Behind The Gate of Lakeview

~Twenty Four~

     Dedicated to all readers who read and vote. You guys are the real MVP 💖❤️

                                ~Jade~

Happy new year except that there's nothing happy about the new year. Things have gone downhill since Zee attempted to commit suicide. It was a narrow escape. She healed quickly and was discharged just two days after. Mom was discharged too. Our home fell into a rhythm of silence I never thought could happen to us. I wished Grandma was here, she would know what to do, how to resolve all these. She seemed to me, someone that would resolve anything and everything with just a snap of her fingers but sadly, she wasn't here anymore and we have to fight our way through this, ourselves. Dad called a meeting just last night to talk about the things that were happening. What was supposed to calm the situation ruined it even more.

'Zainab, you're our child, our first daughter, nothing is ever going to change that. You fed on your mother's breasts. You were raised here with your siblings. There's no Badmus family without you.'

Dad had said and Zee said nothing, she just kept staring into oblivion.

'That's right, Zainab, you're my first daughter. We love you guys equally. Don't allow this to break our family.' Mom said.

'Really? I'm the daughter of this house? You love us equally?'

Zee said finally, and she smiled a small pitiful smile.

'Funny how I've always felt out of place, how I've always felt Saheed and Jade were things I could never be. I've always been wondering why that is and now, I know.'

'Zainab.......'

Brother Saheed called out silently. I knew that was meant to caution her.

'This meeting is pointless. What are we going to talk about anyway? I'm an illegitimate child. I'm the unwanted child. Is there something that's going to change that?'

Then she stood up and made to leave. I glanced at mom, she was starting to cry silently.

'You won't leave this room while I'm still sitting or else......'

'Or else what?' Zee interrupted Dad sharply. 'How else what? Throw me out of the house? Disown me? Because that's all you guys say whenever I do something wrong. Nobody in this house will ever understand how much I've tried to fit in, how much I just want to be loved. I've always wondered why I'm the bad child, the one who always did things her siblings wouldn't do. I got my reason. And you can always throw me out, I'm no daughter of this house anyways.'

Then she left, running up the stairs. I followed her, calling her name. I got to her door just as she made to close it.

' Zee, let's..... '

She slammed the door in my face.

That was yesterday, new year's eve. What's a possibly worst way to celebrate new year's eve? And today, new year, our house was quiet, that's so unnatural for us. It was 1 pm and I was still on my bed, surfing the internet. I opened my Instagram account and a notification popped up

uthman_gbadamosi started following you.

I rolled my eyes and scrolled past the notification, is he stalking me on social media now? We have less than two weeks to our grand competition and he's following me on Instagram? What? Shit? I forgot about the competition. I've not even written anything or read anything about the topic. With the drama happening at home, I forgot about my whole source of existence at Lakeview.

My door creaked open and I looked up to see Zee peeping. I sat up. Her eyes were swollen and puffy. When she spoke, I did not recognize the voice like my sister's.