- One -

"DEMIEE! OPEN UP!!"

Oh shit!

I banged my head on the headboard, quickly sitting up as I woke up from my sleep.

Oh, it was only another dream...

Scratching my head to the thought of it, that was one hell of an arousing dream I had there... Thought hard about who that man in my dream could be -- blue eyes, hazel iris, almost giving it a green appearance.

"DEMIE, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" the knock on my door became louder, my mom couldn't give a minute and let her one and only daughter overslept on the weekend.

"Come in, mom!" I screamed, looking at the watch as it says 7.30 AM.

you have got to be kidding me!

She barged in and into my closet, picking out a white-colored blouse and a baby-blue tweed skirt. "Breakfast is served, and you're coming with me for a fitting this afternoon!" she said, quick and clear, she gave me no time to respond. 

"Your brothers are coming home this evening, and I'd like you to be on your best behavior, darling," continuing her words, making me frown at the idea of a family weekend.

 It's not like I'm on bad terms with each other, but both of my brothers, Damien, and Daniel are only half related to me, and they never really clicked with me. The last time we met was 4 years ago when I was 18 and they were in college. It was hell for me as they made fun of my first love, scaring him to the point he never wanted to lay eyes on me ever since.

and since that day, I have been avoiding all the possibilities of ever seeing my brothers.

The fact that we look nothing alike, them, looking like an imprint of my father -- typical blonde, blue eyes, and 6 feet tall, while I look nothing like both of my parents, made me feel like an outcast.

Yes, I'm a half-blood Asian and American mixed with a hint of boring personality.

Living under my father's empire, The Kingsley Residence, and my mother's fingertips, I have never had the freedom any 22 year old have. My mom, An Asian woman, always have full control of my life -- living conservatively, under her rules, wearing nothing she wouldn't approve of, and doing everything in the manner of an "heiress".

We are the Kingsley, but we are no kings.

"Hey! chop-chop!" She woke me up from my half-working brain, trying to fetch the life I'm trying to regain, recharging the battery I called "the guts to get through the day".

Making my way to the dining table, all showered and cleaned, I took a seat in between my parents. Looking at my dad, busy reading the newspaper, and my mom scrolling down her text messages, everyone is so silent.

I cleared my throat, letting them know my presence, breaking the silence in the room. "Oh, come on, eat up!" my mom quickly placed a spoon full of scrambled eggs and toast on my plate, continuing by pouring a cup of hot coffee. Crossing her arms right in front of her as she smiled, watching me eat.

"Okay, mom, no need to be creepy..." I said, taking my first bite of the egg, glaring at my mom who is so enthusiastic just by watching her daughter eat.

"That blouse looks good on you, honey! isn't that right, Paul?" she complimented me and turned her eyes to my father, who was still busy reading the papers. Dad looked at me for a split second before nodding, "mmhm," and focused back on his things.

My father never really cared about the little things my mom made me out to be. He's a very busy man, and he barely had time for his kids. He took me on vacation once every year, to show his devotion to his family, but that's it.

We do talk at times, but not a lot. His head is always in his business, and just like my brothers, ever since I graduated from university, we all manage The Kingsley Group, just not as busy. Mom always wanted me to not put too much of my time at work, and focus on being the socialite she wants me to be. But I barely have any freedom to socialize.

I respect both of them dearly, and that's what made me the person I am today. 

Barely living out of my own free will.

"Demetria -- your brothers will be staying here for 3 months. Please utilize the time to learn more about the business, hang out with them more often, and make connections for your own benefit! They are very well in the fields and I want you to follow their footsteps," he said, looking at me with my mouth full of toast and eggs.

Swallowing hard to the words he just said, I almost choked myself, "THREE MONTHS?! -- I-I mean, yes dad..." Mom gave me the death stare, not too fond of my reaction.

Oh if looks could kill...

I'd rather die here.

Looking at his watch, he then got on his feet and kissed the back of my head and my mom's lips as he made his way out the door. Leaving me with my mom who is back to being the typical hands-on mother.

---

"Why do I have to come, mother?" I asked, looking at myself in the mirror of the lavishly decorated boutique, dressed in a tight ivory dress with a label that would match the amount I have in my bank account.

Mom casually sips on her champagne, reading the catalog, as she replied, "because it's your father's hotel's big opening night, Demie, and we have to come as a family!"

Growling loud, I rolled my eyes, making my mom shut the catalog closed, "Hey! don't roll your eyes at your mother!" she said, "sorry, mom..." I mumbled.

Another lady came into the store, a mom's friend, kissed my mom on both cheeks and came to me and say, "Oh my, Demetria, look at you all grown up! you look gorgeous, darling! -- Liz, tell me why she isn't a supermodel?" she said, studying close every inch of my curve which made me a tad uncomfortable.

"Oh, no no, Mary! I will never let her get into the spotlight -- the lifestyle of celebrities is just too dangerous!" mom answered, making me roll my eyes once more.

Sometimes I do imagine what life would be like if I have the freedom to choose my own life. Maybe I could be a chef? or a writer? or a celebrity? not that I have the looks.

I'm just a normal girl.

That's what I've been told all my life. Never the popular girl, not the smartest girl in class, no dramas. Things just run smoothly for me, and I'm fine with that!

I remember when I was 15, walking down the aisle of a supermarket with my mom, a lady came to us and gave my mom a card. She said I have the potential of becoming an actress for my looks, but mom instantly turned down the offer. The same year, a friend of my mom who owns the biggest agency in town offered me a job for a commercial, and mom did the same thing.

A lot of people are oddly obsessed with my looks, only because they think it's unique, but to be honest, I always see myself as an outsider -- different from everyone else; different from my family.

"That's too bad! But I guess I understand, otherwise, your boyfriend might get jealous, huh?" Mary continues.

Okay, Mary... chill the F out with your questions!

"I don't have a boyfriend, Mary..." I said awkwardly, spreading the awkwardness as my mom pursed her lips, and Mary just nodded with confusion.

"Oh... Well... very soon, dear," She said, making her way to the seat next to my mom, pouring herself a glass of champagne.

The third time I rolled my eyes in front of the mirror, wishing this awkward day to be over.

but that was just the beginning...

---

8 PM, Kingsley Residence.

"Everyone home?" the sound of one devil, two footsteps came out of the elevator. Damien and Daniel stood there with their fuck-boy persona filling the air, dropping some bags on the floor as they make their way to me, patting my head like a dog.

"Who is this little sheep?" joking around making me roll my eyes once more.

fourth time today, and I'm still counting!

"Stop it, Damien! it's annoying!" I pushed away his hand, making them laugh as they rested their elbow on the kitchen table. "Where's everybody else?" Daniel asked and I shrugged.

"Seriously? no welcome drink? no party?" 

"Throw your own party dude, like you always do!" I responded, knowing well that dad's working late today, and mom went out with her group of friends for dinner.

They walked around the residence, checking each room for their presence, knowing that the house is empty and it was just going to be the three of us.

Damien, the evilest out of the two, somehow got this look on his face, an evil look, with eyes that lit up as bright as the city lights below us, he then said, "why don't we?".

Daniel raised both of his eyebrows, giving me the look. 

Oh hell no!

"No, no, no! don't give me that look!" I said as I know what was going through their heads. "come on! give your big brothers a 'welcome to the city' type of celebration!" They said, trying to convince my lazy ass who's lazy enough to stick around for their arrival.

"I swear, dad's going to kill me, guys!"

"Not, when you're with us, no!" Damien leaned forward, taking my phone away from my hand, leaving me no choice but to jump from my stool and chased his ass off.

"Fuck! Damien, seriously!" I screamed, listening to their burst of laughter, both running to the elevator, making me stuck in it with them. "I fucking hate you guys!" I mumbled, going down the lobby with them, locking me in between them with their arms, no space to move.

"Well, only one thing can fix that for sure -- Alcohol!" Daniel let out, as both of them took their phones out, making calls and arrangements. Damien still holding my phone, while I still try to get away from these two evil minds.

What did dad do to have such horrible boys?!

Pushing me inside the limo with full force, Damien threw my phone at me, "here, call your friend, what's her name again?" he said, making it a little less hell for me, for at least letting me ask my friend for help, "it's Nicole! -- where are we going anyway?" I reminded him. 

"We are going to a party," Damien said, pouring himself a glass of whiskey in the limo, which I hate because alcohol usually makes both of them twice an asshole.

"No shit, Sherlock!" I rolled my eyes, for the fifth time.

Daniel downed his glass, and answered, "remember that club we took you to the first time? Yeah, that one!"

I gasped at the thought, that club is too exclusive for me, and how I dressed right now... --looking down at my outfit, still the clothes my mom set me up to wear this morning. "Don't worry, kid, you'll blend in... with the waitress!" As if they knew what was going through my head, their come-back just made me want to kick their heads to sleep.

Making our way into the club, my head is already spinning by the emerging pink and purple lights shooting at my face, and the dubbing sound that breaks my eardrums. Not a second inside the club, Damien and Daniel is nowhere to be seen, leaving me in a sea of strangers, dancing around touching each other.

The club is filled with exclusive people, celebrities, and people with big bucks. Getting into this club is harder than the GMAT test, but the Kingsleys always have the golden ticket to go in. Not sure how I'm going to go through the night, I find myself sitting at the bar drinking iced tea, while the two devils are in the VIP section, popping bottles like a maniac with their friends I know nothing about.

"You look awfully bored!" Nicole came out of nowhere, hugging me with full force, and I am just glad that she's finally here.

My one and only friend since high school that manages to keep our friendship intact even though her friend (me) is a buzzkill and complains to her about everything going on in the family all the time. 

"Tell me about it, my brothers made me do this, for their own personal entertainment!" I said as we both watched my brothers getting all crazy with girls in their mini dresses. "They really are the lively Kingsleys," she joked, making me burst into laughter as to how valid her statement was.

Still observing the VIP section, watching every stupid move those fools made, and his friends; I caught myself staring at one person, sitting on the same rounded table, spreading his arms wide with girls on both sides, wearing a t-shirt underneath those velvet black blazer, with alluring eyes that could strangle a person.

intoxicatingly sexy.

"Girl, don't think I don't know where your eyes are at?" Nicole brought me back to my consciousness, shaking my head before sipping on my iced tea, she claps her hand on my face, "Ezra Sommers,  does have that effect on girls!"

"Who?" I asked, slowly processing the familiar name she just pronounced.

Nicole shakes her head with disbelief, "Girl, you do live under a rock," fetching her phone, and typing his name on the web. 

Ezra Sommers, 27, Actor.

"Ooh, that actor, yeah I've seen him somewhere..." I said nodding as if I knew what I was talking about. Nicole came closely, whispering in my ear, almost hard for me to hear as the loud music still thumps in my ear, "you know, if there's one person you would want to break all your rules to, it's Ezra Sommers, Demie! -- hot, mysterious, and I bet you won't regret it!"

I sighed, thinking that she was talking nonsense, "yeah right, Nicole! I appreciate your concern, but that's never gonna happen! -- I mean, look at me?! look at all this!? there's no way in hell he would even notice me!" I said, gesturing my hand trying to prove my point.

Seeing all these up-scale people, looking lavish, and high maintenance, compared to me in my white sneakers and crippled outfit that I've worn since breakfast, my brothers were right about me blending in with the waitress. 

Scanning around the room once more, and into the VIP... and then it hits me!

Our eyes met for the first time, and I froze. Thinking twice, making sure I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing. 

Ezra Sommers laid his eyes on me.

---