Once dinner is served, at the dining table everyone is laughing at Mr. Johnson's jokes except me. I want to smash my plate in his face to make him shut up. He's annoying, just like his wife and daughter.
Right now I am seated next to Sabrina, eyeing my plate of mashed potatoes and chicken. I've been playing around with the fork instead of eating and Sabrina has been looking at me underneath low lashes.
Under the table, her foot entwines with mine and I feel like throwing up. Without warning I slam my fists on the table and stand up, infuriated.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I look at Sabrina, "All of you... Look at you, sitting here as if nothing ever happened. Trying to force things when it's clear nothing will ever be straightened out!" Everyone stares at me, "I'm done!" I take out my phone from my pocket and before I can type anything to Kyrah, my mother slams the device off my hand and it lands on the floor noisily.
"What
Roxy slams her fists on the coffee table. Her eyes scanning each and every one of us."You might be wondering why we called you here, first of all before I say anything else. You should know mama missed you," Roxy says and Tyler laughs."Come on, who wouldn't want to miss me?" Tyler asks.Maeve walks in right on time. We're in my kitchen, my mom won't be around for the rest of the day."Okay. As you all know we've been having trouble with Cruella and there seems to be someone who's telling her everything about Kyrah. If you're the mole, we're gonna find out. Sooner or later," Roxy states."Mole? You're making this sound like we're in the military or something like that," Tyler says.For a reason my eyes are on Jim. Why does he look so relaxed? I'm sure it's him. He's been acting weird lately and that's proof."Roxy just... Let me handle this." I stand next to her on the kitchen island. "Guys, one of
Tyler, Maeve, Scott and Roxy are watching me."What?" I whisper, grabbing a chair and sitting down."You were too hard on him," Maeve says, "I've known that boy for a long time. He's only got his grandparents and no one else. You just made him more feel more lonely," Maeve points out and her words hit me really hard like a basketball on my face.I rub my eyes in regret. Everything has changed. I have changed and I'm becoming worse by the minute. What kind of a person have I become?An ungrateful bitch. My subconscious reminds me."I'm sorry guys. I really am. I've been so harsh on all of you, thinking only about myself. I am a selfish brat. I just yelled at Jim and I don't even have clear proof that he's the traitor. Maybe I am wrong, maybe I am going crazy or something. All of this drama is driving me nuts!" I throw my hands aimlessly in the air.As I look around me, I realize that these people right in front of me a
"Kyrah please, wait. Just talk to me," Blake begs, trying to catch up with me, but I won't allow it. I start running. Fast! I can hear his fast steps behind me. Then he manages to get past me and I stop immediately, turning to where I came from, ready to run away but he pulls me into his hard chest and his arms secure me tightly."Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you." I struggle in his arms, I am pushing him so hard but he won't move. He refuses to let me go. "Do you know that I can scream for help and you'd get in a lot of trouble? Let me go, now!" He loosens his grip on me but doesn't completely release me."I just need to talk. Please," he begs again. I can feel his warm breath on my face. His touch feels unfamiliar now."You've got five minutes," I say through gritted teeth and he lets me go. He stays quiet for a while, looking at me."Four minutes! Time's ticking," I speak while tapping one foot on the ground impatiently."
On our way I feel happy, with the window down and air blowing gently on my face. Vic is busy on his phone for nearly half the journey."Someone's giving my little brother sleepless nights, aye? Who is she?" I tease."None of your business." He blushes and looks out the window."Come on! You've barely said a word since we left and you've been on your phone for hours. Spill it!" I grin at him and he shrugs."Wren–""Ofcourse it's Wren." I smack the steering wheel while chuckling. "I knew it. When she showed up that day, you haven't been the same.""So have you. I saw how you drool when you look at Kye," Vic chuckles."Stop that! I don't drool. I mean, who does that?" I ask and he laughs."Roxy and Kye, sitting in a tree,K. I. S. S. I. N. G. First comes love..." his deep voice sounds very weird while he's singing such a childish song. I regret starting this topic now.&n
Roxy's POVI groan when I look at the dress I'm supposed to wear."Urgh! Dressing up twice in less than a week sucks as hell!" I pause and yawn, "I'm hungry.""What do you mean, 'dressing up'?" Kyrah asks me and I shrug."I mean, wearing these outfits, they don't look like what I usually wear. Well I was excited to go to Rosewood but this time round, I just don't feel like dressing up. These dresses and heels can be quite uncomfortable you know. I hardly even wear dresses. Do I have to wear it?" I whine."It's the only one you can wear. Plus, if you refuse to wear it, you'll end up being the odd one out. I've been to that place and people there don't joke when it comes to dressing up," she says combing her hair carefully as she stares at herself in the mirror."So you mean our daily outfits are a joke?" I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms in front of me and she turns look at me."Well... You can say that. If w
Cautiously we walk in to the art gallery and all I can smell is paint, expensive colognes and wood and something else that I can't quite tell. People from one corner to another are busy observing the different artistic paintings and sculptures.There's a low hum in the room and some soft instrumental playing in the background.At one side of the room, a couple of people are staring at a piece that looks like a blob. We all stop and stare at it. Vic whispers to me."I don't know what all these other people see, they're looking at it like there's something extraordinary there but there isn't. It's just paint and that's definitely a lousy blob. If I was any more underwhelmed I'd yawn right now, but I was raised better," he says and I chuckle quietly.Kyrah smiles. "Well, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, why not art? Although I honestly don't see anything special, it's just a blob, right? Snow would have done better with his tail dipped in
"Whoa! Hold on a sec, one, two, three million dollars for a piece I made when I was a kid? A painting that can't be compared to the Monalisa by Leonardo Da Vinci?" I am shook. How is this even possible. Nothing makes sense. "So who did you buy it from," Vic finally asks the question that I was about to ask. It's like he read my mind. We all stare at the man in front of us, waiting for a reply. "I am not in a position to discuss that right now. It's part of the puzzle," he says. "Oh my... Why isn't anybody telling us anything? This is annoying and frustrating," I complain as I pinch the bridge of my nose. Here we go again with the puzzle shit. I've never used my brain this much in a very long time, since school is not part of my schedule now. "So you mean that Roxy and Vic are now millionaires?" Kyrah asks, her eyes look like they're about to pop out. "Yes," the French man says. "As I said, I won't keep you here for long. Any other questions?" I squint as I think of any question
"Hey, you," he coos and my eyes widen. "Hey, me?" I giggle, "Where did that come from?" "Nowhere," he chuckles "You're up so early today." "Yeah. I couldn't sleep so I thought of studying for the finals." I bite my lower lip, still staring at his window. Little did I know that he'd draw his curtains.So here we are, both of us looking at each other through the windows, holding on to our phones. He stares for a while without saying anything."You look beautiful," he says and my cheeks flash red. I can feel my entire body going warm. I think I look like a crazy cockatoo, if you ask me."Thank you," I say and I notice I'm in my grey, extra large tshirt that reaches the middle of my thighs. I'm wearing no shorts underneath but he can't see below my waist. My hair is unruly with my curls running wildly down my shoulders and face. He's in a black vest and I can see his huge biceps. I swallow hard. "You okay, Bailey?" he breaks the silence. "I'm fine, Stone." I think I like it when he