Among Stars by Nevi Bernard (best beach reads of all time txt) 📖

be even harder to see my face and dashed out of the car and in to the house as soon as the door was opened. Once inside and I thought I was safe and calm enough to talk to my mom without worrying here unnecessarily I went to my room then went back down the stairs with a controlled calm.

“Hey mom I’m home!” I said loud enough for her to hear me before I entered the kitchen. “Mom, guess what happened today? No don’t bother I’m too excited….” My excitement was cut short when I entered the kitchen and saw my dad siting around the table with my mom. Daleon, Enrico, Pedró and Austin were standing at different angles keeping watch for anything suspicious outside.

“What is he doing here?” I asked my mother furiously.

For a moment I stood glaring at him.

“You know what mom don’t answer that.” I continued in the same light.

“On second thought what are you doing here? You’re not welcomed here, so get out.” I said angrily as I took out an orange soda from the refrigerator and a pack of Cheetos from the cupboard.

“Damira Jaxsonia Olivét Nicolaidia Vincenzo Caldera you will not speak to your father in such a manner, young lady.” Mom said sternly

“Oh I’m sorry. What brings you here father?” I asked in mocked innocence

“Sorry but mom doesn’t need you to warm her bed tonight.” I smiled cynically

I turned to leave the room instantly with my snack in hand, when mom practically yelled “You will apologize right now DJ!”

“I will not apologize to the likes of him. He left us and now you’re defending him. Wow what kind of example are you setting for you only daughter? That she should allow any man to take advantage of you end you allow it?” I yelled back.

 But before I could say anymore I felt the blow of the hard slap to my face. I looked at her with hate and resentment in that moment. She’d seemed shocked at her behavior as well but I couldn’t care one iota. It was then that dad tried to calm us both down, but instead I backed away still shocked that mom had slapped me in the face and humiliating tears fell down my cheeks. I didn’t wait one more second to see what would happen. I ran up the stairs flung the door shut and locked it, then threw myself across the bed as I cried. Mom came to the door begging me to open the door but I didn’t, and soon enough I fell asleep.

CHAPTER 4

At some point I felt as though I was floating in the air like I was being carried, but was too tired to open my eyes even for a moment, so I mumbled a protest and soon enough the floating feeling stopped. So I was in total shock when I woke and saw where I was. At first I didn’t have clue and was feeling very disorientated until I saw the Peter Rabbit décor. I was in my old room at the summer beach mansion. It hadn’t changed at all for I was never interested in doing so at the time. As I looked on the clock by the bed, I could see that it was now late in the night, but the persistent growl of my stomach caused me to not care at the moment. Without sitting a minute long at the bed I got up and went down the stairs and toward the kitchen.

Mom was sitting at the kitchen island with a mug in her hand when I entered. Marian Denver dad’s cordon bleu, fancy word for master chef, was removing a pot from the stove. I continued to approach very quietly when I heard a startling noise and the pot Marian was holding fell to the ground with an earsplitting clang and a shriek that could cause a tsunami.

“Child, you startled me! Don’t you know I’m an old woman?” Marian said loudly.

Marian was one of the many people I enjoyed being around as a child. She had a rosy and cheerful personality that everyone talks about her. Just then I noticed the sounds of footsteps pounding in our direction.

“DJ!” mom shouted “I’m talking to you young miss. Why did you do that to Marian? Apologize to her.” Mom continued without waiting for an answer.

“I’m sorry” I mumbled just as the door crashed open.

“What’s happening here?” Dad demanded out of breath

“Oh don’t worry about it Mr. Vincenzo, Jaxson just gave me a little startle that’s all.” Marian said flippantly waving her hand to emphasize what she said.

“You’re awake, I see.” Dad said in a blank tone, his face showing no emotion

Maintaining the same kind of expression I replied, “Yeah, So?”

He sighed before taking another deep breath as if summoning a much needed amount of control.

“Are you hungry? We’ve got some of you’re favorite foods here. We have eggs….”

“I’m not really hungry. I just want some hot chocolate and then I’m going back to bed. I wouldn’t want rob your precious kids any of your time.” I bite back

He sighed heavily and was about to reply when I cut him off.

“Look I just want a cup of hot chocolate then I’m going back to bed. I’ll have to deal with all this in the morning.”

Without another word I collected my cup of hot chocolate and took it to my room to avoid any further arguments.

I opened my eyes right then only to realize it was all a dream. I just hope when I wake up in the morning that all the events of my terrible day were just a nightmare and things go back to what they were.

            *                                *                                *

The sun streamed through the windows of my room and I stretched lazily. I still felt groggy from the night’s happenings. Then I remembered the dream I had. It felt so real. But now I know that it was some kind of warning of what maybe ahead. I remembered he last thought I had the small moment when I woke up and found it all a dream, but not I realize that not all of it were just a dream, for reality had really began to kick in hard.

Taking one last look in the mirror I smiled at my reflection, some minutes later, after I was ready for school. There was little trace of redness under my eyes, hardly any tell tale sigh that I had cried myself to sleep the previous might. Swallowing a lump that had started to form in my throat at the thought of the previous evening, I walked out of the room and down the stairs, only to find my dad sitting around the table. He looked so comfortable in a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt. He had a towel around his neck and his hair was still wet, which proved to me he’d had the audacity to stay the night.

“Why are you still here?” I probed crudely

“Can we not have this conversation right now?” dad sighed as though he was under serious stress.

“Your father and I were talking till late –” mom began

“What kind of talk? Pillow talk?” I sassed

“Dami please don’t do this right now.” Mom begged using the affectionate nickname she used whenever she wanted to get through to me.

“So when will it be a good time? Tomorrow, next week, maybe...” I said angrily

“Now, now, just listen. I have been meaning to tell you that I have a book tour coming up in the next week or so. And I know you and your dad has a rough patch that you need to work out. So I’ve been thinking that while I’m away, you’ll stay with your dad in Malibu. On contrary I think a little extra time together won’t hurt so you’ll be ready to go there tomorrow.” When she finished she was out of breath, like it took a lot out of her to say what she just said.

            I was so shocked that I stood there for at least two minutes with my mouth open. I was flabbergasted in such a way that I couldn’t attempt to respond. And when I did it was not what would have normally done. Instead of blowing up, I took up my book bag and started for the front door.

“I’ve got to go. I’m gonna be late for school.” I said in a voice that sounded so far away, I almost didn’t recognize it.

“You didn’t breakfast yet.” Mom said looking seriously concerned

“I’ll get something on my way to school.”

“I’ll take you. Just let me get my car.” Dad looked even more concerned, and I wondered why.

“Don’t.” I stiffly replied

“Don’t be silly. I could take you, it won’t be a problem.” He insisted.

“You can stop helping. You’ve just wrecked my entire life. You know what I really don’t have the energy for this.” And with that went straight to the door, putting on my sunglasses just before I opened the door.

One minute I was so angry that I found it hard to have a proper conversation and the next I was scared to death. There on my front lawn were many reporters, camping out on my lawn. They must have followed dad and came here to see what he was up to so that they could have the latest story on him. They’ve been hiding and taking pictures for the last couple of years that it was hard to keep up with the things the put into the Tabloids. Luckily I had on a bucket hat that would help to keep my identity hidden. And so I thought of another quick way of keeping the real identity of my family hidden as well.  

“OMG!! I really can’t believe I’m gonna be on TV. Just wait till I tell Jessica about this.” I squealed in mocked excitement.

“And I guess you’re Damira Vincenzo?” one reporter asked

“Uh… who is that?” I asked pulling off the ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about face.’

 “So if you’re not Damira then, who are you? Are you a friend of hers?”

I wondered how they knew about me, but since it is that this was where I lived before, then it would be long before they found out we had moved back. And for that I had to try hard to pull this off. I have to keep them away from this house as best as I could.

“First of all no, I’m not Damira and second, I don’t even know anyone by that name. I think you have the wrong house. My friend Jessica Normandy lives here. We were suppose to have a sleepover but she was to busy doing something else to even tell me she wouldn’t be available. So I was stuck waiting for her and I fell asleep. Only to find she didn’t come home, she slept over at Janice’s house, that’s her science lab. Just wait, until I see them. I’m gonna let them both have it.” I folded my arms across my chest to emphasize what I said.

“Then why is Mr. Vincenzo’s vehicle here?” another other reporter asked

“Funny enough, he came by the same time I did. Said he use to live here. Well I’m a kid so who am I to