And I knew I was done for, as he carried me in his two arms and before I knew it, I was in another black London cab. He just kidnapped me... and no one noticed through his smart move. He did this on purpose, so that we looked like a couple, so that...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Hoshiko
For the first time, I got to actually see where I was. He made me follow him out of the room and I went down the grandiose staircase.
I realised it was becoming dark as I continued walking with him, until he finally stopped by a doorway and signalled for me to go in.
I shouldn't have gone inside, but there was no way to escape. So I stepped through the golden frames, to find the unexpected:
None other than Belladonna, all dressed up like she was going to a prom, sitting at this banquet table in the center of the room, with an elderly woman by her side. For all I knew, she could have been the queen of some country.
Everything just seemed overly rich and exaggerated.
I heard the doors close harshly immediately behind me, not being able to say anything.
"Have a seat, why don't you?" The old lady said, her voice warm but mixed with a tinge of fake - it seemed so familiar, like I had heard it somewhere.
And so I went to sit, trying to find what was up with kidnapping the both of us. Who was this lady?
"I thought you were only meeting me, Grandmother, what has she--" Belladonna complained enraged.
"Quiet, Bella! That is not the way you welcome guests, let alone your own cousin!", the old lady said calmly before turning to me in the most gracious manner, "Welcome, to this house Hoshiko, you seem better now that I had Jane take care of you."
I realised she was talking about the maid earlier who gave me food, but decided to stay quiet.
"Look, I know you must be confused dear, but you must know that I am you grandmother and--"
"That is not possible. Just because you might be Belladonna's grandmother, does not make you mine. I am not part of this house, because... well, because that would be ridiculous! Thank you for kidnapping me very much and feeding me and dressing me in these pyjamas that I could never afford. Now if you are done, then I want to go home, back to my mother, whom you do not know." I stood up from my seat, fed up.
"I designed those pyjamas." she said most calmly, amidst my storm, making me stop in my tracks.
"You designed these pyjamas. What are you? Mel Yu the famous designer or something? You can't be serious, you--" I laughed at her - it all seemed like a joke.
"My name is Melinda Yume." she said, in the most serious tone, and my eyes just widened in shock. Belladonna seemed to not be surprised - in fact she seemed to be stirring quietly in annoyance and anger. "Now if you would please sit down dear granddaughter, it would make it so much more easier for me. No, you can't go home, because your mother is currently out of the country. She is very, very far away, busied with some emergency."
"I want to call her." I demanded.
"Yes, of course, do it later. I don't want you fainting again so please eat and then you'll get your phone." she said, then continuously stared at me with a firm gaze, until I realised she wanted me to sit down. Hesitantly, I did as she said. "Good." she replied at my action, "Now I shall leave the both of you to talk, as I have some business to attend to." And so she hurried out, immediately on her phone, talking to someone.
Just me and Belladonna were left. But then she also decided to leave, giving me a sharp glare before storming out without a word.
I was left baffled, confused, in the company of food that could feed about a dozen people, with dishes that had names that I could probably never pronounce.
Repeating what just happened in my head, I thought:
