Dani Parthenopaeus

Chapter 1

Beep! Beep! Beep!
Ugh. One day I'm gonna lock that stupid clock in a safe, dig a hole so deep not even China can find it and throw it in there. I didn't understand why I had to get up at eight in the morning on a Saturday. Chores could wait, it's not like anything would change if I had an extra hour of sleep.

"Dani get up. We have somewhere to be today so don't be long. I laid some clothes out on the chair for you," mom yelled from the foot of the stairs.

I pulled my covers over my head pretending I didn't hear her. When I thought she left I went back to sleep.

"Danielle Anastasia Marie Parthenopaeus. I know you heard me, " she yelled even louder.

There was no missing the seriousness in that tone. She usually doesn't say my whole name unless she wants my attention or I'm in trouble, which is every other day.

"If I don't hear those feet moving in ten seconds, I will drag you out of the bed myself."

I grumbled and got dressed. She laid out a white blouse, tight light blue skirt and black flats. Something this good for me meant we were going to some event for Joe, my moms boyfriend. He was one of those big time entrepreneurs, that did who knows what. I never listened when he explained it to me. I never really like him, he was one of those bossy type. He always demanded my mom to do something and the thing that bothered me was that she did it like she was afraid of him. I've only seen her snap on him once and that's when he hit me a few months ago, because I didn't do what he wanted. Honestly I think my mom is with him for the wrong reasons. But hey that's her life, not mine and I wasn't about to be dragged into that.

I went over to my vanity to curl my thick black hair. I accidentally touched the iron and burned my skin. When I did my eyes started swirling a silver color until I calmed down, then they returned back to gray. My mom said I got my eye color from my dad, although I don't think she knew about the swirling silver part. I never told her about that when I found out myself. Didn't want to freak her out, or be put in an insane asylum or be tested on like an alien. All those choices sucked. My eyes started doing that on my fifteenth birthday. It was like a present, like a hey you're already gonna go through weird stuff but let's throw in weird eyes too, it'll be fun. I never knew my dad. Maybe he didn't even know I existed. Either way we didn't talk about him here.

I went down and sat at the table staring at my plate of pancakes.

"Is something wrong," my mom asked.

"Nothing, just not that hungry today I guess," I said plainly.

"Dani you're always hungry. What is it seriously?"

"Do I have to go? I really don't want to, matter of fact, I won't go. I'll run away if I have to. I'll do it," I said trying to plead with her.

"You know we have to go. Hell I don't like going, but I still go because it the nice thing to do. Besides its already paid for and you know I don't like having people waste their money on us. You'll just have to toughen through it."

"Fine, but I won't like it," I said grabbing a fork full of delicious fluffiness.

"I know, but just know I love you," she said pointing to me with her fork.

I wrinkled my nose at and said,"Of course you do, but I love you more."

When I finished Joe honked his horn to let us know he was outside waiting. We rushed out and got in.

"Dani," he said plainly.

"Joe," I said in the same tone.

He looked over to my mom and gave her a kiss, making me gag. "Hello love," he said to her.