A place called home

Chelsie's Pov

The kinds of decisions we make at times defines who we are. When these decisions change the course of our lives, I call it destiny. 

Not knowing what destiny had in stock for me, I stood in front of the beautifully structured mansion and rang the doorbell. I looked around with nostalgia as the sweet fragrance of jasmine and roses filled my nose. It looked at the place I once called home with a heavy heart. 

I was back home for the first time in two years. I felt hot tears rolled down my eyes as I remembered the circumstances that led to me leaving the house. I quickly wiped my tears and rang the doorbell once again, silently hoping that she would opened the door. 

It was as if the heavens heard my prayers. The door slowly opened with a creak. She appeared at the door almost immediately. Her expression changed to a sour one on sighting me. 

I tried hard to fight back the emotions of pains, hurts and anger as I took a good look at her. She didn't change one bit since the last time I saw her. She looked radiant as ever. I felt a strange relief knowing that she was doing well.

For the next five minutes, the both of us kept staring at each other, no words uttered.

"Tasha," I said with a tearful voice, breaking the silence.

Tasha looked at me with hostility and scoffed. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked, looking at me with disgust.

"Tasha, I still love you. Can we be a family again? I'm willing to put the past behind me and be with you again." I appealed to her, taking a step towards her.

Tasha laughed hysterically and placed her hands on her waist.

"You're kidding right? Family my foot!"she responded, indignantly.

Covering my hurt with a smile, I spoke to her.

 "Let's not do this to each other. We are all we are left with. Are we really going to let a man come in between us?" 

"See, erase the notion that you've an elder sister. I'm no longer family to you. Just live your life without involving me. You're all alone now." She responded coldly.

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces as I listened to her. 

"Tasha, Brian has done more harm to us than good. He has successfully put a separation between us for years. We need to come back together.We are blood." I responded with a shaky voice, restraining myself from screaming.

"Don't you get it? You're no longer a part of me. Just go to hell!" With that, Tasha entered the house, ignoring me. The door was shut with a loud bang, dismissing me rudely. I remained on the spot for minutes, hoping that she'd come out again. I rang the doorbell again but there was no reply. I kept ringing the doorbell but I got ignored. 

Heartbroken, I walked out of the compound, ruminating on my conversations with my sister. My visit to her was out of my strong, sisterly instincts to check on her, not because I wanted to and I really regretted it. It only opened my old wounds. Right there, I swore to never call her or visit her again. At that moment, I felt like I was all alone in this world, all on my own.

With a bitter feeling of rage and betrayal, I cursed with my quivering lips as tears rolled down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away. I had promised myself to never cry because of her anymore. She was not worth it. 

My phone beeped and it was a voicemail from my best friend, Jamie Russell. I listened to it and smiled, it was a mirthless, bitter smile. She was worried about me and was asking me to come home.

Yeah, I should. I should go home to Jamie, the only soul that understands me. I wanted to go home and cry my eyes out. I wanted her to console me as I lean into her comforting arms.

I returned my phone to my purse and walked into the cold, silent night, clutching tightly onto my tote bag. 

Slowly, I walked into the expressway, shivering with cold. I cursed again and wondered why I had to visit Natasha that evening. I took a long look at the silent road and to my utter disappointment, very few cars passed. They were private cars.

I waited for few more minutes but there wasn't a trace of any cab. Biting my lips, I opened my bag and brought out my phone to order a ride.

Suddenly, a white light flashed to my face and lingered on for sometimes. I staggered from the effect of the beam and placed a hand over my face in a bid to protect myself from the blinding light. Few seconds later, the car, a black lamborghini drove past me slowly, almost kissing my tired legs with its bonnet.

I became annoyed at the action of whosoever was driving the car. First, it was the blinding headlights and now, it was willing to hit me. 

I stood straight and screamed wildly at the car while frantically waving my hands, signaling at the car to stop but I was ignored.

Ready to vent my bitterness, I brought out the crazy side of me. I picked a small stone which was idly beside me and hurled it straight at the car.

Thanks to my reflex skills, the stone landed with a loud thud on the car trunk. I smiled satisfactorily and smirked. I folded my arms, waiting for the car to come back and as I had expected, it did.

The car reversed with a full force and stopped abruptly.

The driver of the car came down and banged the car door. He took a look at his car and walked towards me with anger. Accusation was fully shown in his eyes. With the aid of the streetlights, I could get a glimpse of his face.

The first thing that caught my attention was his chestnut brown eyes, which gave him an aura of a 'cold fish'.

Mentally, I assessed him to have a devil-may-care personality. His hair was styled in a dreaded viking gold hair and packed into a ponytail.

 His high arched eyebrows looked well trimmed. His nose was aquiline-like. I gasped at his defined cheekbones and concrete jaw. He walked with the gait of a tiger and his fierce eyeballs twinkled as he walked towards me.

I could sniff the sweet scent of his cologne. It made me want to run into his dishy body and bury my nose into his chest. I quickly shook the thought off my head and frowned, looking at him with daring eyes. He had already reached where I stood. I drag my eyes over his expensive dressing. His white t-shirt and denim trousers screamed money.

"Are you in your right mind Miss?" He said with a scowl, his eyebrows raising in anger.

I took my lower lips into my mouth and slowly bit it as I stared at his heart shaped, red lips. It looked so appealing to the eyes. I wondered how the taste of his lips would be on mine. I mentally slapped myself again and put on a bold facade. I wasn't going to let myself to be intimidated by him.

I leaned on one leg and smirked. "You started this dude. First, it was your full headlights pointed to my face, almost blinding me. Secondly, you almost hit me and you didn't care to apologize."

He looked at me and scoffed. "I didn't hit you, did I?" He said with his deep baritone. It sounded commanding and strict, yet laced with some kind of unexplainable sweetness.

"Hey" He scowled and pointed to the car. "You scratched my car you wretched witch! Do you even have any idea of the car's worth?" He said with arrogance.

His arrogance irked me and my stomach churned with disgust. "Look here Mr arrogant, who do you think you are? Why should I care about your car's worth? Is it more important than my life?" I challenged him, clearly upset by his statement.

He laughed sinisterly and looked down like a lion sizing up a tiny prey. I bit my lips hard. His cold stare was making my heart jittery. Slowly, I curled my right hand into a fist, refusing to be frightened.

"Really?" He laughed again, boring his cold eyes into mine.

He walked closer again and my nose caught a whiff of alcohol.

"Was he drink-driving? Was he drunk?" I thought to myself. 

I heard his voice again.

 "You really don't want to know who I am. Now let me give you a warning. I will let this pass. Pray that our paths doesn't cross in the future." He sounded with so much dread that I took a step back a little.

"And what if they do?" I dared him.

"You're just a proud fool." I said with a malicious smile and took another pebble and hurled it at the car trunk. It landed with a thud. I struck out my tongue at the man and ran away as fast as I could, laughing at my own craziness.

I hadn't run for long when a car horn blared behind me. I abruptly stopped and darted my gaze at the car, panting. I looked at the car with more intent as it slowly pulled up beside me. Strangely, I felt relieved on realizing that it wasn't the arrogant guy I had earlier encountered.

The car stopped, revealing the driver. One could correctly guess he was in his early thirties. From where I stood, I could judge that he is a tall man. 

"Hi Miss. I saw you running. I don't know what is wrong but you shouldn't be all alone. It isn't safe for you." He said, looking at me with expectancy. Before I could give him a reply, he continued. 

"It is dangerous for you to be out here. Do you mind me giving you a ride to your destination?" He said with a smile. I could make out his face under the bright reflections of the street lights. He looked so calm and collected but I was not the type to be deceived by looks.

I smiled dryly and waved in refusal. "I'm sorry. I have to refuse your offer. I don't take lifts from strangers. I have ordered a cab and I guess it will soon be here." I replied as politely as I could, covering my lie up with a smile.

"I insist Miss." The man insisted. He looked into his breast pocket and brought out a card. He stretched it out of the window for me to see.

"Here Miss, I'm a police officer. Let me drive you home safely." He persuaded me again.

I approached the car with utmost caution and collected the card from him. The Identity card indicated that he was a police officer. I looked at him and I felt I could trust him. I shrugged in acceptance. He smiled again and opened the car door. I entered the car and sat beside him as I mouthed words of gratitude to him. I fastened my seatbelt and gave him the direction of my house. He nodded in understanding and drove off. Not wanting to any chances, I discreetly held onto the pepper spray in my bag should in case the man turn out to be a jerk.

There was total silence in the car as he drove through the quiet streets- no questions asked. I was thankful for it. I needed time to think. I wasn't in the mood to chat with anyone at that moment.

Soon enough, we got to my house and he parked the car. I turned to him and gave him a small bow as I uttered my words of gratitude.

"Thank you Mr Peter. I'm so grateful for your kindness." I said with a smile.

"You are welcome." He responded with a bright smile. His smile was so contagious that I found myself smiling more. 

"But how did you know..." 

I interrupted him. I guessed he was referring to his name. "Your identity card. I caught a glimpse of your name earlier."

"Oh!" Peter nodded. "Can I please know your name too?"

"I'm Chelsie. " I simply said. 

"Chelsie" I heard him mutter to himself. 

"Alright Chelsie, take care of yourself."

"You too. Thanks a lot once again." I responded and stepped out of the car. I stood as I watched the car drive off.

I prayed for his safety in my heart as I always walked towards my compound. Peter was my saviour for the day. His timely help saved me. I wasn't ignorant of the dangers of the night.

"Chelsie!" Jamie called out and ran towards me, looking worried. 

Jamie pulled me in for a hug and patted my back as I sobbed.

"It is fine Chelsie. You're home now." She comforted me.

I slowly nodded, loving the sound of home.

"Natasha is a devil. She is." I muttered as I cried harder.

Jamie hushed.

"Come on, Chels. Don't talk about your sister in that manner." 

She patted my back again.

"It's okay love. Let's go in. Take your bath and have your dinner, then we go to bed. Let's talk about this tomorrow, okay?"

She held my right hand with affection and led me to our apartment, a place I call home.