Page 14 of Bittersweet Legacy

Chapter 4

I woke up late for the first day of school and had to rush, which meant no time to do my makeup or hair, so I settled for a messy bun.

Archie was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, radiating irritation.

“Sorry, sorry,” I offered, trying to smooth the frown on his face only to see it deepen.

“You’re clearly not late because you took care of your appearance, are you?” he sighed before exiting the house without a look back.

I followed him to the car and he glared at my red Converses.

“What? It matches.” I pointed to my red blazer and red pleated skirt.

“You’ve got to step it up, because like it or not you’re now also the image of the Forbes family and this isn’t acceptable.”

I detailed him as he drove, not even bothering to look at me. Was he serious? How much of a pompous ass was he?

“Don’t worry, brother dear,” I taunted, “I won’t take your arm in public.”

He snorted, throwing me a quick look. “You don’t speak to me. You don’t acknowledge me. You don’t look at me. You don’t even breathe in my direction. Are we clear?”

It stung, no matter how much I said I didn’t care, being rejected by my own flesh and blood hurt deeply. “I’m not sure,brother– I’m quite slow, you know, public school and all. Can you explain again? Pretty please.”

He glared at me; his lips pursed in a fine line. “Don’t antagonise me, Esmeralda, I can make your life a misery.”

I hated how much he sounded like our father, how poisoned he already was. “Aww really? But you’re making my life so easy right now,” I replied with heavy sarcasm.

“Don’t test me, you won’t like it.”

I snorted, looking away. There was nothing left to take from me, or so I thought.

True to his word, Archie left me behind and I had to manoeuvre between the sea of students eyeing me with a significant level of curiosity on my way to the office.

I hated my brother right now, for making this whole experience so much more difficult that it ought to be. I didn’t want to be here, I never asked for this and he was punishing me for invading his universe. If only he knew how much I’d give to escape it.

“I’m Esme Dan –” I shook my head.No, you’re not. “I’m Esmeralda Forbes.” My voice cracked under the force of the unshed tears I was fighting back.

The woman looked up and her features softened, probably seeing the distress I was trying so hard to hide. “Hello Esmeralda. Welcome to Brentwood Academy.”

She retrieved a blue folder from her desk and came to me. “This contains your locker number, your code, your schedule and a map of the campus.”

I nodded mutely, not trusting my own voice anymore.

“Taylor Oppenheimer offered to show you around the school but she was delayed this morning and won’t be here before the afternoon. I can ask Principal Webber to assign another-”

“No, it’s alright Irene, I’ll do it.”

I turned toward a petite woman with thick, curly brown hair and thick-rimmed glasses. She was dressed in a long khaki skirt and a beige cardigan, she was the epitome of unremarkable and just that made me like her.

“Are you sure?”

The woman nodded, giving me a kind smile. “Of course. I’m not expecting any students in the library now – they barely come at all,” she jested, but it was obvious she meant it.

“Thank you,” I breathed with relief at not having to face the sea of students by myself.

Her smile brightened. “I'm thrilled to help, Esmeralda.”

I was about to ask how she knew my name but she must have heard me say it, plus I was probably prime news today – William Forbes’s long lost daughter – former trailer trash promoted to Stonewood princess overnight.

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