"Victoria?" Layton asked as he poked his head in to my room.

"Lay?" I yawned, "Why are you trying to talk to me now? It's almost four in the morning, and I have school tomorrow. I need to get some sleep." I angrily sighed as I rolled over and tried to ignore my oldest brother.

"Tori, it's about mom," he said simply.

"What?" I gasped.

"She was in a car accident, Tori. The hospital just called. She's dead." Layton said in a low, pained voice.

"What?" I cried, "No, Layton, she's not dead! She just went to go visit dad's grave! She's probably on her way back, just, let me call her!"

I reached for my phone and called my mother's number. She didn't answer. Tears started to form in my eyes and I tried my best to keep them from falling. I tried calling again, but Layton sat down on the bed next to me and took my phone away and wrapped his arms around me. That's when I lost it. I started sobbing into my oldest brothers chest as he held me and started to cry as well.

"Lay, she just gave me the legacy before she left. She said she was gonna come back and then after school today she was going to start teaching me all those things I have to learn before I can become the heiress. I'm not ready for this, Lay! I need her! She can't be...she can't!"

"Victoria," Layton whispered, "You can do this. Mom wouldn't have done that if she didn't think you were ready."

"But I need her...she's not even going to be around to paint my heiress portrait..."

"Todd can do that for you, Tors."

"I know he can, but it wont be the same!" I cried. It's true that it was tradition to have the mother paint the heiress's portrait when she came of age. Great Grandma Harmony started it, and mom was planning to do mine on my birthday, but now she wont be able to.

"It'll be fine, Tori, everything will be fine." Layton whispered as he held me, "it'll all be fine."



Three days after I found out she was dead, we buried my mother right next to my father.

The ceremony was simple, just my family was there as we had requested that my moms funeral be a small affair.

It still hurt though. I'm not even 18 yet and I've already lost both of my parents. It hurt, it hurt a lot. Even though my two brothers were standing next to me, I felt utterly alone, and I didn't know when, or if, that feeling would ever go away.



When my 18th birthday finally rolled around, I decided that rather than throwing a party, I was going to go out to a party. At first, Layton and Todd were worried, I mean I was their baby sister after all, but after I promised to be home at a reasonable hour and to always have my phone on me, they calmed down a little.

As I got ready to go to the club downtown, I started to feel a little bad for my brothers. Layton left Simmarian University and transferred to some online classes so he could stay at home. I felt so bad for him though, because when he left he gave up one of the best opportunities he had. Todd refused to even try and go out of Riverview, he stayed in-town and also did online art classes rather than going to the art academy. They didn't stay because they loved this town, they didn't stay because they couldn't go to those schools either. They had full scholarships and we had more than enough money to send them out there, yet they still stayed, and they stayed because of me.

I let my mind wander for a little while longer as I put the finishing touches on my make up and once I decided that I was ready to go, I skipped outside and got into my car.



I could hear the music halfway down the block from the club and I got excited as I drove closer and closer.

When I parked and stepped outside a smile crept up my lips and when I got inside the building, I knew I was going to have a fun night.

I went over to the bar and got myself a drink before I started dancing. I was having a blast and more than a few guys came up to me and started dancing with me. I throughout enjoyed the attention and I felt incredibly sexy as I danced.

After about an hour or so of dancing I went over to the bar and got something to snack on, all that dancing had seriously made me work up an appetite.



I was sort of lost in my own little world when one, rather attractive guy came up beside me.

"Hey sexy," he smiled, "mind if I buy you a drink?"

I rolled my eyes at him and laughed a little, "It'd be a waste,"

"Oh? Why do you say that?" He chuckled.

"Well, maybe I say that because I'm not interested, and maybe because you wreak of juice and maybe I don't let just any mildly attractive guy buy me a drink." I laughed, hardly paying any attention to him at all now.

"Oh, well someone is a little feisty, aren't you?" He chuckled, "It's hot, I must say."

"Eh, if you say so. The flattery wont make me any more interested in you, I hope you understand that."

"Oh? Well damn," he chuckled, "I was hoping it would make you at least slightly more interested."

"Keep dreaming." I scoffed.

"I will. I can promise you that." He smiled.

I gave him an annoyed look and then went back to eating my nachos.



"Hey, do I get to at least know your name?"

"Victoria." I smiled as I looked over at him.

"Hello, Victoria, I'm Mark. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, now someone's going to be all gentlemanly?" I giggled.

"Indeed, actually." Mark winked, "Now, lovely Victoria, may I please buy you a drink?"

I smiled at him, "You're not gonna give up on this, are you?"

"That assumption would be correct." Mark grinned.

"Well then, okay, one drink."



One drink became three, which then became dancing, if you could even really call it that.

All I was focused on was Mark and how his body felt as he ground against me. We had a good rhythm and before long I got lost in the sensation and in the loud, pounding music.

I danced with him for hours, even though it seemed like only minutes and I could have stayed with him all night if I didn't have to go home to my brothers.

We were seriously getting into it when I suddenly heard the music get turned down and the bartender yelled out last call. I pulled myself away from Mark and looked at my phone. It was nearly three in the morning.

"Shit!" I gasped as I turned and looked at Mark, "I gotta go. I was due home over an hour ago."

"Wait! Victoria, before you go, can I at least get your number?" He asked.

"Sure. Text me sometime." I smiled at him and typed my number into his phone and then ran out to my car and hurried home.



When I finally got home, Todd and Layton were sitting in the living room.

"Victoria! It's almost four in the morning! You had us worried sick! Where were you?" Layton yelled.

"I was at the club, sorry. I just kinda lost track of time. Plus, you guys, I'm not exactly a baby anymore. I can take care of myself, alright?

Todd piped up, "Yeah, I know, but you should have called us, Tori."

I scoffed, "Whatever you two. I'm tired, I'm going to bed. See you guys in the morning."

I sometimes seriously hated how over protective those two could be. I mean seriously! I'm not some helpless little baby anymore. They didn't need to stay here with me, I didn't ask them to, and honestly, I really didn't even want them to. There were times when I wished that Layton went back out to Bridgeport and took Todd with him so he could go to school like he wanted to, just so I didn't have to deal with them anymore. I didn't need them, I didn't need anyone.