had figured out most of what was happening.


    My throat went dry, and the saliva that I had so much of instantly vanished. I licked my dry chapped lips. I looked over at him again, and my mouth was left open.


    He coolly stated, "Yes, I am your father."


    The beady green-eyed bug entered the room with a man pushing him inside.


    "Cosmo" He complained, "I was about to beat Stephan''s high score. You could have waited just five more minutes. You know that mate?"


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon."Mr. McKenzie, your son," Cosmo announced and stalked out of the room.


    "Ugh, you again?" he asked.


    "S-son?" I asked stuttering for I was shocked, a little scared and confused.


    The bug looked at me but didn''t say anything.


    "Father you called for me?" he spitefully questioned.


    "Yes." His father answered him before he turned his attention to me. "Chyenne, meet your brother, Scott."


    The beady-eyed bug- I mean, Scott and I shared an eye-popping look as our eyes balls leaped from our sockets. He really had no knowledge of this either? How could I have missed that? They shared the same beautiful emerald green eyes.


    But Jesus why? Did I have to be related to that bug? Oh well, it was time I started calling that bug Scott. Even though I really despised him. But there was something that didn''t sit well with me and I could tell there was still more being kept from me.


    "Who''s older?" beady-eyed bug asked, hope evident in his eyes.


    "Seriously, that''s the only thing you care about?" I mused.


    "Of course. If I''m older, I have an advantage. At least I won''t be the youngest anymore." He chuckled.


    "There are more of him?" I asked staring at Mr. McKenzie.


    I expected Mr. McKenzie to answer but instead, Scott answered in his place.


    "We have three older brothers. Jay is the oldest, he is twenty-one. Aiden and Adrien are twins, they are eighteen. I''m the fourth, you know my name and I''m seventeen."


    "WHAT! I have four brothers?" I held my head to support it from falling off. "I am the only girl?" I asked bewildered.


    Janet came into the room once more and announced something of importance. "Sir, you have a meeting at 1:00 pm. It is now fifteen minutes to one." She continued, "Sir, should I cancel?"


    "No, not at all. I''m on my way," he said, getting up and leaving. "Allow Prescott to drive you home. I will be there soon so we can properly discuss this."


    When he was gone, I sat moveless on the chair. I sighed. It was a lot to take in. The door opened again and I turned to look, it was Mr. McKenzie who was poking his head inside the room.


    "I almost forgot to tell you. You two are twins."


    "But Mr. McK-


    "Please, call me Devon or dad. Have fun bye." His stern countenance broke into a welcoming smile as he stalked off down the corridors.


    I smiled at the thought of calling him, my dad. My real dad. That was when I noticed the silence. It was sweet, sweet silence. No noise just quietness. Not a tense silence nor an uncomfortable one, but one of those that was calm and relaxing. Scott had his jaws practically sweeping the floor.


    "W-we a-are t-twins?!" he shouted in hysteria.


    I laughed. "So much for hoping you were older huh?" I got up and walked out of the room.


    "Are just going to stand there and gape or are you coming?" I asked feeling my pride swell.


    He got up without saying a word. He walked away not looking at me. He was upset again but I didn''t do anything to offend him. At least, I don''t think I did.


    "Hey bro, wait up!" I called after him but...


    "Eww. Don''t call me that, I''m not your bro!" he yelled and walked away. I didn''t understand. He obviously didn''t want a sister. Is he mad that I''m his twin?


    What else are they hiding?

 Vanilla Milk

    ¡°Thanks for the ride Fabien,¡± I said walking away before replaying the scene from earlier. I must admit it broke my spirit. He even refused to ride in the same car as me, so he left with Prescott.


    So childish.


    ¡°Have a nice day Ms.¡± He waved before driving off. The first thing I did when I got home was to go to the kitchen.


    I went straight to the fridge and poured myself some vanilla flavored milk. I leaned against the island and took a sip. It melted all my worries away.


    ¡°Enjoying my milk?¡± he asked amused.


    I didn¡¯t bother to look, ¡°Seems that way.¡± I smiled tilting the glass cup observing how much milk was left.


    ¡°Next time, be more thoughtful.¡±


    I huffed at his suggestion, ¡°What¡¯s it to you anyway?¡± my voice raised an octave higher and I faced the owner of that voice.


    He was taller than I was but only by about two inches or so. His black hair looked as if he had run his fingers through it one too many times. He was wearing one of those famous smirks that any trophy boy in the movies would have.


    His choice of clothes was quite sophisticated. It was of a French pop star look. It was modern but not over the top.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s feisty¡± he chuckled, he was getting me more upset with that carefree fa?ade.


    ¡°You know if you were a normal being the first thing that you would¡¯ve asked was. ¡®You had a tough day?¡¯ but no you¡¯re more concerned about your stupid milk.¡±


    ¡°If I was normal,¡± He chuckled as his exterior softened. ¡°I¡¯m Stephan by the way.¡±


    He walked up to me and extended a hand. I took it, ¡°Chyenne.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± he said smirking handsomely. It was my time to annoy him.


    ¡°I wish I could say the same but quite frankly I¡¯m not very pleased to meet you.¡± I pulled my hand away.


    ¡°If anything this was a waste of time.¡± I scowled, ¡°Now if you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    And just like that, I walked away with my head held high, and a cold countenance towards Stephan. You go, girl! I was victorious. That Stephan had just witnessed the wrath of the heartless ice queen.


    It was time I went on the journey to find my room. I took the elevator upstairs. I was on the fifth floor trying to find my way around when I came to the hall with the black doors. I opened the last one down the hall on my left.


    ¡°Home sweet home!¡± I exclaimed as I locked the door. My room was a mess. It was totally renovated and everything. Everything was out of place. It wasn¡¯t untidy or anything like that. It was just very different from the way I had left it earlier.


    Dark, blue curtains and a drum set in front of my bay window. I opened the door on the left and saw there was a large game room. It was the spitting, image of a man cave.


    That¡¯s when it hit me.


    I was on the wrong floor!


    I hastily ran out of the room being thankful that no one was in. I closed the door behind me and ran off. I bumped into someone unexpectedly and landed on my butt.


    Holy cockroach! That hurt.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He helped me up and guess who. It was Stephan.


    ¡°Hello.¡± He said, smiling.


    ¡°Hey watch where you¡¯re going next time,¡± I yelled.


    I know it was my fault for not looking where I was going but who the bloody hell is going to admit that?


    ¡°If I recall everything correctly and I know I do. You¡¯re the one who bumped into me.¡±


    Ok. I got caught but in my defense... I-I...


    Once again, I¡¯ve got nothing.


    I glared at him and walked away down the hall.


    ¡°Not even thanks?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I replied, near the corner. I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t find it odd that Stephan changed his clothes already, into something less French and into something more...


    Is bad boy worthy?


    I laughed at the idea. I entered the elevator again and this time made sure that I pressed the fourth-floor button, where I belonged. I tried to find my way again. When I came to my bedroom door, I knocked.


    I know that it is weird that I¡¯d knock on my own room door, knowing full well no one was inside but it has been proven time after time, I have no sense of direction. I¡¯m not paranoid, I¡¯m just... Careful.


    Can¡¯t blame a girl for making sure she was on the right floor this time. I¡¯ve made too many enemies already. I would hate to make another. There was no answer at the door so I took a deep breath and went in. I looked around.


    Yeah! I found my way.


    I hated to admit the truth but I was finally starting to like how huge this house was. I flung my stuff aside and went to take a bath. After, I watched Netflix and fell asleep on the couch. It was comfy but let¡¯s just say I didn¡¯t want a repeat of this morning¡¯s surprise back pain; so I went to my bed and drew the curtains of my canopy.


    I jumped in fright when I saw that someone was laying down fast asleep on my bed. I would have screamed but my throat was suddenly dry and I doubt I could speak a word. My heart almost skyrocketed out of my chest in a matter of seconds.


    This is why. I. Don¡¯t. Like. Surprises.


    I looked at his face and saw it was Scott. What was he doing here? He looked tired and I didn¡¯t want to wake him so I let him sleep. I crawled over on the other side of the bed and rested my head; before I knew it, my eyes betrayed me and I fell into a deep sleep. One that was so comforting that my mind slipped into a serene calmness. I couldn¡¯t tell what it was.


    <hr>


    very nice dream.


    I had just won my very own motorcycle. I was about to hop on and take this really sexy guy with me for a ride. Just five minutes longer.


    But it kept fading.


    Okay, okay three minutes; I promise I¡¯ll get up after that.


    Just as I was about to kiss this really amazing guy that I really wish was real, I was bothered again.


    Okay. Let¡¯s make a deal. One more minute and I will give you a joy ride for a week. Just please allow me to kiss this hottie.


    But this really great dream was drifting. And the more it drifted, the more annoyed I was with the person who was ruining it.


    Fine! Five seconds. That¡¯s more than enough for our lips to touch. I was whining now. I used up all possible negotiations.


    Then I was dragged out of it into the real world. Ugh!!!


    ¡°Just let me sleep¡± I whined. But it continued.


    ¡°Please?¡± it didn¡¯t stop. I was frustrated now that I flew up and shouted at the person.


    ¡°What is it? Huh? What. Do. You. Want?!!!¡± I rubbed my eyes until my vision became clear.


    Oh crap, it¡¯s Scott.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here. I was told to tell you that we are having a family dinner so you could meet everyone. It is at seven so get ready.¡±


    I nodded to let him know he should continue. ¡°I wanted to tell you earlier but while I was waiting, I fell asleep. Sorry about that.¡± His voice was cold towards me. I wondered what I did to deserve that. I was playing with the necklace mom gave me and I quickly stopped. I missed her and it was times like this that I wish she was here.


    ¡°Is it like a formal thing?¡± I asked his lips tugged into a cruel smirk as he slammed the door behind him leaving me in a sad silence that lasted about three seconds.


    ¡°Nope, it isn¡¯t!¡± He shouted back. I smiled feeling relieved. I was one of those girls that hated dresses. I took a quick shower again to wash the grime from my body, even though I hadn¡¯t been sleeping for that long.


    I had two outfits that I wanted to wear. A green T-shirt and grey sweatpants or black skinny jeans with my favorite yellow crop top. I didn¡¯t need to look fancy. It was just dinner with the family. Right?


    I don¡¯t really have a knack for fashion...


    Honestly, I think the second would be better considering it was my first dinner with the family. But the first one made me feel more comfortable and at home. I doubted they would actually dress up for dinner. Then again, Scott did say it wasn¡¯t formal. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and made my decision. I was going to rock that comfy look tonight! I added a little lip gloss to my chapped lips. Finally, in no time, I was ready to meet the family.

 Formal Or Informal

    I watched Netflix and got a little carried away with a Korean movie. It was so interesting. It was mainly about golf. A girl named Sung Misoo, who was very poor, had a passion for golf. She practiced every day and became a pro golfer despite all the hardship and struggles she faced.


    She fell in love with her coach and his girlfriend didn''t like Misoo. His girlfriend devised a plan to rid of Misoo by creating an opportunity for her to go to the States. John Lee, her coach found out about her plans and he went to get Misoo and stop her from leaving.


    They met in an accident on the way back and John disappeared. But, in the end, he still chose his girlfriend. I don''t like the way it ended but at least the writer expressed the reality of it.


    Holy cow! All this reminiscing made me even later than I already was.


    I found my way to the kitchen and then entered the dining room. When I did, I was greeted with about ten or twelve people. They were all dressed in suits and Ma in a very nice evening dress.


    I''m underdressed for the occasion!!!


    The room went silent.


    "Please have a seat," said Devon. He was sitting at the head of the table and at the other end was Ma. He didn''t seem to mind. I looked around and instantly felt embarrassed. I was only wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. I got so many stares.


    I wished the earth would just open up and swallow me whole.


    Surprisingly, it became noisy again. People were chattering and laughing away. But only this time; I was the new topic of discussion. From across where I was sitting, was Scott and beside him was Stephan. Everyone kept mumbling about my choice of attire. Some boys who were on the other side of the table were whispering cruel things about me.


    "Couldn''t she make more of an effort?" the one at the end wearing a grey suit asked the rest.


    "Maybe she''s not used to this kind of thing." the one beside him implied.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Poor thing," another said at the opposite end as the group chuckled together. Sitting beside me was a slim and lean older guy. I could see he previously shaved his stubble. He was dark skinned like the majority of these people except a few, but he didn''t whisper to anyone. He just sat there, rigid. He was eyeing me as if I was out of place. I hardly looked at him though.


    I eyed Scott from across the room. He was wearing a devil''s smile. He was in a black suit. Why did he tell me it was informal? How could he have done this to me? I never did anything to him. I was going to try my best to make it through dinner for Ma and Devon.


    I really didn''t want to upset Devon by leaving like this. Even if I changed, I doubt I''d have enough courage to get back down here.


    "So Chyenne, what inspired you to grace us in that outfit tonight?" everyone was silent. I knew he wanted to rile me up.


    I scanned the room for Ma with a desperate look in my eyes but she was gone. Ma wasn''t here to help me so it was time I pulled up my big girl socks. I took a deep breath and answered his question confidently.


    I was gonna play it cool.


    "I''m making a fashion statement."


    "I''m curious about the statement that you want to send. Are you trying to say, I don''t know to dress?" he asked, patronizing me. The guys laughed at his comeback. If only they could choke on it.


    "Not at all. What I''m actually trying to say is, wear what makes you comfortable and be yourself. Clothes don''t define a character." I smiled, feeling as if I''ve said something important.


    "You were invited to dinner. Make an effort. But then again, you pulled it off. It suits someone of your calibre." He folded his arms and now everyone was in full on laughing mode. His British accent was thick with the pleasure of mocking my appearance.


    A sudden wave of anger flushed through me and I stood up and banged the table. The laughing ceased.


    "Listen to me, you beady green-eyed bug; you don''t have the right to judge me. I''ve been here for only one damn day and you''ve shown me what kind of douchebag you are." I leaned forward facing the bastard. The tears were slowly welling up in my eyes.


    "Anyone who is related to you must be disgusted to admit it. You told me that this engagement wasn''t formal. I was happy I was invited but not anymore. I am repulsed for being your twin and being called your sister. What did I ever do to you? Huh?" I barked at him and as I did tears spilled from my eyes like a flooding river. The look on his face was evidence that he was shocked. His eyes widened at my sudden outburst fueled by anger. I felt better.


    "I g-give my sincerest apologies for ruining such a wonderful night. Obviously, my presence is n-not needed so please enjoy your dinner. Goodnight." I stuttered unable to control my shoulder-racking sobs.