Chapter 1
Another day to wake up and be insignificant. I thought to myself as i got out of bed. As usual i woke up to my mom yelling about something "come now child you're gonna make your sisters and I late" I made my way to the kitchen and started making breakfast, as luck would have it, I got tripped over by Elaine, my eldest sister, sending coffee flying to my mom's shirt " you godforsaken child" mom hissed, before I could react, a slap was sent my way.
"Punish her mum, i'm sure she did that on purpose", Carla's annoying voice was heard.
“Great! My first day at a new school, and I already missed first period. Just how lucky can I get?” I scolded myself as i made my way through the hall ways, heading to class
“Nice of you to finally show up, Miss Coupdelle,” said my teacher, “sorry, ma’am, I got stuck in traffic,” I stuttered while instinctively looking down.
“Get yourself settled in. I’m Ms. Christine, and I will be having you for second period Biology!”
There was an empty seat at the back next to this one kid, who looked really bored,as if whatever the teacher has been saying has absolutely nothing to do with him. As I made my way to the back, everyone gave me this weird look, I mean it’s normal since I’m the “new kid”. I ignored the numerous gaze and plopped down in the seat next to him, he was doodling in his notebook, as if perceiving my eyes on him, he looked straight at me and I like the coward I am looked away.
“Aren’t you gonna say hi?” said the new kid. “Rude much?”
“Huh?” I was drawn out of my daze by a very calm and soothing voice, “I said, do you plan on introducing yourself?”
“My bad, I’m Audrey… Audrey Coupdelle…”
“I didn’t ask for your resume,” he said, sounding so chill.
“Audrey is a really nice name, though. I’m Karl, but most people call me Falcon.” My new desk mate flashed me the most expensive smile; I believe it’s what most people call “a million-dollar smile.” He looked like he came right out of a toothpaste ad.
Well, the day went by event-free. Just as I hoped, I didn’t make any friends apart from Karl, although he is a big deal around campus, and I don’t think he’s my kind of person.
“Who would want to hang out with me?” Well, I wouldn’t blame the guy; I wouldn’t want to hang out with me either.
“mom my phone’s screen cracked!” I heard Elaine whinin ing from the kitchen.
“Aww honey, go get a new one right after school!”
“Carla, you want it?”
“Eww, gross!” at Carla’s response she tossed it into the trash can.
“Well, can I keep it?” I took her silence for a yes. I hurriedly put away the dishes and made my way to school. The morning passed in a blur, and before I knew it, it was lunchtime.
I spotted Karl at a table and strode over; I didn’t even trip.
“Hey, Karl,” I said, standing there feeling dumb with my tray of food in my hand. I bet I looked dumb too.
“yo Falcon, you know this chick?” one of the guys asked, his tone filled with mockery.
“No, I don’t,” he answered with a straight face, not even glancing in my direction. “It’s me, Audrey, we have second period Biology.”
“I said I don’t know you, just because you’re in my second period doesn’t mean I should give a fvck about who you are” he shot back, I could feel the surrounding eyes on me, all of them filled with mockery and contempt, I mean what did I expect talking to “Falcon”, I felt my eyes getting moist so I mumbled and excuse, leaving my tray at their table I ran to the bathroom.
“Audrey, you’re still here?” there was a Storm raging so I couldn’t get home and as such I had to wait by the school doors,
“Oh! So now you know me? Is this guy for real?” I thought I was over what happened a few days ago at the cafeteria but I guess I’m still a little sore over it
“C’mon, get in the car; we’ll drop you off.”
“Why should I? Aren’t you scared your friends are gonna laugh at you for associating with me?”
“I’m sorry about what happened the other day; I just… I have a reputation to uphold.” This is just about the lamest excuse I’ve heard, although it stung, I don’t blame the guy, am not rich or influential, am not a blonde hair blue eyed Barbie, I am just an average girl who has trouble fitting in, so of course I am a blemish in his otherwise perfect existence and he can’t associate himself with me in public. I looked at my feet and muttered a response to his previous statement.
“Exactly what I thought, so leave me alone; I wouldn’t want to taint your reputation.”
“Get in the damn car; I ain’t got all day!” a cold and magnetic voice resonated from the car. Looking past Karl, I saw him, seated at the far end of the car, looking absolutely breathtaking and majestic, one slender leg crossed over the other, clad in black suit pants and a black shirt, his presence was so overwhelming, why didn’t I notice him before. Without further resistance, I got in.
The ride home was silent; Katl was asleep while the other guy focused on his laptop. A moment later, the vehicle stopped moving.
“Sir the storm got worse; I can’t see the road clearly; I’m afraid we’ll have to wait here until it gets better.” The driver said, with an apologétic look on his face
“What? No! I have to get home before 6, my mom would kill me if I went a minute late!” I interjected, wiping tears from my eyes, when they had started falling?, I had no idea
Can't you see a storm raging outside? He really can't continue," Karl rolled his eyes at me.
"Let me out; I'll find a way home," I said while hugging my backpack.
"Are you insane?" This time he was yelling, and he had a stern expression on his face. If he hadn't totally rejected me like a few days ago, I'd think he actually cares.
"Just let me out, damn it!"
"Suit yourself." With that, he opened the door.
As I was halfway out the door, I felt a bolt of electricity shoot down my spine. A pair of strong hands pulled me by my elbow back into the car, slamming the door shut.
Turning around, I came face to face with him. He looked at my face as if searching for something, and then, ever so gently, he put his jacket over my shoulders. Only then did I realize my upper body was drenched. I don’t know who this man is, but damn, he's gorgeous.
Gosh, what am I thinking? I need to get home ASAP.
" where exactly are we right now?" His voice brought me out of my state of panic.
"We are at Apollo Addonis, sir."the driver's response came shortly
"Any hotels close by?"
"No, sir, just a resort about one and a half miles from our current location."
"Get us there."
We eventually made it to the resort, where we spent the night, and Karl had their driver send me home the next morning.
Upon our arrival, Mom was standing on our front porch, waiting for me, I presumed.
"Where on earth have you been?" she barked the moment I set foot on the porch.
"Sorry, Mom, I was..." "Just about to make an excuse?" She cut me off shortly, her voice raised a few notches. I started to protest, but she cut me off, pulling me inside by my hair.
"I don't know who you think you are, or who you think you should be, but your sorry ass is in a lot of trouble missy" she kept pulling me till we were in the middle of the sitting room "because of your little staunt, my girls and I had leftovers for dinner last night.
Sorry, Mom," I tried to apologize. Maybe she would cut me some slack .
"You should be, anyway. I want the entire place scrubbed from top to bottom. That means rooms, bedrooms, toilets, the yard, and pool house. I want my perfum samples packed away neatly!" I oomed in and out, day dreaming, if dad were still alive would my life unfold different than what it is now? I guess that's a question I'll never have the answer to.
"And, umm, the girls are throwing a party tomorrow evening, and I need you to make snacks for their party."
"I don't think I can get all that done today."
"Urgh," she sighed, annoyance clearly written on her face. "The snacks need to be fresh, so you need to get up early tomorrow morning and do those."
"Yes, Mom. Anything else?"
"Yes child, fetch me a cup of coffee, then get started on your chores". She shooed me and headed to the garden at least she still remembers I'm her child, that's something right
