Sparks Fly

Chapter 6

Picking up the photo frame on my nightstand, I heaved a deep sigh. It was a photo of my mother and me not long before she died. I was twelve years old then. Where's my father, you may ask? He's the worst. He doesn't deserve a spot in my photograph.

Dad was always a greedy man. He married Mum for money and she knew that but she was too in love with him to care. She later died from a car crash when I was thirteen, not long after that photo was taken. Until today, I still think Dad was the cause of it.

Mum left me a huge inheritance. As much as she loved my father, she knew he was not worth giving her money to and he would just splurge. She knew the money would be put into better use by me.

The money is managed by my aunt, my mother's older sister. From what I heard, she never approved of my mother's marriage to my father. She always thought he was a scumbag. He was a good father, I guess. At least he took care of me.

But it's probably because of the large amount of money that is tied to me which he will never be able to touch because of my mother's will.

After Mum died, Dad remarried six months later. She was a decent young lady but definitely way too young for my father. She tried to be a good stepmother but I couldn't give a damn. No one can replace Mum. How dare she think she can do that?

I moved out after I started high school. Dad was reluctant but respected my wishes. Now, I'm living in the apartment in Upper West Side, Manhattan, which Mum left for me. This must've been the apartment Mum lived in before she married Dad.

Our house... isn't as grand.

Dad and the woman started a new family. They try to invite me for dinner but I always reject them. What's the point? It's just rubbing salt into my wound, seeing a family Dad created with someone else. I feel like Mum was thrown aside now that she's dead.

That's why he's not in my picture. It's just Mum and me. Dad belongs to another family now. Perhaps I had moved out on my own but the truth is he had abandoned me emotionally. He didn't consult me before getting me a "new mother". It's stupid.

He didn't care about how I felt. All he cares about is himself. I bet he was cheating on Mum even before she died because that woman can't possibly come into the picture within six months. It has to have gone on longer than that.

And she still dares to smile at me. She doesn't even have the right to talk to me. I don't expect Dad to stay single forever but the least he could do was talk to me about it instead of marrying some random woman I've never met and, suddenly, she's my mother.

It's utterly stupid. He couldn't possibly have expected me to accept that, right? Now, he has lost a daughter. But he gained a daughter and a son anyway. The girl, Nicole, is eleven years younger than me and the boy, Nigel, is twelve years younger than me. I don't hate them because they are innocent but I don't ever want to see them either.

I brushed the photo frame and sighed. I put it back onto the nightstand and lay down on my bed. Why is my life such a mess? I have a dead mother, a shit father, a weird stepmother, a half-sister and a half-brother.

Do my half-siblings even know I exist? The last time I saw them was when they were born. I probably wouldn't even have seen them if I wasn't staying with them back then. I moved out when Nicole was four and Nigel was three. They definitely won't remember me and I doubt my father and stepmother would talk about me.

I'm just this random-ass girl from their father's first marriage. It isn't honourable.

"Mum, find me a man who will love me for the rest of my life. Find me a man who will cherish and take good care of me. Find me a man who will know my likes and dislikes. Find me a man who isn't like Dad," I muttered.

Just then, I heard a buzz. I picked up my phone and saw that I received a text message from Jace: Hello, Belle. And another one: Would you like to go out for lunch? And another one: How does La Masseria sound to you?

"Will you be the one?" I wondered aloud. I texted back: I've never been there before but sure we can give it a shot! What time do we meet?

I received a reply almost instantly: One. Is that fine for you?

Gosh, who the hell spells the time out? I rolled my eyes and replied: Okay, good. I shut my phone and lay down on my bed. "Is it you, Jace Leighton? Will you be the man? Will you be the one who will give me happiness for the rest of my life?"

As much as I like him, I'm determined not to repeat my mother's mistake. I don't want to marry someone I love but doesn't love me back. I want an honest relationship. I want it to go both ways. I don't want it to be a relationship for one's selfish desire.

Jace has everything he needs and no one knows I'm actually worth so much money so I'm not scared of being his girlfriend. But what if he wants something that money can't get?

If you get what I mean.

I find myself so contradicting. I like him. I agreed to become his girlfriend. But I'm scared that he will betray me or abandon me or whatever. What is wrong with me? Was I too hasty to agree to become his girlfriend? Perhaps. But I will keep watching him.

I hope I won't make the same mistake.

I turned to look at the wall clock. I have three hours left to prepare and run off to La Masseria. It's time to play Werewolf on Telegram. It's the best game ever. It's so exciting. Whether you are a good or bad guy, you get nervous because you don't know what others are and you're so scared to lose.

Opening Telegram, I played Werewolf with a bunch of online friends whom I've known via the game. There's this whole thing about the dangers of making online friends but I feel that as long as you set a boundary, it is okay.

After some time, I jumped off my bed and got ready for my lunch date. I looked through my wardrobe and picked out a black skater dress. I think it's nice and simple, nice enough for a date and simple enough not to look too extravagant.

I combed my hair until there were no more tangles. I put on some lip balm so that my lips won't dry up and crack in the cold air. I added that into my bag. I looked at the time. I have just enough time to take a bus to Times Square and wait for him.

With that, I grabbed my coat, wore it and left my apartment.

***

A/N:

Have you lost someone precious to you? Do you miss them?

Belinda's life is quite a mess. What do you feel about her father? Do you think he's as bad as she thinks he is?

Many people in this world have such messy lives too and some even have messier ones. Don't judge a person's character too quickly because you never know what they're going through or what they've gone through!

Stay happy and keep reading :)