Beginnings
A dark-skinned woman enters a casino in Miami, Florida holding a briefcase. She walks through, glancing around anxiously, she goes into a bathroom stall trying to calm her nerves when her phone rings startling her as it echoed through the bathroom.
Taking a deep breath and a gulp, “H-Hello?”
“Ah, Viorica, good to hear your voice. Now, where are you? You know I don’t like to be kept waiting.”
“I’m here. Just taking a quick bathroom break. I’ll be up as soon as I’m down.” The woman who is now known as Viorica held her breath.
“Hurry up. Keith is outside waiting for you.”
“Yes of course!” The line hangs up and she removes the phone from her ear, she gets out of her stall, quickly washing her hands, and picks up the briefcase, walking out and seeing a Japanese male with long hair blond that’s put up in a half-up and half down style, two scars near his eyebrows, tanned skin, a face tattoo, three silver earrings, a black leather gold spiked choker, and two silver chains.
Keith glared down at the woman and roughly grabbed her arm, practically dragging the poor woman in front of his muscular body. The pair enter a VIP Lounge and Keith pushes the woman forward making her stumble.
“Viorica! Perfect. You have my money.” It wasn’t a question, his tone held an underlying meaning.
“Right here,” Viorica said straightening her bluish-purple silk top and black leather pants, “Here’s your money.” I hand over the briefcase. He opened it and nodded.
“Thank you, for not making me do extra work. Always a pleasure Viorica.” She forced a smile and turn around when she heard her phone ring. Immediately guns were drawn.
“Come here Viorica, slowly.” His voice had venom as walked to him slowly, when she got close enough he roughly grabbed the phone, “You will talk on speaker and if I even think it’s some type of law enforcement. Your body is going into the lake at the back of my house, got it.” Viorica quickly nodded and Rowan pressed accept and put the phone on speaker.
“MOTHER!” Viorica couldn’t control her smile it was her daughter, Belladonna.
“Hi baby girl, what’s up I’m at work at the moment.”
“I just wanted to know when you were coming home. Cuz I just landed and I’m ready to party! Recent college graduate in the house! If you're busy tonight I can wait till the weekend. I’m just so glad to be home!”
“I’m glad you’re home too. You’re right you deserve a graduation party, my little forensic scientist. I’ll be home soon baby.”
“Of course Mother. See you soon love you!”
“I love you too, bye.”
“Aww how cute Viorica. Your daughter just came back from college? I want to meet her, take your money back, and make sure we’re on the guestlist.” He said with a dark smile. He knew that Viorica wouldn’t/couldn’t say no.
“Yes, of course. How could I not invite Rowan Adan and the Double Dragons?”
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Belladonna’s POV (Until stated otherwise)
I sigh as I step off my family’s jet feeling the Florida sun and heat welcome me back from Massachusetts’ bipolar weather. My light pink wrap-around skirt fluttered in the light breeze.
“Bella, I’m glad to see you staying home for a while. It gets too quiet without hearing from you and Kayanna arguing.” I smiled at Cosima’s words.
“You look like you haven’t aged a bit,” I say walking closer to Cosima to hug her. It was true. Cosima had her raven black chest-length hair in soft curls, her eyebrows done in a perfect arch, her green eyes popped out against her dark eyeshadow and as usual, she was wearing a beautiful coat of red lipstick.
“And you’ve grown so much.” This was also true. I looked different now. I have clear nutmeg brown skin, long wavy-curly blond hair, and black eyes with freckles running under my eyes and across the bridge of my nose, I have a triangle-shaped body, after working out and trying to find a healthy way of losing weight I hit my dream body.
“Thank you. I’m ready to go home and see everyone!” I excitedly say linking my arm with Cosima as we walked to my car.
“Who gave you my car keys?” I asked laughing.
“Kayanna,” Cosima said with a smirk.
“Wait how, I swore I hid them,” I say muttering off to the side as we got to my black beauty. My black Lamborgini Urus. She was a gift my parents bought when I got my license. I get in and relax in the black leather seats and felt myself fall asleep on the way home.
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I’m shaken awake by Cosima, “Welcome home sweetheart.” I give her a smile and get out of the car. I walk into the place I call home.
“Hello! Everyone’s favorite spawn is back!”
“You right about the spawn part.” Said a voice from the upper level. I look up and see my older sister Kayanna, “I’m kidding I missed you ugly.” I almost took off my sandals to hit her in her ugly ass face,” Take off those sunglasses I wanna see if you got uglier.”
I slipped off my sandal and chucked it at Kayanna, “Belladonna Indigo Shade! Kayanna Jasmine Shade! I swear to any God listening that I’m gonna beat yalls asses if you guys are fighting already!” Shit, Mom!
“We aren’t fighting Mom!” Kayanna and I yelled back together. I heard footsteps and Kayanna tossed my shoe back down and I quickly slipped it on as our Mom entered, she looked at Kayanna then she looked at me and smiled.
“It’s so good to have you back home baby,” She comes over and pulls me into a tight hug. I could tell that she was crying on my shoulder, “I missed you so much”, she sniffled out.
“I missed you too.” She pulled away and wiped her face, “Call your Mother and see if you can get her to answer the phone, please?” I nod as Kayanna and Mom walked away.
The phone was ringing for a while, I was about to hang up when she picked up.
“MOTHER!” I yelled excitedly into the phone.
“Hi baby girl, what’s up I’m at work at the moment.”
“I just wanted to know when you were coming home. Cuz I just landed and I’m ready to party! Recent college graduate in the house! If busy tonight I can wait till the weekend. I’m just so glad to be home!” I do a little dance and laugh lightly.
“I’m glad you’re home too. You’re right you deserve a graduation party, my little forensic scientist. I’ll be home soon baby.”
“Of course Mother. See you soon love you!”
“I love you too, bye.” I smile as I get off the phone with her, getting some help from some of the workers to help me bring my luggage to my bedroom. I thank them and jump on the bed hugging my pillow tightly.
“I MISSED YOU FLUFFY BED AND PILLOWS!”
“It’s been four years and you’re still a dork.” I heard Kayanna.
“Kayanna!” I jumped from the bed into my sister’s arms. I let go and jump on my bed once more, “Come in! We have four years’ worth of catching up to do.” Kayanna laughed but came inside regardless and sat down on my bed.
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I must’ve fallen asleep in the middle of our conversation because when I woke up it was daytime and Kayanna was no longer in my room. I get out of bed, stretch, and go into the shower. I put on a gray off-the-shoulder crop top with short jeans and walk downstairs.
I walk into the kitchen/ living room area smelling bacon, garlic toast, eggs, and something else Kayanna and my Moms are on the couch watching something on the tv. One of the workers was cleaning the kitchen while another was making me a plate with breakfast on it.
“Thank you and good morning everyone!” I called as I walked closer to the couch to join my family.
My Mother stood up from the couch and embraced me in a deep hug making the two of us sway back and forth.
“My baby’s back. I’m so freaking proud! We should discuss your graduation party since the weekend is so close. That only gives us a few days to plan!” Mother says as she shakes me slightly, rambling off excitedly.
“Babe, give Bella a moment, she just woke up. Let her eat and then the three of us can help her figure out what she wants.” My Mom calmly said turning her head slightly to look back at us my Mother pouted at her words released her grip on me regardless and we walked to the couch.
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As we were discussing guests Mother said people she knows would also be there, and something in the way she said it didn’t sit well with me, but I didn’t want to say anything.
A few hours had passed and everything was decided and called, Kayanna and I decided to go outside and play soccer as our parents stayed inside and talked.
I grabbed a soccer ball from a sports shed and placed it in the middle of the backyard.
“First to fifteen wins,” Kayanna said.
We were playing for a while, Kayanna and I were tied both with fourteen goals under our belts, and Kayanna tried to shoot the last goal. I blocked it with my thigh and it pounced off leaving a red mark the ball rolled away and I dribbled it a bit forward, but Kayanna stole the ball which made me trip and fall. I couldn’t get up in time and she scored.
“Damn it! If I wasn’t so clumsy I would’ve beat you.” I say from the ground. Kayanna came back and helped me up. “You bitch! This is gonna mark.” I cried out.
“That’s soccer I don’t know what you want me to say. ” she shrugged off. I roll my eyes at her nonchalance.
“STILL A DICK MOVE!” I shout as I limp back to the house.
“CAN’T BE A DICK MOVE WHEN I DON’T HAVE A DICK TO MOVE!” Kayanna shouted back from the shed and I couldn’t contain myself. Kayanna came up beside me with tears running down her dark chocolate skin.
“Ever heard of a dildo dumbass?” I ask holding my sides as I laughed harder. Kayanna said some dumb shit and we just fall to the grass adding onto each other’s shit and laughing so hard till my ribs are hurting, but we just kept laughing.
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We go back into the house to grab a lemonade and join our parents on the patio.
“So who won?” Mom asked.
“Kayanna. We were tied with fourteen goals under our belts. She shot the ball I blocked it with my thigh,” I pause to show the mark on my skin, ”I dribbled it a bit forward, but Kayanna stole the ball which made me trip and fall. I couldn’t get up in time and she scored.”
“You aren’t always clumsy so that’s not horrible. And Kayanna good job at winning, Bella usually always wins.” Mother said handing me a cup of ice for my leg.
Kayanna huffed as she shook her straight chest-length dark brown hair out of its ponytail, “She doesn’t always win at least not by herself... Yep, that’s right I let win most of those times before!”
Three of us looked at each other and took a long sip of our lemonades, “It’s true!” At that, we made our slurping louder, “Whatever.” Kayanna rolled her black eyes and sat in one of the chairs drinking her own glass.
“So anyone up for a few rounds?” I asked with a sly smile.
“Like parents vs kids or mixed teams?” Mother asked.
“Both,” Kayanna and I said at the same time.
“I’m down to kick some kid ass.” Mom said casually as Mother was drinking her lemonade. Mother choked on her lemonade and the three of us laughed at her.
“Yea laugh it up. Don’t say nun when I kick ya’lls asses.” Mother said pointing to her eyes and then pointing at each of us individually as she got up.
“Come on Lilith, even though I’m upset with you, we have to change.” Mother said to Mom holding out her hand to her, Mom accepted and they walked upstairs to change.
“I call Mother,” Kayanna said as they walked away.
“Bro, you can’t call no one. They choose how many goals, and who’s on whose team when they get back.” I say glaring at her.
“I’m still calling Mother,” Kayanna said sticking her now pierced tongue out at me.
“When did you get your tongue pierced?”
“I got it about a few months after you left.” When she finished talking she stuck her tongue out to let me see.
“I like it, it suits you.” Kayanna nodded.
“Thanks, I like your tattoo.” I stick out my wrist so she could get a better look. It was a medium-sized tattoo on my inner wrist. It had the purple flower along with the berries near the flower’s stem with a couple of leaves in the background.
“Alright children! I call Kayanna and the first to 10 in the mixed teams then parents vs kids with 20 goals. How about that?” Mother said as they returned to the patio.
Kayanna gave me a Cheshire cat smile and walked over to Mother as I shook my head and walked over to Mom. The four of us walked to the field.
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By the time we finished playing it was dark outside, my hair was a mess, and I had a couple of red marks, but I’ll be fine. My sister and Mother got their asses handed to them, then Mother (again) and Mom got their asses handed to them.
“I’m the best defender in the world!” I excitedly shout out.
“You got lucky, we’ll play tetherball and we’ll see!” Kayanna shouted back.
“Those are two different sports, but I’m still gonna kick your ass,” I say as we enter the house.
