Audrey walked towards the dining, but the stares she got weren't welcoming and she didn't care. Most especially her step mom, she had the look of disgust written all over her face.
Audrey walked to Damaris seat, not minding the disgusted look. She placed Damaris gently on the floor, so she could sit on her chair. "join us", Damaris whispered with pleading eyes. Audrey just let out a sigh of agreement. She adjusted her seat in, placing her crutches by her side.
"Damaris you didn't tell me you hired a personal servant", the elderly woman spoke arranging her cutleries beside her plate.
Audrey looked up at the woman, then said In a low but audible voice, "typical rich people".
"Excuse me?", Her step mom nearly choked.
"Huh? did I say something?", Audrey asked looking at her confused.
Audrey could see the boy beside Reign trying to keep a straight face. After she made sure Damaris was sitted properly, she went and took a sit beside the blue highlight guy.
"she isn't a care taker, she is my friend. Step mom this is Audrey Saphre... Audrey my step mom- Marie Lucaine", Damaris introduced them. "She's going to be staying with us".
"why wasn't I informed about that?", Marie asked authoritatively. "I don't want wayward filth living in my house".
Damaris went silent, she looked at Audrey apologetically but Audrey had no expression written on her face.
"Well too bad", Audrey said looking down at the table
"Excuse me?", Marie asked taken back
"I have been given permission by Mr lucaine to stay here as long as I wanted. So too bad".
Marie just sat there in anger and humiliation that someone like her could speak to her that way.
"weren't you taught respect?", one of the girls spoke.
"Don't speak to our mother that way!", the other spoke.
Audrey just turned to look at Damaris in a questioning look, oh no. I hope she doesn't change her mind, Damaris panicked.
"My steps sisters Mathilda and Vanessa", she said gesturing to both of girls, hoping to ease the tension.
Audrey didn't even spare them a glance, "who is this little dumpling?", she asked looking at the little boy who sat quiet watching everything.
"that is Claude, my half brother", she gestured towards him. Interesting, so he had a child with this witch,Audrey thought.
Vanessa is the girl with the lighter brown wavy hair, while Mathilda is the girl with brown straight hair.
"Nice to meet you", Audrey greeted.
"nice to meet you too lady Audrey", Claude replied with a smile showing his dimples.
"Ouuu. And he has manners too", Audrey praised him, he had a big smile on his but stopped half way when Marie shot him a glare. He lowered his gaze to the table.
"The boy sitted beside me is Reign", she turned to her side. "while the one you're sitted beside is Tyson, my big cous".
She turned to look at him, he looked familiar,"i believe we've already met. Previous night".
"Yeah, I remember you".
Marie called one of the maid then whispered something to her, the maid order the other maids around to serve food. They served everyone food, except Audrey.
She knew it was Marie's doing, but She didn't care she helped herself.
The food on the table were salted butter, bacons, toasts, eggs and tea. With out waiting for any one, Audrey picked a place from the table, placed 3slices of bread on her plate, added 2 bacon and some egg, then poured her self tea.
Marie looked at Audrey with great alter disbelief. Audrey could see the shocked look on everyones faces but she didn't care, she just lowered her gaze to her food then started eating. She learnt table ettiquette since when she was small, and that gave her a mysterious aura.
Audrey looked up from her plate occasionally to find marie glaring at her with disgust and pure hatred. There goes first impression,she thought.
Marie finally spoke,"why is your hair colored? And In that unkept loops",
"They are called dreads and as for the first question",Audrey turned to look at Tyson
"What was your answer when she asked you why you dyed part of your hair blue?".
Before he could reply, Marie cut in angrily. "Is this how you were taught to speak with your elders? Such rebellious behavior".
"I don't blame you, I blame your parents"
When she said that, they was a pause in silence. Damaris nearly choked on what she ate, because she knew that was a sensitive topic.
Audrey stopped eating, then slowly raised her head to look at Marie no expression written on her face, involving my parents really?.
The girls at the other side had satisfied looks on their face. Claude had an apologetic look because her parents were involved, he didn't really know why they were fighting.
Reign had a neutral look. Since when she first saw him up until now his facial expression never changed, he just ate calmly minding his own business. Tyson just sat there looking.
"Yes..", Marie said in agreement to her statement. "What responsible parents would let their daughter have so much piercings, worse of all not teach her respect or manners",
Audrey had no issues with the insults directed to her, but the Audacity to insult people she haven't met.
Damaris was about to speak,"Don't!",Audrey snapped, which startled her.
Audrey pulled back her chair, picked her plate of food with her cup of tea then walked away.
I won't let stupid people spoil my meal.
"Audrey", Damaris called, but she ignored and kept walking.
Marie had a satisfied look on her face, that'll put her in her place. Damaris was worried, she just convinced Audrey to stay. She knew it wasn't about her, but just once she wanted to be selfish.
Damaris got up from her chair, placed both her clutches underneath her arm. She went after her, as fast as she could even tho she ended up falling a few times.
Audrey had finished eating what was on her plate and drank everything in her cup, then handed it to one of the maid.
"I am not your servant", the maid retorted.
"But you are one here, so act what your paid for", Audrey replied back walking away.
Audrey had the intention of leaving immediately, at least she has had breakfast. Where's my skateboard?.
She couldn't remember where it was placed, so she planned on ordering a ride then asking Damaris to send her board to her address.
Audrey was already at the door leading to the waiting roomwhen she heard Damaris behind her.
"Audrey please don't go!".
Audrey pretended as tho no one spoke, then turned the knob.
"Audre- ahh!!".
Audrey immediately turned to see Damaris on the floor, the bandage on her elbow was dripping blood. This girl is so reckless!, Audrey yelled her mind.
"What is wrong with you?!", Audrey asked rushing to her. "Look now you're bleeding. Lord".
"Don't mess up my floor", Marie said heading up the stairs showing no bit of concern. Right behind her were the girls, Vanessa held Claude's hand to stop him from going over there. She dragged him along with them.
"You have such a disgusting family", Audrey said picking Damaris up from the ground.
It wasn't a shock to Audrey because she knew this weren't Damaris's real family, she wonder if her dad knew this was how she was treated, in her own home.
Audrey turned walking towards the stairs, "You're so careless",she heard behind her. Both Reign and Tyson where coming from the kitchens direction.
"Let me help you".
Audrey refused taking a step back as he got closer to her, "where were you when she stormed out of the dining with her clutches?"
"So don't bother".
Tyson didn't say anything, what could he say. While Reign stood there like he was programmed, he always acted mute and mysterious. It made Audrey curious, was he mute, or was he just a man of few words.
"Least you can do is carry her clutches", she said to Tyson in a calm manner , but her tone held anger and distaste.
"Lead the way", she looked down at Damaris.
The stairs were much, but that wasn't Audrey's issue. All of a sudden her body felt a little bit weak, and she could feel her head hurting but she did well to hide it. She didn't want Damaris to worry.
"Why are you doing this?", Damaris asked laying sadly in Audrey's arms.
"What do you mean?".
"I mean why are you doing so much for me going all out? you don't even gain anything from doing this", Damaris question.
It felt so weird, the way she was being cared for better than her own family. Audrey was a stranger who saved her and it the process got badly hurt, and she was still going all out for her.
Someone was actually genuinely worried about her. Apart from her Dad who was always far away on work, and the boys who just showed up recently, she has always been alone. No one truly cared about her. Loneliness ate so deep, she just learnt to accept it as it was, bitter.
"I don't know. You need my help, the least I can do is give it to you", Audrey replied.
Ever since Audrey saved Damaris the first time,she had felt obligated to do so. Audrey knew how bully felt, and since she has the strength, why can't she help those in need of it. "It's the right thing to do".
Damaris smiled, her heart felt warm. Even if it was only for a short moment, at she she should enjoy it while it lasted.
Audrey climbed till she reached the middle floor, she could really feel the pain getting to her. I just have to drop Damaris then leave.
"Audrey?", Damaris called.
"Hmm.".
"Please don't leave, I need you", Damaris begged. She finally made a friend, even if the circumstances wasnt a good one.
This really put Audrey in a tight spot, she shouldn't care but her conscience weighed heavier.
"I don't know what to say", Audrey said almost at the hall that lead to Damaris's room.
The house had 3 floors, each floor had its own large living room and other stuff. It also had long hall ways with so many other rooms.
Damaris's room, the girls room, Claude's room and Marie's room were on the middle, while the boys room where at the first floor. They were the ones who chose the room at the top.
The boys followed behind as Audrey walked Damaris to her room, they were almost at the door when Audrey felt a skull breaking headache making her halt. She felt her body grow weak that her strength began to give out, she didn't want to drop Damaris on the floor by mistake so she knelt down.
Tyson saw Audrey kneeling down so he rushed towards her, "Are you alright?", he asked with so much concern in the tone of his voice.
Both Reign and him were talking, then he turned to see Audrey kneeling. Tyson didn't like the fact Audrey was pushing herself to much, but giving how stubborn she was, he couldn't do anything.
"I am fine", Audrey replied.
"Audrey! Your nose", Damaris pointed towards her face. "it's bleeding".
Audrey raised her hand to her hand to touch her nose, she brought back to look at her hand, her nose was bleeding.
She couldn't process anything well because her head felt heavy, she was in so much pain and was fighting so hard not to show it. "It's just a nose bleed, I'm fi-", Audrey fell to the side, Tyson turned her over to see she was unconscious.
Tyson looked at Reign and immediately he went over to pick Damaris up, while he picked Audrey.
"What's wrong with her?", Damaris asked tears rushing down her eyes, she was so scared. The doctor instructed that she shouldn't go through any form of stress, but here she was carrying Damaris.
"I don't know", Tyson replied.