Chapter 33: The Harsh RealityThis time, when I knocked on the doors of the picturesque Victorian style house, I had every right to be here and every intention of getting answers.The door opened after two whole minutes of me waiting outside and that too only a tiny fraction. As I had imagined, her expression changed as soon as she saw me and she was once again about to slam the door shut on my face. But this time, I blocked the door with a booted foot and pushed the door open with enough force that my mother had to step away in haste.“Hello, mother.” My tone was not affectionate, nor was it warm. This time, I knew the reality of what was happening around me and I could only wish that I had known it sooner so I wouldn’t have to live with the guilt of it all for so long.“Kyra.” My mother greeted coldly. “I’m expecting some guests. You should leave; you’re no longer welcome here.”“Unfortunately mother, I’m not going anywhere until I have answers.” I tilted my head to the side and gav
Chapter 34: Sweeter than RevengeI entered my hotel room, anticipation building as I awaited my brother Kyle's arrival.I knew he'd come running the moment our mother spilled the news about me buying back our house.It was unavoidable that Kyle, with his past of leeching off our parents, would now try to tap into my newfound wealth.When the knock sounded at my hotel door at nine o’ clock that evening, I smiled to myself in preparation of what was to come.I knew my dear older brother was going to show up at my doorstep as soon as he would hear about my father’s debt being cleared by none other than his little sister.And it’s not like my address was a secret. Everyone in town knew where I was staying, and they would’ve been more than happy to provide him with the address.“Come in.” I called out, not bothering to get up from my lounge chair as I sipped from my wine glass.“Kyra,” my brother came into view, with that same dirty blonde hair and blue eyes that I had always known. “It’s
Chapter 35: Trust Thy Sixth SenseThe unease gnawed at me as I paced around my hotel room. A foreboding feeling whispered that something ominous was on the horizon.Without giving it a second thought, I hastily dressed and headed to my mother's house, an innate sense urging me to intervene before the storm brewed.The night draped the town in heavy darkness as I stood in front of the hotel, desperately scanning for a taxi.To my dismay, the late hour had rendered the streets devoid of the usual bustle. There were no taxis or cabs in sight and not even a single car passed by this road so that I could try to stop it and ask for a lift.As minutes ticked away, I realized that the deserted streets held no promises of a passing cab.The distance to my mother's house felt impossible on foot, especially in the dead of night. The isolation was noticeable, amplifying the urgency of my mission.Just when desperation threatened to overwhelm me, a car slowed down in front of the hotel.Relief was
Chapter 36: Blood TiesI stood at the threshold, hesitating as the muffled voices from within reach my ears.My heart pounded with uncertainty, but the desperate need to understand what was actually happening inside propels me forward.Slowly, I press my ear against the door, attempting to decipher the words spoken by a male voice which undoubtedly my brother.Amidst the faint sobs, my mother's tearful voice resonates through the room. “Please, Kyle! Please don’t do this!”The air thickens as I strain to catch every word.“This is all I have left!” Her sobs grow louder as does the tremor in her voice. “What will I do after you’ve taken it all? How will I live on?”“That’s not my problem, is it?” Kyle yells out, and yet another crash makes me flinch, but I still keep listening. “How am I supposed to live on, mother? You think I can keep slaving at my in-laws like this every day? They treat me like a fucking slave! I need to get the fuck out of there!”“But…I won’t have anything left, s
Chapter 1: Coming Home “Hey, babe!” Gabriella’s cheerful tone was the only thing keeping me from turning my car around and heading back the way I came. “I know you’re immensely stressed right now, and I wish I could be there with you to take the blow, share some of your pain, but you know I can’t. It’s going to make matters worse and you’ve done enough running away already. Just be careful, baby. And promise to call me at least ten times every day! I love you! And you know I’m always with you. Bye.” I removed the phone from my ears and stared at the screen for a good five minutes. Gabby’s smiling face stared back at me. Her dark hair was blowing back from her diamond shaped face in the wind, highlighting a thousand shades of blue and her electric blue eyes were filled with joy and laughter. Her smile was contagious; it made the corner of my lips tilt upwards. But then my eyes shifted to the two storied Victorian styled house looming in the background of my phone, and my smile faltere
Chapter 2: Ms. Stonewall Ms. Stonewall’s dance studio was located on top of Berkley’s Bakery. And why was that relevant? Because she had once told us that she wants to see how well we fair against the sweet temptation lurking around the corner and still come out victorious. It was a test to see who amongst us would get into the elite dance team. As a result, she had lost half of her initial class strength to the bakery while the other half struggled to sneak behind Ms. Stonewall’s back to grab a bite of the tempting desserts on display in front of the store. In the end, only three of us had been left standing after she had finished her little test. Rika because she had diabetes and couldn’t have sweets; Pamela because she hated sweets and adored spicy food. And then there was me. I didn’t have any other excuses to resist temptation other than the fact that I had wanted to be on her elite team desperately. From a very young age, dancing hadn’t just been my passion, it had been my o
Chapter 3: Reuniting with Friends “Angie! Rika!” I got up to greet my friends but was instead tackled to the ground by both of them. Angel Michelson, the golden haired, blue eyed beauty was another one of the dancers in our elite dance group along with Rika Palmer, the brunette with hazel eyes. Angel and I have been inseparable ever since Kindergardenth, but I met Rika in Ms. Stonewall’s ballet academy when I was chosen for the elite class. I was so glad to see them in person after being apart from them for seven whole years! We had been chatting, calling and messaging each other through the years though, but I can hardly call social media connection as ‘keeping in touch’. We hadn’t been able to meet up and have lunches or dinners or even go to the movies like we used to when we were teens. I had missed our sleepovers and girls nights most of all. “You guys!” I hugged them to my sides. “How did you know I was here?” “Words already circulating,” Angie told me when we all pulled ba
Chapter 4: A Blast from the Past “Kyra, don’t.” Angie grabbed my hand as I was about to leave my seat and head over to greet Cathy. “It’s for the best.” “For the best?” I asked her incredulously. “Cathy is married to Jordan in my place and she has two kids with a third on the way and I only get to know about all of this just now? Is that what Rika was about to say earlier? That the town shouldn’t blame me because Jordan is already married?” Rika gave me a guilty look from beneath her lashes but she too placed her hand on top of mine to get me back into my seat. “A lot has changed, Kyra.” Rika begged me to understand. “Everything isn’t as easy as it looks.” “Then tell me!” I pleaded with them. “Tell me what happened after I left so I can understand. Why is Cathy married to Jordan? And if the problem had been resolved, then why is everyone still so mad at me?” “We will.” Angie told me. “But not here, especially not where everyone can overhear and judge our reaction.” “Yeah, let’s j