HAUNTED PRINCE by DENIS DANIEL (children's ebooks free online txt) 📕

And right at that moment the alarm went off, which was a sign that I woke up earlier than usual. I was going to have a decent breakfast and wouldn’t have to worry about Ashley or her anger. I took my blue jeans and long sleeved blue shirt and put on my supra, and in no time I was ready. I went to my table and started to arrange my books in my back pack.

Soon after I finished my door was opened and I knew it was Ashley. She was coming to wake me up but she sighed loudly after seeing that I was ready,

“Hey Sis,” I greeted her turning to face her. Her face was very suspicious like she was trying to make up something in her mind. I guess I knew why because it wasn’t my style to wake up so early in the morning, but today I did and that was suspicious to her.

She quickly recovered and she was back to her normal self, “Hey brother,” she greeted charmingly with a wide smile of satisfaction.

“What is that smile for?” I asked sarcastically because it was obviously unnecessary,

“For not having to argue with you today. At least today I can have a break.” She replied as sarcastic as I first asked then she smiled widely again.

“Hahaha, very funny, but you are always the one who starts the arguments.”

“Yes, because of your laziness and you always make us be late for school, sloth.” She snapped at me and I couldn’t accept defeat,

“Hey don’t call me sloth,” I raised my voice, “and I’m not lazy, it’s not my fault that I enjoy taking shower and you don’t.” she didn’t like my sarcasm so she got angry,

“Don’t make excuses, sloth you are.” She put emphasis on the sloth so that she can get back at me, to get me mad.

“Don’t call me that Ashley,” I yelled at her, “what does it even mean?” then I asked because I didn’t know why she called me that.

She smirked evilly, “Why don’t you…?” before she could finish the door was opened again.

“That’s enough guys come on downstairs and have breakfast before you run late for school arguing over nothing,” mom called from the door post.

“Yes, mom.” We both said lowly because we knew she always hated us arguing.

“Why do you always do that?” Ashley whispered to me,

“Do what?” I asked my brow raised as in confusion.

“Make a big deal out of everything I say,” she explained with her eyebrows frowned in irritation.

“I don’t know why, by the way sorry for yelling at you back there,” I apologized and poked her back a little in mockery as I always did soon after we argue,

“It’s okay, I’m used to it.” She mumbled faintly as if tired of my apologies.

“Hey, wait a minute.” I raised my voice again starting another argument,

“There you go again.” She rolled her eyes and put on a bored expression.

“But,” she cut me off before I could continue.

“Alright, you win. Because I said today was my break, I don’t want to argue with you.” She complained while pulling a chair by the dining table,

“Steven, stop bugging your sister now. That’s enough.” Mom chipped in and she talked softly as she usually did, I never heard her yell for as long as I can remember. Her voice was always soft and humble, almost melodic.

“Thank you.” Ashley sighed and put her hands on the table as if very exhausted.

I shrugged and leaned back on my chair waiting for breakfast which mom was finishing up preparing. And in no time she finished and brought everything at the table, there was some sausages and boiled eggs which neither Ashley nor I liked very much. But mom always insisted us to eat for our own good, and orange juice, my favorite.

“Mom, I don’t see my lemonade,” Ashley complained after seeing only orange juice.

“I didn’t forget you dear,” mom said softly coming with a jar of lemonade.

Ashley sighed because that was her favorite, she liked to drink it for breakfast. For a second she thought mom forgot about her and all over sudden she was furious. But after seeing mom coming with it the anger vanished. She always had bad temper.

“Okay, hurry up and go to school.” Mom said after setting the table and giving us kisses at the temple she went to her room to get ready for work.

After breakfast we went to the garage and headed to school. Today I didn’t have to drive that fast because were pretty early, even earlier than usual.

“Hey, are you ready for this?” Ashley asked cautiously not to upset me, but I wouldn’t because it was inevitable to talk about it.

And honestly, without any doubt I wasn’t ready for whatever that was waiting for me at school, but I had to face it anyway. I sighed loudly as if it was just a very simple thing to me while it wasn’t, “Yah, absolutely.” I lied to make her comfortable and at ease.

Even though what was happening to me and concerned her very little, still she was very worried. That’s how she was.

“Are you sure? Because I’m not.” she admitted her worries, which was just obvious on her features.

“Pretty sure, and don’t worry everyone has probably already forgotten about it.” My words were certain but my face was trying hard to betray me as I was trying to put on a decent smile, which almost came out as a grimace.

It was that kind of expression which said ‘everything’s going to be fine, kind of’ while nothing was fine was. Thank god Ashley bought it and we were quiet for the rest of the way up until school. Probably because we were both very worried, so we were waiting silently to see everyone’s face once we got to school.

It was easy for people to recognize me because I was driving Dodge one of the rarest cars in our town. Mom forced me to have it because she loved it and she wanted my car to be unique so here I was. Once I parked my car fear and worry invaded my body. Not really sure if I wanted to get out of my car. I took a peek outside the car and saw few eyes glaring at the car and that made things even worse.

I took deep breathes, inhale and exhale couple times to gain my confidence. Ashley noticed how intense I became and she said,

“I can go in with you if you want,” She offered,

“No, I got this,” I refused because I didn’t want to be seen like I was a weakling that I had to rely on my little sister. Yes, Ashley was way more confident than I was, but to show that to everyone was completely unacceptable, “go ahead, I can handle this,” I continued,

“Okay.” Then she got out of the car.

I took another gulp of air and exhaled then I opened the door to get out. I pointed down my head so that I wouldn’t see all those eyes which looked viciously and ferociously like they wanted to tear me in pieces.

I walked down the hallway and I could still feel those eyes burning the back of my head because of the hateful stares. This was the point where I wished I could die or vanish or just be swallowed by the earth. Or stop existing because it was too much. I wanted to be left alone. I never did anything to anybody or those people. How many times was I supposed to repeat myself? I wish I could shout out loud.

I reached my locker and even before I could open it I was slammed against it hard. ‘Jerk’ I thought I my mind. I turned around to see the person and guess who, it was Bratton. ‘Typical’ I snarled between my teeth. Great, my morning was just perfect. I stared at him calmly because I was already used to his bullying,

“What?” he asked bitterly and anger reflecting from his face, “You know I wonder why you are still alive! Oh, wait a minute, it’s you who feed on them. You and your little sister,” He mocked carelessly and leaned on my face putting emphasis on ‘you and your little sister’.

I was okay with everything he was saying about me up to the point when he mentioned Ashley, and that’s when I lost my cool. Rage shot through me and in an instant my hand attacked his neck and moved him around to slam his body on my locker. While his two friends were too taken off guard to figure out what to do.

“Don’t you dare, mention my sister’s name,” I hissed through my mouth filled with anger and tightened my grip so that he wouldn’t break free.

But then he started choking in my grip due to lack of air. At first I didn’t notice, I was too angry, the anger I’d been holding inside for too long. At that very moment something I never noticed before. Something so real like another person from inside me was fighting with the anger and try to put my senses right. And as expected I snapped and I saw Bratton struggling to free himself from my grip and people surrounding us,

“I’m so sorry,” I whimpered quickly releasing him and he started to cough violently. I left and I fled to the boy’s locker.

While I was in there I started to feel very guilty and someone inside was accusing me harshly, and kept repeating what I did was wrong,

“I said I’m sorry,” I found myself shouting all alone.

I got out and went to the classroom which I was already late. But I didn’t care, that was the least of my worries. I walked in the class and the teacher didn’t say a word. She just shook her head and motioned me with one hand to take a seat. And if things could get any better the only empty chair was with the Blondie I met couple days ago. She grinned all her teeth out, as if there was something funny. The last thing I wanted to see was someone so fucking happy. It made me feel like she was laughing at my problems.

Suddenly that feeling came back warning me that I had no right to think that way. As if I had no choice I found myself smiling back at her willingly. My mind was thinking about something else but my body was responding differently. It was like I was experiencing two people in one body. She patted the chair next to her for me to sit down. And yet again as if I had a choice I dropped myself on the chair and got my book out of my back pack and set it on the table.

I wanted to treat her badly so she can stay away from me because I was a time bomb which would explode on anybody who touched it. I didn’t want her to be my next victim. I didn’t want anyone else to end up in the hospital or dead because of me. I wanted to be left alone. I was planning to build a steel wall which no one was going to