Chapter 1

“I asked you, where have you been?”

“I said I was at the office!”

“On a Sunday night? Can you give me a better excuse?”

Mum and Rex were yelling their lungs out. This was the first time I ever heard them quarrel. I felt surprised, as Mum and Rex got along very well.

I made my way quietly to the stairs, where I could see Rex standing face-to-face with Mum. Mum’s face was flushed, and she was panting slightly with all that yelling and shouting. Rex, on the other hand, was very calm, and stared at my mother with a cold look.

Mum and Rex were together for four years. Mum first met him at the pub across the street. She claimed that it was love at first sight for both of them. Although I had doubts, I felt happy for Mum that she could forget about Dad, stop all that drinking and move on with life. Believe me, I tried to accept him. I wasn’t those girls in books that treated their stepfathers badly and missed their father tons. I didn’t even wish to see my father again. After all, what he had done to Mum and tried to do it to me, was intolerable.

Grandma approved of Rex too. Grandma told us that some years back, Mum brought Dad home. Grandma disliked him, and disapproved of Mum and Dad going together. But Mum stood firmly on her ground. Mum was only twenty-one when she had me. When Mum finally left Dad because of me and the beating, Grandma helped us the most, so now, Mum and Grandma’s relationship is very close.

“Darceeee,” I heard a soft whisper behind me. I turned around and on the top of the stairs where my little sister, Joyce, stood. She is my half-sister actually. She is Mum’s and Rex’s daughter. But I loved her like my own sister. I tiptoed up the stairs and hugged her.

“What are you doing here, Joyce?” I asked.

“I heard Daddy and Mommy shouting. What are they doing?” Joyce inquired, and knitted her eyebrows together. She’s only three, and very cute.

“It’s OK, they are fine. Why don’t you go to bed? Tomorrow will be your first day in pre-school,” I comforted her.

“You go to bed too. You will be starting school too.” Joyce said.

“Yes. Guess starting eighth grade will be quite tough, huh?” I whispered.

“You will be OK, Darcee. Remember to bring the lucky keychain I gave you for your twelfth birthday last month, OK?” She reminded me.

“It’s already on my wallet,” I replied. “Let’s go to bed,” I held her hand and tuck her in bed.

“Goodnight, Darcee,” Joyce whispered, and shut her eyelids.

I went back to my room, and clambered up my bed. I hugged my legs and placed my head on my knee. It’s the first day of junior high tomorrow. Kristy and I always talked about high school during junior high. Now, it’s finally here. I hope I will be in the same homeroom as Kristy.

Kristy and I became friends on the first day of first grade, when she marched up to me during break and said, “Hi, my name is Kristy Dafoe, and you can call me Kris.” Kristy was the greatest friend someone could have. She never leaked out your secrets, never tried to embarrass you, never made you do something you didn’t want to do and never betrayed you.

I looked at my clock on the bedside table, and saw that it was almost eleven. Did Rex come home at ten plus? No wonder Mum was yelling at him. Mum did not like to feel worried for someone for too long. I tucked myself under the sheets and switched off the lamp. I was about to go to sleep when I heard the bickering again.

“Rex, look, can you don’t come home so late and make me worry?”

“Jemima, can you keep your voice down? Darcee and Joyce are sleeping! And good gracious, it’s their first day back-to-school tomorrow,” Rex taunted. Rex wasn’t keeping his voice down either. Rex hardly ever calls Mum Jemima. Mum says that Jemima sounds old-fashioned. Rex called her “Jem” or “Jemmie”. Jemima is used when he is really really angry.

Then, everything was silent. I thought I heard sobs and footsteps at the corridor, and then a door closing. Was it Mum that was sobbing? If it is, Rex is going to be sorry.