A Flower in the Breeze (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Chapter 1: A Girl's Cries in the Night

The sun beat down on the hot summer's day. Children were screaming and splashing could be heard from the pool across the street. Charlotte gave a board sigh as she kicked the soccer ball around her large yard; her curly red hair pulled back from her splotchy face. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she kicked the ball straight into the center of the goal. She wished she was at school or hanging out with friends; anything besides the lonely boring practice her family threw upon her in the rare instance that they were home.

Letting out another unhappy breath she retrieved her ball and moved into her house. To the outside eye she looked like a normal sporty girl, but to her she was nothing but a girl forced into being something she wasn't. Jogging over to the bench she placed the ball down and stared into the window. She saw her parents getting ready to leave and, once again, on the verge of another fight. Her jaw clenching and a piercing look in her striking green eyes, she stormed into the house and to one of the living rooms.

"So, you guys are leaving again?" She asks, entering the extravagantly elegant sitting area. The room was bright with pure white wall paper that didn't have even a smudge to show in any hidden corner. The room itself was larger than most apartments and was lavishly decorated with live plants and beautiful furniture. A large television sat in front of a couch that could easily fit 6 people and a small dog. In the middle of the ceiling hung a crystal chandelier larger than Charlotte's 5'2 figure.

"I'm sorry Honey, but there was a call back for the audition. We have to go or we could miss our chance to be in a movie franchise as big as this." Her mother states with a caring tone laced in her melodic voice. Emilia Willhardt, an actress whose good looks and personality have earned her a top-notch acting career. She's played so many movies and tv shows that it's hard to count. That isn't to say that her acting is anything to scoff at though. Changing rolls as quickly as a drama queen changes moods she's got quite a bit of talent. "Plus! This could be your father's big break!" she was as giddy as a kid in a candy store when she said this. Staring into her forest green eyes, Charlotte's own lost some of their angry spark. It was hard to be upset at such kind and genuine eyes. Emilia's dark, chocolate colored arms wrapped around Charlotte and gave her a tight squeeze. A small laugh came from the teenage girl as she returned the tight hug; her mother's ebony, silky, curly hair tickling her face as she kissed Charlotte's forehead. Before long a cough was heard from her father.

"Emia, it's time to go. She needs to get back to her practice and we need to catch our flight." In a stark contrast to her mother, Carson Willhardt's eyes hardened when he addressed his daughter. He was showing his unique skin like it was a trophy. It was similar in likeness to a burning log, pale with streaks of almond coloring. His fiery ginger hair was slicked back with a couple strands hanging out of order adding to the campfire aesthetic. He was also an actor, but wasn't nearly as known as her mother. "Your child better not waste her time on something stupid while we're gone." He refused to look at Charlotte or actually acknowledge her directly.

This caused Emilia to sigh, "Carson. She's our daughter, and she works just as hard as we do to succeed." She gives her daughter a soft smile.

"You're the one who wanted to keep her, so that makes her your daughter."

"Don't say that in front of her! You're just as much of her parent as I am." Emilia's voice raised slightly.

"Don't you raise your voice at me Emilia. I can say what I want in front of her; she is not my daughter. She nearly killed you!" His face turned red with anger.

"That wasn't her fault! We couldn't have known that was going to happen! The important thing is that we both survived and we're here now!" Emilia retorted her usually kind voice growing angry and defiant.

As Carson was about to respond he looks at his watch and growls, "We'll finish this conversation in the car, we're going to miss our plane. Tell your child to go to her room and stay there until dinner. She'll practice twice as hard when we get back." Before Emilia could continue her side of the argument, Carson grabbed her arm and stormed through the door after composing himself to keep up appearances.

Charlotte seemed at a loss of all emotion. Her mind, heart, and even her limbs were numb. She made her way to her room only to sit against her door and break out every emotion at once in a solid stream of tears. Wails could be heard from the servants in other rooms. Each person knowing that the poor 17 year old was inconsolable.

Hours later her tears had stopped and she sat at the dining hall made for feasts of 20+ people. She sat at the smallest table and kept a blank stare at the blaring tv. Her eyes scanned the channels that passed as she ate her specially requested mac and cheese. Before long a news station caught her eye as a familiar face was shown. A beautiful woman with dark skin and curly hair with a caption of "Popular Actress Found Dead After Car Wreck." Everything seemed to stop for Charlotte at that moment. The only things bringing her back to reality were the sound of her spoon clattering against her bowl, and the feeling of hot tears once again dripping down her face and hitting her hands. A seething pain welled in her chest as her throat burned with unspoken screams. Her breathing got shallow and her hands shook. She tried to take a drink of water for her dry mouth, but all it did was tighten her stomach and make her queasy. Those around her tried to console her, but she couldn't hear anything except a ringing in her ears that got louder as her breath got quicker. At some point one of the guards had picked her up and started taking her to the in house doctor. Her eyes began to show her dark spots that fade in and out of existence. They got bigger and bigger until that was all she could see. Suddenly everything stopped. Her breathing evened out and her body loosened from its tense state as she blacked out. At the back of her mind from her new dream-like state she hears, ". . . Time. It is almost time. . ." though she couldn't make out what was before and after she soon drifted into an otherwise dreamless sleep.