the devil wears ivy park

prolouge

onika stared down at the carpet of the church where the man who helped conceived her lay.

he was surrounded by flora; a beautiful gift from earth; but cries and tears occupied the space as well. onika just held a stare; tears threatened to fall but she tried her best to hold them back. she was walking slowly; approaching his casket one step at a time.

she let out a shaky breath in the process.

she clutched the obituary pamphlet in her hands; his printed picture creasing in the process. she could feel stares all around her; onika assumed one's of confusion and surprise. she didn't know any one here  after all.

she continued her slow walk; she watched people say their goodbyes to her father and she didn't know if she was prepared to. she gulped lowly as it was now her turn. she could feel an immense more about of eyes on her.

her ears perked up as she heard whispers even as she stared at her dead father up close.

"is she one of carols daughters?"

onika ignored the questions, her teary eyes were more focused on her dad. she could see his previously lively brown skin become pale. he was dressed dapper in a suit and tie. onika almost got choked up at the sight.

the familiar feeling of sorrow filled her heart. onika blinked away her tears the best she could staring down at him; the only stable authority  figure she's ever had in her life was now gone

onika sat down quiet as a mouse and in the back for the rest of the service. she had no real interest in talking to anyone. she listened to people's speeches about her father; each had a different perspective of the man. he was complicated in many ways; but he loved onika.

and that's all that mattered to her.

the service wasn't very long; not many people showed up. she didn't recognize anyone there. she felt her eyes get low as she listened to his wife read his will. onika was considering leaving now; she wasn't staying for the repass. she couldn't put herself through that tense social hell. she kept glancing back at the double glass doors that led to the lobby and then the exit.

she sat straight up as she played with her fingers in her lap; she hoped her nervous tick went unnoticed. she put a few stray tussles of her ink colored hair behind her ear and let out a low sigh. she wasn't listening to the women reading out his will; onika didn't think she was in it. the man didn't have much; but he made it work for onika.

"..and to my only daughter; my sweet onika—I give her all of my savings. the 100k I saved for her."

onika quickly snapped her neck to look at the woman as she read his will; she heard a few gasps  and whispers but her eyes stayed wide in shock as she stared.

"huh?" she exclaimed quietly; next thing she knew the service was over. and the glares of displeasure coming her way never stopped;

onika slouched in the chair she laid in; she was still in her funeral dress. an all black dress, with no shoulder straps and that hugged her body snug. it's tighter than she last remembered; she sighed and sunk even more into the beige turning her below her.

"stop looking so miserable." she heard the voice of her sister; lauren mutter. she glanced over to her as she was reading her long novel—onika forgot the name of it. the younger sister smiled slightly and scoffed;