Break Fresh Ground

1: SCARLETT'S STORM

As I stand before my parents, I can't help but wish for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. My father's anger is like a tempest, and my Mama Adelaide's calm but strict demeanour is like an undertow pulling me under. The world around me seems to be moving in slow motion, and my heart is racing as I try to steady myself. The bile rises in my throat, but I force it down, knowing that I must face the consequences of my actions.

The echoes of my father's furious shout reverberated through the walls of his office, as he bellowed, 'You even bought a yacht?!' His face was a fiery red, his anger a raging inferno. My mind raced as I tried to come up with a response, but all I could think was 'What were you thinking, Scarlett Storm?' I knew I was in for a rough ride, and I braced myself for the inevitable storm of my father's wrath.

As Mama Adelaide gently tapped her husband's back in an effort to soothe his tempestuous rage, the storm within him raged on. "Calm down, honey," she implored him, her voice as tranquil as a peaceful lake. But her words fell on deaf ears, as the winds of his fury continued to howl. She looked at me then, and I saw in her eyes a glimmer of understanding, a small smile playing on her lips as she reached out to steady me in the midst of the whirlwind.

My father's voice rose like a tidal wave, crashing against the shores of my composure. "How can I calm down, hon," he exclaimed, "when this lady over here..." He paused, taking a deep breath as he struggled to rein in his anger. "What other things did you purchase last night?" he finally asked, his voice a maelstrom of emotion.

I inhaled deeply, my fingers dancing along my temple in an effort to ease the pounding in my head. Gosh, my head was pounding! I took a moment to collect myself before I spoke. "That yacht, Prada and Saint Laurent clothes and shoes, a Ducati motorcycle," I hesitantly confessed, the words tumbling out of me like a landslide. But then, a flicker of light in the darkness as I remembered something, a small glimmer of hope. "But I bought a couple's watch for the both of you," I offered, my face lighting up like a beacon in the night. Sana makalusot.

As I confessed my litany of excesses, I heard my father curse, the words like thunderclaps in the room. But amidst the tempest of his anger, I heard a gentle chuckle - Mama Adelaide, unable to contain her amusement.

"Are you seriously laughing right now, Mrs. Carvajal?" my father asked, his voice a whip crack. She bit her lower lip, trying to stifle her laughter, shaking her head in response. My father looked at her, squinting his eyes in disbelief, before shaking his head and turning his glare back on me.

"And do you remember what happened last night?" he growled; the weight of his disappointment heavy in the air. Bigla akong natakot dahil sa sinabi niya. What the hell did I do last night?

Hindi na talaga ako iinom sa susunod. Pahamak talaga si France, jusme!

The memories came flooding back like a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds. The vibrant lights that had danced across my face, the deafening music that pounded like drums in my ears, the wildness of the dancefloor at Ate Charmaine's Ice Lounge. I could see myself there, lost in the throngs of people, my body moving to the beat. I remembered France's firm hand on my arm, pulling me away from the dancefloor, her stern voice urging me to stop drinking. Paris' concerned face, suggesting we head home. And then, nothing but darkness as I lost consciousness.

Mabilis akong umiling sa tanong ni Dad. My mind raced as I searched for the answer, trying to remember if there was something more heinous than my spending spree. "Did I do something more horrible than buying things?" I wondered, the question hanging in the air like a dark cloud, heavy with the potential for revelation.

My father took a deep breath before uttering words that felt like daggers to my heart. "I did not do that!" I protested; disbelief etched on my face.

"Ask Xyrielle, then," he said, referring to our youngest maid's daughter.