The Green Eyes of the Wicked Prince

My name is Veronica, Roni as they call me, and this is my story. Today is a little bit cloudy. Liz, my mom, drove our old Red Sedan pick-up truck with the windows rolled down. The wind gently touched the leaves of the trees that we were passing by. Today is a perfectly fine day, but the irony is that I am not feeling perfect on this day. It is not because I am sick or whatever, it's just because I don't want to move. I wanted to stay in our old house in the city. I have many friends there, if you can really call them friends when they only sit beside you during examinations or call you whenever they have a favor to ask. Anyway, I am very comfortable in our old house in the city, even if it is not really big. I found some peace of mind inside my bedroom listening to my comfort songs. "We're here! " My mom seemed very inviting. "I can see. " I answered sarcastically. She half-smiled at me. I didn't smile back. Instead, I opened the door of the car. Edward, my eight-year-old brother, followed me as I stepped forward to that huge old mansion. It was so big and aesthetic, just like a European castle that I've only seen in the movies, but despite its amazing features, it is much like a haunted castle for me. I stopped in front of the main door as I remembered that the keys were at my mom's. Before I turned my back, Edward approached the door and tried to put the key in the key hole, but his height was not enough so he found it difficult to do. I sighed while shaking my head, then got the keys from his small hands and opened the said door. A wide fancy castle-like living room greeted us when I opened that door. The furniture seemed to be extravagant, old yet classy. There was this wide space in the center that I think the primary purpose was to hold a large formal party. "Wow! " my little brother said. When we entered the house, I heard some noise at my back, a sign that suit cases fell on the ground, the sound was followed by my mom's voice... "I-It's okay, I can manage dear. " she said. I sighed again and did not bother to look at her. I stood in the center of the living room for about ten seconds, trying to imagine what kind of childhood days my father had in this house.Later on, my brother and I climbed to the second floor of the mansion to choose our bedroom. I chose the last bedroom on the left side. The good thing is that three days before we moved here, my mom hired private cleaners to clean here in advance. I laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling for about ten minutes. Then , my mom knocked at the door. " Dear, lunch is ready. " she said , pertaining to the food that we ordered from one of the fast food chains that we had passed on the road. I did not answer back, instead I closed my eyes and pretended that I did not hear her. "Just get down if you are hungry, okay? I love you , honey. " her voice sounded like she was about to cry. My tears fell. I asked myself what was really the reason why I got angry at my mom. Then I remembered a scene almost two months ago. I was at school when I received a text message from my dad. "Roni, How are you? I miss you honey. Do not worry, dad's fine. Take good care of Edward. Don't be so cruel to your mom. I am coming home soon. I love you honey." I smiled after reading those messages. I continued to walk until I reached my locker. When I opened it, to my surprise, my paperwork,books, pouches and other personal stuff were all soaked with stuffy chocolate syrup. Then I heard some giggles beside the corner. Lilly, Pauline and Lovelyn were standing there , laughing. They played tricks on me. I lost my patience and the next thing I knew, we were already in the principal's office. The girls together with their parents were there also. They were all angry at me. Why wouldn't they? I just threw a pile of water at them and attacked them. I pulled their long hair and punched them in their faces. That afternoon, my mom fetched me. When we were in the car, we were silent. She did not say anything. As we were on the way home, I called my dad. His phone just kept on ringing, then some unfamiliar voice answered. "Hello!" The voice seemed irritated and take note, it was from a girl. "Who are you? Where is my dad?" I replied as irritated as her voice was. "He is not here. He left his phone. Wait, are you Roni? Veronica, his daughter, right?" Now her voice is teasing. I did not answer back , then she continued talking. " He's not going home anymore. He's living with me now. Stop calling him again, understand? Oh, by the way, are you with your mom now? Tell her I said Hi." Then she laughed like an evil witch and hung up the phone. I felt my blood coming up to my head, I clenched my fist tightly, my mom stayed quiet in the driver's seat. I knew there was something wrong. I knew it from the very start when my dad left us six months ago. I knew my mom knew it too. She just remained silent and never opened any conversation regarding that matter. When we arrived home, I approached her. "Why didn't you tell us? My voice was shaking because of anger. She ignored me and went directly inside the house. I followed her and continued confronting her. "Did you know what I am feeling right now? At this very moment?" I said those words with teary eyes. "Calm down honey, everything's going to be alright, your dad's coming home soon, he-- "He's living with someone else now! He's not coming home!" I uttered those words very softly while tears were falling down my cheeks. "No, you don't understand, honey-- "Whoa! now, it's my fault that I don't understand what is happening?" My voice was like thunder and echoed throughout the whole house. Luckily, Edward was in the backyard. He couldn't hear us arguing. "You are a coward mom. You cannot face the truth. You can't tell us the truth. I hate you mom, I hate you forever." After telling those painful words, I ran up to my bedroom crying. I didn't talk to her the following days and it has continued until now that we are already here in this ugly, scary, haunted castle. "Roni" Someone whispered my name. I saw the innocent face of my little brother on the slightly opened door. "What do you want?" "Mom's out. I''m afraid." he said, with obvious fear in his voice. When he entered the room, I saw his pants were wet. I felt pity for him. "She said she was going to buy some groceries, she told me to come up to your room." His voice was shaking. "Let's get down, but you have to change your pants first, okay?" He nodded. "Why does she decide to move on to such a place as this?" I was asking myself while going downstairs with my brother, who had changed his pants already. When we were at the bottom step of the stairs, I saw a big portrait of my dad's family. My grandfather was wearing a very elegant suit. He was standing on the right side while my grandmother was wearing a nice red dress and was sitting on a wooden chair. My dad was just a teenager in that portrait. I think he was just 16 or 17 years old. Like my grandfather, he was also wearing a nice gray suit with a black bowtie. He was also standing, but on the left side.I noticed that his eyes were green. I never noticed that when growing up with him. I got confused. The color of my eyes was black because my mom was Asian. Edward has blue eyes just like my grandfather and grandmother in the portrait. I was at this thought when my brother spoke. "Can we go now to the living room? " He said. "Ah, o-okay." When we reached the other side of the living room, my little brother sat comfortably on the couch and opened the television. I sat beside him and tried to focus on the television program he was watching. "We don't have enough money. Dad was out of town with that girl almost two months ago. That's why mom sold our house in the city and decided to live here, in this house. The house that dad inherited from Grandpop and grandmom." Edward said those words while eating some cookies he got from his pocket. It was, by far, the longest speech I've heard from him regarding that matter. I knew that he knew what was happening, we just didn't feel like talking about it. I was surprised that it appeared very ordinary to him, maybe because he's still young. "How would you know that?" I can't help but ask that question. "Mom told me about it." "She told you? and she didn't tell that to me?" I was surprised. "because you never ask. And besides, you're not talking to her for such a long time, right?" he answered back unbothered. I was speechless. My younger brother was right. Sometimes, kids can really speak like adults.