Day one of school was complete, the afternoon school bus arrived at the gates of Trancy manor and boy was Alex keen to get off the bus. She began to walk towards the doors of the manor when she noticed her father standing at the stairs. "How was your big day, starting year 10?" Claude asked very coldly. Alex picked up on the tone and snapped back with "oh, it was great, so very ... amazing" as she walked away she gritted her teeth.
Once Alex entered the manor, she bolted up the red carpeted stairs and then ran straight to her room. Slamming the door shut and throwing her bag across the other side of the room while calming down her breath before she had an asthma attack. *knock knock* Claude waltzed in and saw his daughter sitting on the edge of her bed sobbing "Alex, if you need to talk, I will be doing diner preparations downstairs, you can keep me company if you like". Alex didn't know how to react after Claude left the room. She didn't have much time to think before she heard the sentence from one Alois Trancy "I am finally home!"
Alois was greeted kindly by Claude, Alex creeped out of her room and sat on the stairs waiting for the right moment to approach Alois but in the meantime she glared daggers at her father from the staircase. Alex hated to admit it but she missed Alois when he went away, he was so annoying but she felt a strong connection with him – one where they could talk about anything; he was almost like a brother.
Alex went back into her room and sat on her bed *knock knock* "it's only me Alex" Alois said in a whisper "are you still having father issues?" Alex did not even blink; she gave Alois a long stare that proved the obvious. Alois sat on the bed beside Alex and hugged her – an unexpected hug but the touch made her burst into tears.
"Dinner is prepared" Claude said, as he walked in he saw the two sitting on the bed with Alex in a deep hug. The two got up and walked towards the door to go out to the dining room – Alois was in the lead, Alex a few steps behind trying to hide tears before she was stopped "before you go to bed tonight, I would like a word with you". Alex shuddered and had to hold back more tears all through dinner.
Once diner was over … Alex's bedtime was 10pm at the latest so she had a little while to distract herself. The night sky was falling so Alex sat on her balcony for a long while playing her acoustic guitar. She checked the time, which was 8:40pm; her father would be tidying up after diner – perfect to sneak around in the cellar.
Alex made it into the cellar; she slowly walked down the stairs and came across some old baby photos of when she was young. When her hair was natural brown, not black and not coloured at all. Then she found what she was looking for, something that would pass the night away. Wine. The Trancy manor always had drinks in case parties were held. After snatching the wine Alex ran straight to her room and locked the door behind her, she put the drink down and went to sit on her balcony. It was now an hour until bed time – or until her father came in ... 'father' Alex silently sighed and poured some wine into a glass but stared at it not sure whether to drink it or not. Her legs began to get shaky so she jumped off from her seated position on the balcony and took a few steps back but didn't get far before she crashed into a tall, firm-chested figure … "dad, what are you doing here? You're early!" Alex asked while fearing for the worst.
Claude picked up the wine bottle and threw it over the balcony – making an almighty smash. Claude's golden eyes connected with his daughters hazel eyes "so, tell me why that was up here" Claude said that as if he felt a slight bit guilty. "It-it-it it's not mine …I just ..." Alex knew she was in trouble but she didn't want to show any fear. "No Alex, don't lie" Alex didn't want to hear the rest of what her father had to say so she ran out of the room. She didn't know where she was going – absolutely no idea. But she knew she wanted to hide, she didn't want to be around people.
Alois was peacefully lying on his bed when he heard all the noise, opening his door he saw someone go bolting down the stairs. Alois' instincts told him to follow even though he felt scared inside, he stayed in his room - he's not one for action. Alex ran into the dining room and lit some candles – she sat alone for about 20 minutes before Claude walked in holding a large dessert for one but carried with him two spoons. "Banana split, my ..." she got cut off "yes, you're favourite" Claude smiled (for once).
Alex was eating at one end; Claude was at the other "dad, I thought you couldn't taste human food". "I can't but …. For that you must be punished" Alex jumped up that fast that the chair she was sitting on fell over "Alex, by punish I was only playing – I was going to do … this" feeling guilty, Claude sat Alex back down and took the spoon she was eating off away. Alex stared at the banana split … then at her father "ok, now what ...?" claude raised a spoonfull of ice cream to his daughters lips "dad, you are not serious, are you?" *silence* "only partially" claude ended that sentance with a smirk "to be completely honest, I realise that I have been a shocking father " Who is this guy and what has he done with Claude? Alex accepted the spoon of ice cream but then she stormed out of the dining roomcreating an awkward atmosphere, she went back up to her bedroom. She wasn't angry, just upset that Claude only just realised. Only just realised!