Chapter One

“Rori are you ready yet?” A woman’s soft voice floats through the door of an elegant but simple bedroom that more than obviously belonged to a young girl. Everything was a dust pink, from the small flowers on the wallpaper to the bed linens and curtains. A young woman stirred under the large pile of blankets covering the bed and soon a knocking echoed in the room followed by the click of a door knob, before the same woman’s voice spoke again only closer this time. “Oh Rori, sweetheart get up, the driver is already on his way and Henry wanted to see you at breakfast before you go,” a tall slender woman made her way over to the bed and sat down on the edge, her hair sleek and black, wound up tight on her head.

A small groan could be heard from under the blankets and when they moved  back from the bed a wild head of dark chocolate brown hair sprang free, followed by a squeak of surprise “Mom! Can I just stay a couple more days?” A girl in her early twenties squinted up with sleep still in her eyes, toward the older women sitting on the bed and they looked almost identical except for the difference in hair and age and hair style.  Both women had an exotic olive tone to their skin and deep pools of delicious brown in their eyes. The older woman sighed and clapped her hands into her lap, “Now Rori we seem to go over this every time you come home for a visit, your education is very important to your future and complaining about it is severely ungrateful, especially to Henry, now get up and get dressed I will have someone up to get your things,” and with that she stood and strode elegantly from the room. 

Rori pulled the large comforter over her head and screamed into her pillow as loudly as she could before throwing it off and popping out of bed like a jack in the box. She was wearing a set of dust pink pajama pants and a long sleeve button down shirt to match, her frame was small and she would have looked like a little girl were it not for her very womanly shape. Rori yawned and lifted her hands above her head, grinning in satisfaction at the relief of a full body stretch. 

“Good morning sunshine it's just you and me again,” Rori squeaked joyfully and grabbed a school uniform off the dresser before dashing into the small bathroom that connected to her bedroom.  Rori didn't bother to shower she just brushed her teeth and washed her face before running her fingers through her wild hair and slipping out of her pajamas. She decided to leave them crumpled on the floor, knowing the house keeper would complain to Henry and it would piss him off. She grinned wickedly thinking of the fuss he would make and how her mother would chase him around cooing after him like a mother does to her spoiled child. 

Rori popped into her khaki skirt and powder blue button down shirt before sliding on her kahi vest and twirling once in front of the mirror. The color’s were a terrible match but they looked amazing against her skin due to its beautiful bronze glow from the summer sun. She jumped  out of the bathroom, grabbing her socks and shoes before skipping downstairs and almost knocking over a woman dusting some old statue Henry had acquired from god knows where. Rori didn't bother to apologise as she dashed down the stairs, bursting into a large entry before padding her bare feet down the marbled hallway and into a formal dining area.

The atmosphere in this room was different from the rest of the house; it seemed stuffy, almost  thick and very cold. As Rori skipped over to take a seat at the long polished cherry oak table now cluttered with a buffet of breakfast foods, along with a bar in the background containing all variety of juice, milk and coffee. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic clinking of silverware as Henry sat at the head of the table, stiff as a post, working his breakfast into bite size bits. The man unceremoniously spoke through his bite as the staff buzzed all around laying out a clean place setting for Rori, then standing by still as a statue, waiting for instruction. “What have I told you about running around the house barefoot Rori?” Henry’s voice boomed even though he was not a large man. Rori slumped back in her chair before rolling her eyes and dismissing the waiting staff with a wave of her hand.

“That I might step on a crack and break my mothers back,” she retorted snobbishly, reaching for a few links of bacon and a blueberry muffin. Henry shot straight out of his chair and slammed both palms flat on the table,  causing Rori’s mother to jump in her seat. “For fuck sake Rori how old are you, when are you going to grow up?”          

Rori stood up and walked over to the bar to avoid Henry seeing the tears gathered in her eyes, she would never give that asshole the satisfaction of knowing he got to her, she thought. “I just wanted to stay a few more days with mom Henry that's all,” Rori managed to say grabbing the edge of the bartop like it was going to keep her emotions under control. Henry stalked over behind the bar and dismissed the waiting tender, he grabbed a large glass and poured some orange juice before setting it down in front of Rori. Henry put his hand on her shoulder and she shuddered slightly. “Look Rori I get it really I do, I love spending time with your mom too but you need to think about your future, like we do,'' he looked up at Rori’s mother with a loving smile and Rori made an internal gagging sound. Rori took a step back and Henry let his hand fall lazily to his side, “I know you're right, I'm sorry,”she said and took the juice back to her chair. Rori knew better than to argue with her mother's husband, she refused to even call him her step father because to Rori, Henry wasn't a father he was just the guy that married her mother and since it was her mom they had to share, they just had to tolerate each other. But Rori and Henry made an agreement a long time ago, as soon as she finished school they would tell her mom she was going to Belize or Egypt to intern with a museum curator and Henry would give her 12 million dollars to disappear out of her mother’s life forever. It was a deal Henry brought to Rori on her sixteenth birthday as his surprise gift.                

Henry had come into her mother’s life when Rori was about 10 and he helped them get away from Rori’s very possessive very abusive father so Rori felt like she always needed to be grateful to Henry for that, and he treated her mother like a queen so she never brought up the agreement to her. Henry also paid for Rori’s education, vacations, cars, and clothes, as long as Rori stayed out of their lives Henry let her do whatever she wanted and he paid for it, so Rori made herself believe he wasn't all that bad, especially compared to what her real father had been like. Rori completed her breakfast in silence while she stole as many glances at her mother as she could because this was Rori’s last year of schooling before she had to leave for good and she wanted to make as many memories as possible.          Henry had become impatient recently and actually offered her more money to leave last year but Rori couldn't ever put a price on the time she had with her mom so she turned him down. Rori loved her mother very much but she also knew Henry was right to some degree, she was going to grow up one day and she couldn't stay with her mother the rest of her life, even though she desperately wanted to. Rori often felt she was nothing more than a constant reminder of her biological father, Henry had told her that her hot temper and stubborn attitude came from her father so she tried as hard as she could to never show any of those traits, especially  in front of her mother. 

The doorbell rang and Rori’s heart dropped, she knew it would be her new driver and it was time to be leaving. Rori began to put her socks and shoes on, she heard Henry storm away from the table mumbling about how rude and disgusting it was to dress at the dining table. Rori smirked until she saw the scornful look on her mother's face. “What?” Rori asked with a telling smirk. “Why must you do things to intentionally irritate him?,” her mother asked in an exhausted tone; as if this were the millionth time she had asked it.        

Rori jumped to her feet, "Oh come on mom, he's such a pasty white color I was just giving him a little tint,” and Rori patted her own cheeks playfully. Her mother shook her head and mumbled under her breath before turning and heading out of the dining room, “Alright smarty pants lets go the driver is waiting.” Rori finished tying up her shoes and slowly walked with her mom, hoping if she took smaller steps somehow the front door wouldn't be just across the hall.  Rori grabbed her mothers arm and leaned her head on her shoulder as they walked down the hall to the large entrance where all of Rori’s luggage had been stacked neatly by a man in a black and white suit who stood motionless next to it. “What's with the men in black chauffeur mom?” Rori teased as she jabbed her thumb in the drivers direction. Her mother slapped her arm and clicked her tongue “Rori, manners! This is your personal driver.” The man nodded at Rori from behind his dark sunglasses, “Don't worry Ms. Alma we will get her there safe and sound.” Rori laughed and rubbed her arm, “wow pretty casual speech for a driver” and again her mother slapped her arm “Ow mom what the hell?” she squeaked and the driver turned to avoid showing the obvious amused look he now had on his face, “ I will collect your bags and wait for you outside.” He set to work picking up all of Rori’s luggage in one load and walked out the large double doors leading to the front drive up.

Alma crossed her arms and scowled at her daughter, “Rori, Henry hired a security team so he will be driving and staying at school to look after your safety, you better be on your best behavior.” Rori snorted a small laugh as they walked arm in arm through the doors and out on the front lawn toward the waiting SUV. “Why did Henry hire security?” Rori asked thoughtlessly as she watched the driver strong arm her luggage into the back of the vehicle and close the gate. She turned to look at her mother who now had a worried look on her face “Mom, what is it?” 

“Well,” her mother said rubbing her hands together and licking her lips nervously, “It seems a team your dad was with excavated some artifacts that someone else wants very badly and would do anything to get, so he hired a security team just to keep us safe.” Rori rolled her eyes again “He’s not my dad, so does that mean tall dark and creepy is gonna follow me around at school?” she said pointing at the driver who was now standing in front of the open back door to the black luxury tank she was to be riding to school in. Her mother laughed and shook her head “Dont worry dear, Henry says your school has the best security and since you have been at school most of the year they probably wouldn't think to look for you to get to Henry anyway,” Rori nodded and pulled her mother into a tight hug, how naive her mom was she thought. Henry probably hired the security to make sure she couldn't come around after graduation, but the joke was on him because she would do whatever it took to make sure her mom was happy. Rori planned to just let her mom think she was a horrible daughter who never visited or called, she would cut herself out of her mothers life completely and let her live happily ever after with Henry and his money. Rori shook the sadness from her mind and held her mom out at arms length with tears in her eyes, Alma reached up and grabbed her daughters face with both hands “good gracious girl, you act like this is our final goodbye everytime you leave for school,” Alma leaned forward and kissed one tear streaked cheek, “we will see each other in the fall before graduation.” Rori cleared the lump from her throat and pulled away from her mother. “I know mom, it just sucks, I love spending time with you...I love you, have fun on your trip ok?” 

Alma waved at her daughter as she walked backwards toward the house, “I will sweetheart I love you” her mother yelled back as Rori turned around and hopped into the waiting seat. 

Rori’s attention was solely on her hands, it wasn’t until she heard the familiar squeal of her long time friend did she look up from her lap. The door closed and it took a second for her eyes to adjust but sure enough in the seat across from her was a smiling face. “Kristi!” Rori blurted out and she looked like the sight of her friend had physically relieved some inner pain. The two girls both squealed and embraced. “Ladies please buckle up, we have a long drive ahead of us.” The driver sounded very irritated and the two girls giggled making lewd comments about his physique as they made their way down the long drive and off the property. Rori and Kristi sat back in their seats and Rori looked at her friend. “Im so fuckin glad to see you Kristi, have I told you that you are the best friend a bitch could have?” Kristi laughed and patted Rori on the shoulder, “Awe thanks bitch back at ya” and the two giggled until they were holding their sides. Rori looked out the window “Seriously Kris, I don't think I could have survived the ride back to school alone this time, you are like my fairy godmother.” Kristi propped her feet up on the seat next to Rori and laid her head back on her own seat “What can I say i’m magic!” and Kristi winked at her friend twirling her wrists in the air. The girls laughed again “What’s got you so blue?” Kristi asked.  Rori looked over at her friend and smiled “Kristi how long have we been friends?”

Kristi was a pretty girl, pale skin and rich red hair with striking green eyes, Rori always thought she looked like Ariel from the little mermaid. Kristi sat up and looked at her friend concerned “Rori we have been friends for at least five years you know that, what's up with you?” Rori looked at her friend and couldn't hold the tears back, large clear streams of heartbreak trailed down Rori’s perfect caramel brown skin and Kristi's heart lurched for her friend. She tore her seat belt off and was on the floor board holding Rori by the shoulders as her friend fell apart in her arms. “Back in your seat please,” came a voice from the driver, “Back off double oh douche bag this is girl talk,” Kristi yelled back at the driver and Rori laughed through her tears as she pushed Kristi back into her seat. Kristi waited for Rori to speak but she noticed the girl kept looking at the driver, Kristi turned around. “Hay can you put on some music or something I want to talk to my friend in private,” the driver smiled “yes I will put on some music but it won't do you girls any good...I will just close the privacy screen and leave you  to your gossip,” he popped the end of the word and grinned, Kristi opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off again. “Just make sure you stay seated or I may have to pull over and spank you.” The driver chuckled and pushed a button, prompting a partition window to emerge between the front and back seats. “In your fuckin dreams dog breath,” Kristi shouted as the partition closed. Rori was now holding her ribs with one hand while she held her other hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter.  

Kristi scoffed and rolled her eyes, “do you believe that guy...whatever this is not about me this is about what has my beautiful Esmerelda so upset,” she said it with as much dramatic overtone as she could manage.   Rori laughed harder, “Well Ariel I just can't seem to find quasimodo or the damn gargoyles,” the two girls laughed until they cried. When the two first met in the cafeteria at school Rori had bumped into Kristi and spilled juice all over her skirt staining it so Rori offered to give Kristi the extra one she had in her locker and apologized all the way there and back, they became instant friends and often made jokes about how much they resembled Disney princesses but didn't need a prince or  cheesy song and dance to make their dreams come true.    Kristi nudged her friend's foot with her own “Come on Ro tell me what's going on” Rori adjusted herself in the seat and glanced up at the driver again. Kristi turned to look at him and then back to her friend, “girl he cant hear us watch, excuse me sir!” Kristi yelled “Can you pull over, the back of my throat itches and I want to scratch it with your enormous cock!” Rori screamed and kicked her friend, “Kristi shut up oh my god!” they laughed again when the driver never even flinched and Rori seemed to relax a little. Kristi noticed that Rori took a long deep breath and looked out the window on the opposite side of the SUV. “Kris, you have to swear on our friendship and love for eachother that what i'm about to say to you stays between us and us only.” Kristi scrunched her face up and Rori jerked her head to stare her friend directly in the eyes “I mean it Kristi you can't even tell Mason!” Rori seemed really serious and all the sudden Kristi was scared for her friend’s news. “Okay Ro I swear, but you're scaring me a little.” Rori smiled at her friend but Kristi could tell she was covering a deeper hurt. “Henry offered to pay my 12 million dollars to leave him and my mom alone for good after graduation,” Rori almost blurted it out but she wanted to make sure she said every word clear for fear of Kristi asking her to repeat herself. 

“What, what the fuck...are you serious Rori!” Kristi screamed at the top of her lungs “don't play with me Roro,” Kristi could tell she wasn't joking just from the broken and defeated look in Rori. There was a slight pause before Kristi went off like a loaded gun, “that's not fair Rori he can't do that...did you tell your mom, what did she say?” Kristi sounded desperate and Rori just shook her head allowing her wild hair to shake all around her face and shoulders. Rori hugged herself to avoid crying. “No Kristi I can't tell my mom it would break her heart plus Henry would just deny it and I can’t bare to think about who she would choose, he’s good to my mom,” Rori shrugged and Kristi’s mouth fell open, “and it's not like he is throwing me out on the street I will have enough money to get by until I can...until I-I-” Rori stopped she couldn't form another word and she wasn't really sure what to say next the truth was she had never really given it much thought, Rori had always kind of assumed that somehow Henry was playing some mean prank on her and would jump out and yell “just kidding” at some point but it never happened, and now she was at the beginning of  her last semester. 

Kristi undid her seat belt again and flew to the other side of the SUV, she tried to pull her friend into a tight hug, Rori laid her head down on Kristi’s lap instead and Kisti began to stroke Rori’s wild wavy chocolate hair, she furrowed her brows together as she felt the sadness become heavy in her best friend. “You're a history major right?” Kristi began and Rori nodded “well then just get a job at the Museum and see your mom that way,” she almost chirped, proud of her idea. Rori sat up and wiped her eyes smiling sweetly at her friend. “Yea I thought that was exactly what I would do, it’s the real reason I changed my major...but I found out this morning Henry hired a private security team so it looks like he was smarter than me in the end anyway.” Rori started to cry again and Kristi grabbed her by the face, “don’t you dare cry because of that fucker Ro, it is not your fault your mom went from one abusive fuck to another.” Rori shook her head furiously, “No kristi, Henry is really good to my mom...and to me,” Rori almost choked on the last part, Kristi sighed and closed her eyes. 

“Rori paying someone to never see their mother again is abuse, telling someone they will never amount to anything is abuse...sending you away to all sorts of schools your entire life is abuse, and honey I love you, but your mom putting up with it is also abuse.” Rori jerked her head away from Kristi and looked at her in a pointed almost angry manor, “Kris I love you...but don't talk about my mom like that, you don't know what my dad was like, Henry is a cake walk and he makes her happy okay?... just drop it.” Kristi sighed and opened her mouth to speak but the driver jerked on the breaks and Kristi flew face first, into the seat she had been previously sitting in before he flew out of his door and yanked open the door closest to Kristi. The driver reached in, grabbing the still dazed Kristi and pulling her out before slamming the door. 

Rori watched, frozen in fear as he drug Krist to the back of the SUV by the back of her elbow and proceeded to scream at her. Rori couldn't hear what they were saying but he was now shaking her by the shoulders while Kristi beat her fists against his chest. Rori put her hands over her ears and curled up into a ball crying, the sight of them fighting turned her into a 6 year old little girl again and she was watching her father slam her mother into a wall by the arms as he yelled about burnt beans, Rori jerked her body as far to the other side of the car as she could when the door opened, she slammed her eyes shut preparing for the pain of angry fists when instead she felt cold soft fingers on her elbows and when she opened her eyes all she saw was a worried looking Kristi talking to her, “Rori its ok, are you alright?” Rori looked a little confused and dazed but when her eyes found Kristi’s she grabbed her by the shoulders. “Did he hurt you? momma, I'm so sorry!” Kristi pulled away from her friend and caressed her face a little “Ro he was just yelling at me for not having my seat belt on.” 

Kristi’s voice was soft and although she wanted to tease her friend for calling her mom, Kristi had seen trauma before and recognised the alarming signs Rori had clearly just shown. The partition came down again and Kristi turned to look at the driver, “you scared the fuck out of her you asshole!” the driver grumbled and looked at Rori, his eyes flashed with guilt, “Hay I didn't mean to scare you that bad I just want your friend to stay in her seat, if that had been a real emergency she could have been seriously hurt...but I am sorry if I scared you, ok?” Rori didn't look at him; she just nodded and sat back into her seat, Kristi sat next to Rori and buckled in making sure to motion to the driver when she was done. He pulled the SUV back onto the road and it was silent for a while before Kristi spoke. “So what do you plan to do, after graduation I mean?” Rori looked down at her lap and scoffed, “Is it pathetic if I still plan on working for the museum, even if I cant talk to her at least I could get news about her you know... stay in the loop,” Rori sounded like she didn't even believe herself.  “Ro you cant torture yourself like that” Kristi whispered as she looked pittifully at her friend 

“I know Kris... honestly I am just planning on finding a place close to campus and getting a job as a music teacher or something, kids are fun right?” Rori tried to smile away her pain but it wasn't really working and Kristi felt for her friend. Rori was like the sister she never had and it was killing her inside to be able to feel her heartbreak. “Hey, why don't you come over for dinner tonight?” Kiristi nudged Rori as the SUV pulled onto campus grounds, “I don't know Kristi I would hate to be a downer.” Kristi rolled her eyes, “oh please Mason decided he wants to be an olympic swimmer instead of a doctor and dad is pissed so don't make me deal with all that by myself, please!” Rori rolled her eyes this time “Fine I can't ever say no to you... do you think your mom would make me some of her tea, she makes the best tea?” Kristi laughed “of course.” 

The SUV stopped and both girls groaned in fake frustration, “we are here” Kristi said dramatically and Rori giggled, shaking her head. The two young women climbed out and Rori walked around to the back as the driver started speaking to some school staff that greeted them by telling him he needed to move his vehicle, because he couldn't unload here. “I'm not unloading you giant jackass. I'm escorting young ladies off to school.” The entrance staffer started to explain to the driver that if he had gone to college he would know that is the very definition of unloading. Both Rori and Kristi stood frozen with their mouths open as the driver turned several shades of angry purple.“You don't unload people like cattle you little shit! she lives here you fuck and if you dont get out of my face im gonna break your nose!” At this point Rori was laughing, leaning against the bumper of the SUV. Kristi ran over and put herself between the two arguing men with her hand in the middle of the greeter’s chest while the driver stalked up so close behind Kristi there wasn't even room for air, but he did not touch her. “Listen up geek boy,” Kristi spat as she put one finger in his chest and the other on her hip, “Do you even know who the fuck your talking to, this is the personal driver of one of the largest contributors to this school,” then Kristi pointed at Rori. “That is the daughter of this Country's largest Museum curator; a one Henry Augastine.” Kristi and Rori looked at each other and yelled in unison “Henry Augastine the third” and both girls again laughed hysterically. 

The driver looked confused and couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Kristi, Rori had noticed how close he kept to her and she thought it was odd that Kristi didn't seem to notice or mind, “I mean sure the guy was good looking but he had to be in his late thirties” she thought, and although her and Kristi were both in their twenties Rori was curious as to what they would have in common besides a sexual relationship of course. 

Rori watched as the poor enrollment greeter frantically apologized to Kristi, the driver and Rori, then grabbed a walkie talkie and started to shout orders.//