First (James Yammouni)

Chapter One.

I had completed my journey from my small home of Louisiana to the sunshine state of California. I don't know why but I expected to see more glamour as I drove, as if it was totally normal for celebrities to be casually strolling along the streets. What I didn't expect was to see normal looking people, walking their dogs, taking their trash out, picking their kids up from school. Back home whenever we'd watch a show based in California all you'd see were blonde hotties or brunette babes who were covered with perfect tans and bodies laying out beside a pool all day as if they had no troubles in the world.

I was pretty jealous, of those people on tv who had a perfect life with no worries, who were able to afford missing one day with their families for a day at the beach or a night out on the town, without having the constant weight of their possible impending death on your shoulders.

That's why my face was lit with a frown, driving through these unfamiliar streets of California as I witnessed seemingly normal people do seemingly normal things. The weather was hot and humid, not that much different from summertime in Louisiana, and it was to be expected since it was the middle of June.

I drove cautiously down the road, so far the biggest difference was the styles of clothes that people here wore. While Louisiana people prefer boots and shirts people here prefer heels and skirts. And the men I'd see were more dressed up than most of the women from back home, styling their hair a certain way or matching their shoes with their outfit choice.

Of course I got lost pretty quickly along the way, and I had to pull over and ask for directions multiple times. It wasn't until an elderly woman pointed me down a narrow looking street that I recognised the house that fit perfectly with the description.

Well, it wasn't exactly a house, it was more like a mansion, it was tall and wide and bigger than any house id seen back home, there were rich green oak trees higher than even the roof, and a dirt driveway that was lined with blooming cherry blossom trees on both sides. The view was incredible, it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and the dirt road reminded me of home, and made me miss my mother.

Once I came to the end I was greeted by the double front doors, accentuated with doorknobs that appeared to be made of gold and silver. I knocked a few times before the door opened and I was greeted with an elderly man whose skin appeared to be made of leather. His hair was white with a few speckles of black through it, he was obviously very old.

He moved out of the doorway without uttering a single word and let me through. I walked in and admired the grand splendour of the place, with beige walls covered in multiple pieces of art and marble floors. This was without a doubt the most expensive floor I'd seen and I was stepping on it with dirty boots.

Without a word I was ushured by the man, who had the name 'Sam' printed on a name tag, up the stairs.

He led me into a room that could easily be mistaken as a living room if it weren't for the king sized bed laid casually on the floor along one of the walls. I dropped all my bags and was soon left alone to take in my surroundings. Before anything I started unpacking and quickly had my few and small possessions set up in my new room.

Almost as soon as I was done there was a knock on the door and I told whoever to come in. I was greeted by Sam again, and he informed me that dinner would be served soon and by request, I wear something nice.

I went to my closet, which wasn't even halfway full and threw on a white dress that I had worn last year for Easter and put on a pair of flats that belonged to my mother. I brushed my hair out from its current ponytail style and left it down. I didn't bother with doing any makeup since it was a 'family' dinner and I didn't really care.

I opened my door and stepped out, quickly getting lost and being directed to the dining room by one of the maids who lived here. I sucked in a breath and begged my heart to stop beating so fast as I stepped inside the dining room where three bodies were sat.

The first, was my father. The man I hadn't seen in years who was casually sat in a plush dining chair and chatting away with someone to his side. He looked up from his conversational partner and looked at the doorway where I was, and he quickly stood to his feet and made his way over to me.

"Emma" he said, the sound of my name coming from his lips was an unfamiliar and cold feeling, and I couldn't help but step back from him when he reached his arms out and attempted to lean in for a hug. This man left me and my mother, and now he wanted to play the good father role in front of his new wife and step son.

He coughed awkwardly and I hear a snickering from behind him and moved my head to look at who the noise came from. I was greeted with the sight of a tall dark boy, he had lines in his hair and a piercing through his cheek. He was slumped in his chair and he looked very similar to how I felt, like he didn't want to be here. His head was bowed and his hand was attempting to cover the laughs protruding from his mouth. The woman who sat next to him had short blonde hair that was curled to perfection. She had on a same colored dress as I, but hers was definitely more costly and instead of white flats like me she had six inch heels. She looked young, but not a natural young, the youth she had on her face was only achieved under a knife and a ton of money.

Even though the two didn't look anything alike I quickly knew they were my step family and the woman quickly rose from her chair and gave her son a threatening glare and made her way over to me.

"Emma" she smiled, and her perfect teeth lit up the room. She looked fake but sounded kind, and I couldn't help but smile at her motherly tone that reminded me of my mother.

She pulled me in for a hug and I didn't pull away like I had done with my father. This woman didn't do anything wrong to me, and there was no reason for me to not at least be kind to her. So I hugged her back and let her grip my shoulders as she examined me from an arms length distance.

"You're absolutely beautiful, darling" she smiled again and I felt the same happen to me, the same words that my mother often used on me were coming from this woman's lips and The similar sound made me want to cry and laugh at the same time.

"James, dear , come meet your new sister"

Wey hey.

I know I said i wasn't going to update that often and whatnot but this technically isn't an update it's just me editing this chapter which was shit btw.

So yeah pls comment my 1 reader (aka mom) or vote or pray to satan either one works.

- Stevie (I'm a girl btw)