“Damn it, Natalia! I’ve seen the way you act around him and it’s no different from the way you act around other guys. Him falling for you isn’t your fault! IT JUST HAPPENED! Stop blaming yourself for situations that are beyond your control!”
“Keep your voice down.” They were being a bit loud.
“I’m just worried.” She confessed.
“I know but I’ll be fine…”
“Woah! Don’t tell me you’re going alone.”
“I have to. It’s between the both of us. So i’m going alone.” She concluded.
“Going where alone?” Arian asked as the three top hotties of B. H. A each sat next to them. Natalia forced a bright smile.
“It’s just something I have to do.” He lowered his mint green eyes to her level.
“What thing?” And she almost groaned!
She playfully pulled his jacket and gave him a short smooch. Thankfully, that distracted him.
“I want a big one.” He grinned and she rolled her eyes before dropping a light kiss. But Arian deepened it almost immediately.
“Yo! Get a damn room.” Jeffrey drawled and they broke off.
“But before you do, I was darn serious about using protect…” Ricky started but Elva jabbed him in his tummy.
“Ouch.” He pouted her way.
Natalia looked away and flushed hotly when she noticed half the cafeteria’s eyes on them.
“Try not to be surprised. You see how fortunate I am to be twins with such a douche!” Nicky scoffed.
“You should be grateful then.” Ricky puffed up smugly and she rolled her eyes.
“In five seconds, would it be safe to say I hate you?”
“You wish!”
Crazy siblings!…
***
“Where’s Arian always going after lunch break?” Nicky asked as they walked over to their next class.
“Oh. His dad wants him at the company’s headquarters.” Natalia replied.
“Oooh. Future-Mrs-Argent must be proud.” She cooed wickedly.
“You’re crazy!” They laughed and sat on their different seats.
“So what are you girls doing this weekend?”
“I just wanna go home and sleep for a year.” Elva groaned out.
“No one asked you, lazybones.” Nicky was in her elements!
“….”
Elva was about to give her an outstanding piece of her fuming mind when she was cut off by a presence standing before them.
A presence with a redhead.
“Hmph.” Bianca couldn’t hide her disdain having to say it, but Allison nudged her.
“Hi.” Allison smiled. The three friends blinked confusedly in response. Did they miss their way?
“Well don’t expect me to say hi…” Allison nudged the snotty bee again. Bianca rolled her eyes.
“The B. R. A. T. S are throwing a party this weekend at Allison’s and she’s…. We’re all inviting y’all.” She faked a smile.
“When did I sign my death contract?” Elva mused.
“More of, are we dead??” Nicky snortedand dramatically looked around. Bianca fumed!
“Yo bitches think you’re so…” Allison painfully nudged her again! She paused and took a VERY deep breath.
“You see, it’s her birthday and she’s inviting every rich kid in school. You should come.” She sweetly smiled and dropped three pretty invitation cards on Natalia’s desk who’d been silently staring at them all.
“Why is it only for rich kids?” She finally asked.
“Duh, less worries. End of story.” Bianca maintained the smile.
“Then I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.” Natalia simply said and opened her books.
“Why?!” Bianca raged, ending the stupid charade. Her plans of getting back her reputation depended on the bitch’s appearance at the party the B. R. A. T. S would be hosting!
And besides, her ‘sweetness’ towards her enemy couldn’t all go to waste! She hastily continued.
“If you don’t come, Arian De’ Argent will NEVER come and that means these knuckleheads…”
“Then invite everyone and don’t make exceptions.” Natalia stated squarely. Allison nodded and Bianca took in an atmosphere of oxygen before agreeing;
“Fine! Suit yourselves. But just make sure your asses are over!”
“Thank you.” The princess politely smiled in dismissal. Bianca doused the flames within her by shooting a dirty scowl before pulling her fanatic friend away.
“Okay what was that all about?” Elva and Nicky turned to Natalia as soon as they were gone.
“Turns out there’s no need fussing about what to do over the weekend.” She smiled and picked up her butterfly pen.
“I got ourselves a party to attend.”
***
Natalia stepped out of the cab and stared at Leonardo’s residence. The estate was quiet and isolated and she felt a bit scared.
She pulled her pink turtleneck sweater closer which she’d matched with a black leather skirt and a pair of knee length boots. From where she stood, she had a perfect view of the classy but homely house of her low profile friend… If he still was.
As she took a step towards the unguarded mansion, Leonardo walked out of the house in an Italian bathrobe and slippers. His handsome face was still battered with bruises. She guiltily froze in her steps, feeling her confidence vanish.
He wasn’t alone. A woman was with him. She looked older and had specks of greys on her hair.
They walked over to a waiting black jeep where a driver was subserviently holding open the door for her.
Something about her felt familiar to Natalia. She was probably his nanny or a nurse. Her hair was in a tight bun which refined, old women wore and she looked quite elegant.
They got to the car and rounded up their conversation. Natalia could see Leonardo’s face clearly but not the woman’s. She touched his cheek warmly but he flinched, making Natalia’s guilt worsen.
Just as she turned to enter into the car, Natalia’s phone buzzed loudly and she took her gaze away.
“Sugar, where are you?” Arian’s worried voice sounded from the other end.
“Arian, i’m sorry but I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later, huh? I love you.” She hastily hung up, feeling extremely guilty for blowing him up.
Natalia couldn’t risk telling him her location because she knew he’ld stop her by any means. She had to deal with the situation herself and then, tell him everything.
By the time Natalia returned her gaze, the woman had gotten into the car and driven off while Leonardo was already half way into the house…
***
Arian drove back to school as soon as he finished at the company. Sir Argent had made him an intern and even got him an entire office! To do what?
Sit around for two hours everyday listening to some boring old manager talk about boring old stuffs. And then spend the rest of the afternoon being his father’s personal intern at every board and business meeting.
The young heir met up with the group at the parking lot after school. Nicky Winterfield was sharing a huge bar of chocolate with Jeffrey Campbell while Elva Thomas was having an animated conversation with Ricky Winterfield.
“The CEO finally made it.” He grumbled under his breath.
“Where’s Natalia?” Arian missed her too much to pay attention to him.
Suddenly, Elva found interest in the elegant charm bracelet Ricky had gifted her. Nicky wasn’t even paying attention and the guys admitted they had no idea. So he brought out his phone to call her.
Since her friends were still hanging around, she couldn’t have left without him, right?
“Sugar, where are you?”
“Arian, I’m sorry but I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later, huh? I love you.” She breezed and cut the call.
Arian stared at his phone in shock and tried calling again but it went straight to voicemail.
He panicked.
“Seriously, don’t y’all have any idea where she might be?” He snapped impatiently. Nicky finally raised her head.
“Nat? She went over to see Leo…” She yelped guiltily and shut her mouth. Arian’s face turned a shade darker.
That bastard!
He got into his sport car and drove off at high speed, but stepped on the brakes and made a phone call instead.
“Lemme guess…. you don’t know his address?” Ricky taunted at the other end.
“Talk!” He barked, mentally prepared to give his itching fists relief if the case be…
***
Natalia ignored the mystery woman and made her way in. She poked the door bell and the ensuing ‘ding dong’ went round the whole house but came back with no response.
She tried two more times before inviting herself in. The interior was more fancy than the outside. It looked like an art gallery because of the countless extraordinary paintings hung around the walls.
Natalia temporarily forgot about her mission and gawked instead. Peculiar artefacts from China, Africa and Latin America were also included. She wandered around but couldn’t find a single family photo or childhood memory.
Was he really that lonely?
A pang of guilt hit her as she stopped at a glass figurine, rolling mechanically on its own. It was cute and reminded her of a girl dancing ballet.
The princess smiled and picked it up. Suddenly, a soft lullaby started playing in the lower box.
Yeah. It definitely belonged to a little girl.
“What are you doing here?” A voice echoed and she shrieked, making the glass figurine slip and crash into a billion tiny pieces!
“No, no, no, no, no! Oh my God! I’m… I’m sorry. I did…” She gushed as tears instantly clouded her eyes. Natalia got on her knees and tried picking them up.
“Just leave it.” Leonardo said, still standing at a distance. But she wasn’t listening until a shard pierced into her finger and drew out blood.
“Ouch!” She cried and he flew to her side in a heartbeat.
“I told you to forget it! Now you’ve gotten hurt. Don’t you ever listen? The piercing might be so deep that I might have to call the nurse again. Shit! What do I do with you?” He cussed and fretted as he pulled her into the…. kitchen?
Don’t blame the princess, but nothing was in there except simple kitchen utensils… And about a hundred cartons of pepperoni pizza and bottles of milk.
Was he always that alone?
She wondered as he washed the blood away. Then he sat her on a stool and focused on giving first aid, still scolding under his breath.
Natalia used that opportunity to look him over. He’d just had a shower evident from his cool skin, dripping hair and change of clothes.
It was no wonder he didn’t hear the doorbell earlier.
Natalia noticed the bruises upclose. It had more black and purple spots than the red mess it was some days ago.
“Let it stay for a couple of hours. It’s shallow but still bleeding a little.” He said and let go.
She stared down at her bandaged finger and giggled ’cause it looked like she’d shoved her hand in whipped cream!
“I see nothing funny.” His flat voice snapped her out of her silly imagination.
Natalia muttered a thank you. “I’m sorry about the figurine. I was being clumsy and… and I’m ready to compensate you for it.” He still kept up a blank expression.
“Compensate me? Forget it. By the looks of things, you’re not gonna give me what I want even if I ask, are you?”
The princess wasn’t stupid.
She knew what he wanted and the vulnerable look in his eyes said it all.
So she looked down at her skirt and forced her tears to stay put.
“I thought so too. But don’t worry. I’m sure my heart can survive two rejections.” He walked back into the living room and settled comfortably on a couch. Natalia followed suit and sat opposite him, a bit far away.
“Again… what are you doing here?”
“Leo, i’m sorry for not feeling the same way and for not doing anything back there at the garden.” She muttered sincerely.
Silence followed which was broken by his soft sigh.
“I’m sorry too… for being such a jerk and for letting you apologise first when I should’ve. Sorry.” A faint spark of hope fluttered across her heart.
She smiled. “So we’re cool?”
“No.” He smiled back and stood up. “We both know apologising won’t change anything.”
Her heart lurched because he was right. Nothing was gonna change. They’ld both be awkward around each other and he’ld still be devastated within.
She stood up too.
“Leo, you’ll forget about your feelings for me in no time and go back to your life. We can make it work. Everyone at school miss you and I miss my friend too.”
“You make it sound so easy, like picking out grocery from a shopping list. Natalia, you don’t know what it’s like to be rejected. Repeatedly. Craving attention, seeking it but…. never finding it. I thought I got used to it. I thought I was okay being alone but then you came along and made me want to feel like someone special to someone…
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Chapter 87