CH2

I don't know how,or why I passed out.Maybe it was just because I was tired or couldn't control my emotions.No one would be happy to see their parents leave. I woke up to see a stout man sit beside me.

"You're awake!"He said to me,almost relieved.

"I didn't want to lose you too"He seemed so nice and I could tell from his smile.I didn't want to talk to any other person.I had convinced myself that I was a murderer.I knew the details of what caused my parents' death...I didn't want to think about it again.

I looked at the man beside me.He seemed to care about me so much that he'd regret it his whole life if something happened to me.

"Who are you,sir?"I questioned him.

"I'm not surprised you don't know me.I am your uncle James."

"Uncle James?It doesn't ring a bell.You sure I know you?"

His expression made me understand he was very disappointed.He may have expected me to hug him or do something more friendly,but I didn't budge.I stared at him blankly.

"I'm your mother's brother.I don't blame her for not telling you anything about me.I do understand how you are feeling right now.Aliza would be glad to see me right now,but she's no more."He was lost in his own thoughts.That,I could tell.I didn't want to cry after hearing my mum's name.I am a strong girl..I reassured myself.

"So..what are you doing here Sir James?My mum didn't tell me anything about you and well..I don't know you."

"I'm here to take you far away from here.You will be living with me.In California.."I saw a smile forcefully trying to find its way on his face,but he couldn't.He looked soo stressed and almost like he had done something wrong and came to confess.

"Is something the matter Sir.James?"

"Oh no no! Nothing's wrong...I just missed my Aliza.It has really been a long time.I am just hoping you will be able to accept my proposal to stay with me in California"

"Yes I will!"I accepted his proposal that day and it was something I wished I never did.Well I knew no one in Sedona. There was no one to take care of me when my parents decided to leave me.They should have planned that.

This decision I made on this very day was a life changing decision.I was never the same person when I went to California.

****

Sir James tried to start a conversation with me on our way to California,but I wasn't interested in opening up to him.The car finally stopped in front of a white mansion.It was so big and beautiful.

He led me inside the house showing me to the several rooms and pools in the house.

"This is your room."We finally stopped in front of a brown door.Inside it were pictures of my mum with several books neatly arranged on shelves.The room was covered with black designs which started from the floor to the ceiling.There were four almirahs at the left corner of the room.

"These are beautiful,aren't they?"He asked me .

"They surely are!I already love it in here"

He asked me to join the others at the dining table.I think he meant his wife or children.That day was going to be the biggest regret in my life.

As I ascended from the staircase,I saw the devil herself.She had her hair nicely braided and wore a white dress which exposed her tattooed thighs.She held a glass of wine balanced gingerly between her fingers.She stared at me as I joined her husband at the table.

"Is this she?"She quickly looked at her husband with disgust.Maybe she was bothered by my presence or she wanted to quarrel with her husband.

"You must be the motherless creature my husband wanted to take care of."I knew clearly what type of person she was.Such people felt threatened by young kids and intended to bully them.I kept my thoughts to myself.I was too young to speak.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Adira.I hope we are going to get along in this house.I just can't deny the fact that you're a sight for sore eyes.I love your hair".

She stretched to her full height and touched my hair.I already didn't like her.It wasn't going well.

"Rosanna,Ryan and Drusilla will be glad to have you here.You can sit down and have your meal."

She pointed to one of the chairs which was far away from the dining table."Aha!That's where you will sit lil girl.I hope you don't mind.Take one of the bowls and just choose the food you want but don't sit close to the table okay?"

I was attracted to one golden plated bowl on the table.I put my spoon into the bowl which already contained some soup.I was ready to eat.

"You put that down!"Someone yelled at me.

"I do not want you to contaminate those bowls with your soiled hands,you b*tch."It was Miss-Who-Knows-What again.

"But my hand are not soiled ma'am."

"They are! They are soiled with your parents blood.Who knows what germs you carry?And don't call me ma'am...I don't want to be the mother of a person whose parents left her.Maybe they didn't want you and decided to leave you.I heard you murdered them.I didn't know a girl of your age could do that to her own parents.."She spatted those words out as if she had been rehearsing.

"You stop that Emily!"Sir.James retorted.

"I didn't expect you to behave like that.Adira,go to your room right now!"Sir James asked two maids to escort me to my room and that's when I heard the shocking truth.The couples continued to exchange words as they thought I couldn't hear anything...it was only one thing that made me realize who I was living with.

"Oh are you being defensive now?"Emily asked James.

"I didn't expect a criminal to have a soft heart.Were you just trying to show your love for the little girl after you killed her parents?"

"I didn't kill them!It was your idea in the first place to just have possession of the property."

"You still did it!"