BLACKVILLE

Chapter 1: Welcome to Blackville

BLACKVILLE

Chapter 1: Welcome to Blackville

The sun shone intensely on Alicia Washington's youthful face, her dark skin glistening under its warm rays. She groaned softly, feeling the heat's oppressive grip.

"Mom!" she yelled, ascending from her bed, "why did you open my drapes?" This daily query remained unanswered, yet she asked it every morning. Her mother, Shonda, had discovered that opening the drapes before sunrise compelled Alicia to rise due to the heat.

After barely crawling out of bed, Alicia dressed decently in a her famous pink gown and made her way downstairs for breakfast.

"It's about time," her father, Professor Julius Washington, teased, holding his 'BEST DAD EVER' coffee mug.

"Good morning to you too, Professor," Alicia replied, placing a soft kiss on his left cheek. Her 58-year-old father looked dashing in his pyjamas.

Her parents were her epitome of a happy couple. They met when her mother, then a 21-year-old preschool teacher, moved to Blackville. Her father, 31 at the time, had recently started working at the same institution and 'immediately fell in love.' Despite their age gap, they married and had Alicia, their only child.

"Hey, Mommy," Alicia said, placing a kiss on her forehead and grabbing a glass of water from the sink.

As they enjoyed breakfast, Alicia asked, "Daddy, can I please go to a New Year's Eve party after church today?"

There was a sudden silence. Shonda made a mental note to not comment on the question.

"Why?" he asked after a pause.

"Amara will be there," Alicia replied almost in a whisper, adding margarine to her bread toast. Amara, her maternal cousin, was two years older, but they were inseparable.

Julius wasn't a very big fan of Amara. "You know I don't want you hanging out with her." This statement earned a subtle cough from Shonda.

Alicia remained quiet, hoping her father would change his mind. After a thoughtful pause and a glance from Shonda, he granted her wish.

"Be back home before 1:01."

Alicia bit her lip, excited, and stood up to hug her father. "Thank you, Daddy!"

It was around 13:00, and Alicia was fixing her makeup infront of the mirror in her room when Shonda shouted, "We're running late!"

"Patience, mother, patience!" Alicia called out, cascading gracefully down the stairway.

The 31st of December marked the end of the year for the Washingtons, beginning with a church trip. Reverend Conrad's sermon centered on new beginnings and fresh starts. Same old same old.

After the service, Alicia's social anxiety kicked in, and she swiftly left for the car.

"Patience," Shonda teased. "I'd swear im raising a psycopath,"

Later that day Amara arrived at the Washington residence in her stunning red Porche convertible.

"Aunty!" she shouted, entering. "Your favorite and only niece is here."

Julius who was in the lounge reading a newspaper looked rather unpleased.

Amara was breathtaking, with long brown hair, an athletic build, and hazel-brown eyes that twinkled.

"What's the plan?" Alicia asked, closing the car door of Amara's car.

"Impatient much?" Amara remarked. "Its a surprise, take it as late birthday present,"

"My birthday was 5 months ago," she said.

"Oh well," Amara shrugged.

Upon arrival at 'The Road,' Alicia's excitement soared. She had never been to a bar and she sure was excited.

Upon entering, Amara was quickly swept off her feet by someone leaving Alicia to observe the scene in the bar.

Alicia noticed something unusual – Northerners and Southerners mingling.

In Blackville, this was quite a rare sight. Not impossible, just rare. Northerners were seen as superior due to their wealth. They were considered snobbish and fake.

The Southerners who were able to make it to the North faced discrimination and segregation. It wasn't hard to tell a Southerner and Northerner.

Amara's mixed heritage made her an outcast even in Julius' eyes. Her mother was a Northerner and although she had dismissed all stereotypes they were always some like Julius who were oblivious.

Alicia's father had taught her to take pride in being a Southerner teaching her that Northerner just wanted to hurt. Alicia beacuse of Amara's influence had grown to realize that wasnt quite true.

After observing and judging people, Alicia felt the need to use the bathroom and assumed it was on the second floor.

After climbing the endless flight of stairs, she saw a bathroom sign and hastily entered without checking the gender sign

Inside, she hurridly opened a toilet stall, metting the most captivating blue eyes she had ever seen.

Acting on impulse, she closed the door, but her curiosity got the better of her. Who was the blue eyed man. She opened the stall again.

This time the man looked at her and let out a chuckle.

Embarrassed, Alicia quickly closed the door and moved to the next stall. Thoughts racing in her mind.