- 3.
The first thing the Johnsons did after taking
me in was change my name.
<
1116 111 was Ciallye lily lane.
my
I chose it myself: Harmony Johnson.
I don’t care about the ups and downs of life. I
only care about my own harmony.
The Johnsons also threw a huge party to
celebrate my return.
Everyone was there – relatives, friends,
business partners. The house was lit up like Christmas.
Mom and Dad introduced me, looking all
fancy, on stage.
My story was already gossip in the circles, so
nobody looked surprised.
But I did see Ashley looking all calm and
composed, laughing and chatting with people.
I smirked.
She
was n
plotting something.
Sure enough, she grabbed me as soon as I
got off stage.
“Harmony, come with me. I want you to meet
some of our friends “I
<
some of our friends.”
She was smiling, acting like she was doing
me a favor.
Even my mom agreed, “Go ahead, Harmony,
get to know people with Ashley.”
I shrugged and went with her.
A bunch of rich kids were sitting on a couch,
giving me the once–over.
One guy holding a glass of wine snorted
through his nose.
“Where’d she come from? She seriously
thinks she can fit in here?”
Ashley quickly jumped in to “defend” me:
“Oh, come on, Kyle, don’t be so hard on her.
It’s her first time at a party like this. She
doesn’t know the rules.”
One of her friends pulled her aside.
“Ashley, you’re too nice. She’s gonna walk all
over you.”
Then she glared at me.
L
“Let me tell you something. We don’t care if
you’re the real daughter or not. We only
respect people who can actually do
something.
“I heard you’re practically a hoodlum, hanging
out with shady people all the time. Don’t think
you can take Ashley’s place.
“She’s way better than you. She’s already
helping Josh with some stuff at the company, and she gets great grades. She’ll be going to
an Ivy League school soon. You better watch
yourself.”
I listened to them badmouthing me, and then
Ashley would step in to say something “nice.”
When the flock of gossiping geese finally shut
their beaks, I said, “Are you done? Then go
get me something to eat and a soda. I’ll
forgive you.”
I plopped down on the softest couch I could
find, and everyone stared at me, speechless,
L
then burst out laughing.
The guy who laughed the loudest spilled his drink.
“Oh man, this is too funny. Ashley, where did you find this gem? You want us to get you food and drinks? Is she out of her mind?” Ashley gave me a fake look of disapproval, but I could tell she was thrilled.
“Harmony, how can you be so demanding?” “Why can’t I?”
I widened my eyes, grabbed my phone,
connected it to the big screen, and hit “play.”
Suddenly, the screen blared the obnoxious
voices of the rich kids from earlier.
“Where’d she come from?”
“I heard you’re practically a hoodlum…”
“You better watch yourself!”
Nobody laughed. Everyone was frozen. The
adults and some of the big–shot business
people looked furious.
The rich kids‘ faces turned white, and they
couldn’t say a word.
But the palest face of all belonged to my
precious little snowdrop.
My parents walked over, looking dark, and stared at the parents of those kids.
Even Josh looked mad, but he stood in front
of me.
Ashley stammered, saying she tried to stop
them from making fun of me, but she
couldn’t.
My parents still felt bad for her. Mom
grabbed her hand and told her not to worry.
I smirked.
The same people who were acting all high
and mighty were now being dragged in front
of me by their parents, apologizing.
“Oh, Harmony, my kid was just talking
nonsense. Don’t be mad, I’ll beat him when
we get home!”
<
“Yeah, my daughter’s the same. She can’t
talk, she always fails her tests!”
My parents relaxed a bit and looked at me
hesitantly.
“Harmony, maybe you should just let it go. They’re just kids.”
I’m such an obedient child, of course I said
yes.
So, I gave the red–faced rich kids an innocent
look.
“I told you, just get me something to eat and
a soda, and I’ll forgive you.”
Nobody laughed this time. Under the stares of
so many people, they got me what I wanted.
I drank my orange juice and finally said, “I
forgive you! I’m so kind!”
Ashley didn’t smile for the rest of the night
and stayed out of my way for a while.
Too bad, I thought she’d learned her lesson.
Turns out, she was just planning something
<
bigger.
