Having been brought up by a wealthy father and a glamorous mother, Katelyn's life is going just as she hoped it always would. For the majority of the time. As fate would have it thougj, something or someone is going to plunge unexpectedly into her life and it will never be the same again. Follow Katelyn's story as she experiences love, life, happiness and pain.
Chapter 1 Whispers in the Dark
I raked my brush through my dark hair. It's long, thick, and the auburn tint is only visible in the sunlight. Given that I was already late, I didn't have time to do anything fancy with it. My gaze dropped to the necklace my mom gave me when I was little. I absolutely loved it; it had a very vintage style. It looked priceless yet simple, and my mother claimed it had been in her family for generations.
I'm Katelyn Melanie Gilbert, proclaimed as one of the popular girls in high school. Everyone saw me as the spoiled mean girl who always gets what she wants. Sometimes the false perception people have of me bothers me. I am not mean; I am outspoken. I am not spoiled; I am privileged.
I sighed and stood up from my dressing table. It was Monday. I hated this day with a passion, as any 16-year-old tenth grader would.
"Mom!" I called out, and minutes later, she appeared in the doorway, leaning against it. "Have you seen my black Chanel bag anywhere?" I asked.
"Did you check your bottom drawer? You always leave stuff there and forget about them, sweetie," she said with a slight smile. She walked further into my room; her movement was effortlessly elegant.
Lucky Melissa Gilbert is a very beautiful woman, and I'm not even being biased because she's my mother. For a woman in her forties, she could easily pass for her early thirties. Almost everyone says I look like her, although I don't have her green eyes. They're her most beautiful feature. Sometimes I wish I had them too, but I have my dad's eyes instead. Not that I'm complaining.
I think I unconsciously idolize my mother, though I'd never admit it-not to her or even myself. I don't even know why.
I went to the drawer next to my closet and pulled at the bottom one. Sure enough, I found my bag under a heap of stuff I'd been looking for. I made a mental note to always check here first when I lost something.
"Thanks," I said to her when I turned back.
"Sure," she replied, sitting on the edge of my double bed. That's when I noticed she was dressed for work. She wore a mid-length beige dress and black heels. Her long hair was tied into a neat chignon. She looked professional and chic.
"Can we talk?" she asked. I sighed. "I'm late, Mom. Can't we talk later?" I said, shoving my stuff into my bag.
"This won't take long, Katelyn," she said, patting the empty space next to her. She used her no-nonsense tone, and when she did, there was no arguing with her. I obliged, settling next to her.
"This is about your little sister," she said, and I threw up my hands.
"What about her?" I asked, exasperated. She gave me a hard look, and I fell silent.
"You know what," she said, then sighed. "Janie feels like you're neglecting her. She thinks you don't like her," she added.
"That's crazy. I love her," I said, and she nodded.
"I know, but she needs to hear that and see it from you," she said. "You're her big sister, Katelyn. She looks up to you. It wouldn't hurt to pay some attention to her," she added, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"Janie is not exactly lacking friends, Mom," I pointed out. She gave me a knowing look.
"You know that's not what I meant," she said. "Spend time with her. Go to the movies or the beach or something. It would mean a lot to her," she added. I groaned, giving up.
"Fine, I'll go talk to her," I said. She kissed my cheek, stood up, and left.
I shook my head and finished getting ready. My mom's gift is persuasion. No wonder she has Dad wrapped around her finger.
When I was done, I walked out of my room, closing the door behind me, and headed toward Janie's, which was around the corner from mine. I knocked and heard her reply to come in. She seemed slightly surprised to see me walk in. She looked ready for school too, though she was still in middle school.
"Katelyn!" she beamed, and I smiled at her. My 12-year-old little sister was a bag of sweet potatoes. She was sweet but a little obnoxious sometimes, which is why I liked to steer clear of her. I never thought my doing so would hurt her feelings.
She had the same black hair that ran in our family, but her blue eyes were lighter than the rest of ours.
"Hey, Janie. Want to do something fun after school?" I asked. She quickly nodded, obviously excited. I chuckled at her reaction. "Okay, we'll chat later, okay?" I asked, and she eagerly agreed.
I went down the hallway and descended the long staircase. The mansion I called home was as breathtaking from the outside as it was on the inside. It could go from being my sanctuary to my personal hell with the crazy family I had. I loved every single one of them, but getting on each other's nerves was inevitable. Or was that just my teenage angst talking?
I paused when I saw my mom and dad in the kitchen. She was laughing with her head back, and my dad was smiling at her with his arm around her waist and a cup of coffee in the other hand.
I smiled at the scene in spite of myself. I don't think I fully understand the love they share-blame it on my age or whatever. But I live in a society that doesn't believe in true love or its existence. It was good to see that it was real, and I hoped that one day I'd get to experience it myself.
They were cute but still nauseating sometimes; they're still my parents, after all. I bent down and walked between them, purposely hinting for them to stop. I guess they got the message because they gave each other a knowing look.
"Morning, angel," Dad said as I grabbed the fresh toast off the toaster and quickly buttered it.
"Hi, Dad," I replied. I had given up trying to get him to stop calling me by that nickname. I quickly took in his well-suited appearance. My dad was a world-renowned corporate mogul, and that also came with some media attention. The name Jesse Gilbert meant a lot of things to many people, but to me, he was just my dad. My overprotective, sweet, but sometimes annoying father.
I took another bite out of the crispy slice as I made my way out of the kitchen island.
"Your brother left a couple of minutes ago," Mom said.
I shrugged. "Okay," I said lamely; I didn't really care about JT's whereabouts.
"And Janie-?" Dad probed, and I rolled my eyes.
"Don't worry, Dad. Mom already gave me the 411. She and I are going to have some sisterly bonding after school," I said, and he flashed me a brilliant smile.
"I have to go. Bye," I said, giving them both quick hugs and rushing out toward the garage. Our massive garage was an automobile exhibition. I got into my silver Jaguar XK convertible, inhaling the brand-new car smell and smiling to myself.
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