?Pretty’s On The Inside?
[The World thinks She’s ugly but He sees her Beauty?]
By; Authoress Kamara
Episode 18
?Paris Myers?
Please let Rio be fine.
Please let Rio be fine.
Please let him be fine.
I repeated that sentence in my mind as I walked faster on the pedestrian sidewalk constantly getting worried about him each passing minute.
Ever since I got that phone call.
That call from Aunt Jenny …
She said that she has been trying to get through to Rio ever since they got back from the last hospital they went to but all to no avail.
According to her, that was the twentieth surgeon they have gone to in Florida, that said, its not possible for Rio to walk again.
Just hearing that makes my heart churn.
The thought of my brother not being able to use his two feet is really depressing for me to hear.
I can’t even think about it properly.
Its just disheartening to think of the fact that he will forever remain on a wheelchair.
Aunt Jenny said when they got back from the hospital, Rio had been in his room ever since then and refused to open the door.
At least thats what she said.
I turned around the sidewalk and then got to the house. I quickly ran over to the porch stepping on it as I rang the doorbell swiftly.
“Ding Dong”. It rang aloud as I continued pressing it impatiently.
Why won’t I be impatient? Its about my brother for crying out loud.
The door opened revealing Tiffany and she rolled her eyes walking away from the door leaving it open as I stepped into the house.
“Where the fuck have you been?”. She spat out at me settling comfortably on her couch.
“I walked here since you don’t always let me ride with you in your car”.
She eyed me quietly. “You walked here? Thats why you are late? Or you were with someone, specifically my Jeremy?”.
“What are you talking about?”. I retorted at her. “Of course, I walked all the way here from school so will you quit asking me all this stupid questions right now?”.
Tiffany scoffed standing up. “Did you just talk back at me?”.
“And who are you exactly ?”.
Oh G©sh! I don’t know where all this dmn courage is coming from!
“Wow! Looks like you really got mouth now, huh? Lest I remind you, this is my house so what gave you the courage to talk back at me ?”.
“This house, Tiffany, doesn’t belong to you, so quit acting like a goddess because I’m not going to worship you like you are one”.
I pushed her away from my path after uttering those spiteful words to her as she stared at me dumbfounded that I could speak like that to her.
She better watch out for me right now!
I walk ahead up the stairs ignoring her as I headed down the hallway towards where Rio’s room was.
I stop in my tracks seeing my Aunt there as she rested on the door knocking silently as I hear her speak softly trying to get my twin brother to let her in.
Now this is why I love her! She’s just so nice.
“Aunt?”. I called walking over to her.
She looked at me. “Paris! Thank goodness, you are here! Finally, I’ve been trying to get him out of his room but he isn’t listening to me at all. Do you think he’s still in there?”.
“Let me handle him, Aunt Jenny”.
She stepped aside as I knocked on the door rapping on it twice then thrice before continuing up to four times.
No response.
“Rio?”. I call out softly. “Its me, Paris. I’m back from school and I have a lot to tell you “.
“Paris?”.
I smile hearing his voice faintly as Aunt breathed out a sigh of relief knowing he was safe.
“Yes, its me. Why is your door closed? I need to talk to you”.
There was silence followed by shuffling then I heard locks moving before the door opened and I saw my brother.
He was on crutches holding on to it tightly.
I quickly hugged him wrapping my hands around him tightly as I embraced him.
“Thank goodness, you are okay”. I whisper softly feeling the need to be in his arms.
“I’m sorry”.
I pull away from him. “Aunt was worried about you”.
He glanced over at Aunt Jenny with an apologetic look on his face as she nodded assuring him that he shouldn’t worry about it.
“Its okay”. She said. “You are fine now, thats all I wanted to know”.
“Thank you, Aunt”.
“Its okay, Rio. You two should go on with your bonding. And come downstairs for lunch when you are done bonding”. She said walking away as we laughed.
“Aunt Jenny is so nice”.
“Just like Mum”. Rio remarked sadly.
“Dumb ass, she was Mum’s sister. Thats why they have the same characters”.
“But we are twins and we don’t have the same characters”. He answered with a smirk on his face.
I hit him playfully. “Shut up”.
“Okay, ma’am”.
“How you holding up?”. I asked referring to his legs.
He shrugged looking down at his feet which weren’t resting on the floor because they couldn’t, instead he was resting on the crutches instead.
How sad!
“Come in!”.
He went back into his room and then sat on his bed throwing the crutches at the other side of the room.
“Why did you do that?”. I ask quietly.
“I don’t want to be reminded that I’m a cripple, Paris”.
“Then what if you need it urgently, like when you wake up in the middle of the night to pee?”.
He laughed sadly. “I guess I’ll crawl to it then. Either ways, I’ll still get reminded that I’m a cripple”.
“You are not a cripple”. I corrected him.
“I can’t walk. Do you know what the doctor said to me, Paris ? He said that my chance of being able to walk perfectly with my two legs is 0. Why? Because I’ll be confined to depending on a wheelchair for the rest of my life”.
“Rio, don’t say that”.
“Why won’t I say it, Paris!”. He responded sounding hurt. “I’m never going to walk again, at least, twenty doctors confirmed that. So why should I be giving myself hope that will only be flattened in the process?”.
“Just believe in yourself and thats it. Learn to love yourself the way you are. Don’t you remember that Mum always says that to us all the time back then ?”.
“I remember her words. But what about you?”.
“What do you mean ?”. I asked confusedly.
“You are the one who thinks you are ugly just like those girls always say. Do you love yourself the way you are, Paris?”.
“Why should I?”. I retorted. “Rio. I’ve got scars and burns on my face. How do you expect me to love them when it embarrasses me wherever I go?”.
“Have you thought about falling in love with yourself? Maybe if you do that then others might just love you too”.
And with that, the words he said pierced through my heart like a sharp sword making me realize that what he said did matter a lot in my life.
*
*
*
?Xavier Marion?
“And you’ll have to partner with their already existing ambassador. Jeanne”.
I looked at him immediately. “What? No way. I’m not partnering with__”.
“A girl?”. His voice came out stern. “This is the umpteenth time you’ll be refusing to do anything with females when it comes to things like this. Are you hiding something from me, Marion?”.
I swallowed visibly. “No, Dad”.
“No?”. He arched his eyebrows staring at me suspiciously. “Is there something I should know of, Marion?”.
Oh Geez! I shouldn’t be found hiding things from him.
‘Cause if he finds out …
“Marion!”.
“I ain’t hiding anything. Are you done with the reason why you are calling me?”.
He paused as I realized I just spoke rudely to him. I drew in a sharp breath as he stare at me from the projector screen.
“What did you just say?”. His voice came out harsh and cold.
“Nothing, Sir”.
“Better. Now put that ambassadorial deal, aside. How are you faring with handling your music career and your academic?”.
“Its okay “. I mumbled.
“I’m asking because your world tour is coming up in months to come”.
“I know”.
“And you still haven’t found a female singer to accompany you on a duet”.
I groan. “Dad!”.
“If you don’t have a collaboration with any female lead singer before then. You have no choice but to sing with Violet. Again”.
G©sh! I don’t want to sing with Violet.
Other time, I will.
But not now.
Now, she pisses me off.
“Do you have anything to say, Marion?”.
I was about to reply when my phone rang interrupting me mid-way. I glanced at the screen and my heartbeat accelerated seeing it was Samuel calling.
.
.
.
Click 9 below to continue reading