Tanika's POV

All my life I grew up secluded and nurtured by my sister, a bright young lady with dark brown skin of perfection. I witnessed her light up the world, I witnessed her be the change the world needs, I witnessed her fall in love, and I watched her get betrayed. I watched with from the front row seat of how a beautiful building could get destroyed, and how everyone is quick to turn.

Adjusting my pink tutu that tightened uncomfortably around my waist, I lift my leg high to reach for the stars the closer to heaven meant further away from the demons that swarms around me.

"That's it Tanika, become the character" my ballerina teacher instructed me, her raspy voice nearly made me tumble until I looked at the figure near the door. I was nearly blinded by brightness of her ivory teeth, not for the shimmer but for the genuine love. A thumbs up as she cheeses to me 'You're doing great.' That pose meant. She Never had to say it, I knew she was my number one fan, and I hers.

With One pointed foot planted to the ground, the other stretched to the tenth hour, like clockwork the short tick stayed on the number six while the other faster one rounded to the ten only trying to go up higher, I wince from the pain in between and the cramp traveling to my kneecap, I'm falling, sinking to the bottom further away from the heavens.

With a thud I land on my body wincing from the pain in my ass crack, the room applauded but was it my failed attempt? Or my pathetic effort for trying. Mama always taught me never lower yourself and reach further, I need to be better next time.

My classmates gather around patting and applauding, Al that went to deaths ears, I only saw my sister, she is just one person but a zillion fans in my eyes, the crowd scattered when I walked through smiling at everyone with a few nods.

"That's sucked" I breathed to her planting my sweaty forehead on her chest, even when was 14 she had some big titters, so squishy and warm through her thin white spaghetti strap.

"Meh you definitely did better than what I've seen on YouTube," she laughs.

"Want some ice cream? You worked for it"

Your damn right I do, but I can't "I need to stay below ninety pounds" I spoke softly with my head down.

Scoffing to my comment "You're not going to get anorexic on my hands, mom would behead me."

Begrudgingly I agree, she wouldn't take no for an answer. "Just one scoop" I say squinting my eyes while I mimic the gesture with my index finger and thumb.

"Okay, one scoop just one"

"One scoop?"

"Yes, one scoop, I promise."

***

"Can I get the triple scoop Sunday with caramel glaze at the bottom with Oreo cake batter?" I speak in one breath glancing at all the delicate.

My sister's eyes widened to saucers seeing my shoe sized ice cream bowl, "one scoop, eh?" She giggled.

I ignore and begin to dig in, with six scoops in i noticed something new, my sister's quiet and low demeanor, normally we'd be in every conversation by now. "What's wrong? Did The job interview not go well?"

With a sigh she nods sadly "maybe my career choice isn't here in Vegas." She says looking around in the cafeteria.

I couldn't agree more with the statement, my sister is my social studies teacher, sometimes they'd hold her check for weeks, and the kids seemed uninterested. "I mean Vegas is more for vacation and quick visits, no one really stays here."

"That's true, so that's why I got a job in New York"

I paused in shock, the ice cream I haven't swallowed yet began to melt on my tongue, the vanilla leaks out from my parted mouth, "wh-what?"

She cringed, "close your mouth, I'll lose my appetite" she giggled. "Yes, the university finally called me, and I start next month." I could see the light in her eyes, her dream career finally called and opened a teaching job for her.

"Congratulations omg" I'm astonished and very taken back. Vegas was going to be full without her.

"Do you want to come?"

"To New York?"

"No, the Ferris wheel, I literally just said New York" she laughs stealing my cherry on top of the whipped cream.

Though majority of my life was here, I couldn't be without her, I'm aware of the 'New girl in town' life but everyone else never fazed me, all that matters is what God thinks of you. With a breaking smile, a nodded my head vigorously already breathing in a new air.

If only I knew that in exactly ninety days of our move, our lives will never be the same again.

***

New York was no different from Vegas, it was like we never left, the only difference was people down here slightly care more for their lives on the roads. Our apartment was not very big, but it was enough for the both of us, we quickly settled in our new environment and kept our regular routine, her rushing to work and I to school, dinner nights, snack nights, movie nights and more, it's like we were never further apart from each other no matter our busy day lives. Fate separated us by not putting us into the same school, I attend a regular while she teaches at an elite private university of kindergartners.

But one night I waited, and she didn't show, hours have gone by with no answer from her cell, I was awoken by the sound of the door clicking open and in she lunged her drunk and delirious body onto the ground from the door crashing, she giggled and wiggled like a worm on the floor not having any control over her mechanisms.

"Where have you been?"

She gasps and peers up at me from upside down. "Oh shoot" I can hear the slurred speech, how many had she had?

"Shhhh, what time is it? Tanika - Tanika is probably sleeping?"

I stood right above her with my T shirt and shorts. " I'm right here, this is Tanika speaking to you" I crouched down to her level to give her a better see.

Acknowledging my face "oh, Tani- Tanika I met someone" the alcohol on her breath was strong and was awful, she met someone?

"Who" I cringed trying to get as much clean air to breathe in as possible.

She giggled before she fan-girled "he is so sexy, and rich."

Rich? Say less. "Get up let's get you cleaned up."

I shouldn't have been blinded by the jewels and the possibility of having someone wealthy be sent to our family, I should have asked more questions and do more research into it all, yet ... I didn't.

Day after day she'd come home with the stench of alcohol, and I'd have to bathe her and make sure she was capable of attending work. Her clothes ripped and hair in shambles for almost two weeks straight.

"Jane come here," I heard one day. An excitement laced voice booms through the halls and i ran to her as fast as my legs could carry me. In I nearly tumbled to a very happy Lady and pregnancy test that read positive.

I remember I jumped in the air that day and it felt like nothing could go wrong ... until I met him.

Saturday night, two months and a half of wondering who the mysterious man could be, my imagination thinks of the fattest man ever with bald patches on the top of his head while his small nose tries to sport the glasses, o was ready to cringe.

"Good afternoon, ladies," my body shook; flames fires of electricity through my body when the deep and baritone voice of a man came from behind me. Is the voice the reason why she fell for him? Cause all I have to do is close my eyes during sex and I'll be alright.

"Hey!" She squealed jumping into his arms, finally I turn and the sight I'm met with was enough to have me fall backwards.

Flawless.

Clean cut.

Dapper. All those big words in the damn book that could describe the beauty of the man I am face to face with, pink thick lips and green eyes, smooth skin with a light caramel complexion, his all-black suit accentuated his strong body with a black watch on his wrist, I mistook his veins for tattoos for how I nearly drooled over him. I quickly gathered my jaw from the ground seeing him and my sister nearly swallow each other's face.

Not mine, not mine. I repeated over and over again.

Indeed, he was a beauty, but there was a pang on my gut telling me to elude the scene and run far away as possible, the devil is near you, and I kept hearing that same whisper all night long.

There we sat, I could only partially describe the happiness of my sister, all smiles and laughter, yet with him, there was an awful gut feeling that I kept ignoring, nearly having to force myself to even glance at him for the night.

"How are you ladies doing tonight?"

Fuck, every time he spoke, I wanted to punch those whispers, my sister did All the talking while I sat there and nodded occasionally, the moment came to finally tell him he was going to be a father and I wanted so bad to see his reaction.

With her announcement rehearsed and prepared for hours before the big meet my sister finally spilled but it was through a riddle.

"I'm going to be a father?" A stoic answer that night, but I could have sworn I saw a glint right through his eyes, it's like it shape-shifted into a predator but he suppressed the demon.

"Wow, that's soon don't you think?"

But having unprotected sex after meeting each other for after a week wasn't? I thought to myself, this was my sister's night, if I opened my motion, I'd ruin it.

I watch her smile fade away slowly leaving a nervous giggle, wasn't what she was expecting "I just found out today."

His fists clenched behind the drink, only I saw that and swallowed hard to suppress my urge.

"Could we talk for a second babe?"

Her eyes glanced from me to him, "alone" he added.

I sat there for more than an hour glancing around, wondering if they had left me behind until I watch my sister appear with red eyes, still glossy from whatever previous altercation. Wiping her nose, she looks up to me and smile, I should have taken a picture, for that was the last smile I was ever going to we again.

A couple of weeks have passed, and I was still skeptical about asking her what was said while they were alone, to not reopen old wounds, she didn't speak, she barely ate and was always more agitated than before, until one day she approached me begging to take her to court to help her get a restraining order.

I wish I knew what was going on, but now I see why she left me on the dark, that man was a psychopath, and his life-threatening words began to get through her.

I watch her pour out her heart in the room, explaining how abusive he became and overly sex driven he was, that was to explain her exhaustion, I was asked to step out of the room but through a tiny crack of the door I was able to see it; the dark red and purple bruising all over her body. I was suddenly angry and wanted nothing more to have his head on a platter, I should have listened to those voices in my head telling me to stay away, but the pain from my heart watching my sister suffer was enough to kill me.

Nights and nights of research I found everything I needed, his name was Kevin, incredibly wealthy parents and powerful men that stay behind him at all times to defend, thousands of Stories of him being accused of sexual assault and abuse, but they were similar to what my sister was feeling and her bruising, it's like he eaves trailed of the same destruction and had gotten away with everything, almost like he knew he will get away with it.

With more and more research it all led me to one thing, Cameron? Who is that and what does he have to do with -? Oh, I see. Cameron is doing black market and Rigging votes while falsely accusing those of a non-wealthy status of violent crimes to show the public of good deeds.

But what does his father and Cameron have -? Found it. The father is the puppet to go up against the rookie people in the court that barely have enough studies to be able to defend anyone, that is why he appears to be a great lawyer, he is paid a fortune for his work, so much so he is able to give Kevin the world, his mother was successful until her new program caused many, many people to die from severe radiation in Italy and has since been banned in many countries and states, why would the internet put this up if they are trying to protect themselves and the family, a red blink of my computer got my attention, shit I'm in the dark web, I went in to deep.

I was in frantic clearing my history browser, resetting my computer and turning off all locations.

From what I knew, they were not what they appear to be, in fact they we're definitely not doing well, Kevin will run his family into a train wreck all on his own. But I need to confront him.

I waited for my sister to go to the bathroom before I dashed for her phone, there I was flabbergasted by the messages.

Did you get rid of it you bitch?

I'm horny, come over now.

I want you wearing the pink underwear tomorrow, or I'll repeat what happened yesterday. Don't make me mad.

Ignoring my texts? You'll pay for that you bitch.

All messages unanswered, my sister was taking matters into her own hands, I was in flames reading through it all, my sister suffered with this man, he showed his true colors quick. I knew I shouldn't have been involved but I couldn't stay quiet any further.

On my way.

                                                                                                     ***
Several security guards recognized my sister's car and let me in no problem, there he stood, unaware of the filth I drag with me, his hands stuffed into his suited pocket while he stands with a smirk "Finally you made -"

Before he could finish, I threw it on him, the garbage and drove away with lightning speed.

I should have left it alone, I never should have let my emotions get better of me, but it was too late, I thought it was the end of the war, but what followed shortly was what I thought would only occur in a nightmare.

"Tanika I was raped."

I vowed to myself again, never trust the eyes of anyone ever again, to do extensive research on one before I let them in, but then I saw her, a bubbly character that was like me from when I was naive, I could see her fear and I could sense the bad girl wanting to come out. I won't let her end the way I did, hearing her story, I couldn't help but be angry at how she purposefully let herself be blinded to all that's happening around her, as if she welcomes the misery. I could put the puzzle pieces together with her, but I was tested again when I met the other.

"Hey baby missed me?"