(Sukura41: Happy President's Day my lovely followers! 🇺🇲)
Scene: De-Sinclair Château. Kalianna's Room.
"You wanna what?!" Giselle shrieks from Kalianna's phone.
"You heard what I said, Elle," Kalianna says, laying on her bed.
"Okay, when you said you had something important to tell me, I didn't think it'd be you wanting to move out of your house!" Giselle exclaims.
"Giselle, I need more privacy, not just for myself, but mostly for the Kwamis," Kalianna looks back at Pollen and Roaar as they fly around.
Ziggy and Orikko are admiring the new Vogue award that Kalianna won that is next to the crystal award on the beige bookcase.
"Well, how are you gonna break the news to them? You can't just come out and say "Mom, dad, I wanna move out." They'd totally freak!" Giselle says to Kalianna.
"I know, that's why I called my grandma and grandpa for support since I think they'd be more understanding. I haven't told them that I want to move out but I'm sure they won't freak out like my parents." Kalianna explains. "Hopefully."
"Alright, gurl. Lemme know how it goes. I've gotta start writing lyrics for my new song." Giselle says.
"Good luck with that, bye!" Kalianna waves.
Giselle waves before she ends the call.
Scene: Château Kitchen.
Gladys, the maid, hums as she takes out a freshly baked Banoffee pie with oven mitts with a smile.
The scrumptious smell immediately spreads throughout the kitchen and the house.
Scene: Parents' Bedroom.
Vanita and Darius, who are sleeping in matching silky black robes, are woken up by the pie smell.
"Holy sh1t, what is that smell?" Darius asks, rubbing his eye.
Vanita yawns. "It smells like... pie."
"Oh," Darius lays his head back down with his wife.
...
They couple immediately shoot up from bed.
"Gladys's Banoffee pie!!!"
Scene: Kalianna's Room.
Kalianna paces back and forth, chewing on her thumbnail. "How am I gonna do this?"
Meanehile, Tikki is found sleeping, but the delicious aroma of the pie from downstairs wakes her.
"Kalianna!" She flies over to her holder. "What's that smell?"
"Huh?" Kalianna smells the air and smiles. "Oh, that's just Gladys's Banoffee pie. She's made it every year for President's Day for breakfast; it's a tradition that started with her grandma and grandpa before it passed to her mom, and finally her."
"Why does she bake it on President's Day?" Tikki asked.
"It's the day her grandpa passed. He loved Banoffee pie, and Gladys said he and her grandma always baked it on President's Day since he was born on this day. It's like a tradition she does to keep his memory alive." Kalianna explains.
"That's so sweet! And the pie smells sweet too! Could you go and get a slice?" Tikki asked.
Kalianna giggles. "Sure, Tikki, right after I change out of my pajamas."
The rest Kwamis start to wake up and come out from different places in Kalianna's room.
"What's going on?" Wayzz asked from the vanity's drawer.
"Is it breakfast time yet?" Stompp inquires.
"Ooohh, I'm hungry! I'm so hungry!" Barkk exclaims.
"What is that heavenly smell?" Longg asked, popping up beside Wayzz.
"Alright, guys, I'll get you all a slice of pie for breakfast after I get dressed." Kalianna then goes into her closet.
Scene: The Kitchen.
Vanita and Darius, wearing their everyday clothes, rush into the kitchen and see Gladys fanning the Banoffee pie.
"GLADYS!" They both yell.
Gladys yelps and holds a hand to her chest. "Mr. and Mrs. De-Sinclair, you frightened me!"
"Is the pie ready? Do they have the same ingredients? Is it still hot?" Vanita questioned.
"Yes, the pie is ready, yes they still have the same ingredients, and it's still cooling. You'll have to wait for a few more minutes. Until then, there's espresso waiting for you both on the dining table." Gladys told them.
"That's fine, don't take too long." Darius says.
The wife and husband then leave the kitchen and Gladys continues fanning the pie.
A moment later though, Kalianna entered, giving a short yawn. "Good morning, Gladys."
"Good morning, Kalianna, did you have a good night sleep?" Gladys questions.
"Can I please have a slice of Banoffee pie?" Kalianna questions.
"No, Kalianna, the pie is still cooling. You and your parents will have it in a few minutes." Gladys says.
Tikki, inside Kalianna's purse, inhales the sweet smell of the pie.
"Alright," Kalianna then leaves the kitchen.
Scene: Château Foyer.
Kalianna sighs and sits down on the last step of the stairs.
Tikki looks up at her. "You don't look so well, Kalianna. What's going on?"
"I'm going to tell my family that I want to move out." Kalianna says.
"Move out?! But why?" Tikki questions. "You're still so young!"
"I understand that Tikki, but this is for you and the other Kwamis own good. You can't tell me my own place won't be beneficial." Kalianna says.
"Well, my friends have almost been caught flying around by your parents a few times, and Xuppu almost getting caught by Gladys when she was baking cookies was way too close. But I doubt your parents would let you live on your own." Tikki says.
"That's why I've gotta convince them." Kalianna replies.
The intercom doorbell rings just then, and Kalianna gets up, approaching it. She presses a button, speaking into the intercom.
"Who is it?" She asks.
"It's Masaru," Masaru replies.
"And Seo-Yeon!" Seo-Yeon adds on.
Kalianna smiles.
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Scene: Dining Table.
The De-Sinclairs and Seo-Yeon are around the table eating their slices of Banoffee pie.
Kalianna slyly sneaks her extra slice of pie down to her purse. "Take it to the others," She whispers to Tikki.
The Kwami takes the slice and flies underneath the table and towards the exit.
"Why did Kalianna call you both again?" Darius asked Seo-Yeon and his father.
"She said she had something important to say, and she wanted us to be here." Seo-Yeon replies.
"What do you have to say, Kalianna?" Vanita asks.
The amber-eyed supermodel swallows nervously, picking at her pie. "I... I want to move out." She whispers so quietly that no one heard her.
"What?" Darius squinted his eyes.
"I want to move out." Kalianna mumbles.
"We can't hear you, cherry blossom, you're gonna have to speak up." Masaru says, eating a piece of his pie.
"I want to move out!!" Kalianna yells out.
...
Darius wheezes as he laughed, and Vanita joined in on the laughter as well.
Kalianna grew flustered that her parents were laughing at her decision.
"That's a good one, you really had me going for a moment." Darius told his daughter.
"I don't think she's kidding, son." Masaru says, glancing at Kalianna's frowning face.
It was only then that Vanita and Darius realized Kalianna wasn't joking around.
"Move out? Absolutely not!" Vanita rejects the decision.
Kalianna's mood dampens.
"You are fourteen years old, we're not letting you move out of this house." Darius adds on.
"W-Well... It's not impossible to move out of a parents' house." Masaru shrugs.
"Yeah, like how it wasn't impossible for you to buy a Vespa scooter for my kid without our permission." Darius retorts, gesturing to himself and his wife.
"It's a scooter Darius, it's not like I gave her a motorcycle." Masaru defends himself.
"It would have been nice to ask for our permission though." Vanita told the man.
"I'm a Duke, and I'll spoil my granddaughter however I want, including giving her a scooter when she doesn't ask for one." Masaru says.
"What does being a Duke have to do with anything? We're just saying you could've told us about you wanting to buy a scooter for Kalianna." Darius responds.
"She would've bought one either way." Masaru replies.
Kalianna tries to speak, but does not get too as the father and son duo continue to bicker.
Seo-Yeon, seeing that her granddaughter was struggling, slammed her hand down on the table. "ENOUGH!"
Masaru and Darius immediately went quiet.
"Kalianna is trying to speak, so stop your pointless arguing and listen!" Seo-Yeon demands.
"Thank you, grandma." Kalianna said quietly.
"You're welcome, 해바라기 (sunflower)." Seo-Yeon pats her head.
Kalianna clears her throat and looks at her parents. "I'm very serious about moving out, I think it would be the best thing for me."
'And mostly for the Kwmais.' She thought.
"Alright, hypothetically, we allow you to move out, where would you go? You can't stay with your grandpa because he's always traveling, you can't stay with my mom because she'll be leaving to go back to Shanghai a couple more weeks, you can't stay with your cousin Sydney because she's got her career as a ballerina, and you can't stay with your Uncle Jeong, because he doesn't even live here in the first place! He'll probably go back to Korea after his wedding with Alessia."
"I'll live in the house next to Marinette's bakery, I'd feel comfortable there since I know she lives right next to me." Kalianna says.
"Marinette? Isn't that the girl you haven't liked since day one?" Darius rose an eyebrow.
"Everything's changed, and we've ended up becoming close friends. If I live next to her, I'd feel safe. Plus, it'd be easier to get to school since the Dupain-Cheng bakery is literally right next to it." Kalianna explains.
"Wow, she's got this planned out." Masaru mentions.
Darius scoffs. "You can't be serious, Kalianna."
"I am." Kalianna replies.
"You can't move out, it's not legal!" Vanita looks at her husband. "It's not legal, is it?"
Everyone was silent, looking at the lawyer for a response.
Then Darius sighs and rubs his forehead. "There was this kid who wanted to move out at age 16. He said he wanted Emancipation, meaning his parents wouldn't have custody or control of him anymore. I had the parents and the kid sign a contract, and he moved out."
"Exactly, so I can too." Kalianna figures.
Darius sighs again.
"Can I?" Kalianna asks.
"...Yes. If we allow it." Darius says.
"And we don't." Vanita was quick to add.
"What? That's not fair!" Kalianna cries. "I make my own money and I'm old enough to take care of myself!"
"But you're still a child. Why do you even want to move out in the first place?" Vanita queries.
"Because I want to be independent!" Kalianna retorts.
"You'll get that in four years." Vanita counters.
"Vanita," Masaru called his daughter-in-law's name. "In my twenties, Regina and I moved into this Château. If we can move away at a young age, so can Kalianna."
"You were both in your twenties! Kalianna is only fourteen! I won't allow it!" Vanita grabs Darius's hand. "WE won't allow it!"
"And what do you have to say about this Darius?" Seo-Yeon quizzed.
"...I think we should see the house Kalianna wants to live in." Darius says.
"WHAT? Darius!" Vanita shouts.
"We should at least check it out." Darius calmly replies, squeezing her hand. "We... We may have to consider her decision."
Vanita tries to say something, but nothing comes out.
Kalianna notices the worried look on her face and sighs.
🏠🏠🏠🏠
Scene: House Across From Dupain-Cheng Bakery.
"This is it?" Darius questioned his daughter. Him, his father, Seo-Yeon, Vanita, and Kalianna were looking up at the home.
"Yes, it is." Kalianna smiles up at the house. "When I asked Marinette about it, she said there was a rich couple that lived here with their daughter and used to visit the bakery regularly until they moved out last month."
"It looks wonderful, a perfect place for you to live." Seo-Yeon told her granddaughter.
"Of course, you'll have to customize, but you'll manage." Masaru says.
Kalianna looks at her parents, who appear conflicted. "I know you both don't want me to move on but... I really want this."
"Do you really?" Vanita rose an eyebrow.
Kalianna immediately nods.
Vanita sighs. She looks at her husband, sharing the same thought before they looked at Kalianna. "Okay then,"
"YAY! Thank you so much!" Kalianna smiles.
"But on one condition. Gladys will stay with you for a while." Darius says.
"She'll teach you how to cook, because you can't survive on only sandwiches." Vanita says.
"Okay, that's awesome! Thank you!!" Kalianna hugs her parents tightly, and they hug back.
🏠🏠🏠🏠
That day was the beginning of Kalianna's new, sort of independent life. She paid off the house with the help of her parents because the bank was taking her seriously when she said she wanted to buy a house.
She moved all of her stuff into the home, and decided to make a few changes. She also re-did the bedroom.
Gladys moved in, she was staying in the guest room of the home, and she helped Kalianna cook basic dinners. She also gave her a cookbook that belonged to her grandmother.
Kalianna burned water several times, which she didn't understand why, but with the help of Gladys, she became better at cooking meals.
🏠🏠🏠🏠
Scene: Kalianna's House. Her Bedroom.
"So how are you guys all settling into your new home?" Kalianna asked the Kwamis.
"It's very amazing!" Ziggy stated.
"A very safe and smart decision." Sass praises.
Kalianna looks at Tikki. "And what do you think?"
"It's perfect, Kalianna," Tikki hugs her owner's cheek. "Absolutely perfect."
Kalianna smiles and hugs her gently with her hands.
Word Count: 2,260
(Sukura41: What y'all think of Kalianna's new place?)