Chapter 1

Tears and Raindrops

"Miss Lehman!" someone exclaims.

I try to sit up quickly but a sharp pain shoots through my neck and I clutch it with my hand.

"Why in the world are you sleeping on the window seat?"

I look up at the person who was talking to me. My eyes meet a skinny blond with soft green-brown eyes. She wore the standard servant outfit, black dress with a white apron and black flats. She wore no head bonnet thingy so I think she is a higher ranking maid. Probably my personal maid.

"I guess I fell asleep watching the sunset last night." I say as I stand up and walk to my bed.

"Ah, yes. I love the view from here. It is a wonderful landscape." she smiles at me.

"I have a question." she states and she turns to face me completely. "Would you like me to be a normal, practical handmaid or... a sister-like one."

I look at her, a bit confused of the question.

"I mean do you want me to be like," She straitens up and, with a formal voice, blankly says, "Your cloths are hung in the washroom. Would you like me to draw up a hot bath, Madam."

I didn't understand what she meant. That is how all my previous maids acted. She surprised me with a smile and grabbed my hands. "Come on. You are going to love this."

She basically pulled me all the way to the bathroom. She swung the door open and... I froze. Never in my life have I seen such a bathroom! It was big with a large hot tub and colorful walls and towels. I took a deep breath of the rose scent filled air and all my body just relaxed.

"I already ran you hot tub and added some rose scent. I also asked Mr. Albert to bring some roses up and place them around the room." She smiles. "I hope you like roses, if you don't... well, I don't know what we will do."

I smile.

I SMILE! I haven't smiled out of joy in a long time. When my father has business parties, I have to formally smile all the time. But it is never real like this.

"So..." The maid turns and takes both of my hands. "Which one."

I smile widely.

"Definitely sister like."

She turned and lead me to the changing "By the way. My name is Elisa White."

oOOOo

After I had soaked for a while in the tub, I got dressed in a white summer dress and Elisa painted my toe nails while we talked and laughed about... well... anything!

She finished painting the last nail and closed the nail polish and smiled.

"Have you ever been in New York?" she asks.

"No" I answer plainly.

"Well, if you give me a few minutes to change I will take you to see the city. If you want."

I nod and she gets up to leave.

"Elisa." she looks at me. "Thank you."

She nods. "It's my pleasure."

When my nails finally dry I take a pair of white sandals and go downstairs to the living room.

When I am settled on the couch I bend over to put on my shoes.

I hear a door click open and a voice travels to my ears. I sit still so I can hear it.

"Yes, Sir." I recognize the voice as my fathers. "We will be proud to visit you. Yes, Camryn will love visiting China this time of year. No, there is no problem with staying for a while."

My breathing stops. Leaving already! No... Noway.

"Thank you, Sir. See you tomorrow night."

Tomorrow!

I hear his feet walking towards me. I stand quickly and turn towards him.

He seems a little startled that I am there but I didn't scare him. I never scare him.

"Oh, Camryn. I was about to come an find you. How do you like it here?" he smiles. A business smile, like I'm some customer he needs to please.

"Cut it, Dad." I spit. "I heard everything. Did you expect me to go along with it?"

"I didn't expect you to know till we were on our way to the airport." He states blankly.

"So you were going to lie to me!" I yell.

"Calm down, Camryn, and listen." He says calmly.

Calm down! What?!

"No, Dad. You listen to me!" I begin to pace in front of the couch. All these years I've listened to him. I need him to understand that I'm done.

"I am sick and tired of moving around the world like your personal suitcase! I want to stay here for a while, but you... you don't care about what I want. All you can think about is the next business investor!" I feel tears tearing at my eyes but I push them back. "I'm done."

He looks away for a moment and bites his lip. Hes always been hansom. He is a whole foot taller than me with broad shoulders, green eyes and dark brown hair.

"I have done all of this for us. All of it. If I don't continue with the contract we will lose millions of dollars. When we're done with this deal we can discuss your teen... hormones."

I was taken aback. He has been stern before, but that was cruel. He turns to leave, but he didn't get far.

"If mom were alive she would've taken time for me." I say almost under my breath, but he heard me. I could almost see him grind his teeth. He turns quickly and looks into my eyes. It almost scared me, how cold his eyes were. But deep inside, I think I saw pain. But is that possible?

"Your mother isn't here, Camryn. Get used to it." he thrusts his finger into his chest. "You listen to me. I am your father, and your authority." He took a few breaths to vent anger. "Now go pack your bags. We leave in the morning."

He turns and disappears into his office, slamming the door behind him.

I deflated. That is the literal feeling. A deflated party balloon. All my tears I had held in just escaped, flowing like a waterfall.

No... no...no.

I turn and run. RUN.

Out the front door, down the street, around a corner. I don't care where. I don't care how far. Just away.

I run for a long time. Longer than I've ever run, before.

The whole time I was thinking.

"He can't possibly be so cold. Get over it? Get over my mother dying. Yeah, I don't remember her but I am only human.

One thing that has scared my mind, is how it happened.

I was five. We were driving to a restaurant to meet my father. She had said that she had important news for us. But we never got there. Our tires hit a sheet of ice and..." More tears flood my eyes. "The car flipped... and the next thing I know. I see flashes of blood. The next thing I know I wake up in the hospital and they try to explain to me that I would never see her again. My mind continues to race as I walk. I just walk... and walk... and walk. The next time I look up I am surrounded by ginormous skyscrapers. Obviously I was out of the house area, and into downtown. I return to my original position, crossed arms and eyes fixed on my shoes. In a few minutes I begin to feel rain drops on my shoulders and head. I stop abruptly and look to the heavens.

"You just really hate me, don't you."

I don't stop for long, cause I begin to move my legs.

Rain, Tears, and Walking.

Hey guys!

Here's chapter 1. Hope you like it. If you do REVIEW!