Love and Blackmail {Book 5}

Prologue

Daniella's POV

"You know mommy loves you right?" My mom told me, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I gripped my Princess Tiana doll closer to my body and nodded frantically earning a sad smile in response. "Mommy has to go, but grab the calendar and marker"

"Yes mommy" I ran and grabbed my frozen calendar and marker and brought it back to her before she flipped it to my birthday month. April. She took the marker from me and circled the sixth before handing it to me so I could draw in a smiley face.

"That date is eight months from now and that's when mommy will be back, better than ever and richer too, okay?"

"But i-I'll miss you" I say stuttering feeling the tears start to fall

"I'll miss you too but remember be a big girl and when I come back I'll buy you an Elsa doll"

"Really!"

"Yup" she wrapped her arms around me with tears falling down her face before a gruff voice yelled for her. "Mommy has to go now but be strong for you and your daddy okay?"

"Okay" she kissed my forehead before hurrying out the room and that was the last time I ever saw my mother again.

You know the saying April showers bring May flowers. It couldn't of been more true, because that April, me and my dad's eyes were filled with tears when she didn't return home. Each day I would wait by the door waiting for her to come home and embrace me in her arms with her contagious laugh and loveable smile. But when that day never came, my dad and I grew close, closer than we had ever been. I was his rock and he was mine. Although I knew it was tougher for him considering I was a split image of my mother, we got through it and became closer than ever because of it. We vowed never to talk of that day because it hurt too much but sometimes I wished I knew what happened or why she didn't return.

"Ella baby you okay?" My dad asked worried and I finally came back to reality. I sent him a smile letting him know I was fine and continued to eat my cereal. I finished up and placed my dish in the sink before placing a kiss on my dad's forehead and heading upstairs to grab my stuff for school. I hadn't even been up there five minutes when my bedroom window slid open and my best friend Tia came in.

"Sorry it took me so long, my brother was bitchin' like always" she grumbled and I only waved it off.

"I'm right here" Taylor, her twin, said from right behind her before coming over to me and embracing me in a hug. "What's up shortstack?"

"Watch one day I'll be taller than you" i mumbled and he only laughed earning a glare from me even though I knew it wasn't possible. He stood at 6 feet even while I was still 5'11. Pretty tall but to this day he would still tease me about my shortness but I was sure that one day he would shrink.

"You two are weird I swear" Tia says and I roll my eyes before admiring her outfit. Although she only had on black skinny jeans, a black tank top and a black leather jacket, her curves still stood out making her look flawless.

"Yeah but you love us" instead of disagreeing she dismissed the topic with a wave of her hand and said we should head to school before we were late. I slung my backpack over my sweatshirt and tied my hair into a quick messy bun before following behind them.

***

I opened my locker and shoved my bag into it before grabbing my geography textbook. I quickly shut it only to come face to face with my worst nightmare. Cheerleaders.