Twilight Requiem

Nuisance

The next day, Nyx went out of her room to have breakfast, but as soon as she got to the kitchen, she was greeted by her stepmother’s slap.

“You got the nerve to come back here!”

Elaine, her stepmother, spat.

“How dare you leave the house and go to god knows where without even telling us?!” Elaine hissed as Natalia smirked while sipping her orange juice.

Nyx cupped her stinging cheek and looked at her stepmother.

“I just took the gift from my mother’s colleague, my own godfather. What’s wrong about that?” she replied.

“What’s wrong? You did not tell anyone in this house!”

Elaine spat, and Nyx looked at her intently.

“So, you can take my gift and give it to Natalia? Not a chance. It’s mine, so I used it,” she retorted.

Elaine gritted her teeth and grabbed Nyx’s shoulder.

“Natalia deserves that vacation more than you,” she said in a low voice.

Nyx pulled away from her hold and replied.

“Why? She didn’t even graduate.”

Nyx then smirked when her stepmother was taken aback. She then made her way to the table and sat down next to her little sister, Esther. She is her father's and Elaine’s youngest daughter. Unlike Natalia, Esther is very sweet, and she loves Nyx very much. She is closer to her than to Natalia.

Nyx started eating her breakfast and even helped Esther eat hers. Elaine was still grumbling when she sat back next to Natalia. She took a sip of her coffee and then looked at Nyx.

“Nicola, I need you to clean the entire house and front lawn today. Your father is going to have his friends over tonight.” Elaine said.

Nyx looked at her stepmother.

“Just me?”

“Why not make your lazy daughter help?” she responded, and Natalia gawked at her, surprised by what she said.

“Natalia and I will be going out today, shopping. So, the chores fall on your lazy bum,” Elaine told her.

Nyx arched her eyebrow and pointed her fork at Natalia.

“If I am a lazy bum who studies and works part-time, what do you call her? A sloth?”

Nyx said, infuriating Natalia, slamming her hand on the table.

“You b***h! You are this family’s slave, so you do all the work!” Natalia spat, but Nyx just snorted.

“Well, this slave owns the house you are currently living in. How about that?”

Nyx spat back.

Natalia was about to speak, but her mother grabbed her hand, stopping her.

“Just do what you are asked, Nicola. Your father is expecting everything to be spotless by tonight. Besides, I will be the one cooking dinner. You just have to clean the bloody house,” Elaine spoke.

Nyx looked at her.

“Fine. I’ll clean, but I suggest you order takeout. We don’t want to give our guests food poisoning,” Nyx said, smirking.

When Elaine had no comeback, she grabbed a bagel and got up from her seat. Esther, who was giggling, also got up from her seat and went with Nyx. After they left, Natalia turned to her mother.

“Why did you stop me from putting her in her place?” Natalia whined.

“Sshh.”

Elaine shushed her daughter.

“Until we are able to get this house under our name, we cannot antagonize her too much. Let her brag about this house; soon, even this will be taken from her, and when that happens, we will kick her out,” Elaine told her.

Natalia smirked.

“That’s something to look forward to then.”

**********************************.

Nyx did what Elaine told her to do. She started cleaning the floors and walls, making sure they were spotless. She vacuumed every corner of the house and even changed the curtains and all the tablecloths. And while they were being washed, she polished every surface and made sure the whole house was immaculate.

All the cleaning could have been difficult, but her little sister Esther helped her a little, even gave her iced-cold drinks. Nyx was glad the little girl didn’t inherit Elaine and Natalia’s bitchy attitude.

Once she was done inside the house, she started tidying up the lawn. Esther put away the toys she scattered all over the lawn so Nyx could mow the grass. Nyx was peacefully mowing when she heard a honk.

She turned towards the street and saw their school’s most popular guy, Edward, and the rest of his minions. He is her schoolmate and the popular midfielder of their school’s soccer team. Students, especially female students, may see Edward as God’s gift to mankind because he is handsome, comes from a good family, is talented in sports, and is sweet.

Nyx knew that behind his façade was the real him, who was an asshole, a bully, and a self-centered jerk who likes to play with girls, emotionally and physically. Natalia has a huge crush on him, and Nyx thinks that they belong with each other.

Nyx scowled as she met Edward’s eyes.

Edward drove a roofless Jeep, and he stood up on the seat while looking at Nyx. He was smiling like a lunatic that almost made Nyx run him over with the lawn mower.

Throughout high school, Edward and his varsity friends never paid attention to her at all, but when they were close to graduating, he started winking at her, talking to her, and giving her all his attention.

It's something that the other girls on campus got jealous of, and something Nyx never wanted – attention. Besides, she knows that it only meant one thing: she is their next target.

“Long time no see, sweetheart!” Edward smiled, flashing Nyx his charming smile, which made her roll her eyes.

Edward is indeed handsome; charming, and his smile has swooned not just the students but the teachers as well. But to Nyx, that smile just made her want to punch him in the face.

“What do you want?” Nyx asked.

“Come join us for coffee,” Edward said.

“No thanks,”

Nyx said, turning away from him and continuing to mow their lawn. Edward just smiled at her cold response.

“Okay. I’ll see you later then,”

Edward smirked before taking his seat and driving away. Nyx shook her head, dismissing what he said and just focused on her tasks.

***********************************.

Later that night, Nyx prepared all the food that Elaine and Natalia bought from the restaurant. Placed them into fancy dishes and arranged the table.

“Is everything ready?”

Nyx turned around and saw her father, George.

“Yes, Dad. I cleaned the house, and the food is all ready,” I replied.

He checked the table and nodded his head.

“Good. My friends held important positions in the neighborhood, so I need to make a good impression,” he said, and then he looked at her.

“Don’t make a scene,” he lowly hissed, and I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, Dad. The wine I bought from my trip is already chilling in the fridge,”

I told him.

“Oh yeah, about that trip. Don’t ever leave like that without even saying a word, and if Celestino gives you another gift like that, don’t accept it,”

George told his daughter.

“Why? It's not like you will give me one,” Nyx responded, and he scowled.

He was about to retort when Elaine and Natalia came down the stairs.

“The guests will soon be here,” Elaine said.

“Where is Esther?” George asked.

“I have taken her to her room so she can get ready,” I answered.

“Let her sleep this one out. This dinner is not suitable for children anyway,” he said, and I nodded.

Soon, Nyx’s father’s guests arrived one by one. They praised their home for its cleanliness and how it felt warm and cozy. Elaine, who was playing host, greeted the guests and served them drinks while they lounged in the living room.

As Nyx came downstairs from checking on Esther, she saw her father’s guests. She recognized some of them as her father’s close friends, his best buddies from high school, and one of them had brought his son, and she knew him.

Edward.

He then walked towards Nyx.

“I told you I’d see you later,” he said, winking at her.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“My dad is friends with your dad. What a small world,” Edward said as Nyx glanced at her dad and the man that looked like Edward.

“No s**t,” she mumbled.

Edward chuckled.

“So, how about we grab some coffee after this dinner?” he asked.

Nyx just looked at him as Natalia came down from the stairs. When she saw Edward in the hallway, she almost squealed like a banshee, making Nyx roll her eyes.

Nyx then left to go to the kitchen, leaving Edward with Natalia.

Soon, it was time to eat, and one by one, they all piled into the dining room and occupied each vacant seat at the table. But when Nyx was about to sit down, no other seats were available. Natalia looked at Nyx with a condescending smile.

“Sorry, the table’s full,” she said.

“You can eat in the kitchen,” George told Nyx, who just took a deep breath and nodded her head.

Nyx was used to that kind of treatment. No one in that family treated her like she belonged there, except for Esther. So, she made her way to the kitchen, and Edward’s eyes followed her. Nyx sighed loudly when she got to the kitchen and looked at the containers with little food in them. She just ate what she could and started cleaning up.

When she was washing the dishes, she suddenly felt lightheaded. She grabbed the edge of the sink to steady herself, but she still felt like her head was floating off her shoulders. She thought about how tired she was all day, and she had little food to eat.

Nyx then shook her head, trying to get her head to settle and finish what she was doing, but it seemed like her body had plans of its own. A wave of dizziness hit her, and at the same time, her knees gave out.

Next thing she knew, her back pressed against a muscular chest, and warm hands grabbed her arms, steadying her. Nyx turned around and was surprised to see Edward holding her. Nyx’s eyes widened, and she pulled away from him.

“W-What are you doing here?” she asked, turning off the faucet.

“I was looking for the loo,” Edward replied.

“It's not here. It’s the door next to the stairs,” she told him and turned away from him.

Edward remained standing there, looking at Nyx from behind. He was looking at her with a lewd expression that made Nyx feel like the hair on the back of her neck was all standing.

“What are you doing?”

Nyx asked, turning around and facing Edward, who looked at her face.

“I was actually looking for you. I feel bad that you didn’t get to eat dinner properly at the table, so why don’t you let me take you out to eat? I know a diner,” he said.

Nyx gave him a bored look and responded.

“No thanks. I’m already full.”

“I insist. Your family shouldn’t treat you like that.”

Edward pressed, and Nyx crossed her arms over her chest.

“I am used to it, and please don’t act as if you care. It doesn't fit well with your persona,” she sneered.

Edward dramatically put his hand on his chest.

“Ouch. You are cold. You have always been so cold towards people in school; no wonder no one has ever asked you out. But I am not like them. You see…” he trailed, taking a step closer to her.

“I have my eyes on you for a while now, and I thought maybe you are just so focused on school that’s why you ignore all those guys trying to get your attention. I gave you space, but now that we are out of school, I think it's time for me to take a chance on you.” He said, and Nyx narrowed her eyes at him.

“What are you trying to say?” she asked.

“I am trying to ask you out on a date. Coffee or dinner, your choice,” he answered, smirking as if he knew that she would say yes.

Before Nyx could answer, Natalia came into the kitchen, and she was surprised to see how close Nyx and Edward were to each other.

“What is happening here?” she asked while smiling, but deep inside, she was seething with jealousy.

Nyx smirked.

“Yes, Edward. Natalia will definitely want to have a coffee date with you.”

Nyx spoke, looking at Edward, before pushing past him and leaving the kitchen. Natalia was grinning ear to ear, looking at Edward, who was shaking his head while smiling.