Royalty (Book One)

Chapter 1

*This is a work of fiction. All the names, businesses, characters, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or in a fictitious manner. Any remembrance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual event is purely coincidental.*

Stephen R. Covey

"Our greatest joy and our greatest pain come in our relationships with others".

Royalty

Why does it have to be her? Why does it always have to be her that will find out everything about me? and she would never hide it, she wants the whole world to know everything about me, which seriously hurts. It is my right to tell them who I am not her spilling the bitter truth.

A stray tear slipped from my eyes, I didn't mind, though it hurts; it hurts more than a lot. The way she puts up her attitudes with me, her laugh irks me, she mocks and criticizes me on how bad I am at everything. Just like what I am witnessing now.

She kept my maths test script on-air, swaying it to and fro for all her friends to see my score, to see how bad I am at maths, not just maths but everything. She made me know all I do is nothing to please everyone and it is the truth like now why would my dad be happy with me if he sees how I failed maths woefully, it was just the usual thing that repeats itself.

I don't want to stay here any longer, the view I was witnessing; was embarrassing me in the presence of her friends, I earned laughter and glares from them which was making me look unwanted in their presence so I left for my usual place; at the garden to ease my mood. Whenever I stare at the sky, all my fears and worries vanish and replace with happiness. I wiped the water falling from my eyes, I was tired of crying everyday because nothing changes for me but does for others. It was like I was different from them, I was too low to be with them and nothing I do or try make them praise me or smile at me as they do to Grace, I was different.

"Oh, hey Royalty, I didn't know when you left."

Talk of the devil.

She pressed on when nothing came out of my mouth, "Besides why would anyone notice you anyways?" She sneered and started with her laughter, one thing that annoys me. I blocked my ears with my finger when she started laughing. Her voice was enough to irk and now, her laughter.

"Are you done with my script, Grace?" I finally regained my voice. I could not let her continue mocking me but right now, I don't want my face to show how terribly hurt I am.

"Not yet Royalty...one more person." She flipped her hair in the air before walking back into the house. I hissed at her acts, she was deceitful. She makes a good impression on people but they don't know she's a devil when she's with me. She made it clear to me that I was the distraction of happiness, I lack any good qualities which I'm okay with because that's how I am, it's the truth, and the truth hurts.

One more person. How she said it made me know something good isn't going to happen. A gasp escaped my lips as I thought of who she was referring to, I was not really sure but my mind tells me it wouldn't end well. What am I saying?!

Nothing ends or starts well as far as I'm concerned. And from Grace's point of view, I don't deserve any good thing in my life, me being close to her was bad enough.

It gets darker whenever I glance at the sky and my stomach continues to make some noise. I ambled to the dining room to find something to eat. I halted my strides and stood by the door when I noticed aunty holding a spoon in the air, close to Grace's mouth and cooing at her.

The view before me disgusts me, oh God, I'm still waiting for the day Grace would grow up, she's eight-years-old for crying out loud. Even if she was like two years older than me, I wasn't momma's pet, not like I have one though.

"Come on Gracie, just one spoon. Open it" her mom planted a kiss on her forehead.

Grace shook her head in denial," No mom... it's too yucky. At least there's someone in this world to eat something yucky, right?" her eyes motions to me with a smirk playing on her lips. I ignored her remark and smiled at her mum, Aunty Ana. I moved to where she was and made myself comfortable on the counter, tapping my palms on it repeatedly. Grace was right this time, I was ready to eat anything when it comes to food. She knows me too well.

"This will be your dinner, here." Aunty Ana forced a smile back at me while I internally hissed. Even an abnormal person would know it was a fake smile. And her looks, they are very deceiving, when she's irritated at me and someone was there, she always masks it with a false smile. To me, she was no difference to an internet network.

Like, mother. Like daughter

"Thank you, Aunty Ana." I thanked her, with a polite smile.

I collected the plate of meal from her and shifted comfortably, ready to dig in, Grace was eyeing me with an annoyed look present on her face. Her mother had already left the dining room leaving me with my dear cousin.

"Just like I thought you will eat anything that comes your way, whether it's yucky or not...yucky is the perfect word that matches your life."

Once she was done with her super story, she followed after her mother and I was left alone. I wasn't bothered about what she had just told me because it was just minor. I was used to all this so why cry over anything that wouldn't end or change.

As soon as I had my first taste of the cereal. It was then, I chose to agree with Grace for the first time in my entire life. I now know why she rejected the meal because it tastes so nice. Note the sarcasm.