Chapter 1: The Superstar is Home

“Hello miss Aurellian may know the sudden visit of you to the UAE?” I heard screamed by the female reporter. The airport is completely mess, it’s all ruined by thousand of journalist, photographer, news reporter and of course don’t forget about my million followers all over the world. They’re all here to see me, some wants to have a photo with me, others just wanted to know what my reason for a sudden visit to my home country after spending 5 years in New York and 2 years in France where I’m working as an international model, brand ambassador, Runway model, and so on.

Endless flash of lights and cameras didn’t leave my eyes since my first step off the private plane of my Dad. I don’t know why the pilot wanted to landed here when we can land at Dad’s private and huge landing just near our mansion. Now, here I am, stuck in the middle of a hundred thousand people who keeps wanting to came closer to me and talk to me.

I’m seeing my bodyguard pushing some people aside as the people keep pushing each other. I don’t how long this would take but I don’t think I may able to resist this hot scenario that feels like we’re lacking oxygen.

“Move aside!” I heard shouted by the police and started to make a huge way for me. I didn’t freaking imagine that my visit to this place would be such a big and crowded thing like this, it feels like I’m a Hollywood superstar.

“Miss Aurellian, are you planning to stay here longer? What’s your plan?”

“Do you plan to stay here again Miss Aurellian?” I heard the reporters keep asking different and myriads of questions despite the super crowded, hot and noisy place.

“Gosh! I wasn’t expecting that!” I sighted when I finally get inside the car and the driver started the engine.

“You’re such a world class known superstar.” I heard Waen cheered like something interesting and amazing happened.

“To me it seems like you’re enjoying the view, didn’t you?” I throw a question at her without even looking at her. I am busy looking at my schedule that my secretary sent me while I’m on a plane. She’s at New York managing everything I’d left and so I need to look after myself here.

“Yes, of course I did. It seems like I’m a witch watching you suffer from here.” She retorted in her devil-like tone and laugh.

“Good thing that any spell didn’t able to hit me, you wanna know why?” This time I flip my sight on her for about 2 seconds and paused. “Cause they don’t hit pretty girl.” I uttered then open the camera of my phone. I saw her got a straight face after I said those words, like gosh! She never changed. She’s still the cry baby who likes to play villain but easy to get hurt.

“Hey witch, wanna join?” She wagged her head and instead open her own cellphone.

“Witch can’t be with the princess in a single frame.” She murmured like I am the one who started the game. Waen Hermainy Aurellian is my first and only cousin from my Dad’s side. Her Dad died five years ago after he found out that her wife was secretly having an affair with his driver. After that incident Dad and Mom decided to have my only cousin stay with them and let her study the course she wanted with Mom and Dad supporting her all the way.

I burst into laughter to hear her say that with her sad straight face.

“Come here you silly witch.” I pulled her to me and gave her a warm hug that I’d miss for about 7 years. We hugged each other like a child and I can see our driver smile from the front sit.

“I miss you.” She whispered on to my ears so sweet.

“I miss you too, cousy." I replied.

***

“Is this the right attitude to adopt? To be late and to let our guest waited for too long like an idiot?” As soon as I’d arrived home, a loud thunder-like voice of Mom started to fill the whole living room trying to educate me like a little child just for being late and they know why did that happened. I sat on a couch with my legs cross and while starring outside the field where I can see a wide golf field of our mansion, feels relaxing.

Waen excused herself the time Mom started to rap like a freaking disc. I know that Waen is just trying to avoid hearing some personal matters of our family when she’s also part of it.

“I am talking over here! Are you trying to ignore me like this Calista?” I heard a loud spank on the table that almost separate my soul from my body. I turned my head to Mom who’s standing straight with her arms cross on her belly. Dad is just sitting silently sipping on his tea cup.

“Oh sorry, I thought you were rapping some old songs from 60's.” Dad burst into laughter as he heard my words but obviously tried his best not to, because I know that he’s afraid with mom.

“Oh, is that a kind of joke from the 50's? with an extra silly laughter from your supporter?” Mom likes to return question to people. She wanted to asked question all the time but doesn’t want to be asked. I think that’s her quality that she got after serving as a school principal for almost 5 years.

“I’ll just excused myself, I’m too tired” I return the cup of tea to the table and about to stand when Mom talked again.

“Answer my question before leaving, young lady” Mom stated in her bossy voice.

“I don’t like to state what’s obvious Mom.” I retorted then take a step away but Mom raised her thunderous voice again that I feel like the glass windows will break in any seconds.

“Is that what you’d learned in the modeling industry? Is that the best quality and attitude that they had instill in you?” Mom always likes to get things messy and burned up. Ever since I left taking doctoral degree in Oxford she’s always been like this, always talking bad about my career as if I’m not doing good, as if my I’m flopping like a little bird who still needs their support for me to live like anybody else.

After I’d left Oxford and migrated to America and got my citizenship, I stand by my own, I didn’t asked for a single penny from them to support the career that’s making me huge right now, but until now I still doesn’t understand why Mom is still like this.

“Still can’t get over mom? That I had chose to be a model rather than to run our company which right now is gradually losing profit and with other investors backing out, is that all?” I just flip my head to her without even turning my body.

“And so you’re now proud with yourself? Is that how high the little wings of yours takes you?” Our conversation gets more intense, burned and cold.And Dad is just like a little child watching us throws words and just as always he doesn’t know who to defend.

“Of course Mom. Why shouldn’t I? when even my parents can’t see my worth and the life that I’m choosing. But no worries, I’m good at celebrating my own victory in the dark side alone.” I saw dad looked at me like he wants to come and hug me and comfort me. He’s been my hero and life savior from mom since then, but now I see that a lot changes, even Mom, she gets more fiercer and colder than before.

“Now you’re trying to act victim? Huh! Come on Calista, that is your choice, and you should able to immune everything that you’re going through right now. That’s what a child gets for refusing to follow her parent’s dream for her."

It hurts my pride, my heart, my feeling and everything of me as her daughter. I did everything to make them proud of me, but I’m seeing different angle and getting different taste of what I’m expecting to received.

A tear wanted to go of my eyes but my brain says that I should be extra fiercer and stringer in their eyes, especially in the eyes of my Mom.

I am about to talk back when Dad take a stand and let his deep loud male voice heard and filled the whole living room.

“Enough with all those toxic words, Elara!” His well toned deep voice makes my soul wanna separate from my body. Dad is such a nice man, a gentle one. He likes to listen rather than to speak, but the time he speaks, he will surely captures everyone’s attention. I think that is his strength that I wish I had.

Mom turned her face to dad with her arms crossed above her tummy.

“Oh, wow! So what’s all this then? A mother vs. Her husband and daughter?” Mom’s really unpredictable. She can able to score even in a narrow space, she knows exactly how to play victim, how I wish for her to change.

“You really didn’t know when to shut up didn’t you?” Dad retorted but still on his calm and manly voice. I know that this conversation would just dive deeper and deeper. I am exhausted with my flight and the fans, but the moment I’d heard Mom’s voice, my mind turned on like whatever.

“Why can’t I talk? Aren’t I your wife and Calista’s biological Mom so I can’t lecture her?” There she goes again, playing victim. I just wagged my head with disbelief.

“The way you’re talking to her, it’s not lecturing Elara, and you should know that as a former principal.” I’m getting dizzy, my head’s super stressed hearing my parents quarreled like this.

“And that really comes from you, Mr. Aurellian”

“Enough, please Mom and Dad.” I begged them with my palm rubbing against each other. “Can we just talk later? I really need to take a rest just for a while." Dad moves out from his position and showed me my old room. Well, it’s not actually old, but that’s my room since I was a baby.

“Never mind your Mom, she’s just stressed with the business and some other problem. I guess she just wants me to buy her new clothes again.” We both burst into laughter. Dad’s still the joker king who always cheer me up almost every seconds.

“Where’s my painting Dad?” I asked for my old painting that was hung on the wall. It was my first ever painting, a family painting that made me won the grand prize during our grand school to school celebration.

“Your Mom asked the maid to remove it” He replied that saddened me suddenly.

“And so the maid did?” I am shocked by that. Mom really changed a lot.

“Yes sweetie, but don’t worry Dad got your back. I kept it inside my cabinet.” He murmured like we’re a little kids trying to whisper some super secret words. Dad is such a life savior.

“Really dad?” I stated in my 6 years old-like tone and he nodded. I hugged him too tight and I know that Mom is seeing us down there. I loved them both, and God knows that, but it is just I feel like Dad is like a super charming and sweet child while mom is like an old single lady.

“Yes my sweetie berry” Dad run a plam on my hair and we head inside my room.