1. First impressions.

WILDA.

“Well, this seems to be my lucky day,” the man’s eyes travel down my naked body, a pleased smile on his face.

I instinctively drop a hand to cover my crotch, the other across my small breasts. He does not avert his gaze.

My body trembles under the scrutiny of his gaze. I find myself looking away, ashamed.

“This is private property,” I say, weakly, my cheeks burning red hot and my breath shallow.

“Oh, is it?” he asks, his voice teasing. “Well, then you must be Wilda, I’m Victor, and I will be your riding instructor.”

He extends a hand, his smile almost covering his whole face.

I stare at his hand, tempted to take it.

“You're not supposed to be here,” there is a tremble in my voice as I speak. My cheeks burn even hotter, blood pumping in my ears.

“You like to run around naked?” he asks, his voice surprisingly serious.

I turn away from him, heading for the house.

He whistles. “Mama Mia! The view from behind is just as good as from the front.”

My knees almost give out as I realize my entire backside is bared to him. My blood is boiling.

“You're not supposed to be staring!” I almost shout, angry.

“Why not?” he asks, feigning confusion. “I am appreciating booty...ahem! I mean, beauty.”

“Fuck you!” I shout, turning and running to the house, no longer caring.

“I would very much like that, actually.” He shouts to my back.

The nerve on that man, I will have him fired before he can get back into the house!

I try to sneak back into the house through the back door, but Kate’s voice stops me in my tracks.

“WILDA!” She shouts, then, lowers her voice “We have guests!”

“I'm sorry,” unable to meet her gaze.

She walks to me and takes my face in her hands, searching my face. I hate the concern in her eyes.

“You told me the drugs helped.” She says, an accusing tone in her voice.

Kate is the family doctor, the only person in this house who cares what happens to me. I hate making her worry.

“I'm sorry,” is the only thing I can think to say.

She sighs, removing her trench coat and wrapping it around my shoulders. I hug it close, thankful for the cover.

“It happened again last night?” she asks, her voice gentle.

I nod.

“Are you still having nightmares?”

I nod.

“What was it?”

“Same as before, I don't remember much, just pain and blood.”

“Alright, we will talk about it later. Go wash up and come for breakfast, you know your brother will not be happy if you are late.”

Kate has been my confidant and doctor since my parent died. She was here to treat my mother, but stayed after she died, fulfilling my dying mother’s wish to protect us.

Soon after, my parents died, the nightmares came. At first, I would only wake up in my bead, terrified and drenched in sweat. I did not remember the details of my nightmares, only the terror that accompanied them.

They quickly evolved to night walking, and I would wake up in the forest, naked, cold, and with scratches on my hands and thighs.

We never found my pajamas.

Kate tried everything. Tying me to the bed, locking every door in the house, and barring the windows, she even tried sleeping in the room with me, but every time, I would find a way out in my sleep without anyone seeing or hearing me sneak out. We tried propping a camera to watch me at night, but by morning, the feed would be missing or distorted.

Then she tried to give me sleeping pills, but nothing worked. So, I lied that they did, in fear of troubling her too much, and noticed her worry ease.

She insisted we keep my sleepwalking a secret between us, and I complied. I did not need another reason to be looked down on. Everyone in my family had a talent and something to show for it. My sister, Fiona, was a singer. Her exquisite beauty and strong vocals did not make it hard for her to quickly be recognized and signed.

My brother Damian, despite his bipolar disease, ran the family business so well, he had already removed the firm from the crippling debt my father had left it in.

When my mother had fallen sick, my father had done everything in his power to find her treatment, but despite his efforts, nothing had worked. Soon after, he was found dead in the forest behind, our house, his body maimed beyond recognition. The case was ruled out as an animal attack.

My mother’s heart, with nothing to live for anymore, had soon after given up. We had buried them on the same day. And then Damian had taken up his position at the head of the table and life had moved on. Our parents were a topic we rarely touched on.

I was the youngest of the three of us, still in college, I knew nothing about what to do with my life, and I had no spectacular talents. My narcissistic siblings were too caught up in their lives to care what happened to me. We had never been close, but I sensed an increased hostility especially after our parents died. Somehow, I sensed that Damian blamed me for it.

Damian and Fiona had always been close, being closer in age, they related more. They had been closer to our parents too. Going on trips I wasn't invited to every once in a while. Father tried to make me feel included, but I always felt like an outsider. I didn't blame them, I was an odd child, and honestly, I preferred it this way.

And now that man had seen me. Would he tell Damian? Well, he wouldn't know that I had been sleepwalking, but it was infuriating and shameful that he had not looked away when he’d seen me.

‘As attractive as he had been, that was no way for a gentleman to behave.’ I try to convince my body, which is buzzing with excitement for some reason.

I turn the temperature of the shower up, the hot water making my shoulders red.

‘He thought I was pretty.’ I find myself smiling stupidly.

‘He is a man.’ I slap myself across the face, bringing myself back to reality.

It doesn’t matter, I cannot work with him when he has seen me naked. Blood pumps to my crotch, and my insides pool in heat.

‘I wonder how he looks naked,’ I think. And my breath comes faster, the water trickling down my body leaving a trail of fire and exciting my nipples. My hands move on their own, caressing my arms… my underboob, down to my navel… then…

“WILDA!” My sister’s voice pierces my skull.

“What are you doing in there? Trying to wash away your sins? It won't work.” I can hear the sneer in her voice. “Breakfast is ready, Queen Wilda, we will not wait for you.”

Shit! I'll be late for breakfast!

All thoughts of the handsome man leave my head as I scramble out of the bathroom and dress hurriedly, before running down the stairs to the table.

“Wilda, late as always.” My brother sneers from his place at the head of the table.

“I apologize,” I say, my eyes looking everywhere but the faces around the table as I take my place beside him and across my sister.

“That’s my sister, Wilda, she destroys everything she touches, it's why we’re all made of stone.” He says to the table, chuckling. The table chuckles along with him.

I smile naturally.

“Wilda, Aldrich Hargreaves, and his family were father’s friends, they just moved into the neighborhood.”

I follow his gaze to the rugged man across the table and offer a sweet smile, making sure not to look too long. I offer another smile to the beautiful woman beside him.

"Welcome to the neighborhood," I say sweetly.

They both smile back.

 I return my attention to the plate before me, staring at the eggs and bacon, as conversation flows around the table. I hate eggs. Everyone knows I hate eggs, yet here they are, on my plate. The smell wafts into my nostrils and irritates my nose. I drink some water to prevent myself from gagging.

Someone nudges my leg.

“Is that what happened to your clothes? You destroyed them?” a familiar voice asks, his low voice washing over me and waking every part of my body and soul.

I look at the man beside me to confirm my suspicions.

Victor. What is he doing here?