Chapter 1
"RICHARD!! STOP!! I BEG you! " The cries of her mother couldn't seize the pounding on the door. "Arghhhh! Someone help me! Help!" She wish she could do something to help her, to bash a vase at his head to let her go. He was beating her again. Marking her body with wounds, bruises and cuts. Daphnia's legs wanted to move out of this room, to quickly dash down the hallways to her parents' room and protect her and calm her down from hyperventilating and her father's everlasting punches.
Her back was gently slammed to the door, she slided down feeling the pain overwhelming me. She could do something but she couldn't, herdoor has been locked from outside caging her sister, Begonia and her in her room. He didn't want them interfering. Which was exactly what she wanted to do. She closed her eyes and fluttered them open and gazed at her sister. Begonia was looking out the window. The expression on her face was just plain. It was as if she was unbothered by the chaos that happened outside the four walls of this locked room. Daphnia quietly loathed her unconcern for my mother because while she banged the door threatening to break it down, Begonia sat on the bed her brown eyes staring at the clock.
The screams and hits couldn't just end. She wondered what happened for it lead to this. What went wrong? But, even if everything had gone haywire. It didn't call for the blinding screams that tore my heart. All She wanted to do was jump at her father and tear him apart.
She swallowed her sobs, instead and started humming to any song that submerged in her mind. It was able to calm her down and put her into a perfect serenity. No pounding and no neverending scream.
And that was how she kept her sanity for years. Music was my escape from the terrible childhood she had constantly. It placed her in the world of high octaves and singing became her world. Music became the reason why she was able to ignore the awkward silence stares across the dining table because she was too engrossed in the Dr Beats headphones she had on. The times she didn't have it on, it was being transported to the world of abuse and agony. Then, she started learning how to play the guitar, writing down what I felt right inside. She loathed her father, there was no doubt about that.
Her urges to leave home were repressing when her rebellion reached its peak. While her sister became the perfect little daughter her father wanted, Daphnia was loud, rude and insurbodinate. It was her little way of showing her disregard for her father. But, as the chauvinistic bastard that he was, he loved nothing more but money, it was rather a curse than a blessing that he had two daughters, none of which could boast of the masculinity to take control of his Tech company when he retired or died (she was always hoping for the latter). So his next motive was setting blind dates for them with sons of rich Tech magnates who sounded as a perfect merging partner for monopolization. But, she was so far from his reach, she only felt pity for her darling sister, who did what daddy wanted and swallowed it up staying hours at a table doing nothing.
But, she pitied her more when she was forced to give up on her dreams of studying Fine Arts because she was generously blessed with that talent and had an unspoken passion for it but her father needed then to run his tech company as managers. But, then again she had something in store for him. When it was time to enroll into her college, she had chosen School of Music, New York. I had gotten a handful of beating but that didn't stop her from following her dreams of being a rockstar.
♪♪♪
"Girl, you know I want your love
Your love was handmade for somebody like me
Come on, now follow my lead
I may be crazy, don't mind me
Say boy, let's talk too much
Grab on my waist and put that body on me
Come on, now follow my lead
Come on, now follow my lead, ummmm
I'm love with the shape of you...
She swayed her hips to the gentle yet brash voice of Ed Sheeran, bobbing the lyrics with her headphones on. She was always in my world of music trying to escape the chaos called her life. Even when she wasn't listening to music, she was writing music or playing it. There was this magnetic connection between both of them that set my passions for it ablaze but her father despised it, he saw no career in it. Mind you, they didn't have a heart to heart talk discussing what she wanted to study later on and of course, she couldn't care less because she still got to do what I wanted to do at the end. Going to School of Music, New York. When she got admitted, he found out and I ended up with four stitches and a purple eye.
She hopped on my bed, eventually tired of swaying her hips. She already knew she wasn't a born dancer. She took up my tab and read blogs on famous artists such as Rihanna, Alessia Cara and the rest about their achievements and it made her wonder how it would just be if she was like them too. It wasn't too late for become one. She was just nineteen years old; an ideal age to embark on her own musical journey. But, the antagonist in this idealistic dream of hers was my personal demon and tormentor assigned to me from the burning flames of hell, her father. He would get pissed at the fact that she left an inheritance waitingfor her to go searching in failure's paradise (a term he'd use frequently). It wasn't everyone who wanted to be in the entertainment industry is right there being famous and rich. Some are being underestimated and marginalized.
The door creaked open and her eyes stared at who opened my door without an approval from her.
She rolled over her bed, groaning as she tried to stare at the person who barged in uninvited. She groaned even more in realization of who was that. It was her father. The man dressed in Armani black suit, towering over 6'4, spotting a grey beard and grey hair reminiscent of what color it used to be, black. The color of her own hair. The calculating look in his green eyes showed that he was here for business. She wondered who her date would be this time around. Some rich obnoxious Brooke who couldn't stop talking about Princeton and how he was going to take over her father's company while she continued poking her straw into her non-alcoholic drink (just her luck!) obviously bored of the conversation.
“I want you to get dressed at seven.” Her father said authoratively. She resisted the urge to reach out and strangle her own father.
“Why?”
“I don't own you any explanation. Just doll yourself up and get ready around seven.” He turned to leave.
“And what if I don't want to?” She dared. She was sick and tired of him always dropping orders on her as if she didn't have a life. And she didn't even want to go over how many times she kept on telling him no, how many times she burnt the dresses provided for the occasion and today was one of those days where she simply had to question his motives.
His eyes turned cold at her direction. A shiver went down Daphnia's spine, she had to congratulate herself for returning the cold glare in the manner that seemed defying. She didn't know why, each time her father gave those glares, it replenished her to act in a grosteque manner. He took quiet but calculating steps towards her, ready to strike her for disobeying him. “What did you just say, Daphnia?”
“That I don't want to.”
The sound echoed around the room, that it didn't occur to her that she had just been slapped. Her cheek stinged but she didn't reach out to Palm it. Her attention was directed on the man who just slapped her for the thousandth time. “You would do what I say!”
“And why?! Give me one freaking reason why!”
Her father was already mad. It was showing in the way he clenched and unclenched fist, she knew if she provoked him one more time, he wouldn't mind flinging punches towards her direction. “God! I begged you for a son not a poor excuse for a daughter who is just hardbent on making my life miserable but I won't allow that, no I won't.” He spoke with his head tilted heavenwards. I watched him with my eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him. Then, he turned to me. “You're a curse, Daphnia.”He spat bitterly.
“Tell me something I don't know.” She muttered. It wasn't becoming surprise each time she was been told that. It was his trademark reminding her every time while he wished she was a boy. At least he won't be setting up meaningless dates instead he and his son who would strategize plans to gain potential investors. Apparently her and her sister (because they were not full blooded males, they didn't inherit his insights into technology) took their mother's inconsequential talents singing and painting. Her mother had a lovely voice.
“If only your sister wasn't busy attending a conference in Belgium. I won't be here facing a head filled with brick. I mean it, be ready at 7, the driver would take you to.” His voice was clipped as it had a sign of finality in it. The door slammed shut as it left.
“Maybe when pigs fly.”
AARON HAD forgotten to collect the phone number of the cateyed girl that flirted silently throughout the duration of the conference held. She was slim and t
qite unique from all the Japanese girls he had seen flocking the streets of Tokyo. He thought she was probably the personal assistant of the representative of Samsung or the representative of Mircosoft.
But it didn't matter now as he brisked into the elevator of the prestigious hotel that was rent out for the conference. He stood out in height and in elegance among everyone in the elevator. He wasn't anything short of 6'2 but the seven person in there made him seem like a 6'7. Once he had emerged from the elevator, a valet holding his suitcase, he was before the receptionist stand sliding his plantinum black across the POS before entering the matte black BMW that was to take him to the airport to board his private jet home to Los Angeles.
Stepping into the blazing hot sun of Los Angeles, he couldn't help but miss the cold Tokyo but it wouldn't be long until he entered his air conditioned Rolls Royce that was packed right in front. He slid into the backseat of the exotic car and was greeted by his long time driver, Mr Anderson, a 65 year old man who had been his driver since he was first sent to kindagarten.
“How are you, Mr Anderson?” Aaron inquired removing his shades that protected his eyes from the hot sun for the minutes the car wasn't around. He folds them and placed them in the V middle where the lapels of his jacket joined. Although he had knew Anderson ever since he was little, he couldn't help but still maintain that professionalism between them. When emotions were involved in business, it's outcomes were not as satisfying as expected. But, it didn't hurt to ask how he was faring.
“I am fine sir and how was your trip?” Mr Anderson roared the engine to life and drove out of the airport.
“It was adequate.” And that was where the conversation ended. Aaron brought out his phone and checked how missed calls he would have gotten since his personal assistant forgot to roam his sim card at the airport, he was subjected to register a Japanese number at call centre. There were a few missed calls from employees and business partners but that was just it. No missed calls from his mother, his father only stayed in touch with him for business purposes and that was just it. His relationship with his mother had gone sour over the years as he was faced with one drama every morning. The yells, the screams that came from the other side of the mansion placed him in a very uncomfortable position. He was very young to overhear conversations of his mother crying on the phone with her sister, Aunt Georgie about how she found unused condoms stacked in her husband's drawers. He didn't know what condom had meant at that age but he knew it was bad to have them. His relationship with his father was strained as well as he had been forced to think that his father was hurting his mother as well. It was when he was sixteen he had discovered that his mom was also cheating on his father with a boy who barely three years older than him. It was really unfair to him that he was forced to live with these chaos all his life. Having a mother who cheats and loved spending money however she pleased or a father who couldn't keep his eyes off the women population working in his company and he constantly found himself stuck in between as always. He was even prepared to stay with the one who kept the house after their divorce because he believed they were just playing games in their marriage. But, his passion for producing music kept him alive, he loved how fascinating it was to create beats, and mix them or decrease tempos or increase them. Especially when he had visited a friend in high school who had wanted to be a rapper and his own music producer, he watched how he actually did it and became hooked, so hooked that anytime his parents started their everlasting arguments, his headphones were attached over his head and his mouse sensor was dragging consoles uo on his laptop. Even with his self-made music therapy, his parents' behaviors affected his mentality and behavior badly, because he didn't believe in love, he was withdrawn and most of the time, rude to everybody he met, so cold and impulsive that he was forced to be tested for bipolar disorder and it didn't help when he grew older and advanced. He became nothing short of an egocentric and narcissistic man always demanding respect and admiration wherever he went.
On his way back to his Bel-air mansion, he had pulled out his phone and replied Mark's message.
What did I miss, Mark? :-|
Mark's message comes in a few seconds later.
Booze and Babes all night long ;-)
Aaron shook his head. He had anticipated Mark's big reply. Mark was his distant cousin, from his father's side. Although he wasn't completely Hispanic as Aaron was, having a white mother and a half white half Puerto Rico father but Mark often behaved like a Puerto Rican man straight to it's roots, he loved booze (Who didn't) and loved women (again, who didn't). Mark was an all time champion tennis player who did his debut as an under 16 player for the under 16 wibbledom tournament and ever since had his tennis career on track.
Rub it in :-(
He sent the message and it seemed Mark wasn't going to reply. He stared out the window of the vehicle watching trees and houses roll by. They were just passing Beverly Hills and Aaron stared at the so familiar restaurants and magnificent houses inhabited by famous stars, business moguls and very famous television personalities. Richard Montgomery, his father's closest friend and healthy rival lived there with his wife and two daughters. He had only met the brawny man and his gentle and very beautiful wife once at the charity gala his mother had hosted. He didn't like the narcissistic man, whereas he was kissing his father's butt, he spoke curtly to the rest of the guests so Aaron was very wary of him and it didn't prepare him for the future business deals to come.
He could feel the driver slowing down as they diverted into his parents' twenty yard mansion in Bel-Air. A better and modified reminiscent of the white house situated in the middle of the yard, green grass stretched out across as it provided a serene look to the garden at the left. From what he could see, there was a green house and a garage filed with expensive and exotic cars. In front of the house was a roundabout that contained a fountain. Anderson drove around it and stopped at the large porch of the house where maids had waited his return. Before Anderson was out his own door to get Aaron's, Aaron was already out, clearly ignoring the greetings the maids had offered. He strolled down the hallways of his parents' mansion, clearly noticing the potraits that had been hung there. He walked into the enormous living room that was built to house thirty guests in a sitting. Then, the shouts started. He groaned pinching his nose because this was not what he had expected when he got home. He just wanted to go to his room, take his shower and talk to his personal assistant then sleep.
“Ximena, you don't need to do this!” He could hear his father's distant voice from downstairs. It was clear that the both of them were upstairs fighting as usual. Aaron tilted his head up in an angle of elevation to get a better view but he wasn't offered that.
Then there was screaming, it was occupied by yells and angry outbursts. They were becoming louder and louder as his mother's face came into view. “You prostitute! How dare you come to my house and sleep with my husband?! Have you no shame?!” She dragged by the hair, a naked young girl who looked around Aaron's age but he wasn't surprised. He didn't feel uncomfortable with the view. Even with the choas that went on, he had to admit that the girl's breasts were arousing.
The girl kept on screaming as his mother dragged her down the stairs. His father raced down after them wearing nothing but his tight briefs. Now this was a sight! And it wasn't only Aaron that observed this but the maids too gathered spectating the event with feelings of awe, amusement and disgust. Aaron couldn't send the girls away. He didn't want to and didn't plan to just to save his parents'reputation. They brought humiliation upon themselves so they should bore the consequences.
“Ximena! Leave the girl alone.” His mother finally listened and made an abrupt stop right in the middle of the living room, making the girl who she held by the hair, fall to the floor screaming.
“And why should I, Antonio?! Give me one reason why?!” The hurt was evident in his mother's eyes. But, Aaron was already used to the drama so he wasn't compelled to hug his mother tight and protect her from his father.
Aaron put his hands in his pockets as he got himself comfortable leaning on the wall with his legs crossed in front of him. He wondered what his father will say now. Ven, mi amor. Hablemos de esto. He laughed inside. His mother would always get defeated when he spoke Spanish to her calmly. He didn't know why was so. Probably it was something kinky to her.
“Ximena, por favor.” He placed his hand on his mother's grip that held the blonde who awaited her fate. She too watched the scene with anticipation just as the maids did but Aaron was indifferent. But, he was right about something. His father knew his game quite well.
But the flames in his mother's eyes didn't quench as she stared right into her husband's eyes. Probably, speaking Spanish didn't work on her this time. “And why should I, Antonio¿¡ ¿Cómo te atreves a tener sexo con esta cosa en mi casa, en mi casa? ¡por el amor de Dios!”
Why would you have sex with this thing in my own house?! In my own house? For the love of God! Aaron rolled his eyes involuntarily at what his mother had said. Probably she didn't know of the countless times, he had caught his father having sex right on her bed with another woman. That was his fault. He should have knocked before walking in. By now, he would have had his innocence still intact. But, his mother was no saint either. So, she could save the outbursts for someone he didn't know her well like he did. Say, Aunt Georgiana who countlessly called his father an idiota.
“I am sorry, Ximena. I really am.” His father said in Spanish. Great, now the show was almost over. Well, it was exciting while it lasted.
His father gently removed the hand that was firmly attached to the girl's hair letting her loose. She crawled on the floor packing her clothes on the floor that Antonio had unconsciously helped her with.
“You! Out! Out of here, right now!”Antonio ordered, while holding his defeated wife's hands. After the slim flimsy had ran out of the house, naked. Antonio faced his wife in intimate proximity and that was when Aaron found the appropriate time to clap profoundly.
“Wow! You two never cease to amaze me!” His parents turned to look at him shocked. It seemed that they weren't expecting to see him there. How could they? When they were wrapped in their amusing drama? Ximena released her hands from Antonio to approach her son. “Mother, you should have quit modelling for acting and father, I didn't know you had it in you.”
Although Antonio's skin was tan, he still turned red. “That's no way to talk to your parents, son!”
Aaron glared at him slightly. “I was only commending your shenanigans. It was such a lovely drama. ”He said sarcastically then ascended the stairs to his room hearing a distant Aaron, honey from his mother.
He went to his room and shut his door. A knock came on it, five minutes later. He opened it yelling “What?!” at his poor victim. It was the scrawny maid that had took out his luggage from the car.
“I came to drop your luggage sir.” She said scared at the tone of his voice.
Aaron didn't say anything. He made room for her to walk in and removed his tie as he watched her place the luggage in his walk-in closet.
“Sir, should I unpack it for you?”
“No. Leave.”
It didn't take her a second of scurry out of the room.
Aaron drove his fingers into his jet black hair sighing. He wasn't indifferent to his parents' drama, he was tired.
SHE THOUGHT of tearing the three thousand dollar Dior dress given to her by one of the maids after her father had left this morning. It was not exactly her taste. It was ugly, a black reminiscent of a nineteen ninety something couture with feathers and glitters. It was making her uncomfortable, as she kept on slacking it to give her room. She was on her way to Intercontinental hotel. The Italian restaurant, that a friend of her mother had opened the other day. Her father had forced her into the car with a driver so he could watch her. She couldn't help but laugh at how insecure her father was. He really thought that if she went alone with her own car, she would still boycott the dinner arrangement and she had to give it to him, the bastard knew her so fucking well. But, what made him think that she would still go to the restaurant even though he sent his personal driver to keep a watch on her.
Dinner was at seven. The time on her phone was six thirty three. She stared out her window and it seemed at the perfect moment that was when the sun began to set. It casted it's orange rays on her face illuminating it. She wondered if she could go to the club after this insufferable date. It's been a while since she's seen her girls and sang at the club. She sighed and texted Kara, her best friend, a message.
What you up to?
The message got replied later with a nothing, anticipating getting a new tattoo.
Daphnia laughed.
Lol, like your mother would let you.
She sent the text and texted Mia at the bar to save her a spot on the stage.
Of the people, my mother was the one who turned out to be bottle-necked. Just my life:-( . Kara texted.
I was thinking we could go clubbing after this stupid date.
Sure. You don't need to ask me twice. What time?
Eight. Daphnia typed and pulled her phone away as the driver pulled up at the entrance of the huge hotel. The sky was turning dark blue and was fastly enveloping stars. Daphnia reached for her Hermes pink coat that laid close to her and picked up her purse and phone sliding out of the Audi. If there's one thing she knew, tonight, that was she was overdressed. A little chemise dress could have solved this. She made a mental note to remind Mia to give her one of those when she got to the club.
When she got down from the car, her driver made a little honk getting her attention. “Miss Daphnia, I will be waiting for you at the basement till you're done.”
But she doubted she will be done by eight PM. “Do you know what? Have the car ready by eight PM. You fetch me at the entrance then you drive me straight to Exchange LA.”
There was extreme shock on his face. “The nightclub.”
“Yes, the nightclub. ”She released her hands from pressing down on the car exterior and sashayed into the hotel. She was directed into the restaurant but was stopped by the receptionist who asked for her name.
“Montgomery.”
“Oh, come this way. ”
She sat at the two seater table waiting for her date to come. It was seven fifteen and there wasn't any show of him. She looked around the restaurant having a sink of it.
The place was beautiful. With the tables strategically positioned, candles were lit on each creating a golden glow. The chandeliers on the ceilings added more glow to it. It was really nice watching these people eat and talk in whispers. She noticed a couple whose table wasn't far from hers. The girl was African American and the boy was Hispanic, they seemed engaged in a very intense conversation but they looked in love, she felt hot and badly wanted to have her own amazing love story.
She had boyfriends in the past and especially in high school and she won't deny being a virgin but she didn't feel any connection with any of them. If they weren't interested in her love for music, they just wanted sex (which she happily gave them because she wanted it too) or they were obnoxious and loved talking about themselves. She was quite self-centered and she hated people who were that too. Like the idiot that was keeping her waiting. Not that she knew who he was and that was the frustrating part. She was mad at her father for sending her off with a man who she didn't know whose name was or whose son he was.
“What the fuck?” She whispered when she checked her phone and realized the time was seven fifty. If he didn't come in ten minutes, she was out of there.
Ten minutes later, she found herself sitting uncomfortably in her father's Audi as it sped into town. She was so mad that she was stood up like that and it was her first time. She was particularly vain, she was quite aware of that and she knew she was pretty and boys never failed to remind her. Having her father's green eyes and her mother's jet black hair, and her half Puerto Rican tanned skin, she really thought of herself to be exotic.
Her phone rang. She smiled at Kara's ID swiping her finger across the answer call icon.
“Where have you been, bitch? I have been waiting for you since forever.” Trust Kara to exaggerate.
“We're on the sixth street, Kara.” I said glancing at the 6th Street sign as we drove by. “It's just a seven minutes drive from Intercontinental hotel to Exchange LA. Where are you?”
“I'm at Exchange already. I was just around the corner when you called. ”
“You headed out the second I asked you to join me at Exchange.”
“Yup.”
“Well, blame yourself not me.” Daphnia chuckled.
“Fuck you bitch.”
Daphnia looked ahead as they turned right passing Beelman's. “I'm pulling up at Exchange right now. See you soon.” She hung up.
Before she slid out of the car, she said to the driver, “wait for me.”
She didn't wait for his reply as she slid out of the car, flashing her fake ID to bouncer, she had to because she wasn't yet twenty one to go clubbing and drink.
She stepped into the already crowded club which was dimly lit and had stage lights swing around and disco lights changing styles and the music blasting to its fullest. The Exchange LA club was one that looked like a concert arena. It was a place where upcoming artists made their debuts and she had sang the song she wrote on the stage several times. It was exhilarating moment on that stage and for some like her whose confidence was prowing, she felt like she was in control and just like the Shakespearean saying goes, the world is a stage and the world becomes her stage.
She glanced around through the thick crowd for either Mia or Kara but couldn't find any. The club had a full house today, to her advantage but it didn't help right now because she could be claustrophobic sometimes when under pressure. Luckily, she ran into Simone, a black American girl who worked at the bar.
“Hi, Simone.” Daphnia waved but was startled when a smiling Simone engulfed her in a hug.
“Honeycheeks. We've missed you around here. What's up?” Simone said in her African American accented voice. She released Daphnia but still had that goofy smile on her face.
“Nothing much. I have been looking for Mia and Kara. I had asked Mia to save a spot for me on the stage.” She had shout to get her voice heard because of the blasting music.
“Oh yeah. People really love your voice here, Daph. Why don't you enter the music industry? You would really make statement there. You can be the Hispanic Beyonce there.” She advised. The girl didn't have to shout because she had a loud voice.
“Well, you have to start somewhere. Don't you? Anyway, have you seen Mia and Kara?” She asked, feeling conscious of the Dior dress. She didn't want to feel overdressed.
“Yeah, I saw them backstage few minutes ago. I got to go, Daph. Catch ya later.”
Daphnia felt her legs moving as she made her way to the backstage of the club. That was the only place that had a wardrobe to make her change out of this grandma clothes she had put on. She was grateful that she had met Simone. She won't really consider the always smiling girl a friend like Mia and Kara, but she was an acquaintance— a person she found herself talking to when she didn't come with Kara or Mia was long working. Simone was usually at the club because of her boyfriend was the club's DJ and she was always cheering him up.
She got to the backstage and quickly pulled off her pink fur jacket as soon as she spotted Mia and Kara. “Mia! Kara!”
The two girls who were engrossed in a conversation noticed their friend and their eyes widened a bit.“Who are you and what have you done to my friend?” Kara said. The tall girl stared at the dress her friend was wearing and held her mouth ajar.
“Very funny, Kara.” Daphnia said rolling her eyes.
“But really,who would put you in a ridiculously long dress when you have gorgeous legs to show?” The shorter girl asked scrutinizing the dress.
“Will you just find me a dress to put on, preferably a dress I would feel free in?” Daphnia asked, slightly irritated by the questions.
“I will get something for you to wear, you can't go on stage looking like a chicken.” Mia said disappearing into the wardrobe.
It was just her and Kara, the tomboy girl who only loved wearing sweats. She was really pretty being mixed, with her hair braided into box braids. She lived close to Daphnia and had been her best friend since they were three and Kara had teased Daphnia about her love for pink. Kara was her confidant when she needed someone to rant to when Begonia wasn't present to listen, Kara had known of the bruises that Daphnia bore and listened to Daphnia as she played her guitar while singing her song. Kara was the one who taught Daphnia to be rebellious and daring directly and indirectly. Kara had issues at home with her mother, the white sophisticated woman didn't approve her daughter's Nigerianess. When she married Kara's father, she had hoped of straightening him into perfect whiteness. She became controlling, and made sure that he cut communication with his family back in Nigeria and everything he felt behind. It was rumoured that she was the one with the money so that made her behave that way. She also planned on straightening Kara into perfect whiteness but it didn't work when Kara got to know of her cultural roots and Kara started braiding her hair. Kara's mother threatened to disown her because she took on her father's name, Ugwu instead of her mother's maiden name Reid. And her father while all this happened, kept quiet.
“He forced you on one of those dates right?” Kara asked after Mia left. Daphnia wasn't comfortable talking about her personal issues when Mia was present. Mia was a nice girl with a bubbling personality and she had things in common with her more than she had with Kara. She couldn't tell the short Hispanic secrets that Kara had live through with her.
“You won't call it a date if your date didn't show up.” Daphnia said.
“What do you mean by didn't show up?” Kara raised an eyebrow.
“Well, he didn't come at the designated time so I just left.” Daphnia shrugged.
Kara stared at her friend, half-smiling, half-shocked. “Didn't know you hated impunctuality.”
“I was actually going to chat you up to cancel if he had shown up. So, the odds were in your favor.” Daphnia managed to sit on a chair, sighing. “I really can't wait to go back to school, and it's frustrating that that's in two days time. That house feels like a cage. And it's frustrating that in a country such as United States of America where human rights are being expressed to its maximum and in this time and age, I still find myself financially attached to my father.” Daphnia sighed deeply. It was really a big burden to her. Her father treated her sister and her this way because he knew he had them at his disposal, and if they didn't do want he ordered of them, he would cut them off. For children who were spoilt their whole life, they didn't know how to stand independent on their own. Well, Begonia can because she was working and she was earning enough but Daphnia, Daphnia was as good as gone. So, she making a name for herself wasn't only a passion but a sense of financial fufilment to herself.
“That's obligation as a father, Daph. Especially one has ton of money. If you allow me, I'd say your father is an asshole.” Kara said.
“I think we'd already established that fact a long time ago.”
Kara laughed. Mia returned with two piece creamish pink dress, a crop top and a high waisted short skirt that stopped mid thigh but she kept on the black stilletos she had on earlier. But, Daphnia liked it like that. Her one true vice was ridiculously short clothes.
When she emerged out of the dressing room. Mia nodded in approval and Kara simply said, “you've just proven to me that you were made to be a prostitute.”
“Go fuck yourself, Kara.”
“Did this morning.”
“TMI.”
Kara snorted. “Daphnia, you go up in five seconds.” The time manager signalled to her. And when it was time, Daphnia stepped on the stage feeling like she owned the stage, her vocal dexterity was something no one could reckon with. Her facial expression told a lot of how much she was in control and when she was done, she obviously deserved the deafening round of applause she got.
THE LAST thing Begonia wanted was the racketing noise that went on downstairs. It was late and probably eleven pm. Her trip in Belgium didn't go as planned. The business partner her father sent her to see outright sexually harrassed her, and the worst part was she couldn't do anything about it. No, nothing. If she decided to report him, her father would punish her for ruining such a perfect business deal. So, she had to endure. Endure the way the creep left his seat to come sit down with her, endure the way his hand that was resting on his thighs had found it's way on her thigh gripping it hard. It was uncomfortable and irritating. It was as if her privacy had been invaded but she had to endure. Endure the way his other hand found it's way unbuttoning her shirt one after the other as she read the business deals, endure the way it unhooked her bra and fondled with one of her breasts. Her saving grace was his personal assistant who told him he had another meeting. Feeling satisfied, the man told her to tell her father to call him. She couldn't wait to get back to her hotel and started washing herself of that old man's touch. He wouldn't have done that if she was Daphnia. No, Daphnia would have make sure she insulted him and track down his wife telling her what he almost did, of course the business deal would be gone but her dignity would remain intact. Begonia wasn't so sure about hers. She wouldn't be in this state if her father cared the very least. If her father cared that she was sexually harrassed that was why she turned him down and ran off signifying the end of that business deal, she won't be here her heart heavy of what had happened to her. She won't tell anyone, she promised herself. No, not even Daphnia, especially not Daphnia.
She hid under her blanket shivering from the tears she had shed over the last hour since her return. She felt dirty and the urge to have another bath was repressing until she heard an earth-shaking sound.
She flew out of her bed, wrapped herself in a robe and ran downstairs as soon as she could. She was scared that something terrible had happened to her mother again or worse Daphnia. Running downstairs, she heard Daphnia's masochistic laughter as the belt made it resounding marks on her driven by her father. Her mother's tiny frame was wrapped around her big father's as she tried to stop him from killing their daughter. Her sister. Now all thoughts of what happened in Belgium were almost forgotten. She needed to help her sister.
As her father kept on flogging Daphnia, Daphnia couldn't stop laughing, asking for more. Begonia wondered when she got demonized. She quickly ran to the scene and withheld her father from brashing her sister. If there's one thing she knew she had was strength. She was the only one amongst her and her sister that could stop her father physically but it was a power she didn't know she had tucked away.
“This will teach you not to ever disobey me again, Daphnia!” Her father struggled to get out of her grip and attack Daphnia again.
“Is that what you call a sound beating?” Said the girl who now had bruises all over her body.
“Father, let's go.” She held him trying to make him ignore what Daphnia had said.
She took him upstairs to his room and made him sit on his bed then she fetched him a bottle of water to drink from while waiting for him to calm down. If she didn't get him to calm down, he was likely going to burn the house down. As, she waited for him to do so, she yearned to be in her sister's room taking care of her wounds. She knew her mother was taking care of that. What had gotten into Daphnia's head this time around? She really wanted to know. What did she do that made their father so upset, he was ready to kill her?
Her father stretched out his hand for her to take the bottle of water, which she did. She dropped it on the side stool of his bed and returned it to it's position.
“Thank you, Begonia. You're truly a flower. ” Her father thanked her and she badly wanted to vomit. Why thank her? He was really a sick man.
“No problem, father. Just rest. ” She switched off the lights ready to leave the room.
“I mean it. Mr Jasen was really impressed with you. Whatever charm you used worked, continue using it.”
“Sure, goodnight.” She croaked out closing the door behind her. The tears threatened to spill as she remembered his last words whatever charm you used work, continue using it. The feelings from before enveloped her as she seeked to be swallowed into the ground. She was right. Her father would have killed her if she fought Mr Jasen.
She walked to her sister's room and opened the door as she heard yelps and ouches of pain. Her sister was one of a kind. She never cried or yelled when her father was whipping her but afterwards was when she started feeling the pain. Begonia quietly opened the door and walked in.
“Lo siento, realmente no sé por qué te atreverías así a tu padre. You know how he is, Daphnia.”
“Oh, mom. Forget it. ”She hissed as her mother applied iodine to her injury.
“¿Lo que realmente sucedió?” What really happened? Their mother wanted to know. It wasn't actually her father's time of descending on her. But, Daphnia had it worse than any of them.
Daphnia sighed then yelped in pain when her mother touched her wound. “Mom!” Daphnia exclaimed.
“I am sorry, honey.” Her mother said again.
“What happened, Daphne?” Begonia asked. She called her nickname instead. Because she didn't know what her parents were thinking when they gave her the name of a common water flea. She guessed her father stumbled across the name and named her hence this.
Daphnia stared at her, a small smile flickering on her golden face and Begonia reciprocated her thoughts too.
“He forced me to go on a date with some rich nameless man. I went there waited for him from so long and when I couldn't, I left. ” Begonia who was standing at the door frame, had moved inside sitting close to her sister on the bed.
“But you waited and the guy didn't show up?” Begonia mused. Each time she tried to find a justifying reason for her father's action, each time she failed. Nothing she and Daphnia did was reason enough to treat them like animals.
“Well, yeah. But according to dad, he later showed up.” Daphnia rolled her eyes. Begonia wanted to chortle, her sister was hardbent on acting indifferent even to her and her mother. She won't deny it, Daphnia was the bravest person she had ever met but brave people have emotions. There was no way, no one won't break down after receiving twenty lashes of her father's belt.
“Oh, Daphnia. I keep telling you. Nothing good comes out of daring your father. Nada. ” She knew her mother wasn't only talking to them but herself. What had her father done to her sweet mother? A woman she knew that couldn't hurt a fly. Did he manage to convince her that every blow and punch that came her way was her own fault?
“But you don't dare him, mom.” Daphnia's voice was subtle for once. It was more like she was asking a question for clarification.
“Do you, mama?” Begonia quipped. The room became heavy with silence. Her and her sister stared at their fallen hero waiting to hear the pseudo truth. Maria Angeles couldn't say anything. Her head was hung down, her breathing heavy and unsteady.
“My point is stop daring your father, just do as he says. I beg of you. ” She started picking up the ointments that were scattered all over the floor. “Your wounds should have healed by tomorrow, Daphnia.” She told Daphnia who had doubtful on her face as her mother left the room after bidding goodnight.
“You don't believe her, do you?” Daphnia hissed, clearly shocked at how shamelessly her mother defending her father. “Shameless fucking bastard! He had manipulated her into thinking that he's her Lord and master!”
“Daphne, you insulting him doesn't change a thing.” Begonia explained. Her calm voice contrasting with her sister's loud and angry outbursts.
“I don't get, Bego! I don't! Why does he feel the need to control us?!” Daphnia stood up, clenching her fists.
Begonia had this under control. She had always had her sister's tantrums under control, ever since she had to drag her sister away before she descended on a teenage boy who was catcalling her.
“I really don't know, Daphne. Can we drop the subject?” She said exasperated then she smiled beamly. “I just want to hug my sister.”
Daphnia returned the smile and jumped on her, overwhelming her in a bear hug. They both ended up on the bed laughing clearly lightened up especially when Daphnia hissed in pain.
“Get off me, you're going to wrinkle my shirt. ” Begonia joked trying to wiggle out of her sister's small frame.
“No, just a little ironing can solve your Hermes problem.” Daphnia beamed. Begonia managed to pull her off and she ended flat on the bed, her hair creating a halo.
They laughed again then fell into a comfortable silence. “How was Belgium?”
Flashes of Mr Jasen's office came back. “It was…okay.” She managed to croak out hoping her voice didn't betray her.
Thankfully, Daphnia didn't notice the strain in her voice. Daphnia wasn't —fortunately— blessed with the skill of depicting people's emotions, if she had that skill. She'd be sitting in jail by now not feeling one ounce of regret for what she didn't.
“It was boring, right?” Daphnia asked distastefully. “Belgium is boring, with old uninteresting places. Yikes!”
“Yeah, it is.” Begonia's voice was distant now.
“Bego, I was mad when I came back from school and I heard you had travelled to Belgium, I was more than prepared to head back to New York that same day.”
Begonia laughed. “So, I make this house bearable for you.”
A pillow hit her face. “Don't let your head grow too big. I am the reason why this house is a hell hole.” Daphnia managed to sit up. “School is starting in two days time and we've missed out on a lot.”
“I know. But this is just spring break. You will be back summer right?” Begonia said feeling sad. She really missed out on this spring break.
“Yeah, why not? But, you won't see much of me then. ” Daphnia said.
“Why?” Begonia managed to sit up too.
“When I get back to New York, I will have to send my demo to Mega Music Group. ” Daphnia said smiling.
Begonia's eyes widened. She was happy and shocked right now. She didn't know Daphnia was already planned on sending her demo to the record label of her choice and the one she chose was the best in that state and all its artists were famous and some were on tour.
“I am so happy for you!” She hugged her sister. Happy that her sister was brave enough to follow her dreams whereas she didn't.
“AARON, HONEY. May I come in?" Said his mother after she had knocked on his door.
Aaron rolled his eyes. With his phone to his ear, he said, "fix the server. I can't come there this night. So I need this to be done for the buildup of the software. Good night."
He hung up, slamming his laptop shut. He dragged his swivel chair away from his table, making a stand, he walked to the door as his mother knocked on it again. He opened it as his mother had raised her hand to knock on it again.
Her eyes were widened but she coughed and tried to comport herself. He was a replica of the tall woman that stood in front of him. They both had hazel eyes, brown hair and high cheekbones. He had always been teased as a child that he looked like a girl and it made more sense when he felt like he was staring at the older feminine version of himself. His feminine beauty was appreciated in high school when he at least started taking some of his father's genes such as a chiselled chin and a well proportioned face. He noticed that she was a lot neater than she was earlier wearing a wrap dress that was unwrapping due to her crazy actions this afternoon.
"What do you want, mom?" He raved.
She stepped closer. "Can I come in?"
He looked at her for seconds and let her in. Ximena sat on the bed while he sat on his office chair, wanting to hear what she had to say.
"What you saw today..."
"Was nothing, I get it." He completed her sentence earning a shocked looked from his mother.
"But..."
"I really don't know why you're giving reasons for that drama displayed earlier." He felt free saying all of these to her face.
"Aaron. Déjame hablar." His mother said calmly.
"There's nothing to talk about. Stop sugar-coating things and come back to reality. Your marriage is a failure."
