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Troubles lurks behind

Chapter three

Gwen

I walk inside my room and heave a deep breath. I feel so good.

The slap I received from Heidi made me collapse and I had to spend two weeks in the hospital.

I was supposed to get discharged last week but I faked illness. I'm just so glad I spent two weeks without getting slapped or beaten. I was not allowed to do anything.

I lay on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. Maybe, I should be doing this once in a while.

"Gwen!" Heidi's voice made me shiver. Why can't she just let me be for once?

I sigh and walk out. She was waiting for me at my doorstep, "Hi Heidi".

She gave me a dirty glare, "Go and wear a nice dress. You are following me somewhere. Meet me in fifteen minutes," she says and walks away before I could say something else.

I'm sure she's a witch. She's always acting like the devil.

She and her sisters have been talking about Ryder Emmett on our way home. Well, Ryder has been Heidi's crush since childhood. I haven't seen him and I don't even know what he looks like because I'm not allowed to watch movies.

The only thing I could do was listen to the radio. And with it, I was able to discover that Ryder Emmett is a successful sportsman. He's thirty-five years, older than Heidi by fifteen years. I wonder why she would want to date someone so older.

Well, she's lucky because I don't even remember having that kind of thought. Well, since I'm always cleaning. I'm not allowed to wish or hope for good things.

So, I heard Dixie and Heidi discuss something. It's like there's a basketball play in town and Ryder is coming. I had thought they would all leave the house for me and allow me to rest very well. At least, I would have the house for a little solace before they return.

Now, my dream of that has just been shattered.

I just wonder why she wants me to go watch the ball. She's always having a problem with me going out or watching movies, especially whenever it's Ryder that's on view.

I smell trouble somewhere. I just pray it doesn't mean the worst for me.

I must dress well even if the clothes I have can't be associated with the word 'well'.

I take blue faded jeans and a baggy yellow blouse. This seems like my best so far. I've always avoided wearing them because I didn't want them to get ruined. Now, that's served. I will be looking good for once. I comb my hair and apply oil to make it smooth.

I look at myself in the mirror and I must admit that I like the way I am.

I walk out into the sitting room, "I'm ready," I say and the three sisters turn heads towards me.

"What's that?" Elsa laughs.

I bow slightly, feeling lots of insecurities. Are my clothes not that good?

"She's not even beautiful. Why is she dressed like that? It only complements her ugliness," Dixie says and a tear nearly falls off. But I held it in check.

I wouldn't cry. It doesn't matter if I'm not as beautiful as them or if I'm not beautiful at all. I will be alright, eventually right?

That is if the Brooks' doesn't kill me first.

"Take my bag and follow me," Heidi commands and walks away. I'm supposed to be in her position because I'm older. But well, that's my fate.

It seems like Dixie and Elsa aren't following us.

Well, that makes me feel so good.

These two are always good at sarcasm. They love twisting everything against me. I think their hobby is my sadness.

Heidi is taking her car. The one that was bought for her two years ago. She enters and I quickly do so before she slaps me for my slowness.

We drove for a while or more, I don't remember because my attention was on the street. Everywhere looks so beautiful. I saw a big restaurant and secretly dream of working there or going there at least.

Wow, everywhere is so beautiful. Why exactly was I denied such views?

Well, I will just take this one opportunity that has been created for me to look at all of them.

I see a lady in short jeans and a hoodie. She looks my way and I look away quickly. I look back at the ice cream shops along the street. Just looking around makes me feel so good.

She parks and gets down. I do the same and give my surroundings deep scrutiny. What's this place?

We walk, into a big stadium with lots of seating capacity. I look around me at the seats and a slight gasp escapes me. I have never seen anything like that.

I look back at the middle of the stadium and realize it's a court, where basketball is played. It's a rectangle and at both ends lines, there is a goal called a hoop in the shape of a circle basket with the bottom cut out. Thanks to college days.

OMG! I'm going to watch Ryder and the rest play basketball today? I don't believe this.

"Hey!" Heidi says, jolting me out of my thoughts. I look back at her. Did I tell you I'm the same height as her? " You stay here. I will be back ok?"

I nod severally. I watch her walk out of sight before I scream with huge happiness.

I run to the court and jump up as if to reach the basket. I stop for a moment and try to remember how basketball is being played.

I shrug slightly when nothing seems to come to my head.

I pull off a shoe of mine and reach out to put it into the basket. It went down.

I laugh and move back now. It seems like the knowledge is finally coming in. I hold my shoe and move towards the basket. I imagine my opponent coming at me by my left, so I turn to my right.

I laugh hard and bend down as if dodging an invisible opponent.

I roll on the floor and eventually avoided the last of the opponent player. I move to the basket and jump so high so that my shoe will enter the basket.

"Wow!" Someone exclaims softly behind me, voice deep and smooth and masculine.

I turn around to look at the speaker. A hefty man walked to view, clapping and smiling with satisfaction as he move closer to me, "Have you ever played basketball?"

I shake my head slightly, " I've never played one. And I've not seen one either. But I did read books on them. And I have the radio to tell me Ryder's moves," I say, feeling somewhat proud of myself.

The guy's face sparkles up," You know who Ryder is?"

I quickly give his question a deep thought. What's he talking about?

"I do hear of him but I've never seen him before," I turn to pick up my shoe, " I'm not interested in him anyways," I wear my shoe, "I was forced here".

He laughs now, " you will see him today. You know, he's like me," he says proudly.

I turn to look at him again. He's in a blue shirt and a blue t-shirt. He's tall and strong. Wow, if Ryder is like this. Then, I know why Heidi is so much in love with him. I don't like someone like him anyway. If I do something wrong, he might just kill me. Seeing that he's stronger physically, I won't be able to fight back. And I have no one to fight for me.

I look away. I sit on the field and look up at the seats.

"You don't seem satisfied with what you saw"

I shrug slightly," I don't like hefty men. I don't like older men either," I say, remembering the fact that Ryder is thirteen years older than I am.

The guy's face fell. He moves and sits beside me.

My heart quickened at such a movement. I've never been so close with a man. Not this kind of a man.

His cologne is something that smells like a natural scent. This guy must be rich. So, why is he sitting with someone like me?

"Why? That's what all ladies want."

I nod slowly, " Yes, that's what Heidi loves but not me. I like to go to natural"

He laughs again, "Are you saying having abs isn't natural?"

My eyes shot out at the confession. I look at him again, " My God, you have abs?"

He nods slowly, " Want me to show you?"

My security alarm hits me everywhere.

I stand up and move back quickly, "Are you going to harm me?"

His face registered shock and ignorance but I'm not ready to take it in as I took off, running as fast as my legs could carry me.

What was he planning?

I stop running suddenly, as I stare into the face of Heidi Brook.

"Heidi," I fumble for words and try to stabilize my breathing.

"What did I just see you do?" Her scream was enough to deafen me.

What did I do again? A slap landed on my cheek before I could say something.

I'm dead again!

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