Young And Thirsty

Chapter Four

I stood in front of the mirror, drinking in my expression and body frame quietly. Ever since my alarm clock had rang by 6am, I have been staring at my reflection in the mirror.

My usual morning routine of saying affirmations and playing music while preparing for my day was not possible today. It just didn't feel right.

I had been able to convince mum to allow me stay the weekend to get prepared but the delay had only increased my anxiety and misery even Gemma's comforting words couldn't shake away the dread in me.

My dad was point-blank cruel. He had wrestled with mum to take me with him for years. This had made my childhood miserable and sadly, that's all my mind could ponder on throughout the weekend. I hadn't slept for two nights due to nightmares.

His wife was nothing close to nice because she had twin children with the boy being a down syndrome child. Living with them would be hell on earth but my mother had made her decision and would stand by it till it's fulfilled.

The door creaked open but I didn't move from my position. I knew it was Gemma. After the morning encounter that day my mother learnt that I was participating in a dance competition, our relationship have grown remarkably and for once in my life, I am enjoying being looked after by somebody.

"Ohh! Don't worry. I just want to return your clothes from the laundry." She announced as she sauntered into my room with a clap-clap sound from her footwear hitting the ground.

"Gemma! Stop dragging your feet!" I yelled, feeling irritated.

"I'm not the cause of your problem, Brie. Go take your bath because you will be late for your first day at work." Gemma responded with calmness as she folded the clothes she had brought into my traveling bag.

"I'm sorry for lashing out at you. I'm just frustrated, Gem. It's just as if mummy ripped my heart out of my chest." I sobbed "How on earth am I supposed to live with daddy? He's a tyrant and she knows this!"

"Hmm" Gemma sighed, "Brienna, you are strong and wise and I've told you that this won't last forever. In addition, don't let your emotions get the better part of you or completely mess up the arrangement you had with Mr Norman." She placed her palm on my shoulder, "Your goals are set and it's only you that can work to reach them. Stop reeling over past events, plan and work towards a future you want."

I sniffed and threw myself into Gemma's arms. She was the best sister anyone could ask for, why haven't I seen it all these while?

"It's okay, it's okay." She soothed, stroking my hair with her well-manicured nails. I let my nerves relax as I detached from her and took calculated deep breaths. Then, I grabbed my towels and headed for the bathroom when she came in from of me.

"I need you to smile, Brie. Defeat those fearful and sad emotions by smiling widely." She encouraged, pinching my cheeks affectionately.

I stretched my lips into a broad smile and Gemma nodded in satisfaction, stepping away for me to get into the bathroom.

For the next ten minutes, I rehearsed Gemma's words and I got into prepared for the day. I picked out a blue Knee-length Demin Jean skirt and a black big-sized long-sleeve shirt over a pair of black sneakers. I smeared lipgloss on my lips, matted them evenly , brushed my long hair, packed it up in a neat bun, picked my bag which had everything I'd need and dashed out of the house. I flagged the first taxi I saw, got in and was on my way to a memorable first day as Jeremy Davidson's nanny.

The man at the gate let me in just as a luxury car was leaving the compound. I walked the distance to the front door and hurriedly rang the bell already exhausted from the 20 minute work. I had no words for my experiences yet because I knew behind these mansion walls, there was even more suffering.

A maid in a colourful, striped pinafore and white shirt led me into the house with a warm smile I could swear she had spent time practicing in front of the mirror. She was in-between pretty and ugly but she was tall with long legs and blonde hair. She asked me to follow her and I did without any questions. I had serious business waiting for me up those stairs and I didn't want to get anxious by asking questions.

"Who do we have here, hmmm?" The familiar baritone voice made me turn towards it. I smiled at Mr Norman. He looked fresh and bubbly for a man his age.

Well, that's the work of money.

"You are an hour late, daughter." He pointed out, stretching the glass cup in his hand towards me. I smiled awkwardly but his deep laughter caused me even more concern.

"You are forgiven, daughter. Jeremy's room is the last one by your right. There are guards around and please alert us if he tries to harm you."

I nodded to show that I understood him and set out to my place of primary assignment after noticing that the smiley faced maid was no longer there.

Once in front of the door, I tapped on it gently in order to avoid annoying him. The door flung open in seconds, causing the hinges to clack and my heart to shiver. Huge golden eyes drank in my frame. They looked hungry and alive but I could see a sad 9-year-old boy

clocked up at the far end of his father's house and sent new nannies everytime the other one gives up.

"Hi Jeremy, I'm Brienna and I'm going to be your friend. I will play with you, feed you and make you happy." I introduced myself with a warm smile. He had no expression, just those beautiful eyes watching me.

"Okay, I will tell you a story." I continued after waiting for the slightest reaction I could get from him. He remained both motionless and poker faced.

"This story is about Tiana. Tiana was a little girl who loved to dance and sing. She had a loving family and a lot of happy friends. Everybody had a nice thing to say about Tiana but Tiana didn't have a nice thing to say about herself…"

"Did you come here to mock me?" His boyish voice filtered into my ears and I turned to meet his ice-cold stare.

"Nooo." I blanched, "Why would you even think of that?"

"Because you're not observant enough to know that I neither have a loving family nor friends. I'm always the outcast."

"But I just introduced myself as your friend?"

"Pfft, come of it. I'm not that dumb? What do you take me for?" He made a face which made me smile.

"You've finally stretched the muscles on your face. Good job, bro." I appraised expecting a kind response but he did the exact opposite.

"Leave my room!" He commanded, eyes darkening "You're just like all of them. Poor ladies who see me as a hurdle they must pass before they got into my father's good books. Go pitch him another idea! I'm not up for your pretended anymore!"

"Calm down, Jeremy. I'm not here to insult and you didn't even let me conclude my story before you butted in with your bizarre question?"

"I don't need you!" He continued, completely ignoring my quest for friendship. "I'm not going to be your bait! I don't need you here recounting to me how miserable my life is, okay?"

"C'mon man! That's not what I'm doing! You didn't let me complete the story. You just started to rant…" The loud sound went off in my brain but the pain was not registered. I stared silently at the figurative flames blazing from his eyes as the burning pain came to my forehead.

"Get out of my room now! I don't want to harm you." I heard his words but all I could think of was the burning pain in my forehead and the little boy in front of me vibrating with some intense emotion with a rod in his hands ready to make contact with my brain again.

He raised up the rod again and my survival instinct was activated. I threw away the thought of helping him, picked up my bag and ran away for my own safety.

On my way out of the building, I saw Asher and a small group of men walking towards me. I froze. This was a bad idea, I yelled in my head, how was I going to avoid Asher when I'll be frequenting his home for a week?

My legs became wobbly as he came closest to me. I was just about to talk to him when he walked past me like nobody was there. One of his friends cracked a joke and the group roared with laughter like I was some invisible being.

I felt miserable as I continued my walk out of their house. This house held some mystery and I felt smaller and suffocated inside of it. Unfortunately, it will my temporary abode for the next week before I traveled for dance school.

The smiling maid rushed up to me immediately I descended the stairs to the ground floor. This time, she had a neutral expression on her face which helped me feel better - enough of the hypocrisy.

"You're not to leave now, ma'am." She begin, courteously "Mr Norman ordered that you should be given a room and made to wait for his return from work." She concluded, looking up at me with that creepy smile.

"B-but." I wanted to protest feeling caged but the maid assured me that my bags had already been sent down here from my house - what authority can bring.

*******************************************

Dinner with the Davidsons was super awkward, making me question my choice a thousand times. Nobody spoke much, they all focused on their food, eating with great caution. There were no sibling banters or dinning chatters between the adult. Everybody was just in their own world.

"Mr Norman, I've tried calling him but he won't open his door." The familiar voice of the maid came.

"Break it down, then." He responded with a casual shrug. My eyes burged out in my head, was it that regular?

Minutes later, we were all startled by the shrill cry coming from upstairs. I was shaking in my seat as we listened to someone running down the stairs.

"Mr Norman, Jeremy was found unconscious on the floor with an rod close to him."

"Wow! Was he bleeding?"

"No, sir but it seems someone must have tried to hurt him."

"Who saw him last?" Asher butted in, tired of the suspense. She turned to me without a response and breath was caught up in my chest.

How was I to survive these seven days? When at the first I was already entangled in a murder attempt with the son of a multi-billionaire? I searched for words in my brain but I only got a blank sheet with the name, Jeremy on it but what hurt me the most was the scowl on Asher's face.