Among Stars by Nevi Bernard (free ebook reader for pc TXT) 📕

Now angry I began ripping papers from the wall just wanting the earth to swallow me up. Everyone was now laughing and soon I saw who was behind everything. Lucy, Layla and Carla stood at one end of the hall with a few remaining papers in hand, and they too were laughing.

“Why are you doing this? What have I done to you that’s so bad?” I almost wailed.

            “That’s for us to know plus you ruined my magazine the other day.” Layla sneered then laughed evilly.

“You. Are. So. Evil!” I screamed in an angry staccato at them before throwing the papers into the trash can and hurriedly placing my things into my locked.

As soon as I did so I dashed from the building on the verge of tears. Dad’s car came around the corner just then and I went in before the driver came out to open the door. He was on a call but told whoever he was talking to he would call back at the sight of my face.

“Dami, honey what’s wrong?” he asked pulling me to his side and began stroking my hair.

I didn’t reply but just for a moment I hugged him tight and cried. After a few minutes I let go of him and pushed away. He begged for me to tell him what was wrong but I refused. Finally he sighed and began making calls, as I slowly retreated back into my shell.

It took us an hour and a half to get my dad’s house. As the vehicle slowed woke and stared out the window. I had dozed off some minutes after my breakdown. The big iron gates of the Vincenzo beach villa opens slowly and the vehicle moved forward. There are Cypress, Pine and Douglas Fir trees lining the roadway leading up to the house; and mahogany, oak and cherry blossoms dotted the grassy areas around, and I watch them sway in the gentle breeze as I reminisce on happier times when things weren’t so complicated.

 Slowly the fountain in the shape two fighting lions came into view along with the mansion in its entire splendor.  I was eager to get out of the van without anyone seeing me and without any confrontation all. And I wanted to get away as far as I could from my dad maybe even myself. I mused. But that was going to be impossible thought to myself as I spot the triplets

“We’re here.” Dad said as the vehicle came to a halt.

“I can see that, I’m not blind.” I snapped

 “Can’t we call it truce and try to like each other for the time that you’re here?” dad begged

“No” I replied harshly and pushed out of the vehicle

The triplets were running out towards the vehicle obviously to greet dad but stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of me.

“What is she doing here?” they chorused

“Your sister will be with us for a while.” He replied blandly

“You’ve got to be kidding. She can’t stay here.” Davoni said crossing her arms across her chest.

“Yeah she can’t.” Dynae chimed in.

“Plus she ruins everything.” Dashae added.

 “Well I’m sorry girls. It’s final; she is staying here, so try to get along.” Dad said the last part as if he was really begging them to be nice to me but I wanted nothing from any of them. Not even the emotions that I feel towards them.

“Well there is no need to worry I’ll be out of everyone’s hair soon. I never wanted to come here but apparently. And since I’ve been sentenced here for the time and don’t much say, unfortunately, then I’ll make sure I remain as busy as I have always been.  If you don’t mind I have things to do.” I replied petulantly.

I so want to just disappear from here, I thought to myself. As I walked towards the back of the vehicle to remove my bags I saw that Dennis the butler was already at it.

“I’ll take it Dennis.” I grumbled

“Miss Jax it is my job to do this.” He said meekly

“Well I don’t want you to.” My voice rose to a feverish pitch as I grabbed my suitcases and bags.

I heard dad calling after me angrily but I ignored him completely and went up the front steps and entered. I stood at the fop of the foyer steps and looks around. The foyer was just the way I remember it, with marble tiled floor, cream painted walls with many abstract paintings at different areas, and the mahogany spiral staircases on my left and right, leading to the different wings. Just under the stairs was the huge cloakroom that I would have constantly hid in. Without further hesitation I went down the front steps, opened the door and peered inside, it smelled of new coats and shoes, and I’m momentarily brought back to better times.

            Quickly I took a look here and there to make sure no one was coming or looking, and went inside. I suddenly felt as though I was seen and so quietly sat inside for a moment before moving. Sure enough, after ten minutes of getting a bit of peace the door opened and Dremaine looked inside.

“What are you doing here?” his voice very accusing.

Suddenly defensive and frustrated with my life I screamed “What do you want? Am I bothering you? Well don’t worry I won’t ever do that again YOUR HIGHNESS!”

With that I stormed out with my luggage knocking him away and hauled them with everything I had, up the left wing stairs and down the gallery to my suite. As soon as I got to my suite door, I felt the two pairs of eyes before I saw them. It seemed as if they were some kind of radar that would pick up my every movement. Both Davari and Drevin stood staring at me for a while.

“There is a problem with the lock. Dennis had had a big problem trying to open it to clean inside.” Drevin said before leaving the gallery, Davari followed suit seconds later. The twins were known for being the spies in the family. They hid cameras in every nook any cranny searching for new ways to pull pranks on people. My suite was the only one that they weren’t able to do anything without being found out.

            Without a word of response I smiled to myself and pulled out a key that I kept on a dog tag chain around my neck, and pushed it into the lock. The lock and key was specially made to work together. Not even a master key could open this door, for the key act as a finger scanner once it was placed into the lock. With the lock now open, I entered. It was just the way it had always been, with pale yellow, cream and mustard color scheme and rabbits, sunshine and rainbows theme. Though I came occasionally for visits I was never intrigued to change anything, especially since I was never around long enough to care. But now I had to make changes, for I couldn’t survive long with all these baby things. Luckily I had my own private line since I was young so didn’t need to worry about anyone listening in on my calls. Picking up the portable house phone, made calls to Uncle Kent who is an architect, Janique Bullon a second hand and charity store owner that I greatly support,  David Bryson one of the best graffiti artist in LA and last Isabella Moody, an interior designer from England, to make arrangements for the changes to my room.

After making all the arrangements I went through the adjoining suite that was my playroom as a child. It was filled with toys and teddy bears of all shapes and sizes. Since I needed to start packing up, I left my room quietly and made my way towards the storage room to find some boxes. I was so engrossed in thought that I didn’t hear the footsteps behind me and was rather frightened at the sound of the door shutting. I could hear the excited and happy laughter at the other side of the door, and I sighed. It was the twins who did this and I was pretty sure that dad would defend them like he always did before their mother and dad got a divorce.

            “The fun has just begun.” I sarcastically grumbled. “Why is it I just always walk naively into their traps?” I asked myself while I continue to search around the room for empty boxes. There was no point panicking and screaming for help. As soon as I found a few boxes I sat in a corner where I could see but couldn’t be seen by anyone to think of how I would leave the room. I had been sitting for about five minutes when I remembered old secret passage that I had discovered as a child. I had been excited about it and told him but he said it was just my imagination, that if he had seen it he would have knocked down the wall. It was obvious that he had missed it while looking at the blueprint for the house.

 Without a moment’s hesitation I went to the left side of the room and felt along it for the slight indentation. Once it was found I pushed and with ease, it slid backward and then to the side exposing the passage. I quickly took the boxes I needed and placed them into the passage. Then stepped back as I pushed against an old dusty lever to close the door, and then made my way towards where the cloak room stood. I did the same with this door as the other and entered. The cloak room ran along the passage of the left and right wing staircase and formed a semicircle. So there two entrances but the door to the secret passage opened to the left wing where I my room was situated. The clothes hid the opening of the door, so I could easily slip the empty boxes under the coats before leaving the passage and closing the door.

I was able to slip out without being seen by either the camera or anyone else. I made it to my room and began to pack away my old things.

            I was still packing when Maria’s voice came over the intercom “DJ dinner is ready.”

“I’m not hungry so don’t put out an extra.” I replied over the intercom.

Soon there was a knock on my door and I just knew it was dad so I decided not to answer it. The door shook as he made an attempt to open and found it locked.

“Dami open the door I know you’re in there.” His voice came angrily through the door.

I finally sighed and opened it when he refused to go away. “How may I help you?” I asked sweetly

“During dinner time everyone eats together. So I’ll give you five minutes to get yourself into the dining room.” He said sternly

“Well I said I’m not hungry.” I countered mulishly

“Well you can just watch us eat or pretend to be hungry and eat anyway.” I could see the anger in his eyes, anger that he was suppressing.

I opened my mouth to protest but he held up his index finger in a warning and said even more sternly, “That’s final, now you have just three minutes to get there.” And before I could answer he was out of the room and down the hall.

“I hate you!” I screamed angrily and slammed the door.

            I took a few minutes to calm myself before going down. During that time I had taken a shower and put on a pair of slack sweat bottom and a sports bra. I got a t-shirt that was cut off at