Character;

Veronica.

*

I pulled up in the driveway of my home, I had to walk back to the club to get my car.

I wondered how I looked walking in broad day light with a large top, big shorts and an oversized pair of flip flops, not to mention the remains of last night's make-up and the fact that I wasn't putting on bra.

I looked insane.

I got out of my car, not forgetting the bag containing my stuffs. I'm a bit glad that his house wasn't so far from the club.

I walked into my house, it was so unexpectedly quiet. I wondered if anyone was home but I knew the door would be locked if no one was home.

A farmiliar aroma of steak pie from the kitchen hit me and it equally means a certain 'someone' was around.

I dragged myself upstairs and as I was about to enter my room, I heard voices from the room at the end of hallway and the room door was slightly opened.

That door is almost never opened.

I opened my room door to get in before I heard a rare but farmiliar voice from the other end.

"Stella Cowry Downer," I hated my middle name!

I turned to see my mom, standing in front of the door to her room.

"Mom?!" It came out more like a question.

I already knew she was probably around, but to see her standing a few metres away from me was a whole different case.

She walked back into her room, and it only meant one thing.

Follow her.

I mentally braced myself before dropping the bag containing my stuffs infront of my door and walking towards hers.

I walked into her room, Ivy was sitting on her bed, Kelly was standing with hands crossed behind her and head hung low. My mom, Stephanie Rosa Downer was standing firm but ever confident in her perfectly tailored trousers accompanied with a perfectly tucked black shirt.

She made sure everything she does was nothing less than perfect, she claims that the only non-perfect thing she had done was getting married to my dad.

There was an uncomfortable air around us.

"Where are you coming from?" She asked breaking the ear piercing silence.

That question was definitely for me.

"Somewhere," I found myself replying.

She just stared right at me but didn't say anything else, I removed my eyes from her lingering gaze.

This woman scares the crap out of me.

"Kelly! You're just 14, and you're sneaking out for a party," she said, referring to Kelly this time, her face still as firm as ever.

Kelly sneaked out for the party? Had she seen me perhaps? Or witness the madness I had executed in my drunk state?

"I....I..." Kelly stammered but Ivy interrupted.

"It's not like you're ever around," Ivy spat looking straight at my mom's face.

She had the guts.

"What do you expect?! You're not always around! Does it always have to be all about work?! I doubt Kelly even remembers she has a mom! 'Cus you're never there when she....when we need you the most," she continued, staring at my mom eye to eye.

It lingered, but none of them seemed to budge.

"You know what.....I can't stand you," Ivy said, standing forcefully from the bed and walking angrily out of the room.

This was intense and hard to watch too.

Ivy had always been like a mom to the both of us and I could tell she was also going through a lot too.

My mom stared at nothing in particular, her eyes or face holding no emotion, I couldn't tell if she was angry, sad, pained, shocked....

Nothing.

She always managed to cage all her emotions in.

He changed her.

My dad changed her.

To become who she is now.

She is a strong woman and wanted all her children to be same; I could tell she loves us, I could tell she cares a lot, even if she hardly shows it.

"Leave," She suddenly said as Kelly and I scurried away.

*

I parked my car at the usual spot.

"Are you okay?" I asked Kelly who was seated beside me, she just nodded and gave me a small reassuring smile before putting her headset on and getting out of the car.

Last weekend wasn't one of the best I had experienced, mom was around, everywhere was tensed. Ivy and Kelly acted weird, they weren't as lively as they used to.

Ivy locked herself in her room all through and Kelly did nothing much rather than being with her headset over her head.

Things were always different when mom came around, even if she only returned for the weekend and would be leaving later today, those few days she spent with us was so different.

Sometimes, I wished I had a normal family. People always looked at me like I had everything I ever wanted but maybe it wasn't like it seemed.

I also had a hell of a weekend, it brought tears to my eyes whenever I remember him...

Daniel.

I just never imagined he would ever do this to me.

Maybe Ivy was right, Zach could be cheating on her. The worst things come from the least expected.

And there was Timothy, I thought of my behaviour towards him, he'd done me quite a favour.

Was I perhaps too harsh?!

No...I was right, he should atleast know his damn limits.

I got out of my car and headed straight to the school's entrance, I didn't bother waiting for my friends right now, things were different today. I wasn't in the mood for any fuckin' body.

I bet I looked like a mess, my face was pale with small eyebags and my hair wasn't as perfectly styled as it used to be.

I should have seen this coming....I mean he's just a teenage boy, still exploring and never satisfied...

....with just me.

I got to my locker and swapped a few books from my bag.

I could feel eyes boring into me from behind, I turned around and a farmiliar set of orbs were staring back at me.

He was standing on the other side with his group of friends.

I felt intense hatred.

How dare he?!

He played with me, played with my emotions and he didn't even care.

In the beginning of our relationship, I promised myself that I won't take it to heart, that there wouldn't be any hard feelings attached...but it wasn't just so easy after those times we'd spent together.

I wish I could get over there and relish my anger on him but I held myself back.

He wasn't worth my time, my strength...

My tears.

I couldn't let him see me weak, or let him know that he was able to break me.

I'm Stella Downer! I'm strong! And I'll get over this.

His gaze lingered on me, was he planning on apologizing? Has he realized that what he did was wrong?

Should I accept him if he decides to apologize?

This guy makes me crazy.

An evil smirk appeared on his face before he looked away.

Bastard!

What was I expecting? He's just a fucked up asshole.

I lifted my bag over my shoulders and left for the bathroom to clear my head.

I entered the bathroom, hanged my bag on a comfortable spot and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

This isn't me!

The person in the mirror looked like a mess. This mustn't be me!

This is really hard on me, this isn't my first relationship but it was the first time ever being rejected by anybody.

I could feel tears prickling down my cheeks. I quickly used water from the tap to rinse my face.

It didn't matter though 'cus I wasn't initially wearing make-up.

I didn't want to see myself cry.

I DIDN'T WANT TO CRY!

The door clicked open, I turned on impulse and I saw the last person I wanted to see....

Victoria Dallas.

A smile crept on her face the moment she saw me.

"Hey there.....what a coincidence...Stella.." She said still with that large creepy smile.

She knows she was getting on my nerves.

"Let me guess, you're thinking of how miserable your life had turn out to be, you don't need to be hard on yourself, it's just one under-aged teenage boy....Oh boy! You look like a mess," she continued.

I turned back to the mirror though I could still see her reflection.

"Hope you learnt....ya'know, how to satisfy your man," she spat and my fist clenched in controlled anger.

"Do you think everything in life will happen just the way you plan it to?" She gave a dry chuckle.

"Then....sorry to burst your little bubble," she said before bursting into laughter.

Nothing was funny!

I swirled backwards and my hands landed hard against her cheeks.

She didn't hit back.

She just feigned a smile and continued laughing. It just got me more angered.

"How dare you!"

My hands snaked round her throat, there was so much anger inside me.

"You're such a snitch!" I screamed, tightening my hands round her neck till she grasped for air.

That was fun to watch. She so deserved it.

I released her, she coughed and struggled for air but that smug smile still appeared on her face. It made me more angry.

"Are you usually this toxic, I can see the reasons Daniel will rather jump in bed with any random girl than spend time with you," she said weakly and faintly, but loud enough for me to hear.

I pushed her with all might , she staggered and fell down straight, hitting her head against the wall.

"Bitch!" I screamed at her.

Few seconds past;

She didn't move, didn't show any efforts of standing up.

I kicked her slightly, she didn't budge.

Five seconds past; she didn't blink.

My heart raced faster than I could imagine as different wild thoughts started roaming in my head.

This can't be!

I bent down beside her, shaking her slightly...

"Veronica...Nika...I'm sorry! Just don't play this game," I panicked.

It became a bad reality as I saw blood flowing from head on the white floor tiles.

No! No! This is not happening!

I didn't know what to do....

My heart was beating faster...

My breathe was faster and heavier...

I looked around, no one was around...

I didn't know what to do.

I grasped when I heard a click sound from one of the toilet stalls.

I did the only thing I could do right now...

I carried my bag and ran.

~~~~~~~~

Things are getting messy😪

What do you think about Stella's mom and Ivy's reaction towards her❔

Don't forget to vote and share💜