“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Elva breathed tearily, pulling her into a bone crushing hug.
“Yeah. Me. Too. If y.. you don’t m.. mind… you’re c.. crushing me!” Natalia gasped for air. Elva reluctantly pulled away.
She had tears in her eyes.
“Jeez! You should get a mirror. You look worst than a bat!” Natalia taunted.
“And if you weren’t on that bed I’d have smacked that sarcasm off your face!” She yelled and gestured to hit her, which made the princess’s grin increase.
Nicky hugged her too.
‘Huggy peeps!’ Natalia thought and giggled, holding her back.
“What happened?” Nicky worriedly asked as she pulled away.
“Um… It happened so fast. But I passed out after Bianca hit… ” The door suddenly banged shut, cutting her off. Natalia turned to see Ricky and Jeffrey standing by the door. She cocked her eyebrows in surprise, not noticing they were there too.
Ricky shared a sweet apologetic smile before dashing off while Jeffrey came over with an odd grin. “Hey, how are you feeling now? I hope you’re better.” He kindly smiled at her. Natalia returned the smile and nodded.
The visitors stayed with the princess until the doctor said it was okay for her to leave. Sorry, he only released the awkward group after giving a sermon on the dangers of taking alcohol, especially on a school night.
As the doctor spoke, Natalia felt disappointed deep down. Not entirely because of her misadventure though…
But disappointed that he didn’t show up…
***
The B. R. A. T. S were at the cheerleaders locker room preparing for practice and Tiffany couldn’t stop laughing!
“You can’t imagine how wonderful it felt seeing that weakling pass out! All mouth and no bones.” She dramatised. The rest of the B. R. A. T. S laughed, all except Allison.
“I still don’t find it funny.” She was grump. “What if something bad had happened to her?” She slammed her locker shut and folded her arms.
“Don’t be such an angel! We’ve done so much worse before or have you forgotten? Besides, it was only a little push.” Rihanna rolled her eyes.
“You girls are unbelievable! I’m not against pranking her a little for being rude but playing with someone’s consciousness is something else!” Allison heatedly argued. “Remember the promise we made. That we wouldn’t do anything so extreme ever again.”
“Come on, that was nothing. Maybe she fainted ’cause bitch’s got some STD or something. You can’t really tell.” Bianca snorted with an eye roll and they laughed again.
The other cheerleaders in the room threw them silent scowls and scoffs. Bianca noticed it but played cool. Oh she dared them to say shit and they were gonna get it too!
Suddenly, the door flew open revealing Arian Dé Argent and Ricky Winterfield, who was hurriedly trailing after him. Their presence alone ignited the subdued whispers.
Bianca cocked a brow. Uh… that was a girl’s locker room. And there were rules! She thought.
The Queen bee, however infatuated she was with the young master, was subtly hurting she got dumped last night for the bitch!
However, one look at his handsome face which was slightly colder than the usual, sent her heart fluttering as she seductively strutted over.
“Who among you is called Bianca?” Arian asked in a calm voice, contradicting the look on his face.
Everyone went dumb! Judging by their expressions, it was either out of shock that THE Arian De’ Argent, star hottie of B. H. A, spoke in public for the first time! Or because they were left speechless by his sexy, smooth accent!
Arian’s lips set in a tight grim when no one replied. From where he stood behind, Ricky felt the sinister aura seeping off him and slowly inched his wary eyes his way.
“I won’t ask again… Who the hell is Bianca?!” He snapped and everyone jumped, including Bianca.
Bianca gasped incredulously. ‘Who does he think he is?!’ She thought, choking on dry air. She was the queen and wouldn’t stand to be humiliated!
“I am. So?” Feeling her social status, which she prioritized more than anything, insulted, Bianca shot him an indifferent look.
Arian slowly looked the redhead over and a tinge of recognition flashed across his eyes. “Did you do that to her?” His voice returned calm.
Bianca forced her artificial nails to stop digging holes in her clenched fists. ‘Defending the whore, huh?’ She thought with a sneer.
“And if I don’t answer?” She smugly folded her arms. An enchanting chuckle wafted out of Arian’s tilted lips and Bianca felt her heart turn giddy.
She scolded it and watched as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his beautiful greens never leaving her. Ricky leaned on a random locker and picked up a foundation tube belonging to one of the girls, and casually gazed through it.
Oh, he knew the explanation was gonna take a while.
A fun while.
“How about I start with your position as queen.” The young master simply stated and earned a lot of simultaneous reactions. It threw Bianca off guard!
“You can’t possibly do that!” She yelled in dismay.
“I can do worse.” Arian glared, returning his icy expression. And he was right.
As Sir De’ Argent was the biggest shareholder and co-founder among the three old friends, Arian was like an irreplaceable president, though passive, always having the final say when it came to school politics. And in a school like B. H. A?… influence was everything!
However, that was the first time he’d be making a show of it in public…. all because of that damned wench! Bianca seethed in rage.
“I’m gonna say this once and clear enough for all.” He continued in that same icy tone. “If you, any member of your rag-tag team or in the entire school pick on or put her in any form of danger again…?” The young master paused to let his words sink in.
“You’ld be sorry!” He growled and walked out. Ricky leaned back up and lazily tossed the foundation tube over his shoulders.
“Carry on, ladies.” He foxily winked and sashayed after his best friend, leaving a hall of screaming barbarians behind.
“Shut up!” Bianca yelled in fury and they froze, staring at her in remembrance. ‘You’re gonna pay for this, Natalia Kendell.’ Bianca gritted bitterly…
***
Elva and Nicky walked Natalia to her locker to get her stuff. The doctor had recommended her to stay home for a few days and had passed across the information to the management. Elva asked permission to go with her as well. And surprisingly, the school permitted it.
Elva noticed in wonder as everyone moved from the way as they walked to the princess’s locker. They all seemed to be wary of… Natalia?
At her locker, they got another surprise. Little baskets of gifts, flowers and even stuffed teddies were placed around in a messy heap. Elva frowned in confusion and picked up a random card.
“To my favourite senior…” She started to read. “Please get well soon. Lots of admiration from me to you. Have this pack of gummy bears to keep you company on your rest. Love, Anabelle.”
Natalia was shocked. The school had just permitted their leave. So how could anyone have known in less than ten minutes??
Nicky hastily grabbed another card, her slightly Asian features glowing gossipy.
“To Natalia, my subject buddy.” She read out. “Bounce back to health quickly! Gonna miss your presence in the only class we have together. A rose flower to liven your mood and smile. Love, Derrick.”
Elva laughed loudly in disbelief. She could’ve sworn that a few minutes ago, half the owners of those gifts were sworn enemies!
They waved Leonardo and Nicky goodbye before leaving. As their car drove away, Natalia casually lifted her eyes and caught Arian De’ Argent staring from a balcony high up, with a strange look in his eyes…
***
“What the hell’s wrong with me?” Arian let out a tired breath, feeling stressed.
Like a new routine, the young master’s thoughts drifted to her every waking morning. And it was getting on his nerves!
Arian picked up his phone again and stared at her picture… That smile. She’d been absent from school for some days now and… and…
‘Oh shut up, Arian! You make me sick!’ His head distastefully spat. ‘What? You’re gonna cry now how much you miss her??’
‘And what’s your headache?! It’s about time you shut down in that noisy tank of yours!’ His heart snapped. ‘The boy’s in love. Get used to it, dumbo!’
Meanwhile, Arian frowned at his thoughts. ”I never said anything about being in…”
‘Think whatever you want to… but we’re headed the same direction.’ She continued in a delicious whisper.
‘Don’t listen to shit, boyo! Hey, quit blabbering in that messed up hole. Stop confusing the poor kid!’ His head snapped again.
“Okay, stop it!” Arian was breathless. Tank and hole? Seriously??
He shook his head and returned to the picture, zooming in. Minutes later, Arian was lost at the same spot when his phone was snatched away!
He jerked up to see the ‘snatcher’ skipping away with it!
“Mom!” His eyes bulged.
“Aww, she’s gorgeous!” Mom Rose squealed like a dramatic teenager. Arian flew from the bed and tried to snatch it back but she was smarter.
“Don’t be such a baby!” She scowled and walked back to the bed, still admiring the picture.
“You… You’re gonna have to give that back.” He demanded aggrievedly like a child. “And please start knocking! I’m not a kid anymore.”
But Mom Rose ignored him. “So, she’s the girl. What’s her name? I wanna meet her!”
Arian shut his eyes and successfully snatched it back. He turned it off and crashed back on his bed, turning the other side.
‘Try unlocking it.’ He thought with a snort and pretended to fall asleep. But Mom Rose scooted closer.
“So have you confessed?”
“Mom?!” The young master cried, wide eyed in disbelief.
“What?!” The French Madame was indignant and yelled back.
“Stop thinking nonsense! I don’t like her and there’s absolutely NOTHING to confess. Besides… who uses that lame word anymore.” He irritably twitched his lips and backed her again.
Arian’s heart kicked him hard at that statement.
“Keep telling yourself that! You’d better get her now or wait and watch as someone else does. Then, my chocolate bars will be completely OUT OF REACH!” She bawled and looked away too.
Arian tried to wave it off but the image of Jeffrey and the ‘Jerk’ suddenly popped up.
‘Non, non. (No, no).’ He thought to himself and shook his head. Jeff’s not an issue. One word and he’ll back off. But that… that annoying, clingy-ass son of a b…
Arian suddenly shierked! ‘Why do I even care?!’ He was breathless. Feeling another impending kick from his disapproving heart…
“Don’t you dare!” He growled and it froze.
Easy peasy.
“Anyways, I came to call you down for breakfast. Your dad has something important to say to the family.” She said and stood up, then added quite pointedly. “I want you down in ten minutes.”
Of course, the all-powerful business tycoon of the decade always had something ‘important’ to say. Arian snorted and pulled his pillow closer.
Fifty minutes later, the young master gracefully stalked down the grand stairs of the Argent’s manor.
Sir Argent, Mom Rose and Tommy were already seated at the dining patio, almost done with breakfast.
As the guards subserviently closed the doors behind him, Arian walked over and sat next to Tommy, who was engrossed in the french bun and caramel topping he was… uh… munching, quite enthusiastically without a care for certain table etiquettes…
Arian picked up his fork after muttering a small greeting.
“Son, how was your night?” The business tycoon asked, elegantly wiping the sides of his lips with a clean napkin.
Take one look and it was easy to confuse the beautiful duo as siblings, and not exactly father and son. Sir Dé Argent was still as youthful and stunning as ever in his years, and the grey hairs peeking out his lush, raven black hair which stopped shoulder length, only accentuated his charms…
Chapter 31