What Lies Beneath

Chapter One

"Hey Pa, do you think I'm gonna be pretty like you some day?" a 10 year old Yulee pondered as she watched a 14 year old Topanga straighten her hair. Just then Topanga stopped, set down her hair straightener and peered over at her younger sibling and flashed her a sincere smile.
"Le, you're already pretty." The eldest Portier replied with a sigh and motioned for her younger sister to come closer. Prancing over to her sister with smile, Yulee sat in her sister's lap and they both faced the vanity mirror looking at their own reflections. Topanga stroked her hair affectionately.
"Do you mean it Pa. I don't feel pretty. All the boys pick on me at school. They call me mean names." Yulee said as she scrunched her nose up as she thought about all the mean things the boys at school would say to her. Topanga frowned and turned her sister so she was sitting sideways in her lap. Too deep in thought to meet her gaze, Topanga reached her hand up to her younger sisters chin and gently lifted it to meet her own gaze.
"Le, they only pick on you because they think you're cute. They obviously see how pretty you are and they like you." She finished her statement by placing a kiss to her younger sisters forehead. She could see Yulee's whole demeanor change as she scrunched her nose up in disgust.
"Ew! I am so not interested in those gross boys. I don't need a boy. I need a man." Yulee said as she held her chin high, stuck her nose up in the air and crossed her arms over her chest. This caused Topanga to burst into a fit of laughter, Yulee had looked at her confused as to why she would be laughing at her when she was clearly serious.
"You are 10! You don't need a man!" Topanga said as she started to tickle her younger sister. Yulee began to squirm and squeal at her sisters mentrations.
"Pa, stop it! You know I don't like tickles." She said in between breaths as her sister continued her torture. After a few more minutes of the innocent torture, her elder sister finally stopped and Yulee looked at her as if she was offended.
"You'll pay for tha.." her empty threat was cut off abruptly by their mother calling them down for breakfast. They both looked at each other and ran down the stairs of their two story home as fast as they could..

Yulee sighed as she remembered a fond, distant memory of her now deceased older sister. It was a bitter sweet memory. She had always thought Topanga was beautiful and Yulee would admit that she had envied her beauty, although she loved how her sister would always make her feel better about herself. Yulee closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before feeling the taxi come to a stopped.

The second eldest Portier peered up at their destination and smiled weakly. Her sister had lived here. This is where she had escaped to. She swallowed the the lump in her throat as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the taxi door. Yulee didn't waste any time in grabbing her things from the trunk of the taxi. She handed the driver his money and thanked him, although he had sped off before she could even finish her thanks.

Yulee rolled her eyes as she watched as the taxi disappeared into the distance. Yulee hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until she turned around and let out a heavy sigh and took in the sight before her. She must admit it was a beautiful log cabin on Lake Superior and while it wasn't huge. It was very modern. She hadn't expected this, but she was pleasantly surprised non-the-less. It was a beautiful home in itself and now it was hers, albeit she wish it didn't fall into her ownership due to her sister's passing.
Her brows knitted together and she looked at her feet. She would get to the bottom of this and she would give her sister the justice she so rightly deserved.

Yulee shook her head as if to try and clear her thoughts and took a deep breath of the fresh Wisconsin air. With shakey limbs, she made her way towards the house and up the steps through the front door. The house had a small front porch adorned with feminine decor. Even the front porch screamed that Topanga Portier lived here. Yulee reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the keys that had been given to by Topanga's lawyer. She had really left everything to Yulee. Her home, her car, her belongings, her money. Everything, Topanga had left her everything. It was unexpected to say the least due to her complete absence and lack of any communication with her for the last six years.

Setting her luggage to the side, Yulee placed the key in the door with shakey hands. She knew she had to do this. She had to go in, she had to face her even if it wasn't in there. Yulee knew she had to go in. She let out a breath before twisting the key and slowly pushing the door open.

The first thing Yulee had noticed when she opened the door was her scent. It smells of vanilla and cherry blossoms. A scent she would never forget. If not for the sound of running water that seemed to come from the back of the house, Yulee would have probably stood in the doorway just reveling in the familiar and comfortable scent for hours.

Leaving the door open, Yulee scanned her surroundings and pinpointed the kitchen. As quietly as she could she made her way over and pulled a large kitchen knife out of its holder. With the knife in hand, and Yulee on guard, she slowly made her way to the back or the house where the noise seemed to be coming from. She had stopped every few feet to listen out for any movement. She was shaking. That was undeniable. Once she reached the closed door in which the noise seemingly appeared to be coming from, she reached for the handle with her free hand.

She paused for a moment contemplating if she should really open the door. After a long pause of indecisiveness. She shook away her doubts and with a look absolute resolution, Yule slowly reached for the door handle and was about to turn the cold silver knob just as she heard the sound of the water being turned off and footsteps coming towards the door. Yulee quickly looked around her and as quietly as possible ran to an open room which appeared to be her sister's bedroom and hid under the bed.

Now, Yulee Marigold Portier was not one easily spooked. But given the current circumstances, she was not above hiding under the giant king sized bed from the unknown monster in her sis.. her home. She shook her head as if to shake away the thoughts of her late sister. Now was not the time to think about that she has decided. She was focused on keeping quite and still. Although easier said than done.

She was shaking like a wet, cold dog and breathing heavy when all of a sudden she held her breath and forced her body to seize its frantic shaking. The door to the room that the noise had been coming from had been opened, and unfortunately for her, the footsteps of the unknown intruder were heading directly for the room in which she was currently hiding under the bed in, like a scared little child.

She had heard the door to the room open as the unknown stranger entered the room and swiftly closed the door behind themself and what she saw next had a lump forming in her throat. She very clearly saw the towel drop to the floor and yes, she very clearly saw what appeared to be a man's bottom and yes. She acted exactly as a child would have and held in the urge to bust out into laughter and couldn't help but to shield her innocent eyes. She found herself praying to whom ever that this would be over with already. She was like a furnace. Her whole body burning with an odd, unfamiliar sensation.

With her eyes squeezed tight, she relies on her keen since of hearing and listened close to the rustling of clothing and only once did the ominous silence ensue did she open her eyes and remive her hands from in front of her blushing face.

Yule slowly and quietly peered out from her current position under the bed. Which in hindsight, had been a mistake on her part. Because once she had. She was met with the most stunning beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. But despite how mesmerizing they were. She couldn't help the scream that escaped her lips when the blue eyed man had reached a hand under the bed as if in an attempt to grab at her.

It was at this very point in time that Yulee had realized the position she had gotten herself into and accepted the fact that she was the dumb girl in every scary movie that always dies first. She laughed at her own insult to herself, which caused the man to pull his hand back and look at her as if she was utterly insane. Which, she most likely appeared to be. She had realized that no one in their right mind would be busting out into hysterics given the current situation. Maybe she was crazy, but she had saw her chance to escape. Her random outburst of laughter had created an opportunity for her to make her escape. Yulee had decided in that moment that she wanted to live. She was going to get out of her current situation alive. No matter what.

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First chapter is done! Please enjoy, like and comment. Constructive criticism is always welcomed.