Prologue:
"Sweetie, you have to hold it with firmness," Cayenne instructed Anika while she positioned her hand on top of Anika's.
"But I don't need to hold one of it, Fenn. I'm tired. I'll rest instead." Anika said, hiding the frustration in her voice. She puts down the Glock 17 that they usually use for their target practice.
"Alright, Ani. I'll let it pass. But please, attend your MMA classes. Abuelo will get angry. I can't cover you up forever. Especially when I need to---" Cayenne was quickly interrupted by Anika.
"Please don't leave me, Fenn." Anika starts to sob.
"Sssshhhh.. Please don't cry, Ani. I won't leave you. I will do everything so I can be the best, so I can go back as soon as possible. Just trust me, okay?" Cayenne hugged her little sister. Anika cries harder on her sister's shoulder.
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"I'm impressed." Miguelito De Carlos Connéry said while looking at Anika's report card.
"But still..." He continued.
"Not enough?" Anika asked, with such bravery in her voice.
"What did you just say, Paprika?" Miguelito asked with gritted teeth.
"Everything that I do... it will never be good enough for you, Abuelo. And I'm so tired of dealing with all your stupid rules. You never considered us, even our own feelings." Anika tried to control her tears from falling down her cheeks. She sniffed so hard to hold it off.
"I still have my own dreams. Until then, I know you won't allow me to pursue it. It will always be you! Upholding the family rules and that's the most bullshit thing I kn---" Before Anika could finish, Miguelito started to curse.
"Hijó de putá! You want to prioritize your dream, over the dream I want for you and for your sister?!" Anika's grandfather starts to stand up from his seat while still shouting.
"Dónde está tu cerebro, Paprika?! I didn't raised you to be this estúpida! What had gotten into you?!"
The only thing that Anika can do is to look at the old man's eyes with such anger and pity. She starts to storm off from her grandfather's study room. She hurriedly went to her sister's room. She didn't expect what she saw. Cayenne was almost done packing her things.
"Fenn.. please," Anika said, even though she knew that nothing could stop her grandfather's decision. She will be left alone once Cayenne is sent to the Military academy. She let her tears fall from her eyes. She starts to cry so hard in her sister's arms.
"D-don't leave m-me... Fenn. P-please.. I'm b-begging y-you.." Anika continued to sob, her sister was crying with her and all she could do was shush and hug her little sister.
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"Anika.." She was called on by one of her close friends at school named Cholo.
"Can you come with me? I have some errands to do. And I want to talk to you about something." Anika smiled. "Sure. I can spare some time."
They made it into a known clothing brand. Cholo was busy getting the things he needs, while Anika was examining a gray and black checked knit, a short flared dress from Dior.
"There's this gig that I told you about. Are you sure you don't want to take advantage of that? I mean, it's a great opportunity." Cholo asked while they were in the fitting room.
"Abuelo's rules, Cholo." Anika chuckles. "But when is it?"
"Well, all I can say is... It can be your big break, Anika. The glam team is from New York, as well as the other models. The one that is actually giving you an offer is a known modeling agency. I will be the one who will regret things if you don't make it on this one. If they see you and how good you are?!" Cholo giggled. "Then it's Welcome to New York for you, Anika."
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Anika starts to walk back and forth in her room. Cholo's offer was bothering her. She sighs. At the back of her mind, she knows that it will fulfill her dream to become a professional model. To have her own name in an industry that she always looked up to.
She immediately grabbed a pen and a paper. She will tell everything to her older sister, Cayenne. Because at one point, it's her life decision. And Anika wants her sister to know everything. They didn't stop communicating even though Cayenne was in the Military Academy already.
"I'll try to keep everything a secret... of course, I still don't want Abuelo to know. But really, I don't want to regret and miss this opportunity, Fenn. I can't let it slip away and I don't want my dreams to turn into dust. I made up my mind, Fenn. And I know that you will understand me. Please, take care of yourself. I miss you and I love you, big sister. Love, Ani."
Anika heaved a sigh after writing the last part of the letter to her sister. She misses her sister so much, it's been a year since Cayenne was sent to the Military Academy.
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"Congrats, Anika! Welcome to our team!" Anika's co-models greeted her and after Cholo removes the blindfold. They had a small celebration after the success of the show. Anika was so happy. She feels like she's floating through cloud nine. Her best friend, Pyre Jenkins was also there to support and surprise her. Little did she know, that Pyre was one of the reasons why the agency reached out through her, because Pyre was able to compile Anika's portfolio.
From that moment, she couldn't be any prouder of herself. She was beyond happy to see the result of her decisions and of course, her hard work. She just can't wait to tell her sister about the good news.
But when she went home...
"You really are a stubborn one, huh?!" Miguelito's voice roared through their entire house.
"What did I say about joining those stupid modelling bullshit that you wanted?!" He started to light up another tobacco.
Anika started to sniff. She expected this to happen and she already made up her mind. She's now decided to proceed to her next plan.
"That's it, Paprika! I've had enough of you and your stubbornness. From now on, you're grounded. I don't know where you got your stubbornness from, but I guess you got it from your useless father. Because my daughter and your sister are not like that. Only you." He sipped through his whiskey glass.
"You pushed me to my limits, Paprika Anise. You'll follow Fennel after this school semester ends and whether you like it or not, it will happen." Miguelito storms out of the room, leaving Anika in silence and in tears.
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"Are you sure you want to do this, Ani?" Her best friend, Pyre Jenkins asked over the phone.
"Yes," Anika answered coldly. "Just make sure you stay on the eighth blocked, because my grandfather's men are just around the corner. They might see you."
With just a small backpack containing every important thing that she needs, Anika escaped from their house without everyone noticing her She learned from her sister. They used to play around the house by escaping silently without a trace.
A thing that she can be thankful for to her big sister.
Anika started to catch her breath when she saw one of her grandfather's bodyguards making his rounds near their backyard garden. The man didn't feel Anika's presence and just continued to make his rounds away from the garden.
She breathed heavily when she made it her to best friend's car.
"Let's go? Our flight will be in three hours." Pyre starts the engine of her car.
"Just get me out of here, Psyche." Anika starts to crunch her nose, reminding herself not to cry again. She remembers her sister, Cayenne.
She reminded herself that she would write to her sister, once she made it to New York.
YOU ARE READING
From the Start
General FictionAfter escaping from her grandfather's cruel way of parenting, Paprika Anise Leclair managed to survive on her own. She never knew she could because she started from scratch. Until she made it to her own limelight.. and also one of the reasons for th...
