Mr. Pierce

Chapter 1

Penelope

"What do you mean I can't go?!" I yelled as I flung my body onto the desk in front of me.

"We've gone through this already, mi amor" my father started "I said no and that is final" he said as he sifted through the various paperwork in front of him. His tone held slight annoyance as he turned down my request for the hundredth time that week.

"Please daddy" I pouted "I promise it'll just be a small get together with students from school. Emily will be there too! You know Emily, right?" I asked, hopeful that he could be convinced.

It was only a year ago that I had finally persuaded my father to let me attend in-person classes at Monte Carlo Elite High school, a private school in NYC where many students born from prestigious families attend to prepare them for a higher education.

This is where I met my best friend, Emily Wu. She was the daughter of highly respected Jon & Cathrine Wu. The couple were renowned lawyers that worked for some of the wealthiest families in New York, including my father.

Emily had invited me to come with her to an event that was being held by a group of Monte Carlo's senior class. As Emily described it, it was "a once in a lifetime experience" to be able to attend one of their after hour events. Plus, it was a great way to meet & mingle with more students outside of class.

"Emily is a very nice girl, however you cannot go to this party Penelope. There will be too many people and you know how dangerous it can be. Now out! I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'll see you at dinner." He said sternly, practically shooing me away as he got back to work. A signal that the conversation was over.

I huffed in defeat as I got up from the uncomfortable leather chair that had been swallowing my small body.

"It's a hangout, not a party" I grumbled under my breath before dismissing myself. I stormed my way out of his office, making sure to put a little extra force in shutting the large mahogany doors on my way out.

Unfortunately, after countless begging for father to let me attend and endless refusal from the latter, things weren't looking good for Emily and I's plans.

"I'll figure something out" I thought to myself. I didn't want to let my best friend down and I certainly did not want to let the opportunity of finally making more friends slip away that easily.

I ran through the hallway prodding my little feet down the grand staircase that adorned the entrance of our home and found my way towards the kitchen where I knew miss Rosa would be tucked away preparing dinner.

"Penny! What's the matter cariño?" Came Rosa's sweet voice as I entered the room.

She could tell that something was bothering me as I sat with a pout on one of the stools in front of the island, across from where she stood stirring a pot of what smelled like boiling noodles.

"Daddy doesn't trust me enough to go out with my friend next weekend" I sighed. "He said it's too "dangerous" I quoted dramatically.

I grabbed the basket of fresh ripe tomatoes sitting on the countertop. I absentmindedly started prepping the tomatoes for the pasta sauce, figuring I could be of some kind of help to the poor woman infront of me. Miss Rosa has always appreciated my help in the kitchen, especially around dinner time.

She turned to me with a grateful smile on her small aging face.

"You know how Don is" she started "Once he sets his mind to something there's little you can do to convince him other wise" Rosa said, acknowledging my father's stubbornness.

"You know why he's so protective over you, dear. You're his little girl and the dangers that come with the work he's involved with is nothing to brush past" she reminded.