Sunday was a gust of air as the Monday morning's baby sun glistened through her curtains and faint outrage-donned voices pierced through her ears. As unusual as it was, Gianna slipped into her room slippers and headed straight to the origin. "That is a whole fucking lot down the drain because of your carelessness." Her father's voice was decipherable the closer she got to the living room. His back and her mother's faced her while the two men she would recognize on close inspection had their heads hung low. She saw her mother soothingly rubbing her father's back as the veins on his neck popped from yelling. "Whatever kind of pesticide did you purchase? Do I always have to do things on my own? If so then what am I paying you for?" "Mr. Donovan," the elder of the two men shakily muttered, his mid-bald head exposed from the old burgundy cowboy hat that reverently rested on his dirty khaki jean-dressed thighs. "We've worked for you for as long as I can rem
"You're awake." Louisa walked in with a tray of a bowl of soup in hand and Petra on her tail. The latter ran to her sister for a teddy hug and never left. "Easy, Petra, else, you might provoke mild itches." Petra gave no mind. Louisa deposited the tray on Gianna's study table. "How are you feeling?" "Better. Come on, Pet, you're strangling me." "Be happy. Because even though you look like a blowfish, I still choose to hug you," she giggled. "A blo—" she quickly ruffled off the bed to her dressing table mirror. The sight was so horrible that she teared up. "Oh my God, I really do look like one." "See?" "Petra, to your room and on your bed," Louisa ordered. The endless mass of energy acquiesced and hopped away after another blowfish stunt. Gianna returned her sad gaze to the mirror; parched and begrudgingly puckered were her lips, her skin decorated in red blotches gave her the impression of a koi fish. The cherry on the cake was her swo
The only reason why Gianna had a smile on despite the roller coaster events of the recent days was because of Seth. She'd returned his call after Mimie and Kelly had left, blabbed about everything and anything as always, only this time, with a different relationship stand. He listened to her, meticulously, and went as far as acting protective.She felt his steaming rage when she talked about the allergy story and as much as she had never seen him that way, Gianna felt a distinct sense of safety, comfort, and love behind the reaction. The two girls had left her home with a first kiss anticipation for when next she visited the city and an instantaneous letter of summoning in the confinement of her room. And since then, she hadn't stopped thinking about the kiss to come, the fear of fumbling, and the awkwardness after that. Her cheeks heated up. "Why are you red?" Petra asked, her face an inch from Gianna's in observance. "Back off. Little
"Thanks," She appreciated after Sean's uneasy exit. As eccentric as it was. Grateful, however, pessimistic about the incoming days ahead Gianna wished he never intervened. Adam was there now but he will not keep being there forever. Adam smiled, an act that gave him an 80s movie star resemblance. She blamed Venisa and her soap operas for the attribution and no, she wasn't an enthusiast. She just happened to accidentally peek during a routine or an aimless wander around the house. "But why?" She added. Adam adjusted his glasses further up his nose bridge and shrugged, "I guess I couldn't stand the victimization any longer." "You should not have done it. You don't know what you have gotten yourself into." "Ah, that phrase right there should be in the third person singular, I presume." Gianna squinted her eyes, clueless. "Never mind. It was an improvisational act. Shoot! Now that I think about it, I guess I'm now a participant
"Why?" Venisa sniffed. "God, why? Damien, why?" When she heard the door shut, she quickly turned to the intruder with a heavy eyeliner smear beneath her eyes. "Oh, Gigi, you won't believe this." "Believe what?" Gianna's mood was bitter. "Hey," Venisa jutted her head further up the sofa. "You look horrible. Did you cry?" Gianna ignored her as she proceeded with her journey to her room. "Wait! Message from your parents: they'll be home late meanwhile, a certain Rigg will be coming by five thirty and they'll want you to give him an envelope from your father's study. Wait," she pondered. "It has a name written on it...what was that again? VIPS? VMIC? VHSP? VF...urgh! Wait..." "I'll find it when I get there," she cut her off. "How are you even so sure there's a V?" "I attributed it to my name. Venisa is pretty...motherfuckers. Oh! I got it. It's VIPM. Yes!" She victoriously fisted the sofa causing Gianna to shake her head. "
"Anna?" Gianna halted from proceeding further into the campus after shutting her mother's car. "Are you sure you did not see that envelope on your dad's study table?" Louisa asked for the third time that morning since she was sure and certain to have seen Mason leave the file there before hurrying to the McCoy's mansion. "Mum, again, I did not see it. You know it's not the first time dad is so forgetful." She defended. Gianna had switched its position and meticulously hid it amongst a pile of old files on a bookshelf she knew her dad seldom visited judging from its unkempt condition. And unless she had a say in the verdict or was part of it or at least, was told about it, only then will she unmask its hiding spot. She leaned forward so her arms were resting on the opened front seat window. "How very important is that envelope? Never seen either of you so worried sick about something of the sort before." "Never mind," Louisa waved as she started the engine causing Gianna to step bac
Gianna had planned on walking home and even felt extra glad that Adam requested to tag along. He mentioned occupying the home a couple of blocks away from Mimie's but the town's local who claimed to know a lot about Cold Spring and three-quarters of its inhabitants seemed to not have any idea of the house's occupant. "Well, my aunt and I moved here from California about four days after you." He retorted after Gianna's probe to get to know a little about him. "I guess the news about a family purchasing the historic Vladimir's property overshadowed the mediocre gossip about an ordinary new inhabitant. Plus, we do not mingle a lot." "No wonder," Mimie said. "What about your parents?" Adam shrugged. "They're super busy business folks. I know almost little to nothing about them." He widely grinned. "Crazy right?" Mimie and Gianna said nothing as they all headed toward the campus's gate.From the corner of Gianna's eyes came Sean's same old cold image in the company of his entourage and
The long-anticipated weekend after a week of depression had arrived with the worst news of the century; there wasn't going to be a visit into the city due to the ongoing job at the McCoy's. Gianna damned.The most heinous part of the whole story was the late arrival of the news. Hadn't it been she'd caught her mother dressed in work clothing about to board her car, Gianna would've been the biggest fool hoping they'll return after one or two things done to embark on their journey. 'Don't expect us till four latest,' her mother had said. Now, besides apologizing to Seth and Julia, what else was she supposed to do till then? Seth. Their first date has been jeopardized. Gianna sighed and cursed the McCoy's project, her parent's career inclusive. "Come play with me, I'm bored," Petra abruptly dawdled into Gianna's room. "Hey, Magpie, don't you know the word knock?" Petra walked on after lashing a carefree excuse. "I'm busy by the way. Go play with Noah or watch a show or something."