"At Strawberry Island, I met a guy named Jake," Cherry said, stepping away from the window. She joined Ixora on the bed."I saw him at the beach one evening when I was bored. He was quite good-looking, muscular, and well-built. I notice him. Then, three women ruined my moment by splashing water on me."Ixora started, "Oh no, Cher, did you..."""Gosh, I beat the devil's advocate outta them." Cherry interrupted.Ixora shook her head, reminding herself not to encourage Cherry's trouble-seeking tendencies."I know what you're thinking, about the promise I made not to look for trouble," Cherry continued, as if reading Ixora's thoughts. "I kept my promise, though. Trouble seemed to find me.""Anyway, Jake was watching me the whole time. After I handled those women, he came over, we talked, and then we left the beach for his hotel."Ixora sighed. "So, that's where things got intimate, right?"Cherry shook her head. "No, it was strange. Instead of getting romantic, he took out a medical kit
Ixora cried on Cherry's shoulder for several minutes until it became uncomfortable for her leaning on the bed. Although Cherry didn't hug her back, she also didn't push her away, for which Ixora was grateful."I shouldn't have cried all over you like that, I'm sorry, Cher. It's just that I don't know how to help you deal with the past. I feel so helpless," Ixora said, her voice filled with pain.Cherry glanced at Ixora's tear-streaked face. "There's nothing to deal with in the past, Xora. So stop crying; it's making me uncomfortable. Jeez, you've got emotions flying all the time. I shudder to think how much worse it'll get if you ever get pregnant," she remarked with a hint of humor.Ixora managed a smile through her tears, appreciating the attempt to lighten the mood. "I'll be awesome, even pregnant," she replied, tongue-in-cheek.As the night pressed on, Ixora silently wished it would never end because she dreaded facing her usual, emotionally distant twin in the morning. Now that t
You disobeyed me. You humiliated me by rejecting my reward." The deep voice shouted."She's just a child! I can't force myself on a child, for chrissake!" A deeper voice rumbled, his voice laced with anger."You don't have a choice, young man. She's my gift to you for your winning on Friday night, and until you take her to bed for one night, you'll keep getting tortured by them," the man declared, gesturing to his guard. "Continue!"The guard removed the scorching rod from the fire, clutching it with a thick cloth. He then brought the red-hot rod closer to himself and pressed it against his body, howling in agonizing pain...Jerald was jolted awake by a high-pitched scream. He sat up, rubbed his face, and blinked away sleep. The scream echoed once more.Throwing aside the covers, he hurried down the hall to the adjacent room. There, he found Berezira writhing on the bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her eyes remained shut, ensnared by a haunting nightmare. She screamed again.Still ree
"Hey, Berezira... wake up, dear," Jerald gently touched the girl's leg, hoping to rouse her from her tormenting nightmare. Her reaction was immediate – she shot up from the bed like a startled deer, her eyes filled with wild confusion and fear."It's me," Jerald assured her, his voice laced with calm and kindness. As her dazed gaze slowly focused on his face, he saw her small shoulders relax slightly. "I'm sorry, Good Master," she whispered, still shaken.Jerald contemplated correcting her and reminding her that he was now addressed as 'father,' but with her recent nightmare likely bringing back painful memories, he decided against it. "You've got nothing to apologize for, Berezira," he reassured her. He then got up from the bed, extending a hand to the girl. "Come, there's something I want to give you."Without hesitation, Berezira placed her trust in him, slipping her hand into his. Jerald marveled at how this young girl, who had every reason to distrust men, had come to trust him s
The room was filled with the soothing sounds of birds chirping, and the morning sunlight cast gentle rays through the window, gradually illuminating the space. In the center of the queen-sized bed, a figure lay still, eyes twitching in an attempt to ward off the unwelcome brightness. However, the persistent light refused to let her return to the peaceful realms of sleep.As the morning continued to assert itself, the harmonious sounds of chirping birds merged with the gentle hum of crickets, but a distinct set of moans pierced through the tranquility.Cherry's eyelids fluttered open, reluctantly drawn from slumber. She glanced at the window, realizing that the day was breaking. She stretched luxuriously in the bed, feeling the softness of the sheets beneath her.Yet, the persisting sounds of moans drew her attention. Curiosity piqued, she inched her way down the bed and there found her twin, Ixora, writhing on the tiled floor. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her arms clutched at her
Ixora exhaled and nodded, "Can you go to her father's place and tell him I'll be late today, Cher?" she hurriedly requested.Cherry scowled, "Just call him."Ixora shook her head, "He doesn't have a phone."Cherry scowled harder, "A guy paying you that much to cook doesn't own a cellphone? Where's he from, the jungle?"Ixora shrugged, looking apologetically at Zira, who observed without speaking. "Please, Cher? Pretty please?""You two really look alike," Berezira's soft voice interrupted. "Must be like looking in a mirror for both of you.""Unfortunately," the twins chimed simultaneously.Cherry turned from Zira and glared at her twin, "You owe me."Ixora smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Cher." She didn't expect her twin to agree, but she was glad she did.Ixora mentally thanked Jake for the subtle change in her twin's behavior and left the room, leaving Zira and Cherry alone.After Ixora's door slammed shut, Cherry emerged from her room, dressed up.She glanced at the girl, "Looks lik
Cherry's glare silenced all the students on the bus, making it clear that she was the one getting the young girl to school today, not her sweet twin who couldn't harm a fly.There were three seats on each side of the long school bus aisle. Cherry spotted two empty seats on one side and guided Berezira to them. She took the seat by the window, and Zira sat between her and another male student.As the bus began to move, the boy attempted to leave his seat and join his friends. Cherry wasn't sure whether he was trying to escape "Evil Bella" or "Medusa," but she didn't care to find out."Sit. Down. Now," she ordered through clenched teeth, and the boy immediately complied. Good.Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Zira trying to shrink into herself. Cherry knew that the girl would have disappeared if she could. Living like that wasn't an option, especially not at Campbell Victory High School, the same school she and Ixora had attended. It was a place shaped by mean teachers, even me
"Jake?" Cherry whispered as she approached the man chopping wood.So, thinking about him conjured him up, huh? Her mind sure had a way of playing tricks on her.Cherry inwardly scoffed at herself. My mind is quite something, she thought.When Jerald turned around and looked at her, thinking she was Ixora, he said, "Oh, you're here, Ixora? I was starting to wonder if you were going to come toda...wait, what did you call me?" He hadn't heard the name clearly at first.As he turned to face her properly, Cherry realized that it wasn't Jake. "Never mind, what were you saying?" she stammered.She was momentarily speechless, staring at this man who turned out to be Jerald. No wonder her twin had a nervous breakdown in front of him; he looked like a Greek god, perfectly built and incredibly handsome.Cherry waited for her usual excitement to kick in, the typical giddiness that overwhelmed her when she saw any of God's perfectly masculine creations. However, she felt nothing for this beautiful