Twisted Loyalty (Twisted Next Generation #1)

6. Niko

I kick little pebbles with the toe of my shoe, watching as I take each slow step down the street. After I finished helping an old lady build her bookshelf- because yes, I've resorted to that- I decided why not take a little stroll? Explore a little bit.
And it proved to be quite a good idea on my half. Everything in Eldorra is so beautiful. The little petals that float along the cement, the trees that wave along with the strength of the breeze. It feels nice to be able to wander around such a breathtaking place when you spend all day in hard labour.

   Unfortunately, I do understand why my parents are so insistent with this way of punishment. They want me to understand that life is hard, that you have to work for things. And they don't want me to go down a path they consider dangerous, something they think is wasting my potential. And since everything else they've tried to do hasn't had the effect they wished for, they thought that sending me somewhere that sends their message is their best bet.
   Mom and dad call me regularly, sometimes together, sometimes individually. But I appreciate it.

   And unlike with Sofia.. I don't decline their calls. But that's because they're my parents. They're supposed to be disappointed when I screw up, supposed to punish me. But Sofia.. she's so subtle in the way she expresses herself. It's the little things, like the way she sighs quietly or the way she narrows her eyes just the smallest amount, not quite frowning. She looks almost sad whenever I do anything considerably horrible.
    I know I should probably call her but honestly, I'm not prepared for any of what she is undoubtedly going to lecture me about. She'll first lure me in with false hope, greeting me sweetly when she's waiting for the perfect moment to badger me about being better and blah blah.

  Sofia is like a cobra, waiting for the utmost perfect opportunity to strike her enemies down.
  Whilst I'm not an enemy, the point still stands.

I continue to wander around, noticing all the little things that further enhance Eldorra's appearance, discovering why it's so alluring. I turn down a path that looks overly eerie. It's a long  path with bushes along the sidewalk but it's almost separate from everything else. Whilst everything in Eldorra is like one big condo, never separate from one another, this one path strays from the rest and it remains a bigger mystery than the rest. 
    But you know what, if I die in a place as beautiful as Eldorra, I've decided that it wouldn't be that horrible a death. Besides, it's not as if this path is leading towards some unknown danger. It's still as alluring as the rest of Eldorra, just shunned.

   I eye each side of me as I march forward, stepping through long vines that interlock with every few steps that I take. Eventually, as I walk myself further down the path, I come across a park that's occupied, the delightful sound of laughter and joyful squeals fill the park, flooding my ears with nostalgia. I take a small step forward, scanning the park as a smile plays on my lips. Children swinging on the swing set, kicking their little legs as high as they will go, screaming out at the top of their lungs as they feel the cold breeze wash over their little faces. I watch intently, studying each inch of the park.
    Until a certain something catches my attention and I still, letting my focus stay glued to one 
    specific person.

Blonde hair. Dark grey eyes. Fair skin.
    Camilla sits on a park bench, her knees up against her chest as she lowers her head over her sketchbook, every so often flicking her head up to look out at the park. And when she does, the sun makes her skin glisten and for the slightest moment, I think I can feel something drop in my stomach. I clear my throat, trying to avert my focus off her but it doesn't work. My eyes drag back to her and I allow them to wander over her body, watching with intrigue as she scribbles on her sketchbook.

   Giving up on ignoring her, I decide to trudge over to her, making my presence known as my shoulders roll back and my chin juts up. Her eyes snap to meet mine and I let a coy grin edge out on my lips.
    "Hey, heiress. Fancy seeing you here."
    "That's funny since I live in Eldorra and you were shunned here."
I let out a low chuckle but it sounds more like a scoff. Camilla has the tendency to sound passive aggressive when she speaks to someone she doesn't have the strongest likeness to.