“Now answer my question!” Mom Rose demanded. Arian rolled his eyes before telling her everything.
“Now if you don’t mind, I’m dead tired and need sleep.” He rolled back on his bed.
“Why won’t you be? After being naughty.” She was taunting.
“If you’re gonna keep teasing me then I’ll never tell you anything again.” Arian drawled out, feeling drowsy. He felt the bed shift.
Mom had stood up?? Great!
“Now what’s your next step?” Mom Rose thoughtfully asked.
‘What?!’ Arian jerked up to see her pacing around thoughtfully.
“I thought you’d left.” He grumbled.
“Natalia’s a stunner. Hounds must be chasing after her already. We mustn’t lose her to another family.” The military general’s technical mother took over.
Arian was flabbergasted. “Mom! Why are you talking like an African parent?!” He shrieked.
“Will you shut it?! While you’re idling around playing ‘pretty boy’ in here, another is policing her out there like the one I saw her with that day! And guess the cute part??…. He’s a real charmer!” Mom Rose blasted.
She said, referring to Jake on that day Natalia came into her chocolate shop. Mom Rose thinks Jake is only Natalia’s friend on the surface, while aiming her attention in the background. She didn’t know he was primarily just her driver!
Arian flew up like a lightening bolt and dashed towards his mother in a heartbeat, almost tripping over his shoes in the process! He knew it couldn’t have been ‘the jerk’ else he’ld have accompanied both her and Tommy to the hospital that day.
“Who was it? What’s his name? No, what does he look like?? Just a description.” He seethed.
“Oh? You can be this interested??” She scoffed and walked back to his bed.
“Why wouldn’t I? I thought only Jeffrey, Leonardo, Damon and that sales rat were the only ones interested!” He yapped and she gasped.
“So you’ve been sitting idle keeping count??” A look of disappointment flashed across her eyes.
“It’s a shame. Your father was way smarter than you at this age.”
“Mom, now isn’t the right time to scold me!” Arian raked his hair.
“All the encouragements I’ve been giving you for weeks, how well did you make good use of it? Well, sorry pumpkin but you’re gonna have to think, strategize and work it out by yourself!” She snapped and stalked to the door.
“Oh. And if it doesn’t work out? Don’t even DARE think of my multi-flavored chocolates as compensation!” She scowled before finally walking out.
Gosh! They were his favourites! Arian scratched his hair and took over the pacing…
***
Elva gasped continuously as Natalia told her what’d been happening between her and Arian De’ Argent. The poor assistant couldn’t control the unending gasps.
“You’ve been a bad bestie!” She accused and giggled uncontrollably.
“Elva, I’m sorry but I wasn’t yet sure of my feelings.” Natalia pouted.
“Whatever.” She casually waved it off. “So what are you gonna do if, not if, when he eventually asks you out?!” She squealed excitedly.
“I’m not gonna say yes.” The Princess decided making Elva’s hyperactivity lessen.
“But why?”
“Because you said he’s a natural flirt. And he didn’t even deny it!” She remarked disapprovingly. Elva gasped.
“You… You told him that?!” She yelled. Natalia innocently nodded, wondering what she did wrong.
“For your sake, I hope you didn’t mention my name as the initiator??” She threatened. Natalia nervously giggled, scratching her hair.
“I don’t really remember.” She pouted truthfully.
“These hands are gonna murder your Royal ass today!” She screamed and spanked Natalia with a couch pillow. Her bowl of butter popcorn spilled everywhere but she didn’t care.
“When you were occupied with letting him corrupt your mental faculty upstairs in his fancy penthouse, how would you have remembered implicating me?!” Natalia giggled uncontrollably and sat back up, trying to arrange her messy hair.
“As your punishment, you won’t talk to me for a month in school!” Elva declared and pulled her to sit on the carpets in order to braid her hair.
“El, I love you too much to do that. If I don’t talk with you, who will? Nicky is too busy avoiding Jeffrey, Ricky is lost in Selena, Leo is stuck with the DM and Damon is occupied with girls. Who knows, maybe Arian will forgive you and talk with you?” She teased.
Elva pulled her ponytailed braid making her scream. Crazy girl!
Later on, Natalia went upstairs and had a shower. She brushed her teeth and slipped on a pair of pajamas. Then she walked over to her bed and called Queen Fiona through a video chat before kissing mama and papa’s picture frame goodnight. They were the closest people in her heart including Elva.
As the Princess laid in bed safely tucked in, she thought about her afternoon with Arian and a helpless smile escaped her lips.
Much to her amusement, she figured that she no longer had a crush on him or just liked him. It was clear and simple.
Her heart was falling in love with Arian De’ Argent…
***
Jeffrey was still upset about Nicky’s behavior the entire week. He wasn’t eating and sleeping well and Mom Felicity noticed.
He had even avoided visiting Ricky because he knew she’ld be there, there with her coldness. Jeffrey sighed again, stabbing the peaches on his plate absentmindedly.
The Campbells were having a warm breakfast on a Saturday morning with both his parents present.
“Jeff, don’t you like the salad? You can always change it if you don’t.” Mom Felicity looked at him while Sir Campbell stuck to his newspaper and coffee cup like the whole world depended on the business news!
Jeffrey mouthed a quiet no. His father was sitting at the head of the table as usual while he’d glued himself to mom’s right, sitting next to her.
“Is there something bothering you?” She was worried and asked again but Jeffrey repeated his previous gesture.
“You’ve been moody all week! I’m getting worried. What’s eating you up?” She turned to him and instinctively arranged his fringes.
His hair that wasn’t even messed up in the first place. Moms!
“Let him be if he insists nothing is wrong.” Dad muttered from behind his papers. Jeffrey rolled his eyes.
“Don’t be so indifferent, Williams.” Mom Felicity said and he silently snorted.
“Can someone be mad at you and still refuse to say why?” Jeffrey didn’t take his eyes from the fruit salad.
“And how do you know if this person is mad at you?” His mom asked.
And here Jeffrey was, thinking only Africans answer questions with questions. He tried not to roll his eyes again.
“Well, she’s always snappy and glaring and snobbish at the same time, everytime!”
“Over a girl? Wonder if those peaches are her look alike.” Dad snickered and mom rolled her eyes, ignoring the silent giggles.
“Honey, did you do something wrong?”
“That’s the teaser! I DON’T remember doing anything to annoy her. It’s like she just looked at me one day and decided to get mad.” He pushed his disfigured fruit salad away and pulled his beverage mug closer.
“If you didn’t do anything bad directly, then maybe indirectly? It could be the way you relate with her or someone else. Yeah, girls could be dramatic sometimes but we’re also sensitive of our feelings.” Mom tutored and dad stood up.
“Can’t believe I’m having puberty lessons at my age.” He huffed under his breath and left in a hurry. Jeffrey laughed out.
“You sure?” He asked skeptically.
“Yeah.” Mom Felicity turned back to her plate. But after a while, she turned back.
“It’s either that or…. she secretly has a crush on you.” She cooed loudly. The giggles increased and even Butler Bernard had a slight grin on.
Nicky? Likes me?? Jeffrey scoffed ’cause it was totally impossible.
“Mommm!” He whined because he thought she was teasing him.
“What?! You’ll see I’m right.” The Californian beauty waved her hands dismissively. Jeffrey looked down at his cup and wondered…
****
That weekend, Elva the shopping freak, suggested they went bikini shopping with Nicky for their camp trip! The girls were excited! So they left that Saturday after breakfast.
The trio took their separate cars and parked in one of the most fashionable shopping malls in Beverly Hills, wearing matching clothes and sneakers. Eyes and heads turned wherever they went!
They first went from store to store buying beach accessories like hats, sandals, pouches and sunshades. They almost ran each store dry!
Natalia’s excitement made it worse because she agreed to everything whether it was her taste or not. The mall was filled up and they even met some students from school!
The group stopped for some ice cream and sat at a table which was half filled. It was the only space available. Their neighbours were Eric, Stan and Dennis. They were students from Majesty High School (M. H. S) which was another prestigious rival school in Beverly Hills.
The teenagers blended easily and chatted for hours before the girls left for their bikini appointment. The owner of the stall was a world famous designer who owned the chain of stores on the top most floor of the mall where they were in.
Sometimes, money was good!
***
The B. R. A. T. S sashayed into the mall ready to run their cards dry! Lewd shoppers whistled as they strutted past.
Why wouldn’t they?
The B. R. A. T. S were not only classy, rich and sassy in the academy. They were also popular! They passed by the cheaper stores and Bianca snorted disdainfully. Commoners!
She was gonna show ’em what money felt like! They strutted to the top most floor. But before they could walk in, a renowned personal assistant duly halted them…
Chapter 52