Chapter 2

Edith I am Edith Rodriguez, the thespian princess of my dad. My favorite colors are pink and purple. I love teddy bears and Barbie dolls irrespective of my age. Though we are three children to our parents I am openly pampered and coddled among the three of us being the only girl. Henry used to complain about this being younger to me but Charles never bothered. He was the responsible older brother, always serious and studious child of my parents. Dad and mom were very happy for the good grades he always got and won the accolades from his teachers being the proud parents. I am the only child of my parents who still stays with them after attaining nineteen years of age. Whenever I try to fight with dad on this matter I always lose. Dad agrees to me with everything under the sun but to stay away from him. As a reply the one sentence I get from him is I am his most prized possession that he wishes to keep with him until I get married. Henry is pursuing his business analytics course staying in his campus hostel and my older brother Charles handles our businesses because dad is often busy in the hospital. Henry talks to me almost every day but Charles is too lordly and arrogant. He speaks to me once in a week and discusses only his favorite subject - my studies such a high and mighty cretin that he is. God knows what he does at work. He is too busy even to speak to his younger sister because probably his employees might be running away from him unable to bear his insolent bossiness. Last month I had a mishap at the club when I went to one of my friend's birthday party. Some rascal spiked my drink and I was about to go raped in my dropping consciousness. Luckily the security was behind me and I was rescued. Thanks to the scoundrel now I am not even allowed to go out for shopping or meet my boyfriend Shelton without dad's goons. I did not know dad had employed a security for me but I knew though I am saved today, tomorrow morning will be worse than hell from the treatment I am going to receive from my parents. I got up from the bed with a splitting ache in my head. Maintaining her silence mom gave me two pills of Aspirin which I gulped immediately unable to stand the pain. Whenever mom is angry she doesn't speak and that punishes me even more but this time to my utter dismay dad wasn't speaking either. Dad is my best friend, my savior and guide. Mom loves me very much but she is strict on her instructions. On the other hand dad seldom goes angry and always supports me irrespective of my faults. He can go against anyone in the world for the sake of me. The breakfast table was extremely silent and my pensiveness escalates stealing looks at my mom and dad's serious faces. 'So what is your explanation on yesterday's episode Edith?" Dad asks me spooning the noodles from the plate. 'Dad somebody spiked my drink. How can I be applied responsible for the things that are not in my control?" There was a clink of the fork on the porcelain plate as though it was thrown. I was startled at the sudden action but couldn't dare to look at my dad. 'I am not talking about the spiking of the drink. I am talking about your alcohol consumption at the party." He snaps. I have never found my dad annoyed at me in my nineteen years of age. My eyes automatically trickle tears looking at his angry red face. 'Dad I thought there would be nothing wrong with a single drink." My voice went undesirably feeble but then picks up with an intonation. 'When Henry can drink why can't I?" He slapped on the table and the porcelain wear, cutlery clanged in resonance. 'Boys are raised different from girls. Did I pamper your brothers as much as you when I love them the same?" His eyes were blazing at me in live embers and I felt my legs shivering under the table. 'The shopping of clothes I did for them was not even half of the shopping your mother did for you. Your each birthday is celebrated like a grand gala till today." He pokes his finger on the table. 'Do you remember any of your brother's birthdays been celebrated in such exorbitance?" His voice level rises with each passing sentence and I felt I was going to pass out. 'That's why Henry can drink but you even being older to him cannot. Virginity is not the certificate given to boys but for the girls? Hell it is!" 'Dad, I don't support gender inequality." I tell him blunt and he finally smiles at me. 'Princess, I do not wish to sound blunt but this is the reality of the world. I finished my duty as a father towards my sons. I educated them till the day they could support themselves but my responsibility towards my daughter stays in place until she is married." Those were the final words I heard from my dad till date. As there are more restrictions on me, meeting Shelton has become all the more difficult. I finished my first two semesters of graduation staying in my collage hostel. As I joined my third semester late the campus accommodation was full. Considering the catastrophe I faced two months ago I cannot even think of renting a room outside the campus. As I had no way but to go back to my parent's house I walked to the car parking prepared to drive back when I hear my brother's number beep on my mobile. 'Hello princess, how is collage?" Charles energetic voice goes heard. I twitch my lips downwards and tell him about my gloomy story. For a moment there was no response from the other side. 'Charles, are you there?" I ask him going slightly perplexed. My older brother had always been the serious type who doesn't display compassion but I know he loves me and is always my savior apart from dad in my most difficult times. 'Wait don't call dad yet. You are still in the college campus, right?" I nod my head like a stupid and go recollected that he cannot see me. I give him a meek affirmative when he cuts the call but not before instructing me. 'Don't leave the campus until I call you again. It is already dark and unsafe for you to go out alone." There goes his authoritative possessiveness once again. I wonder what he was planning for me and wait for his call sitting in the collage hostel's reception area. Within ten minutes his number blares again on my phone. 'Princess you will continue your graduation in Newyork. I spoke to the dean of Newyork University and he readily agreed to provide you the admission in your third semester." 'What…how?" To say I was surprised at my brother's words was an understatement. I was rather thunderbolted. 'Don't worry about all those things. I am one of the largest philanthropists of Newyork University. So they can't afford to invoke my black eye. You will stay at my friend Allesandro Martin's place and complete your education." 'What?" I ask him in shock but a smile upholds involuntary and my heart beat stutters in excitement. One year with him….