Chapter 1

Lucille pov

Finally standing before the house of the one that haunted me every night since I left, I replayed the last scene we shared together before I left for college.

The confession I had been so desperate to make before family obligations pulled me away and silenced me.

Marcella Solis, beauty like no other. I never wanted to be here, I knew how long I stayed up all night underneath the pressures of my false lover feeling nothing but numbness while my body called unto another.

While the violin and saxophone spiced up the feeling in the living room, I took a tour round the house, it looked like paradise, yet my mind was elsewhere, wondering how much she had changed. It had only been a year, but to me, it felt like a lifetime.

“Lucille?”. A familiar voice called me from behind. That soft spoken voice.

I hadn't realized how far I’d wandered until I found myself standing at her bedroom door. It was wide open. Marcella stood there, a towel wrapped loosely around her frame, her skin still glistening with droplets of water.

In the silence of my mind, I felt a treacherous urge for the towel to simply slip away.

“Um…would you like to come in?”. She asked me gently bringing me back to reality and I mumbled in agreement.

I walked in slowly.

“It’s been a while…” she said to me while I looked round her room, i didn’t say a word and I just didn’t want to look into those eyes and be lost but being silent for so long was beginning to feel heavy perhaps even revealing.

“Well… since you’re here you could just help wear my clothes”. She continued and I felt my knees grow weak.

“What do you mean?” I managed to talk.

“I mean…help me pick a dress”. She said softly, her soft voice sounded like perfect solfa notes in my ears, why does she keep talking like that.. it triggered something in me I didn’t want to lose control of, my ecstasy.

She walked towards her wardrobe and let her towel drop to the floor. My eyes widened in desires, she was even more prettier, I traced her back line with my eyes and I found myself drooling. She was talking but I couldn’t hear a word she said. I was losing myself, and I didn’t want her to notice. I quickly turned my gaze when she turned to me with a red dress in her hand.

“What do you think about this?” She held it up, shielding her front view with a smile.

I couldn’t speak, my words would betray me…

I just nodded vehemently, the room felt so hot I wanted out.

I wanted to go out, walk away but I felt a magnetic force holding me to the ground.

“It’s lovely right…. ? My mom had the gown shipped in for me for today”. She kept talking, her voice became light and airy while I was still battling with the manipulative image firing through my mind, when she suddenly walked towards me, why was she coming close? I could feel my throat itchy, I felt thirsty, my lips dry but I know it wasn’t water I needed.

It was something I could only want but never have.

The closer she came the hotter I got, then she turned swaying her hair over her shoulder.

“Can you help with the zipper?” She asked me politely. I looked at her bare skin, my eyes following the delicate curve of her spine down to her waist.

“Ella…you’re perfect”. I whispered hoping she didn’t hear.

My hands reached for her zipper gently I closed her up.

She turned to me.

“Why’d you say that?”. Her face so close to mine, seems like she wanted to know what I was thinking, I felt helpless.

“Did you mean it or are you teasing me? Is it my dress? Is the colour too much.. ? A redhead in a red dress… I probably look like Princess Merida”. She scoffed and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking away shyly.

“More like Ariel…” the words escaped my lips without a warning, what was I doing? I had no idea. She looked at me surprised with those bulgy shiny eyes..her face so close to mine it felt like just the two of us in the universe.

“If I had a rose I’ll top it to your adornment…your nothing but perfect”. I added.

She looked me up sternly when I mentioned a rose and her smiles was like glitters of gold in front of me.

We both stood silently caught in each other's stare. I didn't know what she saw in me, but I knew what I saw in her. I didn’t want her out of my sight again.

“Marcella…I want …”

“I…..”. She cut me off like she was going to say something before the door swung open without warning and I found myself step back..it was Maya, her adopted sister, I’m sure she didn’t see the heated moment, she was too busy with the jewelries she had in her hand.

We were too close, it would have been a disaster or a revelation if we stayed closer.

“Excuse me”.. I immediately excused myself before she could make any comment, not even going to say hi. I just ran out.

“Is that Lucile Parker?” her sister had spoken as I walked out.

“She gave me the signs…” I’m sure I heard her speak before I shut the door behind me. I knew they were going to talk about me but my mind was still fixed on her last statement.

“What did she mean by signs?”.