I look at him with bewilderment. Emotion floods through me as he looks at me with boredom lacing his eyes. His entire body is calm as he leans against the brick walls and stares down at me.
" Oh yeah? Then why did you ignore me today after that mom...
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I stick my head in the shower and give Atlas a kiss before I leave and I drive towards the address Stacy sent me.
I'm deep into the city and I soon see the large glass building with gold lettering that says ' Chic Magazine '. I look around the building in awe before the receptionist clears her throat and asks for my name.
I head up to the 11th floor that leads me to Stacy's assistants office. She then leads me to the production room and knocks.
" Come in! " Stacy says
I walk in and she gestures towards a long sage green couch. I settle down as she sits beside me and pulls the large binder off of the coffee table.
Stacy and I begin to look at the pictures from the shoot and the different outlines for the magazine that go with the photos.
Taking the photos is one thing, but seeing them like this and on a magazine outline always feels surreal.
I could cry right now.
She shuts the binder and places it back on the coffee table before she looks at me.
" I didn't just bring you here to look at your photos Serena. " she says
" I want you to model these same bikinis in our show that will happen right before launch. "
I try my best not to let my mouth drop open and keep it professional.
" I would be honored " I say
Internally, I am screaming with joy.
" Great! I will get my assistant to send you the rehearsal dates and times. I'll see you soon! " she says as we get up.
We embrace each other in a hug before I say my goodbyes and I head towards my car.
I decide to call Vera and see if she'd like for me to pick up dinner tonight or if we have food to cook there.
" Hey love! I'm just calling about dinner. "
" Hey girl , the boys actually just left to pick dinner up!"
" Great! I'll be there in five. " I say before hanging up.
I begin to sing along to the song that plays as I drive home and small droplets of rain fall on my windshield. Soon, the rain begins to fall heavily and I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I brush it off and tell myself I'm just getting anxiety because of the harsh rain, but once I pull into my driveway and I see that the door is wide open, my heart sinks.
Fear runs through my veins. For Vera's safety and for mine. I dash out of the car , not caring that the car is still on and the door is open.
Glass litters the entrance as I try to step over it, not knowing who is here. But once I see the kitchen, I throw all of that out of the window and I scream Vera's name.
Everything that was once placed on the countertops is now smashed and onto the floor. I hear a faint thud above me, and I take off towards the stairs. I feel a sharp pain go through my ankle and I put my hand on the railing to see a small cut from a piece of glass.
I push the hair away from my face but stop once I feel a wet substance smear onto my forehead. Blood coats my fingers and I'm now running upstairs, screaming Vera's name once again.
I throw open Elias's door and I see her passed out on the floor. I drop down on my knees and I begin to shake her. As I look at her, I see blood drips down her head and her hands are all cut up.
Her eyes flutter open and closed before they finally settle on my face. Her eyes widen and before I can ask her what happened, I am harshly pulled away from her.
⚠️ violence
" No! Let me go! " I shout as I try to grab ahold of the intruder.
" I let you go once, I won't do it again. "
" Griffin please don't do this " I sob out.
I get ahold of his arm and I begin to claw at him as hard as I can. He hisses in pain before I'm suddenly tumbling down the stairs.
Black dots and blurry vision. That's all I can see as I try to get up but the glass instead cuts at my hands , making me fall back down.
" Hi princess "
I get up on unsteady feet before I look at Griffin and Nate. Vera is walking down the stairs with Elias's bat pointed towards them both.
Griffin laughs and I take my chance to throw a punch at his face. As I do this, Vera swings the bat in Nate's direction and hits him square in the face.
" You bitch! " Griffin shouts
He takes out a kitchen knife that I assume he took earlier and waves it in my face. He quickly swings and the knife slashes my dress, missing my stomach.
I throw a punch at him as he looks at the knife in disappointment and I don't waste anymore time and I knee him right in the jewels.
He falls to the floor as he holds onto his crotch and I hear Vera scream. I see that the bat is on the floor and Nate is now on top of her.
" Get off of her! " I say as I grab the bat and swing. I hit his stomach and he falls off of her before he clutches his stomach.
Suddenly, I am frozen in place as I look down at my stomach. Red coats my once white dress and Vera let's out a scream.
" If I can't have you, then Atlas can't either. " he says taking the knife out.
My vision begins to blur as I fall down onto the floor. The glass cuts my knees and I start to black out but once I see the two advance towards Vera, I begin to crawl towards the bat that I dropped.
I unsteadily get up and I swing at Nate's face. I hear a crack as he falls to the ground but I don't stop. I see Vera lunge for Griffin and I swing at Nate until I cannot recognize his face anymore.
I hear silence and I scream as I see Vera is passed out on the floor with a piece of glass in her side. Griffin is also on the floor and I see the knife is imbedded in his thigh.
I fall to the floor as I try to advance towards Griffin, who hurriedly gets up and he starts to limp out of the house.
" Vera? " I try to yell
" Serena " she whispers
I ignore the glass cutting my skin as I crawl towards Vera. My body becomes exhausted as I drop to the floor beside her.
" Your side Serena " she says
I look over and I see a piece of glass is stuck in my side as well. I let out a weak laugh at this.
" Twins " I say before I let out a sob.
" It's not your fault " she whispers
I grab ahold of her hand as I feel myself lose to the darkness. I blink many times to try to stay awake, and as I look at Vera I see she is slowly slipping away.
" Stay awake for me love, okay? " I say
" I love you Serena " she says with a small smile on her face.
" I love you too V " I sob out
" Your brother , I love him too "
I try to reply, but I am soon enveloped in darkness , and then , nothing.
