Two days later
Joni stopped in her tracks when she saw Leon standing by his locker or more like leaning against it and typing on his phone. Just as she'd seen him do on his iPad, his fingers flew over the screen of his phone with lightening speed that she wondered if he never got tired.
She straightened her school skirt and jacket, cleared her throat silently and walked forward. She hoped he was going to ignore her like she planned to ignore him but she had no such luck as he looked up with the brightest smile on his gorgeous face.
"Good morning Joni." He greeted.
"Good morning Your Highness." She replied.
"You look better."
"I
Joni let out a beleaguered sigh when she walked into the compound and found her stepmother sitting on a bench right in front of the door probably waiting for her. The woman never let an opportunity pass to torture her. It seemed that she lived for it. "Today was a good day." She thought and her subconscious seconded that. "It was, wasn't it? You got to spend so much time with sexy. You even skipped class." Her subconscious taunted her. "Stop it. Not now." She chided as she got closer to the house. "Good evening ma." She greeted Celestina. "And where are you coming from?". Tina eyed her disdainfully. "School." She replied. "Do you what time it is?". Tina demanded. "7:00 and your siblings have been back since three." Joni might have been shirking her responsibilities at home by staying so long in school. It was a day and board
Joni woke up to Leon reading. She couldn't exactly say if he was reading to her or to himself but his voice was like music to her ears. She'd never admit that to him though!. She stayed silent listening to him read until she suddenly sneezed and he stopped. "You're awake." He smiled. "How do you feel?". "Like I took a swim in the Arctic Ocean." She replied. Leon chuckled. "You saved me." It wasn't a question. "Yeah." "Why do you keep doing that?". She frowned. "I can't not save you Joni." He told her. "Should I have left you outside to catch pneumonia and die?". "I don't want you to keep saving me." She said. "Then don't put yourself in a situation that'd require me to save you." He said. "How about that?".
Two days laterJoni spent two glorious days in the palace eating, drinking and watching lots of movies with Leon until Andrei returned from his trip and she knew she was about to be thrown out of paradise. Not necessarily by them but she'd throw herself out.She'd had enough of the death glares being sent her way by Prince Jaxon and his sister Andreina, the indirect insults from their baby brother Prince Andres and the indifferent attitude from Princess Annaliese."Did you get anything and everything for us from England dad?". Ina asked."Not this time." Andrei said. "Your mother specifically warned me not to.""Mom!". The girls cried in disbelief.
"You two idiots know why I called you here, don't you?". Andrei glared at Joni's parents."Erm... I don't know Your Majesty." Celestina shook her head. "I've been meaning to come here and check on...""Hold it." Andrei snapped. "Don't provoke me."Celestina swallowed her tongue when she saw the fury in his eyes and she wondered what kind of potent charm Joni had cast on the King. He was extremely mad as hell and anything could set him off."I'm sorry." She apologized."You sent your step daughter out of the house so late at night to come here and get her father released because she's what? A judge?". He demanded. "Look, I should have both of you scourged for your negligence towards Joni but I won't.""Thank you Your Majesty." Celestina said. She didn't think she'd survive being whipped by those hefty guards."However, I'm going to do this
The next dayLeon felt like he was back to where he started with Joni when he saw her face, heard the flat tone of her voice as she returned his greeting and then nothing else.She'd reverted back to her old self and had built up more walls - walls that'd take years for him to break down if she ever gave him a chance to and it was all thanks to that maniac she called her father.He was still very pissed off about yesterday but not so much that he wanted to wring the man's neck. How could any parent be so heartless as to tell a child it was their fault a certain parent wasn't alive?He just couldn't understand that kind of mentality and it was sickening."Are you okay?". He passed the note to her.Joni glanced at the note, ignored it at first then nodded stiffly."I'm here if you want to talk." He whispered to her.
Two days laterJoni sat under the pear tree munching on a packet of potato chips while she watched her stepsister Lauretta who was busy whining to her mother about how hungry she was.Her father had truly been fired and she learnt that this house - the one Celestina Samuels thought she was the queen of actually belonged to her: Joni.She had the right to do whatever she wanted which included throwing Celestina and her evil twins out of her house but she wasn't as vindictive as they were. She didn't like them one bit but she could manage to tolerate them in her house.Her lips curled up in a half smile when Celestina yelled at her daughter to leave her the hell alone. No one actually said she couldn't enjoy watching how miserable they'd become, right?It was a hell lot of fun!The potato chips she was currently eating had been sent to her by Leon's father h
"Desmond! What's going on out there?". Andrei demanded from the foyer. The noise was so loud he'd heard it from his home office which was like literally one of the last rooms on the first floor."Your Majesty, some people are here to see you." Desmond replied."Let them in." He said.Desmond bowed and went to do as Andrei said and immediately he opened the gate, about ten people barreled into the compound and marched straight to the house when they saw Andrei."Long live the King." They greeted."Good evening." Andrei said. "What is the matter?"."Your Majesty, my name is Uzo and my daughter Hosanna is a student of your school." One of the men said."Okay?"."She came home from school looking all bruised and battered and when her mother asked her what happened, she said that the Crown Prince ordered the other students
"Sorry father." Raymond said as Joachim took a seat on the bench outside the house. He'd just returned from the hospital after spending days in the house unable to go there due to lack of cash."Thank you son." Joachim said. "Where's your sister?"."She went to her friend's house.""And Joni?"."She's inside.""Call her for me." He said."You want to talk to her? Why?". Raymond frowned."Just call her for me.""Okay." He grumbled and went in to get Joni. He knocked on her bedroom door. "Joni!".After finding out that she was the owner of her father's house, the first thing she did was clear out the guest bedroom in the house that Celestina used as her spare wardrobe and made it her own bedroom.Of course Celestina wasn't happy about it but there was nothing she cou
Three weeks later Leon Ashes to ashes Dust to dust I'm listening to every other word the priest is saying as he stands in front of Joni's coffin at the cemetery. I finally accepted her wish the next day after she told me to let her go and the ventilator machine was turned off. A little boy of about ten needed a kidney transplant and Joni's kidney matched his so I gave them the go ahead to do the transplant but that was it. She didn't want anyone to have her heart and no one got it. The preparations for her funeral were made and here we are three weeks later... finally putting her to rest. I rise to my feet and move to the front when the priest calls on me to give my speech. I don't have a speech to eulogize her but a song so I sing that thanking her for her love and when I am done, there isn't a dry eye at the cemetery. The priest gives his final speech, prays for her to find a resting place and it's over. I am standing by her coffin staring down at it when I suddenly look up
LeonI feel something pull at my hair. Like someone trying to pick a strand of my hair from my head and without thinking too much about it, I swat at the hand over my head but then I hear someone giggling - a familiar giggle and I lift my head sharply.I'm hoping it's her but there's nothing. She doesn't move and my shoulders slump. It's just been twenty four hours and kinda too early for a miracle but I hope one will happen soon."Why do you look so downcast Your Highness?". Joni asks me.I look around the room in shock until I see her sitting on the sofa with a strawberry smoothie in one hand and sandwich in the other."Am I dreaming?". I croak out."Maybe." She laughs.I look her over and see that she's dressed in a white and red polka dot gown with white wedges to match. Her hair is packed up in a loose bun and she's wearing the diamond earrings I gave her for Christmas."You look beautiful." I say."Too bad it's not 14th yet." She pouts. "I wanted to go to that dance.""You can.
LeonI have just pulled on my jeans when I hear Liese's frantic voice calling my name as I stand in my closet still thinking of a shirt to wear but I abandon that thought and rush out to meet her."Leon." She breathes running over to me. Tears are running down her cheeks so fast, it's like a dam opened up in her tear ducts."What's wrong?". I ask her."I... Collins... Joni..." She stutters."Joni? What happened to her?". I demand."Accident... It was bad." She says. "She's been taken to the hospital."I run back to my closet, grab any shirt and shrug it on then my car keys are in my hand the next instant and I hurry out of my room not bothering about my shoes.I breeze past grandma who is shocked to see running barefoot but before she can call my attention, I am already halfway down the steps."Leon! Where are you rushing to without your shoes?". Mom calls as I pass her as well just as she comes out of the living room."Hospital!". I call over my shoulder."What!". I register her shoc
A month later Joni Life... A period between birth and death. "Life is short" is what people say and that's the truth. I never used to believe that until today. As usual, my gorgeous boyfriend thought it best to take me out on a date seeing as we're almost ticking the last of the boxes on my never have I ever list but a part of me knows he's very excited about number 99 and 100 and I am too but I'm just not as excited as he is. He's like a kid who's been given cartblanche to choose any candy he wants in the candy store. It's February 14 in a week's time and every student is buzzing with excitement concerning the upcoming dance for Valentine's day. I've been a student of IHHS for eleven years and counting and I've never been to a school dance before. Minus kindergarten and elementary school, say during my junior years, I'd never been asked by a boy to go to the dance with him so when Leon asked me today which took me by surprise, I said yes. It's the last dance for me before I
LeonIt's new year, also mom and dad's birthdays and I might have made an unconscious resolution to be a good boy this year. No getting into fights with my brother or anyone else but that didn't stop me from being the devil and just to taunt my brother, invited his flavor of the month; Gabriella Sysavane.The girl didn't want to come but I'd convinced her not to be scared and I might have created a scene in her head where my brother would end the day with two girls who were not her in his bed because I know he's capable of doing it and she'd said yes."Why are you smiling?". Joni asks me."He's coming." I say."Who?". She looks over her shoulder to see Jax marching towards us with a murderous glare. "What crawled up his ass?"."Gabriella." I chuckle."Did you invite her?!". Joni gasps looking shocked. "What happened to being a good boy this year and all that?".I shrug not saying anything as Jax gets to us. I grin at him and give him a side hug."Happy new year bro." I say."What are
Joni It's new year's eve in Mercia but it feels like it's already new year. Everywhere has been decorated in preparation for the King and Queen's birthday party tomorrow and the whole Kingdom's been invited to celebrate with them. We arrived in Mercia yesterday morning and while it was good to be back home, I couldn't wait to see the world again but preferably only with Leon next time. It's a nice day to go for a walk and I do exactly that even though I really don't have a destination. I wave at people and greet some I like on my way until I get to the Catholic Church and stop outside the gate. I've never been to church once. I didn't feel the need to do so before but now I feel like it's about time I let go of all the pain and heartache and possibly the hatred I feel for my dad and stepmom. I walk into the premises of the church then up the short steps leading into the church before I change my mind. There are several other people sitting on pews and praying while some are kneel
Leon I still can't believe what Andres had told us yesterday before we boarded the jet. My own self-absorbed twin brother going behind our backs to date a non royal while openly telling me not to date one. The motherfucker. He should be glad I didn't find out about this while I was still in Mercia or else I'd have given him the beating of his life. Gabriella Sysavane. I don't think I know her though but Collins would. I look around the beach in search of my best friend but can't find him or my sister anywhere which makes me frown wondering where they'd gone to. The beach isn't crowded today thankfully so I have no problem looking for them. We arrived in America very early this morning and my grandma's driver Ron came to pick us up at the airport and drove us to her penthouse. We all woke up feeling well rested and after a quick lunch, we came to the beach. Joni and Andres are playing volleyball with Raymond and some other kids and Collins was with them just a little while ago. I
Liese I jerk awake all of a sudden from a dream which turns out to be a bad idea because the action makes me feel dizzy and my head feels like ten elephants are sitting on it. I groan and clutch the sides of my head wondering how the hell I got back to my hotel room last night. We'd partied hard celebrating Joni's birthday for a week but we all decided to get drunk yesterday. I just don't remember the details after or how I'm in the hotel room right now. I turn my head to look at the alarm clock and see that it's ten am in the morning and I sigh. We're leaving France today but not going back to Nigeria because Leon has another surprise in mind for Joni. I think I'd be very jealous of Joni for snagging a thoughtful and wonderful boyfriend like Leon if he wasn't related to me. My older brother loves with all his heart, body, mind and soul and Joni is damn lucky to be the recipient of his affections. Unlike he who shall not be named. Y'all know who I'm talking about so no need to
GabriellaScrewed.I wish I had another word to qualify how screwed I am but no words come to mind. I stare at the stick in my hand again for the millionth time hoping that the pink line which looks like a cross that I'm seeing isn't actually true.I can't be pregnant.I bite my bottom lip to keep it from trembling as tears gather in my eyes but I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet because these things aren't accurate. I just got it to find out why I've been feeling so tired and dizzy lately.My mom must not find out though or I'm dead. She'll strangle me with her bare hands, squeeze me like cloth and spread my skin out to dry.I'd disappointed her and myself by getting pregnant. I should have learned from her experience not to fall into a situation like this but no! One crooked smile flashed my way and I'm putty in his hands.You can't blame me though. Any girl in my position would want to be recognized by someone like him in a crowd. He was after all every girl's dream guy a