Dusk till dawn episode 2

💎💎💎 DUSK TILL DAWN 💎💎💎

BY AUTHORESS LILLY

⏰ CHAPTER 2 ⏰
🎊 The Party 🎊

🌻 James POV 🌻

The cab dropped me in front of No. 12 Glovers Lake road and I paid him off

I stood in front of the house for some minutes and I became unsure of my decision

“Maybe I shouldn’t have come, I should’ve just stayed at my own party instead” I muttered

“What’s classy if you aren’t happy?” Andrea’s voice echoed in my head again

And I remembered Shakespeare’s quote, To be happy or to not be happy?

I sighed and rang the doorbell

A man opened the door and he looked at me surprised

“Who are you?” He asked

“Am…..”

“James!” Andrea called as she ran up to me looking all pretty and wearing a birthday cone hat

“You came” she said with a smile and then turned to her Dad “Dad this is my friend and also my birthday mate, the one I told you about when I came back from school”

“Oh you mean James?” Her Dad asked and she nodded

“Nice to meet you James and thank you for being my daughter’s friend, it’s good she found an older friend, please do take care of her for me” her dad said as he shook my hand

“I will Sir, thanks” he said

“Come in and go join the party, I’ll go get the cake” her Dad said and walked away

“Why did you change your mind?” Andrea asked

“I just decided that my happiness is worth a sea of troubles” I said and she looked at me

“That’s a weird answer but anyway, am glad you are here” she said and I looked around

“Where’s the party holding?” I asked

“At the backyard, follow me” she said and we walked through their small sitting room to the back door

The door opened into a very beautiful garden, it was already dark but the bonfire they set up at the middle of the garden lit everything up
But something seemed wrong

“Is this the party?” I asked wide-eyed and she nodded

“Ohh my God, I should never have come”

Agreed there’s booming music but the party is nothing like mine, there were only two guests, just two kids, a boy and a girl, dancing crazily

“Umm…. Where are the guests?” I asked

“There they are” she said pointing at the two kids and my jaw dropped

“You’ve got to be kidding me”

“We just moved here days ago so those are the only friends I’ve made for now” she said and I sighed

“Let’s dance” Andrea said as she dragged me the where the kids were dancing

“What?! No no”

“Why? You can’t dance?” She asked

“I can but not this kind of dance, I mean who dances crazily like this on a birthday party” I said as I looked the kids dancing and jumping crazily

“Come on it’s fun, no one is focusing on you so you can dance as freely as you want, it’s like flying freely on a beautiful sky” she said as she started jumping up and swaying here long brunette hair

A smile crept on my face as I watched her
Seeing her dance made a word come to mind, freedom, she’s so free but freedom is something I can never have, can I?

The music suddenly stopped and everyone stopped dancing

Andrea’s Dad came up to the garden with a small but beautiful cake

He dropped the cake to on a table and called on Andrea to come cut the cake

“Let’s go together James, it’s your birthday too” she said as she dragged me to where her Dad was standing

“I guess we have two celebrants today, so why don’t you two make a wish before cutting the cake” her Dad said with a smile

“Wait a minute” Andrea said as she took a birthday cone hat from the table and placed it on my head

“Now we are good to go” she said staring at me and I shook my head

“This is is stupid” I said I turned to leave but I mistakenly hit my leg on a stone

“Are you okay, did you get wounded?” Andrea asked looking worried as she quickly bent down to check on my leg

“Thank God, your toe isn’t bleeding” she said as she stood up and held my hand

“I understand that this was not the party you expected but at least make a wish and let’s cut the cake before you leave” she said as she dragged me back to wear the cake was and I just continued staring at her

“Let’s make a wish” she said as she closed her eyes intently, making a wish and my eyes was on her the whole time

Then I remembered the wish I made with Nanny this morning

******* Flashback*******

“I wish to meet someone, someone that loves me and cares for me not because of who I am but because am me, because am James and not because am James Whistler the son of a business mogul” I said as I blew out the candle and Nanny looked at me sadly

“You always make that wish every year”

“And each year, my wish isn’t granted” I said as I cut some part of the cake and fed Nanny

“It will be granted one day young master, be hopeful” she said

****** Flashback Ends******

“Did you make a wish?” Andrea asked as she opened her eyes and I smiled

“My wish has already been granted”

“Okay, let’s cut the cake now” Andrea’s Dad said and we cut the cake and fed each other plus the two kids that attended

“Now it’s game time!!” Andrea’s Dad said and they all screamed excitedly

“Game time?” I asked cluelessly

“We are going to play three games, the person with the least scores in all three games gets to do the dishes with me after the party!” Her Dad said and the kids continued screaming excitedly

“First game is going to be running around the bonfire, the first person to be caught by anyone looses” her Dad said and I shook my head

“There’s no way am playing such a game”

Next thing I knew, I was running stupidly round the big bonfire trying not to get caught after Andrea persuaded me to participate in the game

“Caught ya!” One of the kids squealed as he held my cloth and I groaned with frustration while everyone else laughed
I lost

“The second game is hide and seek, since James lost in the first game, you’ll be the one seeking and everyone else will be hiding” Andrea’s Dad said

“What?!”

“You have two minutes to find us else you loose again” he said as he tied a piece of cloth round my eyes

“What? Am not….am not playing this game!” I yelled

“Your time has already started” I heard Andrea yell and I tried to follow the directions of her voice
There’s no way am going to wash dishes on my birthday

But in the end, I only wandered aimlessly and I caught no one

“2 minutes gone and you lost again!!” The two kids squealed while making a funny face at me and I scoffed

“Shut up!” I said

“The last game is a game of cards!” Andrea’s Dad said and the kids groaned

“Yes!” I squealed and I turned to the kids “I definitely won’t be the one loosing this time”

“Are you good at cards?” Andrea asked

“Am not trying to boast but am literally the god of card game” I said with a boastful tone and she chuckled

We soon started the game and as expected, I had the upper hand

I dropped my last card and I stood up screaming excitedly
“Yes! Yes! I won!”

Read – Out of the box episode 4

“Doesn’t matter, you lost two games so you’re still doing the dishes” one of kids said and I stopped in my tracks

“Wait, what?!”

“Let’s go do the dishes son” Andrea’s Dad held my hand as he dragged me away

“You can’t be serious!”

“Sorry James!” Andrea screamed from behind

Mr Jones dragged me to the kitchen and threw me a rubber glove

“Let’s start washing” he said as he started washing the dishes too

“This is pointless, I’ve never washed dishes in my life and there’s no way am doing it on my birthday, am leaving” I said I dropped the gloves and made to leave

“Andrea….. She was so happy when she came back from school today, though she’s always happy, she’s a bright kid am sure u know that by now but today was different, she kept jumping around the house with joy and when I asked her why she was so happy, she said she made friends with this cool guy today at school, she said you’re nice guy cause you allowed her to sit with you and have her lunch even though you obviously wanted her to leave, she thinks you are a good guy James, I hope she’s not wrong, anyway, goodbye and be safe” Mr Jones said as he started washing the dishes and I sighed

I came back and took the gloves and he looked at me surprised

“Thought you were leaving”

“I don’t remember telling you that” I said as I joined him in washing the dishes and he smiled

“I knew Andrea was right about you” he muttered

Minutes later, the two kids left and Andrea came to the kitchen

“Don’t just stand there, join us” I said to Andrea

“And get my dress wet? No thanks, I’d rather continue spectating” she said

“Oh, so you can’t get your dress wet but it’s totally alright if I get my suit wet?”

“Don’t blame it on me, you are only washing the dishes cause you losed the game” she said

“Game? You call that a game? Well it was a stupid game”

“You are only saying so because you loosed” she said bringing out her tongue and Mr Jones laughed

“I love it when you guys argue” he said with a smile

“Don’t mind him Dad, he’s such a sore looser” Andrea said

“And you’re such a prideful winner” I replied

“You really……”

“James is right Andrea, you don’t have anything to do now so join us in washing the dishes, we’ll finish faster that way” Mr Jones said

“Yes!” I said as I stuck my tongue at Andrea and she scoffed

She walked to the washing basin, put some water on her hand and poured it on me

“Payback” she said sticking out her tongue and Mr Jones laughed……

We finished washing the dishes and Mr Jones arranged them on the plate rack while I went to the garden to meet Andrea
She was sitting alone on the grasses, staring at the night sky

“Star gazing?” I asked as I sat beside her

“Yeah, the stars are beautiful” she said without looking at me

“So are you” I said and she looked at me surprised

“I never thought you to be the type that compliments people”

“You are right but it’s your birthday so I had to at least say something nice to you, enjoy it while it lasts cause you aren’t hearing it again” I said and she chuckled

“How was the dish washing?” She asked

“Uhhhh, terrible thanks to you!” I said and she laughed

“Don’t tell me you have never wash dishes before”

“Well it’s the truth, I have never done it before but you just broke my lifelong record” I said

“Wow, you must be from a really rich family, even with your dressing, I mean this suit is obviously expensive, which family are you from?” She asked and I hesitated

“You don’t want me to know?” She asked and I nodded

“Fine, I don’t really care about the kind of family you are from, all that matters to is that we are friends” she said and I just kept quiet

“Why are you staring at me like that?” She asked “You should look at the sky instead, the stars are shinning so bright”

“I’d rather keep staring at you because more than the stars, you shine brighter” I said and she smiled

“Are you a poet?”

“Well, am interested in literature” I said

“Lucky you but I hate literature, it’s the only subject I always get a low score on” she said

“That’s because you aren’t as smart as I am”

“Am smarter than you blockhead” she said and we both laughed

I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and I brought it out

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed

31 missed calls from Dad

“What’s it?” Andrea asked

“I gotta go now” I said as I stood up

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Thanks for inviting me, thanks to you I had the most fun I’ve ever had in my life, I hope we continue to be friends, see you in school tomorrow and extend my greetings to your Dad” I said as I quickly ran through back door, to the sitting room and out of the house…..

I walked into the Mansion mentally preparing myself for my dad’s outlash

The decorations were still on but the sitting room was empty except for my Dad, who’s standing right in the middle of the sitting room looking like all hell has broke loose

I walked closer to him, muttering a prayer with each step I took

“Dad I…..” A slap landed on my face leaving me mute for some seconds

“Is this all a joke to you?!!” He yelled

“Am sorry….” I couldn’t complete my words as he slapped me again

“I took my time and I explained to you how important this party is, I explained to you the troubles the company will face if you aren’t at the party but you disregarded me and my words, you disrespected me and made me a laughing stock in front of everyone!”

“Does that make you angry?! Well that makes the two of us course am damn angry too!!” I yelled

“What”

“Today is my birthday and all I wanted was for you to show me a little love but no, you must always be the non- feeling heartless Dad” I said and he slapped me again but it didn’t stop me

“Do it again, slap me again!!” I yelled “It won’t stop me from saying what I want to say!”

“All my life I’ve yearned for your love, you’ve never once wished me a happy birthday, tonight was supposed to be my birthday party but it was only important to you because some investors were coming for the party and you guys were going to complete the agreement here, I am not important to you at all, only your big company is”

“That big company is going to be yours one day James so stop being an emotional fool and behave like my son!” He said and I scoffed

“If getting the company means that I have to live like you then I don’t want the company, you need an heir? Take Michael, he’s your son after all”

“I don’t care about Michael, he’s an illegitimate son, I need you, only you James, you are my only son” he said and I sighted Michael standing at the kitchen door

“You are the only heir I can present to the company and all the shareholders will accept so you need to man up and stop this emotional drama, if I behaved like you while I was your age then we’ll probably be living in the streets!” He said

“But I bet I’d have been happier in the streets” I said and he scoffed

“Where did you go to?” He asked

“Somewhere, a place where I was happy and free” I said and I turned to leave

“You made me loose alot of money today, the investors lost trust in our company and didn’t invest because you were nowhere to be seen so was it worth it? This place that you went was it worth going against me? And are you ready to pay the price for the money I lost?”

“Am ready for whatever you are planning, bring it on cause my happiness is worth a sea of troubles” I said and walked away

I sat on my bed reminiscing about all that happened tonight

The door suddenly opened and Michael came in with a tray of snacks

“Are you hungry?” He asked “I didn’t know what you’ll like so parked all the snacks I saw”

“You should be asleep by now” I said

“Am to sleep in the same room with my Mom” he said

“And?”

“I don’t want to sleep with her, she always gets angry at me”

“Why?” I asked

“She says am useless and a burden for her” he replied

“Useless? Why will she say such a thing?”

“Cause am allergic to milk, like anything containing dairy milk and whenever I have something containing milk, I get an asthma attack and I can’t breathe, so it’s always stressful for her to monitor everything I eat and she’s right anyway, with my medical condition am a weakling, am useless” he said

I stood up from my bed, bent down and collected the tray of snacks from him

“Do you know what Shakespeare will say if he was here?”

“Shakespeare? You mean William Shakespeare?” He asked and I nodded

“What will he say?” He asked

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, maybe you might be a weakling now which I totally think is normal considering the fact that you’re still a kid but who knows, when you grow and become an adult tomorrow you might be very successful, even more successful than Dad, then your Mom won’t call you useless anymore” I said

“Is that really possible?” He asked

“Of course, all you just have to do is work hard” I said with a smile

“Thanks James, I will work hard and become successful but please always stay by my side okay? Since both Mom and Dad aren’t standing by me”

“Of course I’ll always be by your side, am your elder brother after all. Elder brothers are like soft beds, you can always count on them to be there for you when you are falling”

“Did Shakespeare say that too?”

“No, James Whistler did” I said and we both laughed….

…….to be continued…….