Sample Sunday ~ Within Your Eyes

Hey Lovelies!
Sample Sunday! I haven't had one in awhile because of 1. I don't know if I should post samples for the sequels, when they really give away the ending of the first one. 2. I had a little bit of writer's block during winter break. I got out of a rut on this one New Adult novel, my Cinderella remake :) If you missed the first chapter I put the link to it on here as well. I hope you enjoy, and happy Sunday!

Chapter 1 Sonja

2

Sonja

A few days later, ringing, loud ringing reached my ears causing me to jolt up away. Things were still blurry as I reached for my phone as it rested next to my bed. I wiped the moisture off the side of my face.

"Hello?" my voice was hoarse as I looked around my bed to realize I fell asleep reading once again.

"Sonja, that's that how you greet the woman who raised you?" Robin’s higher voice was sent through the phone.

"Sorry Robin," as sleep started to fade from my mind. "Do you need my help or something?"

Taking my glasses off I rubbed my eyes once again as I attempted to watch my tone.

"You’ll have to come home as soon as you can," Robin’s voice came off distant; she was probably getting her nails or hair done. "I’m having clients over this weekend and we'll need the extra help about, you know cleaning, preparing, the food, decorating, you know the usual stuff."

I glanced over to the calendar that was hanging on the wall. The dinner was already written on my calendar, I did send out the emails to her clients after all.

"I have that written down. Also that the chicken and salmon will be delivered to the house Saturday morning so that the meat will be fresh and the other stuff I figured I’d pick up at the stores."

Keeping my mouth shut I held back a yawn knowing better.

"Right well, I’ll leave a list out for you," Robin informed me as if this would be new.

"I have a test this morning then I’ll drive home afterwards-"

"No we will need you sooner-"

My eyes widen to their limits with dread as a rock sunk to the bottom of my stomach.

"But Robin I need this class for my major!" I pleaded; panic was filling inside of me.

This class didn’t have many grades and I could not afford to just skip a test. I have spent so too time studying for this test to just to blow it off. There was currently drool drying on my book.

"No buts’ Sonja, we’re your family and you can’t just leave family behind when they need you can you?" Robin’s voice was warm and sweet, never good coming from Robin…she knew me well.

"I’ll pack and leave right afterwards," I whispered into the phone as my eyes stayed on my notes, I closed the notebook feeling defeated.

"Lovely! So I left a list of what needs to be done on the refrigerator because I’m getting my hair done later so chop chop there's so much to do."

The phone clicked and I fell back. I was so tired from stay up studying the last couple of nights I could almost cry with how frustrated I was. Getting up I threw a few things I needed in my backpack that I would need for the weekend. Rubbing my eyes I put my glasses. I did not have enough sleep in me to be dealing with this. Standing up I rushed into the kitchen on the search for a quick meal before I left. Angie was standing with a raised brow eating a bowl of some of her sugar cereal.

"Sonja we aren’t leaving yet, why are you rushing like someone lit a fire under your butt?"

Glaring over my shoulder I dropped my bag on the ground, "Robin called-"

"And?" Angie’s head shock slightly I had to break the eye contact.

"She needs me to come asap which means I have to skip the test…" my voice was so low I wasn’t sure if Angie had even heard it because if she did she might throw a fit.

I was not in the mood for what was about to happen.

"You're not skipping your test to run a couple of errands," Angie firmly placed her bowl on the counter; the eyeliner around her eyes just intensified her glare.

"She needs me to-"

"Girl I will pick your butt up if I have to and throw it in the car if it means you taking your test," Angie growled and I knew she meant true to her word, she didn’t look it, but she was strong. "Take the test and tell her you are running late because of traffic, you have to hit a highway anyway, accidents happen all the time!"

"She’ll know!" the tone of my voice became childish.

Angie raised an eyebrow, "I know she's a witch, but I didn’t know she had a crystal ball for her and the flying monkeys to watch you always through."

"My step sisters are the flying monkeys in this?" I asked hoping to distract her as I grabbed a banana ready to slowly grab my things, steady movements or it will startle Angie.

Angie scrunches her face for a moment before she smirks, "Didn’t think of it, but if the hairy bodied simple mindedness fits."

I laughed with my backpack in one of my hands nearly tip toeing backwards towards the apartment door hoping that I had her side tracked enough so I could go to my car. I could email my professor when I got home about how I was sick. Angie was smiling before turning to wash her bowl in the sink. Just as I let out a sigh of relief Angie turned sharply on her heels and her hands on her hips.

"Wait a minute where the hell do you think you're going missy?"

"Um…" I couldn’t think of an excuse, but with Angie I knew I was screwed.

"I don’t think so miss," Angie muttered as she grabbed her purse and picked me up bridal style carrying me out of the apartment.

"Ahh!" I yelped. "Angie. Feet. On. The. Ground. Now!"

I was always afraid of being dropped, didn’t care who it was I didn’t want to be picked up.

"Oh stop your squirming or I will drop you," Angie grumbled. "Gees with your bag you're heavier!"

"Gee thanks!" I shot at my friend.

"Hey Mrs. Peterson," Angie called over to a neighbor of ours who was standing out of her car, her face was flat, us being like this wasn’t new unfortunately for us.

We didn’t throw parties, we didn’t invite loud people over, we always put the garbage out on time and on top of everything we were nice to the others. So basically the neighbors couldn’t complain other then giving us odd stares occasionally. Roughly Angie tossed me into the back of her car before slamming the door and quickly getting into the driver’s seat. She pulled out before I could jump out of the car.

"Angie! This isn’t funny. I need to go home to Robin before she blows a casket."

"Minor kidnapping going on! You'll take that test and tell the Witch that you got stuck in traffic because of an accident. I mean you've been studying for so long for this test it can’t possibly take you long to take anyway."

Quickly I buckled my seatbelt as she sped out of the parking lot. I nearly clung onto the seat cushions under me as she drove. I did not want to die! My eyes kept glancing around at the cars around us as she held me prisoner. The car was definitely going too fast for me to attempt to roll out of the car. Angie won this round…

"Hey Robin I’m just leaving you a message to tell you I’ve been stuck in traffic the last forty minutes. I can’t see what has happened, but I’m guessing by the bumper to bumper that it was a bad accident, but I just wanted to let you know that I was in traffic so that you wouldn’t worry. Oh wait it looks like the traffic is starting to move I hope to be home soon," I click the phone as I got into my car and drove off towards home praying that I really wouldn’t hit traffic.

Taking a deep breath I let it out slowly as my music filled my car, readying myself for the hurricane that was an hour away. Everything will be fine, everything – will – be – fine…

Well at least I hope everything will be fine. I mean what would be the worse thing Robin could do to me? A shudder went through me despite the warm October we were having. I was able to drive with the windows partially open. Robin had bad punishments when it came to me, even Angie didn’t know some of the things. For the better anyway I hate pity, I was strong and wanted to be able to stand on my own. I was more then able to take care of myself, I couldn’t rely on others.

Back in forth grade I was standing on the foot stool to reach the counters so that I could wash the dishes. The water was hot while the sink was filled halfway with bubbles, I was home alone humming to myself as I scrubbed the dinner plates. Well their dinner plates were dirtier then mine, they had some meal that I couldn’t pronounce while I was having some of the leftover lasagna they had the other night. With the dishes dripping from the red sauce and bubbles I wish I could have gone to the movies too, but here I was home babysitting little Gabriella who was in the other room playing with a doll. I couldn’t wait to stop washing the dishes so that my hands wouldn’t burn anymore and I was tired.

Gabriella had been crying the night before and I was dragged out of bed, up the stairs from the basement, then up the stairs to the second floor, to Gabriella’s room where the little girl was screaming with tears streaming down her face. It took so many hours to get her to go back to sleep that I kept almost falling asleep in class today. A crash from the other room was followed by crying echoed throughout the halls of the big house. Jumping off the stool my foot got caught causing me to fall with the dish in my hand to crash on the floor besides me. A whimper escaped my lips as my arms were scrapped by the now shattered dish. I slipped once again with the spilt water. My eyes were watery as I rushed into the other room; thin streaks of blood were dripping down my arms and onto the carpet to where Gabriella was sitting on the floor. Her doll was a couple of feet away from her right next to a vase that was now in a million pieces.

"Gabriella what did you do?" I shrieked picking her up, she yelled and yanked on my hair. "Ow!"

Putting the small toddler on the ground I bent over to start picking up the pieces of glass when the door opened. My insides rattled as my hands trembling to gather the jagged parts before Robin came in.

"Sonja!" a voice bellowed causing me to hop quickly to my feet my eyes fell to the floor. "I leave you home for a brief time, thank God I forgot something and had to turn back. Gabriella is in tears what did you do to her? There's glass all over the floor near her and is that the water running I hear?"

My throat went dry unable to find the words to defend myself. She was going to give it to me. Robin’s face scrunched turning the normally beautiful face into a scary one. She did not bother moving Gabriella away from the glass as she took hold of my wrist in her grasp tightly.

"Ow, Robin!" I pleaded. "Please I’m sorry, please let go!"

Nearly stumbling down the stairs after Robin I wasn’t sure what she had planned for me. We went past the pool table and big screen TV to the back room that held some Christmas decorations that held some another door. My room. She ripped open the door before she slammed it. Then I heard the click of a lock that held me in that room for two days…

Shaking my head I pulled into the driveway to pull off to the side so that my car wouldn’t block the other three cars. Turning my car off I took a long deep breath before letting it out as the memory of being locked up in the basement for a couple of days overcame me. My luck had it my light bulb went out and I spent most of that time shut up in the dark. I grabbed my backpack out of the back of my car and made my way to the front door. Robin had been a model years ago and always seemed to be good with finances. When she had Tiffany she got out of the modeling and got into fashion designs so between that and what my father left Robin was living off well. I walked along the front curve of the driveway in front of the door.

Stepping up the octagon shaped front walkway to the two panel glass doors. Putting my key I made into the house, things were quiet…not sure if that was a good or bad sign.

"Hello?" I called out, checking my phone out of my bag to see if I had any messages I missed while I was driving, nothing.

Lifting my head I made my way down into the basement stopping when Robin’s white and grey Ragdoll cat crossed my path. Her pale blue eyes stared up at me, angry eyes as she let out a loud high pitched cry.

"Oh shut up I didn’t even touch you," I hissed at the cat that always hated me, the thing was only friendly with Robin, but tolerated my two step sisters.

Walking around Bella I opened the door to the basement and made my way down into the cold dark basement. The lights slowly turned on, taking a bit to warm up to reflect off the professionally painted walls and molding. My shoes were quieted by the fluffy carpet as I went past the pool table, big screen TV, and large couch to get to the side room that was off to the side. When I first opened the door there was boxes for storage, a few reindeer then behind all of that there was another door that no one would ever guess was there. My room.

Opening the door I flipped the switch to an area that was just mine. The carpet was thin and blue while the walls were painted a pale yellow in my attempt to bring in some light from the small window from the top of the wall. My mattress was a twin so that it would fit in my small room and it sat on the floor. On one side of the wall was my dresser that held all of my clothes when I was home. Then along the other wall was my line of books. Then on the actual walls I was able to tape some pictures of my friends and I over the years since I was unable to frame. Right near my bed was a picture of my father and I right before Robin was brought into our lives. Dropping my bag next to my bed I turned the lights off to go hunt down that list Robin said she left for me.

My sneakers against the tile of the floor were the only sounds in the whole house. There on the counter was a pad of paper with a pen, the list. There in Robin’s neat curly handwriting was a long list of what I was supposed to do today. Picking it up I started to read her note.

Sonja’s to do list:

-Pick up dry cleaning.

-Do all of the laundry.

-Trim Bella’s nails.

-Send the last payment for the lawn people.

-Mail my changes to the sketches for the upcoming line.

-Pick up some flowers for the house for the party.

-Pick up a few things at the food store:

            -Wine (called it in they are expecting you, no excuses!)

            -Sparkling water.

            -Whatever ingredients you need to make chicken Françoise.

            -Ingredients for chocolate mousse.

            -Strawberries.

Tomorrow you’ll work on cleaning.

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but I sighed. It was going to be a long day ahead of me.

The couple of bottles of wine were in the refrigerator with the other ingredients I had to pick up. The flowers were already in the vases and in water while there were the bills in the mail. I took a peek at the sketches before I went to mail them, and as much Robin hated me, it sucked to say it, but she had talent. She was in some of those magazines Angie read, she bugged out when she found I was related to the Robin Chantel, as Angie got to know me more she boycotted anything Robin put out even though I knew she was into some of the fashion.

I had just switched the laundry again and was heading upstairs with a basket of clean clothes that was already sorted so that I just had to put the clothes into their rooms. Carrying the basket up the stairs I kept my vision around the pile so that I wouldn’t trip going up. The last thing I needed was for Bella to finally get her way. Reaching the landing I went into Gabriella’s room first since it was the closest.

Gabriella was the baby of the baby of the family and Robin spoiled her just as much as she did with the other two. Gabriella’s room was a pearly pink color and her furniture was white with small gold details. Lately she had been complaining her room was too babyish and wanted to redecorate. Gabriella had a bay window that overlooked the side of the yard. Her own computer was off to the side with all different decorations that all expensive. Slowly I put away all of Gabriella’s clothes from that load. She was thirteen years old and I wasn’t sure how much of this stuff was appropriate for her age. At thirteen I was still watching cartoons not caring what celebrity was having sex with whom.

Shaking my head I went over to Christine’s room next and her room was a paradise blue color. Her furniture was an antique white color and unlike Gabriella, Christine’s room was beyond organized it was a little alien like. She had a whole wall that was shelves of books, movies, and small knickknacks that were spaced far apart from each other to avoid cluttering. I put a few of Christine’s clothes into her dresser, but she hung most of her clothes up in her walk-in-closet on velvet hangers. Most of her clothes were dresses anyway.

Picking up the basket I went over to the mini Robin’s room, Tiffany. Tiffany was the oldest of Robin’s daughters, and we were only a couple of months apart from each other so that we were in the same grade. Christine was two years younger than us. Walking through Tiffany’s room that was a deep purple, making her room darker than the other two, her furniture was a deep wood color with a sled bed that matched. Her clothes were flashy and in every way always up to date with the latest trends. I really wished I didn’t have to put away their underwear. By the time I got back downstairs the last load was ready to be put away. I couldn’t figure out how my three sisters and Robin had that much clothes plus what I picked up at the dry cleaners…