LOGINROXANNE "Uh...what?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing."Yeah. I don't know what it means either. Maybe it's just drunk talk, because Chantel agreed you were all high that night. She said she remembered you all laughed over it.""I...I do hope so." I licked my dry lips."Alright, I really do have to leave now." She gave my face a quick search, then pulled me into a hug, "call me if you need a friend, okay?""Thank you." For some reason, the sincerity of the friendship she was extending brought me relief. Since I woke up from coma, I've never had any friends to talk to. If I had any worries, Mom was my go-to. It would be nice to have someone my age to talk to for once. "Alright, bye." She hurried back to her car, waved and drove out of there. Kylian and I entered our vehicle. Silence reigned as he began the journey back home. Lost in my thoughts, I was jolted back to reality when I heard his phone ring and the automated voice of his virtual assistant call out the ID of the call
ROXANNE"Hey," When we arrived at Coffee And Croissant, I could see Rochelle already stepping out of her own car. 'Nice' was came to mind when I saw what kind of car she had just stepped out from. She must be doing so well for herself. She had spotted us, approaching us to engulf me in a quick, friendly hug, then she pulled back to study my expression. "Are you okay? Are you good?"I nodded, letting a smile form on my lips. "Yes, I'm good. You?""Good." Her pretty eyes were still intent on my face, "you look...unusual?"I was already shaking my head, "I am fine, Rochelle. Let's go inside."She still retained her concern for me, but said nothing more. She shifted her gaze to Kylian, "hello." She greeted, her tone shifting from concerned and friendly to respectful and cool. He nodded in acknowledgement, "hi, Rochelle."She hooked her arm around mine and walked us ahead, Kylian behind us. Once we were seated and had made our order, Rochelle looked at me again, "are you sure you're o
ROXANNE I held my stomach as I continued to expel my breakfast in a stream of disgusting, undigested food particles. He handed me the bottle of water he had gone to get from his car once he saw me vomiting.A bit flushed with embarrassment, I took it. I rinsed my mouth and washed my face, then drank the rest. "Let's go back." I urged, carefully keeping my gaze away from the burnt-to-crisp corpse lying stiffly under the open sky, preferring to keep it locked on what used to be a small building burnt to the ground at a walking distance from this big, old building.He didn't argue. Just led the way out of there, back into the jeep. We didn't say anything until he neared the rows of old, neat houses we had passed on our way coming. I let the air conditioner in the vehicle flow through my body and calm my nerves, making the last of the nausea go away."I'll be back." He said, unstrapping and getting down before I could ask what he was doing. I watched him, with a curious expression, i
ROXANNE"You could've let me start my job today." I whined, climbing into the passenger side.Yes, I was anticipating going on this drive to meet — though unplanned — with this doctor who had chosen to save my life six years ago. But the first job I'd gotten was about to fly out the window. Kylian spared me a look that made me feel foolish, and proceeded to give me a small, amused shake of his head. "What?" A frown imprinted itself on my forehead without invitation, I strapped myself in. "You're about to find your place in the Gilmore family and you're thinking about a job that pays pitiful salary compared to your position as a Gilmore."While he had a point, I countered, "it's an honest job, Kylian. And yes, I'm not disputing my possible place in the Gilmore family. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. What if whatever happened was something that can not legally be undone? What if my share, if I turn out to be part of the Gilmore, is long gone? That Vanessa and her parents hav
ROXANNE "Do you like this one?" Kylian held out a pair of small red converse that cost more than a week's salary of my new job. I had tried to stop Kylian from getting Ethan expensive stuff, but he wouldn't listen. And Ethan was all too enjoying the attention. Our carts — two big ones — were full and Kylian was still buying. All Ethan had to do was look at an item, he would ask if the boy liked it and wanted it. Sometimes, he wouldn't ask. He would just assumed that because Ethan looked at it, the boy wanted it.So, I left them to their thing and just followed.Once we were done, and everywhere was paid for, we entered the car and drove off, going back home. My phone rang. It was mom."Hey, mom.""Are you guys on your way back?""Yes, mom." I replied."Okay. Please, can you get some carrots and basil for me? I'm trying to make lunch.""Please could we stop at the market and get carrots and basil for mom?" I covered the speaker of the phone to ask Kylian."Tell her not to bother.
ROXANNE The afternoon was bright, with the sun bearing down gently — as though it was in a good mood, not wanting to scorch the skin of whoever walked beneath its beam. However, it was hot enough to have my throat dry and Ethan crying for ice cream just as soon as we stepped out of the vehicle.Kylian walked calmly behind us. His presence looming like a bodyguard. We were going shopping. Kylian believed there were more things Ethan needed. More clothes. More footwear. Toys, books and video games for kids.I had fought with him on that, but he'd disregarded my protests.Ethan now had his own room. Kylian had singlehandedly painted and constructed and prepared a room in the penthouse. By the time he was done, the room had turned from a clean, bare room with fresh white paint to a sky blue with splatters of white, and designs of animated characters on the walls. A bed he had made himself, suitable for a boy of Ethan's age was now in the middle of his new room. Ethan had decided to h







