DANIELLE'S POV
I smiled at her as she plopped happily on the car seat, eating with ecstasy from the ice cream cup I just got her at the ice cream shop.
As soon as she was settled in her seat, I help her fix on her seat belt, and started the ride to our dance studio which was also within the campus.
It's the fifth place we'll be visiting today.
Earlier Alexis had squealed in excitement when she saw my black Ferrari latest model. She was super excited when she learned that we would be riding it to wherever I was taking her, that she ran around the car jumping and laughing happily, much to the amazement of the girls.
Cilia found her cute and funny, she immediately fell in love with her due to her charisma. Tania couldn't agree less that she's a beautiful and very enthusiastic kid, with the most mesmerizing smile ever.
Her smile was the cutest baby smile I'd ever seen, one that captivates my heart each time I see it.
Although it's the second time I would be seeing her, yet it feels like I've known her for long. How she captured my heart was what intrigues me.
Generally I love kids, girls especially but Alexis was the first I'd ever spent so much time with. I really love her.
Just looking at her, one can't help loving her.
Alex is a mixed race kid, with very long waist-length curly brown hair, beautiful smile, tanned creamy skin and hazel eyes. She's also tall, very tall for her age.
I took a turn down another street.
In case you may be wondering what I'm wearing.
Well, since it's winter, Cilia picked out a black turtled neck long sleeved top, over it a milky brown fluffy jacket, a knee-length denim skirt underneath which I wore a blank pantyhose. And for shoes, black boots. Over my head was a black hat to protect me from the wind.
I think I look gorgeous on this outfit...
Makeup? Tania did well. She didn't plaster my face with heavy makeups like she did last time. She did a light one this time, with no eye-shadow. A little touch of eyeliner and mascara brought out my perfectly shaped eyes, it's grey shimmering outstandingly. She added a little salmon coloured lipstick to my naturally salmon one, and a few touch of other things....bringing out my full lips.
She did my eyebrow and added few touches of foundation and whatever the rest were to my face.... She had praised herself proudly for a work well accomplished when she was done.
Indeed, I looked much more stunning...
Tania didn't bother styling my hair again since I would be wearing a hat. She had just combed through the hair, applied several hair lotions to it and then she had let it fall down my shoulders.
When they were through with all their stressful make over, we took pictures...
Now back to present.
I watch Alexis as she look through the window admiring the beautiful view of the campus streetscape, the beautiful lining of different types of flowers at either sides of the road. Her eyes glimmering with appreciation and curiosity of what she was seeing, her beautiful smile deepening.
Did I tell you she have a very cute dimple at her right cheek?
She was done taking her ice cream now. I smiled and took another bend Into the last street.
"Alex dear," I called. She turned from the window, her cute baby smile still on.
"Yes Diva." She stared curiously at me.
"Do you live in Sacramento with your aunt or you just came to visit?"
"I started living with my aunt Hanna last Christmas." She smiled sadly fiddling with her fingers.
"What about your parents, where are they?" I asked stepping on the pedal.
"I've only ever had mom and we lived in New York but she died on the eve of Christmas last year, leaving me to her younger sister Aunt Hanna." She said shakily.
I quickly glanced at her. Her eyes were teary. My heart clutched tightly against my chest. I placed my right hand comfortingly on her little shaky ones.
"Don't cry Alex. It's okay. I'm so sorry for bringing up that painful past, you are gonna be fine, I promise." I caressed her hand with a smile. "Now I wanna see that angelic smile on your delightful beautiful face again. Can you smile for your idol?" She giggled.
"Now that's a very good girl."
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"Woah!" She exclaimed delightedly "It's very beautiful, I love it." She gasped looking around the studio in total admiration.
"Really?" I smiled folding my arms as I watched her.
The girls and I bought this building immediately we gained admission into the University, and had transformed it into our dance studio. This is were we practice most times, especially when we have an audition with other popular dancers.
Looking at the building now, I can say I'm very proud of our work.
It was a large spacious building, painted in rainbow colours with cartoonish inscriptions and engravings of the crew's name 'Dazzing Stars Dancers' There were also little paintings and different colors of small DSD all over the wall, giving it a fabulous and fantastic appearance.
"Yes." She squealed. Running a hand on a painting on the wall.
"Can you dance?" I asked her.
She turned to face me nodding her head in the affirmative.
"Wow! Who taught you how to?"
"I learnt from you." She said with a shy smile.
I was impressed by her response. I chuckled.
"Alright Alexis. Do you mind showing me some moves?" I said walking towards the music box.
She nodded and hurriedly took off the brown leather overall jacket she was wearing. I played a hip-hop song by one popular afro pop musician.
Before I could say A, she was already dancing. I brought out my phone and videoed her.
Her smile was so bright as she danced with so much vigor. I look at her beaming face and wished in that moment that I have a kid sister as her.
Can you believe Alex did ten of my different dance steps just in one song?
Wow! She's awesome!
In a song of ten minutes, she performed ten different dance steps in a goal and it blended perfectly.
She bowed cutely when she finished. I stopped videoing and drop my phone in my bag.
And like the speed of light, I saw myself hugging the cute little girl as tears welled up in my eyes, and I unconsciously slipped into memory lane.
FLASHBACK
NINE YEARS AGO: THE SCOTTS RESIDENCE IN LOS ANGELES.
Mom slowly walked into the dinning hall, supporting her self with her hands. She was heavily pregnant and her delivery day will soon be due. The doctor had said it was this month.
Her pregnancy was a miracle, one I'm really grateful for. After my parents had me, they tried having other babies but it was unsuccessful, Mom couldn't conceive although the tests results they carried out proved nothing was wrong with either of them. They were so worried about it but the doctor told them to keep trying.
My younger self often wondered why I couldn't have a sibling when my best friends have theirs. I had thought mom and dad just didn't want another child, so I pestered them to give me a younger sister.
I only realised what was going on when I became older.
And thank God, their efforts paid off when mom got pregnant many months ago.
I smiled at Mom as she sank carefully into a seat.
"Good morning Mom. How's you health and how's my baby sister doing?" I asked, taking a spoonful of oatmeal. Mom beamed at me.
"We are fine my dear. I can see you are all dressed up and ready for school. Hurry and finish up so your driver can drop you off." I nodded gently.
"Rita! Rita!" She called out to the cook.
"Yes Ma'am," Rita scurried out from the kitchen. She bowed respectfully.
"Is Diva's lunch box ready?" Mom asked.
"Yes Ma'am. I will fetch it immediately."
"Good. Hurry up." She bowed and ran back in.
I looked at Mom, she looks unusually stressed.
"Momma!" I called taking her hand. She looked at me.
"Are you alright? Should I cancel school today and stay with you? You look stressed. I should be by you. Is Ariel troubling you?" I worriedly asked.
"Hey Diva," She gently wrapped her hands around mine. "Ariel is fine. I'm approaching the delivery day that's why I look so tired. Don't worry my baby. Your dad is with me and you can't miss Monday classes, they are very important." She smiled.
Rita brought in my lunchbox and gave it to me. I smiled at her.
"Thanks Miss Rita." She smiled and patted my shoulder before walking back to the kitchen.
Rita is a 28 year old lady but she isn't married yet, she's been our cook since I was 10 and now I'm 13. I turn back to Mom.
"But Momma.." I started but she cut me off.
"Sshhhh Diva, you shouldn't worry. This is your final year in middle school don't trouble yourself thinking about unnecessary things. I'm fine and your dad is here with me. You shouldn't be scared of anything." Dad walked in that moment. "It's a good thing you are here darling, Diva is at it again, she's opting to stay back from school today too but I won't allow her. Today is a Monday, she can't miss classes on..." Dad silence her with a quick kiss, bending to her level a little. She looked so stunned I almost laughed.
"Good morning sunshine," He smiled at her. He walked over to me and kissed my cheeks.
"Good morning Dad." I said with a smile.
"My princess, how was your night?" He asked smilingly.
"Great dad. I bet yours was too."
"I wouldn't say it was since someone here wouldn't let me be with her continuous demands." He eyed Mom mischievously. She hit his arm playfully. I laughed at that.
I was done with my breakfast already.
"Hey Princess, you should get going it's almost 7:15, you shouldn't be late." Dad advised.
I looked at them worriedly mom especially.
"Don't worry Princess your Mom will be fine. I'm not going anywhere today, I'm with her so relax and run along." He said comfortingly as he wrapped an arm around mom.
I stood up and hugged them, before running out of the mansion with my backpack and lunchbox.
Felix my driver was already waiting for me and some guards since dad wouldn't let me go to school with only my driver. A guard opened the door for me and I sat in, he closed the door and joined the driver at the passenger seat. The rest entered the next car and we drove off to Lionel's High.
I just pray nothing bad happens.
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I sat at the pavement at the back of my class hall with the girls laughing and talking about my new baby sister, Ariel.
Yeah that's the name I want to give her. It's break time. When I arrived school earlier, Rita had called me on phone informing me that my mom's water suddenly broke and they were taking her to the hospital.
I had pleaded with her to always inform me about anything going on at home since I would be in school. After much persuasion, she had agreed to do it.
And yes! Lionel's High allow students age 12 and above to use phones. So don't be surprised.
Dad had also called me few minutes earlier notifying me that Mom had given birth to a baby girl and they were healthy. Mom was now sleeping and the nurses were going to bath the baby. I was so elated about the news I couldn't wait for school to be over, I begged him to send my driver to pick me up. Dad also told me the news media came and they were broadcasting life already, although his guards blocked them from entering the hospital some were still cunning enough to sneak in. It wasn't supposed to be public but someone from the hospital leaked out the information to the media when my parents walked in. That's how the media got to know about it. It's good anyway.
"Ariel is a nice name for her, don't you think?" I asked my friends smiling widely.
"Yeah, I think it's perfect." Cilia said. "Can't wait to see that little angel." She giggled.
"Yeah me too." Tania added swinging own hands. We were holding hands.
"You guys are definitely coming with..."
My phone rang, it's Dad. I quickly picked up and put in on speaker.
"Hey Dad. Is Felix on his way already?" I asked looking at the girls with a smile.
"Princess she's gone." I heard him say.
"What? Who's gone?" I asked confusedly, the smile disappearing.
"She won't open her eyes again. She's gone princess..." Dad sobbed.
I didn't want to believe what my dad's saying.
No one is gone! Mom's fine, Ariel is fine!
"Dad stop joking with me, you are confusing me. Who's gone and who isn't opening her eyes? Is Mom okay?" I yelled in panic. My heart pounding seriously.
"Ariel is dead princess. She's gone back..." Sudden darkness overwhelmed my heart.
"Nooooo....." I screamed out in panic.
"Princess! Princess, please you have to calm down. You've gotta be strong for your Mom..." Dad pleaded gently. His voice wasn't steady, I could tell he was crying.
"No dad. This gotta be a joke. Ariel can't die. Didn't you say she was fine and sleeping when the nurses brought her back?" I sobbed wiping tears that were already running down my cheeks, my friends trying frantically to calm me down.
"..Ariel Isn't dead? No! It can't be." I wailed tearily.
"I will send someone to pick you up. My baby please don't cry. Your Mom mustn't see you like this." I cried more.
Mom's gonna be seriously broken. It wasn't easy having Ariel, now she's no more.
"I have to check on your Mom."He hung up.
I saw some students look at me as they passed by, the media must have already broadcast this too.
The girls hugged me as I cried convulsively, they too were weeping silently.
FLASHBACK ENDS.
That was how I lost my Ariel. It took me three full weeks to calm down. Mom was depressed for up to six months. It was a very painful experience. If Ariel had stayed, she would be same age as this kid.
"My idol, are you alright?" I heard her say.
That's when I realized I've been hugging her for so long with tears dripping down my cheeks.
I quickly used my hands to wipe them off. I released Alexis but still placed my hands on her shoulders. She looked at me with concern. I smile painfully at her.
"Alex dear, I'm fine okay?"
"But you are crying?" She persisted.
"It's nothing Alex, you don't have to worry about me." I said and wipe my eyes again. Alexis stared intently at me.
"Did something happened?" She inquisitively asked. I cupped her cheeks and smiled reassuringly at her.
"No Alex. Will you like to shop with me?" I asked looking at her.
"If that will make you feel better, I will." She replied smartly and gave me that angelic smile I love seeing.
I smiled, stood up from my squatting position and held her hand.
I then led us out of the building.