She's Grey

Chapter Three

The front of our house glowed gold with all the lights decorating the exterior. Stone lion heads spewed gold shimmering water from their mouths into the fountain. A black limo was parked in front of the fountain. It pulled up right when we stepped outside onto the stairs of the estate-- Mrs. and Mr. Anderson among us.

The driver of the limo swiftly got out and propped the back door open for a short stocky Mr. Hammell, his tall contrasting wife following behind in her silky burgundy dress. My dad, bounding down the stairs, grabbed Mr. Hammell in a bear hug. My dad was very suave in his fitted tux and black hair slicked back, a cuban cigar sticking out of his mouth.

Mrs. Hammell glided to my mom and Mrs. Anderson, giving them kisses of greetings. She came to me with a small hug and waited on the stairs with us as her son exited the limo.

We all watched as the sleek Harry Hammell came out. Without missing a beat, he turned and suddenly, a very fair hand with powder pink nails gripped his hand. A strawberry blond woman with bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and an innocent smile comes out of the vehicle. Her dress was the same color as her nails, fitting her tiny frame. He escorted her towards us and the woman gave us a friendly smile as she passed us.

"Ladies." Harry said in greeting when he passed us and walked up the stairs.

I heard Maria and Diana scoff beside me but I didn't get the chance to glance over at them because a moment later, bright lights illuminated the driveway and a black SUV pulled up, followed by two more. A chauffeur exited the first SUV and security guards scattered out the others.  The security guards flanked the first vehicle and the chauffeur props the back door open.

Mr. Santiago slid out of the back seat, his tall body and black ponytail obscuring our view from the black haired lady he was guiding out. Mrs. Santiago, with her pristine elegance, caught all of our attention. She gracefully came out of the car into our view as she glided to my mother, giving her an excited hug. As they exchanged pleasantries, a tall Rubio Santiago caught our attention when he came from the other side of the car, arm in arm with a beautiful African American girl. She had beautiful dark brown skin and hair tightly knit into a long ponytail on the top of her head. Behind them, Carlos Santiago came into view, arm in arm with his sister Litzy, her beautiful black hair cascading down her body in ringlets. She had to be about 14 years old now and she was the only Santiago that I truly cared for.

After waiting for Litzy to finish greeting the adults, I strolled over to her, giving her a big hug.

"Lina!" She squealed with a gleam in her eyes.

"Hola, Litzy. ¿Cómo estás?" I asked her, stepping into our native language. Just like my family, the Santiagos were from Spain.

"Bien. Just school. I wish my parents would move me to your school instead of this stupid private school I'm in." She complained.

"Oh, dear! Just make the most of it! It can't be that bad." I said.

"Have you ever seen Gossip Girl?" She asked me.

"Claro!" I remarked.

"Well imagine that, but the less glamorous side of being Blair Waldorf's lap dog." She mumbled.

I pouted at this. I didn't like that one bit.

"I will go right up to that school and give them --" Suddenly I was interrupted by a loud engine coming closer and closer.

My heart jumped out of my chest in this  moment and I began to feel my face warming. My eyes began to widen, looking over Litzy's shoulder at the red lights of a motorcycle, speeding around the fountain. I couldn't help the joy stretching across my face. My heart was on overdrive and I couldn't contain it. It was as if my world around me was slowing but my body was speeding a hundred miles an hour. It was him. He was here.

He had a helmet covering his face but I knew it was his bike and even if I didn't, I could recognize his aura anywhere. As he maneuvered around the fountain, I watched the muscles of his arms flexing through his leather jacket. My eyes closed in ecstasy, trying to calm my heart by breathing. When I opened my eyes, my heart suddenly dropped. A bare leg hanging off the side of the bike came into focus and when he reached us, I see that the leg belonged to a girl. When the bike came to a standstill in front of us, I took in the two figures. Him with his white open collared button down shirt and dark jeans fitting him in all the right areas. The girl figure moved from the straddled position behind him, and fixed her hiked up dress. Her stripper heels are the same color as her mid thigh length dress, contrasting to her tanned brown skin. She was thin... super thin, like a Barbie. When she took her helmet off, shaking out short icy blond hair, I saw that she was a beautiful asian woman.

My heart was sinking lower and lower in my stomach. I was becoming sick.

My breath hitched in my chest when he moved from his position on the bike, taking off his helmet and shaking out his precious curly cues. After he took the helmet from the women and placed hers along with his on the handlebars, his eyes caught mine. Those topaz jewels locked with mine, stealing my breath away.

They flickered away from mine suddenly, looking back at the women beside him. He kissed her temple and then guided her over to the crowd. I felt Mrs. Andersons hesitation beside me before she snaps out of what was probably shock and bounded over to her son, giving him her famous bear hug. His cheeks lightly turned red as she showered him with kisses, whispering how much she missed him. I gave a small smile at this... a sad smile. It brought me joy to see how much his mom loved him but my heart was so far gone.

He brought a girl home.

After receiving hugs and congratulations for getting his bachelor's degree in two and a half years, I saw him from the corner of my eyes hugging my mom and then he was beside me. I felt his eyes burning my cheek. I didn't move. I couldn't move.

"Now that we all have arrived, let's feast!" I heard my dad's voice boom from the top of the steps.

As if it was a command, everyone followed him into the house.

I couldn't move.

He was still there, right beside me, his eyes making my cheeks red. I heard him clear his throat.

"Good evenin' ladies."

My eyes squeezed shut. I was really going to be sick. I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to breath in the tears trying to escape. Hearing his deep aussie voice was cutting me right then. The only voice that soothed me, was breaking me, had me on edge.

He stood there for a moment. We didn't speak.

"Care to meet a friend of mine?" He asked.

Was he kidding?

"No." Maria said, crossing her arms and stepping up to him.

I stopped breathing.

"Well, this is Andrea." His voice is controlled and lacked care.

I stiffened. I had to control myself. I blinked back tears that were surely escaping and held my chin up.

"Hi Andrea. Welcome to my home."

And with that, I left without another word.