Oblivious Hearts: Chapter 1

The wind's breeze was amazing. I lay there on the sand, looking towards the sky, smiling at the stars. How peaceful. How awesome it would be to be stars that form constellations. I sighed deeply and looked at my loved ones. 

“Hey, Flora! Come and join in!" Tiya said, beaming at me. 

I ignored her. These people know very little. The nature is a beautiful thing. Especially star gazing. It’s so wonderful. The peacefulness. And all they want it to party! Don't they get it? 

"No thanks, Tee. I think, I'll just lie here." I replied to her. 

"Really? You don't want to get yourself dirty, right? " 

"Who cares as long as I like it? " 

Tiya came and sat next to me on the fine shiny, brown sand. She was my twin sister. But we were nothing alike. We had different desires and everything else but we ended up being sisters. 

"Okay. Though I have never liked what you do during beaches and everywhere we go for parties, I'm going to try what you do. Now, what the hell are you doing?” Tiya asked me. 

"Oh, don't go boncus now. Well, you know, I'm a nature person. And the night's so beautiful isn't it? The stars and --" 

"You're star gazing, aren't you? Okay, let's try that then." 

One thing about Tiya is that she gets my point. Pretty fast. So, it’s not like she turned out to be a total disaster. She's pretty sweet and helpful. And the person who chooses amazing clothes for me. It’s because of her, I get compliments during occasions. 

Together, we both stared at the sky. I smiled each time I saw a bright dot. I started to form constellations. I had found 3 so far. Tiya must have found none because she doesn't know how to form them. She needs a guide book or something. 

"I don't know how you find this fascinating. I can't even see any stars. Its just a plain old night. What's so special about them? I can't see anything!" Tiya turned towards me and said. 

With great confidence, I said, "Tee, you don't just stare at them. You have to feel them. Look at the sky carefully." 

Tiya tried again but she couldn't take it anymore. She sat on her knees and looked towards me. She kept looking at me. I know what her expression meant. It meant to ask me, "Why are you so crazy? Can't you get on with the crowd?" 

So, before she asked, I spit out the answer. "Tee, being different is so... "Dazzling" in your words. And not everyone has to fit with the crowd. Be yourself." 

Tiya shook her head, and helped herself to get up. She walked away from me and I saw her getting a drink. 

Oh, Lord! There she goes again. 

"Flo, darling! C'mon. We have to go home!" Lillian, my step-mother said to me. 

I hate Lilly. She's so bossy. You know, the regular step-mother's can be evil, but not so much like Lilly. She so friendly with us around dad, but in the morning when he's off to work? Do NOT ask. A whole different person she is. Thankfully, tomorrow, me and Tiya are going to London to do our degree. First year. Our whole childhood to graduation has been in California. A change is always needed. Both us are super excited. Going to London, with no parents. Wow! 

"Coming..." I groaned. I took my slippers and walked back to the tent. 

Tiya came running towards me with her drink. She almost dropped her glass but didn't. She said, "Hey, Flo. Do you know that we're going to be staying with Grandma Deliria in London?" 

"Really? We haven't seen her for awhile. That'd be nice. " I replied back to her. I wasn't really in the mood. I yawned and got into the car. The Christmas party was fun but it was freezing outside. I couldn't wait to go to London! 

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I sat on my couch, with a cup of hot coffee in my hand. My hair was tied back, and I was dressed in a robe. Nothing was better than a hot coffee and a magazine to read in the morning. It was 7 in the morning and we had to leave to the airport by 11. Tiya was still asleep. God knows, how many glasses of wine she drank last night! 

I got up to my legs and reached out to my bathroom handle. I gently opened the door, got in, and took a bath. I slipped into my skin-tight jeans and a black, floral top. I went downstairs to get something to eat for breakfast. I tiptoed down the hall, not wanting to make Lillian wake up.  One squeaky step, and that’s all you need to get screamed at by Lillian.

I made my way to the kitchen, and made a cup of hot chocolate with cream on top for Tiya. Then I made pancakes for me and my sister. I put them all in a tray and walked back upstairs and into my room. I kept the tray aside and woke Tiya up. She groaned and stretched her hands. Tiya sat up and looked at the clock. She slapped her hand on the head.

“Flora, its just 7.30 in the morning! It’s too early. I’m going back to bed.” Tiya said, grabbing the blanket and covering her whole body.

I pulled back the blanket and grinned. “You should be glad to have a sister who brings food to the minute you wake up. I made some pancakes and a warm cup of hot chocolate. You’ll feel better, I bet on it!”

Tiya jumped out her bed, and drank her hot chocolate in a gulp and finished her pancakes in a blink of an eye. She fell on her bed laughing, badly. Wonder what made her so high. I got up and ate my pancakes and we fell in together laughing. I had no idea why we were, that it came out so loud, Lillian came into our room.

“You girls just won’t stop irritating your mother, will you? When have you ever shown any respect for me?” Lillian screamed at us.

I scowled at her and said, “Well, mother. We were sorry to wake you up but if you haven’t noticed, it is our last day at California. So, we just wanted to have a hearty laugh before we leave. Also, you need to drop us at the airport by 11.”

“Get your mother to drop you! I don’t want to drop you little brats to the airport. You don’t deserve anything.”

I saw Tiya getting mad, and she walked up to Lilly.

Uh- oh. This is bad.

“You very well know that Annie’s not here and she’s gone for a research. Dad assigned you to drop us, and if you don’t, we’ll just tell them. And you know, Flora has been recording things whenever you scream at us.” She spoke to her. “You wouldn’t want to let any of that flow out to dad, right?”

Recording? What?

Lillian stared at us with her face disgusted and growly. She stormed off the room. I shook my head, and closed the bedroom’s door, leaving only me and Tiya. I gave her a funny expression and went to pack my luggage. I still had a few things to put into my luggage, and then we were off.

I couldn’t wait!