Crooked Destinies | An ONC2021 Entry

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I wish I was nervous. I wasn't. I wish I was wringing my sweaty hands or fidgeting with the strings on my backpack. I wasn't. I wished I felt like I belonged here, but I will. Soon enough, I'll belong here.

I stare at the gate of the Marelle Mansion, also known as Villain Court. Intimidating was the understatement of the year. It was much larger than the Akademia. It was easily mistaken for a house fit for a monarch with white limestone walls and beige rooftops.

With flowing water fountains filled with sterling blue water, tall clean white walls and spotless blue windows, and adorning blue forget-me-nots everywhere, it was enough to make anyone stay rooted here for hours studying the crevices of the walls and its flawless architecture. Not me though, I had spent days doing that already.

I inhale. Home, sweet home.

Mother is the first to greet me. She rushes out of the house, the image of a privileged queen-mother, with a smile so wide. There is no surprise in her eyes, no love either, just the forced crinkle in the corner of her eyes. Her dress is white and flowy with long sleeves and floor-length, simple without jewels but intimidating nevertheless.

She pulls me into a forced hug and gushes, "Welcome home, son!" Pulling away quickly, she takes my hand and pulls me toward the house. "Come, come. Everyone is waiting."

I don't look at her the same anymore. There isn't hatred in my eyes, just curiosity. Did she really love the King of Villains? Who was she behind that flawless mirage? Why had I never gotten to know her more? She is my mother.

As questions ran through my head, I follow my mother inside the house where everyone is waiting...everyone but Nike.

There's a couple of people in the lobby that I don't recognize but I expect them to be my sister's guests. I smile politely in their general direction before moving in closer to my mother and saying, "I'm quite tired from my travels. May I be excused to freshen up?" It's 7:00 in the morning and to say I was tired would be an understatement.

My mother nods.

I smile at her and excuse myself from the lobby. Heading straight for Nike's room, I walk through the hallways. A wave of nostalgia overcomes me as I run my hand along the railing of the stairs. It's smooth under my skin reminding me of all the times I jumped down these stairs five at a time, betting Nike she couldn't do the same. Nike would always win. She used to use the railing to not touch any of the stairs and then I would scream at her for cheating.

I smile at the memory.

Walking faster now through the maze of hallways strategically placed to make it hard for attackers to find the Queen. I finally reached the right room. Ignoring the Prince Consort's suite next to it, I burst into her room like I had so many times before.

Looking around, I'm surprised when I don't find her there.

A familiar boy comes in, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Try the nursery, Mr. I-like-to-disappear-for-no-apparent-reason," Reece's voice calls.

I ran over to him, wrapping the closest thing I had to a best friend in a hug, with a wide smile.

He smiles, hugging me back. "I missed you, too," he says. "Now go find your nephew, you big oaf."

I smile, saying nothing before, turning and running across the hallway to the nursery. Bursting into the room, I grin when I finally find my sister.

She stands at the edge of the room, staring at a bundle in a rocker with adoration. As she stands she has her arms wrapped around herself and her lavender dress. It's similar to my mother's, I notice.

After a moment, she lifts her eyes, noticing me for the first time. Her eyes widen, and she runs over to me but instead of hugging me, she punches me in the jaw. Square. In. The. Jaw.

"Ah! Crap, what the fuck?" I exclaim.

She punches me again, this time on the side.

"That's going to bruise," I say, holding my arms up in surrender.

Nike pushes me out of the room, shutting the nursery door behind her, and finally smiles at me.

She wraps me in a hug, which I immediately return.

I finally feel at home.

"The punches...?" I ask.

"The first one for leaving me. The second for cussing within a mile radius of Matteo," she says.

I make a face at her with my tongue sticking out.

She makes a face back.

We laugh and suddenly everything is forgotten and it's like I never even left.

"Okay. Now details," she says.

Putting an arm around her shoulder, we walk through the hallways again as I recount everything that's happened in the past six months.

When I finish, Nike inhales sharply and the first words she says is, "How's Denim doing?"

I roll my eyes. "They should call us the forever heartsick siblings."

She laughs. "They should."

And that's when I realize, they were right all along. This is where I belong, at my sister's side. No matter whether I was a Villain or a Hero, I shouldn't have left her. Never. But I'm glad I did, it taught me a lesson I could've only learned the hard way.

My mind drifts to Blaise. Yes, I was heartbroken that I had to leave her. Yes, I wish I could stay with her forever. But that's not possible. I haven't lost hope. I just need to move on...for now.

I guess, in the end, Blaise and I just had crooked destinies. 

Dee:

That's it. That's the ending. Thank you so much for sticking with me through that very long journey. Three months. Three months, and almost 24K words. 

I love you all so, so much. Thank you for reading this. You are all wonderful people. I don't really know what to say. 

I never thought I'd be able to complete a story but thanks to the ONC2021. I can officially say..."I have a completed story."

Good Luck with your stories!

(I don't think it's hit me yet lol)

NOW, editing. AGH. 

Again, thank you so much for reading!

Love you too much,

Dee.