WEBS OF PALTER

CHAPTER TWO

Derek's eyes flitted open as rays of the morning sun pierced the mesh curtains. He felt the bed behind him dip and he involuntarily smiled.

"Dad,I'm gonna be late"Estelle's voice cut into his ears and he groaned in mock annoyance.

"Get up dad" she added,grabbing a pillow and hitting him playfully.

"Fine fine!" He rolled over and took in the sight of his gorgeous sixteen years old daughter.

Her light unnatural red curls slicked back in a riotous bun on top of her head.

She was dressed in a bodycon jumpsuit,a pink plaid shirt and matching shoes with her black school bag slung over her back.

"Hi beautiful" Derek whispered and She giggled before flying into his arms,snuggling and playfully tickling his sides.

He rolled her over,tickling her and her shrill screams filled the room,getting Kaia to yell from the kitchen downstairs into the intercom.

"Cut it out husband napper!"

"Jealous much" Estelle yelled back,unsure if her mother heard her and Derek chuckled excitedly.

"Let's go" He pulled her up and they both ran down the stairs into the kitchen where their plates were fixed.

Derek kissed Kaia and sat down to eat.

"Thanks Mom" Estelle smiled at her mom,appreciating the food platter. She was a total foodie and her mom was always indulging her.

Eating what she cooked with gusto was a love language to Kaia so she loved to watch them eat and appreciate her.

"You're welcome" she smiled and helped her fix her hair that'd come undone from the bun when she was roughly playing with her dad minutes ago.

Done with breakfast,Derek drove her to school and wished her to have a great day.

Estelle was fairly popular in school and loved by her teachers.

She would be graduating in months and was only attending to make up for classes she missed during her Grandma's ailment.

Her family had left to stay with her before she unfortunately passed.

Pearl,her best friend who had taken extra classes to be able to attend school with her walked up to her and they went to class together.

They were only taking science classes so they could meet up for the requirements they needed to get admission into their schools of choice.

Having taken all their classes,they decided to skip school the rest of the day.

They went to the school cafeteria for chips to munch on their way to mall before they head to Pearl's house for movies.

At the cafeteria,they were sitting to catch their breaths when Pearl pointed behind Estelle,making her panic before she turned her attention.

On the large television mounted on the wall for all to see,was her father's picture pasted on the screen with a large placard of wanted above.

She panicked,her bag of chips dropping from her hands.

The world seemed to spin in front of her and all eyes in the cafeteria turned on her.

"Dominic Archman,a one time acquitted felon is now wanted for attempted murder,assault & robbery.
An event that almost took the life of a nine year old boy......"

The rest of the words drowned out as Estelle looked back at the students to see their judgy looks.

"That's her deadbeat uncle,not her dad" Pearl yelled aloud and pulled her from her seat.

She stopped at the door and shouted again

"Her dad's name is Derek Archman!
That bozo right there is DOMINIC ARCHMAN!"

Satisfied with herself and despite the thick murmurings that followed her unprecedented announcement,she pulled Estelle all the way to the bathroom and held her as she cried exasperatedly.

"This is the fourth time in thirteen years" she choked out in between her sobs and Pearl nodded,as if validating her feelings.

"He's a motherf*cker,a life wrecker and your mother's absolutely right about him but thank sweet heavens he's not your father"

Estelle pulled away and snapped slightly

"He looks almost exactly like him"

"Well....." Pearl drawled,blowing her gum into a mini balloon before popping it snobbishly.

"He's still not your father,imagine what type of villain you'd be if he were"

"Pearl,this is my life not a sitcom"

"Come on,don't be that type of teenager" she washed her hands,her eyes narrowing to mocking slits.

"What type of teenager?" Estelle quirked a brow,grabbing a paper towel to blow her nose.

"The type that gets super depressed about everything and boom,that shapes their lives and they never live that down. They become a shadow of themselves and always blame their shortcomings on their uncle who literally lived his own life"

Estelle was taken aback!

"Pearl,I see the common sense in what you're saying but he LOOKS like my dad"

"Stelle,I understand what you mean but in this way,you're considering what people think but guess what?"

She paused and Estelle rolled her eyes before asking in a dull tone

"What?"

"FUCK EVERYBODY!" She completed flippantly and Estelle laughed outright

"You're a bitvh!" She chortled and pulled her into a huge hug.

They left school after the principal allowed them and headed to Estelle's house instead.

The house was quiet when they got in and Pearl received a call from her mother to come home right away cause she needed help with the cake shop that afternoon.

"The principal must have called her" Estelle reasoned and they shared a secret handshake with giggles before she left.

"Dad! Mom!" She yelled and heard the basement door open with her mom's eyes holding worry.

"You saw the news,didn't you?
Oh my sweet child"

Estelle returned her hug and shrugged as she pulled away.

"It's been a lot of times,I'm not fazed anymore"

"Don't talk about your uncle like that" her dad chimed in,coming out of the basement and pulled her into the kitchen.

Kaia followed close behind,rubbing her huge pregnant belly.

"He's ruining his own life and yours dad. He deserves to be locked up and for good this time"

"Esty!" Kaia chided sharply and she rolled her eyes.

"I understand how annoying this can be but...." Derek started but Estelle cut in.

"Annoying?!....the whole school cafeteria turned to look at me the minute that news came onscreen! Pearl helped diffuse the situation,took me to the girls room and helped me calm down"

"Bless her" Kaia said.

"Seriously?!"Derek asked sarcastically and hiding the hint of a smile.

"My day is ruined for real" Estelle said,grabbing an apple from the fridge and heading towards the door when Derek stopped her.

"He's my brother Estelle and if he needs help I'm not going to refuse him"

"He doesn't need YOUR help Dad! He's people's problem... I wish you weren't a twin and I sure wish he'd never gotten out the first time he was charged for arson!"

Derek was going to say something when a male voice pierced the millisecond of silence in the kitchen

"Hate your sweet uncle that much?"

Estelle's  head whipped around and instantaneously,she let out a spine chilling scream!