Choosing Destiny - Chapter 9

I lay on my bed, my laptop in front of me and my legs kicking the air. I look through songs in my iTunes that I want to perform for the Sing Off in two weeks. So far the songs I got are 'Someone Like You' by Adele, 'You Lost Me' by Christina Aguilera, 'Turning Tables' by Adele, 'If This Was A Movie' by Taylor Swift, and 'I Was Here' by Beyoncé. I love these songs. They're all about how they lost love some way and some even say that they want them back. But I think I might sing an old song, I just don't know which one.

Knock. Knock.

I look up from my computer to see my eldest brother standing against the door frame with his arms crossed. Excitingly, I move off my bed and hug my brother. This the first time in about three weeks that I've seen him. We talk occasionally on the phone but I'm always interrupted by Deora. Sometimes that woman can't stay out of my business.

"Hey there lil one." He says smiling from my hug and hugging me back.
"Oh my God." I move back to look at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" I ask smacking his shoulder.

"Cause we wanted to surprise you." He says smiling.
"Awe you came back for me?" I ask flattered.
"Of course. I miss my baby sis." Kalvin says pulling me close to him. "Oh right. Dinners ready." He says pulling me out the door.
"Let's hope she didn't poison my food." I mumble.

"Y'all still having problems?" Kalvin asks completely oblivious to the situation.
"I don't have a problem, it's her. I just don't get what I did." I say looking at my brother.
We reach the bottom of the stairs and head to the kitchen where the whole family is waiting. Once I see Andrew I smile and run over to him.

"Andy." I yell like a little girl. Damn I miss my brothers so much it's not even funny. I know I've just met them but I've developed a special bond with all three of them that it's hard to be without them.

"Destiny." Andrew yells picking me up and spinning me around. I love when they do that. I laugh as he puts me down on the ground.

"C'mon kids lets eat." My dad says with a smile on his face. We take our usual seats, Deora and dad at the ends, Andrew and Kalvin on one side and me and Damien on the other. We say grace than chow down on the grilled chicken, macaroni and cheese, fried rice and mashed potatoes that Deora made.

"So how's school?" I ask before placing a spoonful of mashed potatoes in my mouth.
"Good." Kalvin answers stuffing his face with food. I look at him like he's a different species.

"What, you haven't eaten in days?" I joke pointing to how he's eating. He smiles then swallows the food in his mouth.

"Shut up lil girl." Kalvin says putting more food in his mouth.
"He always eats a lot before the basketball season." Andrew says eating more civilized than his brother.

"I didn't know you played basketball." I say putting food in my mouth.
"You never asked." Kalvin says with his mouth full of food.
"Kalvin don't talk with your mouth full." Deora complains. Kalvin looks at her then rolls his eyes making me giggle a little. Deora looks at me as if I have five heads.
"So guess what?" Damien says catching his mother's look and changing the subject before some drama starts.

"What?" Both boys answer with their mouths full.
"Destiny got picked to sing in the State Competition." He says telling my business like it's his own.
"I didn't know you could sing." Andrew says wiping his mouth.
"Yea. But I'm not that good." I say shyly.

"Please this girl is all that. She's even better than Akiel." Damien says with a smile.
"You should sing for us after dinner." My dad says joining the conversation.
I look at him. He has an encouraging smile on his face. "Okay." I say returning to my food.

We sit in silence eating our food.
"Did you do your homework?" Deora asks her son.
"Yea." Damien says disinterested in her attempt at conversation.

"Did you do yours?" My dad asks me. See, whenever Deora asks Damien a question that a parent would ask their child my dad asks me the same because he and I both know that she won't ask me and I wouldn't answer her if she did.

"Didn't have any." I answer. I look around at the table, taking in my new family with a smile. "Daddy?" I ask looking at him.
"Yes sweetheart." He answers looking at me.
"Do you have a piano?" I ask finishing my food.
"Um I think it's in the music room." He answers as my jaw drops.

Kalvin laughs. "Looks like she didn't know about the music room." He says to Andrew.
"C'mon I'll show you." Damien says getting up.

I follow suit and so does everybody else except Deora who stays seated. We walk down the hall into a giant room that I never noticed. Inside the room it has a grand piano, a drum set, two guitars, one electric and the other acoustic. It's really big like size of three classrooms in one area.

"Wow." I breathe walking into the big room. I know where I'll be practicing.
"Why don't you sing for us now?" Damien asks looking at the piano. I nod, speechless, and move towards the grand piano.

Opening the keys, I feel each and every key before pressing the middle C. The sound that comes out is beautiful and just right. I place my fingers on the keys and begin to play the intro to my favorite song by Cascada 'Every Time We Touch'. The lyrics pour out of me in a beautiful melody that follows the music.

I finish the song, the last note cut off. I look at my family and see open mouths from everyone except my dad, who has a smile on his face.

"You know something might fly in your mouths if you keep them open like that." I joke looking at my brothers. They recover and look at me as if I have seven heads.
"I didn't know you could sing like that Dest. You were awesome." Damien complements as I walk over to them.

"Yea Dest. You will win that competition first place and if you don't then the judges have something up their asses." Andrew says pulling me under his arm. I smile up at my older brother.

"Damn you could probably sing better than me." Kalvin says in disbelief.
"Thanks you guys." I say looking around as we exit the room. I move out of Andrew's grip and walk next to my dad. He pulls me under his arm and kisses my forehead.
"You were phenomenal baby girl." I smile up at him happy that I decided to come here instead of staying in New Orleans.

"Thank you daddy." I say snuggling closer to him. He kisses my forehead again as we enter the kitchen.

Deora is nowhere to be found so me and the boys decide to go downstairs to watch a movie while dad goes upstairs to his annoying wife. Damien flops down on the recliner and Kalvin on the other one with me and Andrew to sit on the couch in the middle. We watch Madea's Big Happy Family for the rest of the night, me the first to fall asleep.
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I sit in my English III class with Nadia, talking about our weekends, me explaining everything that happened with my brothers and I, when Natalia walks in the class. Yea class is almost over but that doesn't mean you can just walk in her like you own the place.

"So I heard you made captain of the cheer squad." She spits highly upset that I beat her at something she thought she was good at.
I, on the other hand was astonished. I made captain over Natalia. Damn, I didn't think I was that good to be honest.
"Okay." I say in a dismissive tone like I don't care. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" I say trying to get back to my work.

"Actually I wanted to tell you to back off my man." She says with narrowed eyes.
I look at her like she's crazy, which she kind of is. "And who might that be?" I ask folding my hands and resting my hands on them.

"Akiel." She says matter-of-factly. I look at my new best friend just as she looks at me and then we both crack up laughing in her face. "You think I'm playing?"
I stop laughing and give her my serious face. "Just because you slept with him doesn't mean he's yours. So listen and listen good. Don't come up to me trying to tell me what the fuck to do. I do what I want. Iight." I say getting in her face. She looks at me with a hint of fear in her eyes. Everybody around us are whispering and hyping up the situation.

"Whatever bitch." She says walking away, clearly angry that she wasn't able to intimidate me like she wanted to.
"She got some nerve claiming him like he's property. I wish she would try some shit like that with me." Nadia says pissed off.
"She ain't even worth my time. I ain't trying to get in no more trouble but if she provoke me she gonna get her shit handed to her." I say with a shrug just as the bell rings.

"You're right, Dest." Nadia says pulling her backpack on and walking with me to our second period class, Trigonometry.
"Of course I'm right. She keeps pushing my nerves thinking I'm some little girl who won't stand up to her and kick her ass." I tell my best friend just as arms wrap around my waist and a chin rest on my shoulder. My brother appears at my right side so I know he isn't the one behind me.
"Hey Akiel." I say touching the side of his face with my hand.

"Good morning beautiful." He whispers in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. My heart begins to beat faster just by his actions.
"Awe. You guys look so cute together." Nadia says with a happy look on her face. She pauses for a second. "You are together right?" She asks dumbfounded.
"If we were together don't you think I would've told you?" I ask placing my hands over Akiel's. His grip around my waist tightens a little, as if telling me he doesn't want to let go.

"Yea you're right." She looks at my brother. "Hey Damien."
"Hey Nadia. What's up?" he says moving from my side to hers. They walk in front of talking, as if they don't know we'd question them later.
"They look cute together." I say softly so they won't hear.
"Not as cute as us." He whines as if he's pouting. And sure enough when I turn to look at him, he's pouting.

"Boy fix your face. You are not a little kid." I laugh as he looks at me still pouting. He looks so adorable, like a cute and innocent child.
He moves in front of me, pulling me close to his chest by my waist. "You know you like my face." He says pouting. I laugh at him. He smiles at me, his eyes soft and warm. "You look beautiful when you laugh." He says catching me off guard.
"T-thank you." I stutter.

"C'mon before we're both late to class." Akiel says grabbing my hand in his.
We walk hand in hand towards my Trig class, joking around and laughing.
"I'll see you at lunch?" He asks hopefully.
"Yea." I answer looking up in to his gray eyes. He bends down and kisses my cheek. Blood rushes to the spot his lips touched.
"See you." Akiel walks off towards his class. I walk in mine as the bell rings to start class.

I take my seat next to Nadia with a smile on my face. She looks at me as if I have ten heads. "Well aren't you in love?" She asks smiling.
Her question snaps me out of my daze. "What? No I am not." I say opening my text-book.

"Mmm." She says as Ms. Little begins her lesson. I secretly smile.
Am I in love with him?
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Hey guys I just wanted to say sorry again for the long wait. but hear it is. And I don't wanna seem pushy but last chapter I only got 4 comments. I just feel that you guys don't like the story enough to comment on it. So all I want you guys to do is comment and tell me what you think. It doesn't have to be good criticism. I love all you guys just for reading it but I really do appreciate the comments as well.

Don't forget to comment... I hope it wasn't boring to read trust me I'll be getting to the juicy parts soon.

Oh and I might not be able to post for a while because my computer is acting crazy.