Olivia
The PTC day.
I waited patiently until he came. I really hoped he would come. I hoped he wouldn’t lie to me. Although I knew, Blake would come. For me.
I sat in front of my class. I watched some of my classmates already entered the class with their parents. I looked at my watch it was still 3. 50. Just ten minutes left until my turn. I should have my turn in the morning but since Blake still had a lot of works to do, he couldn’t make it and asked me whether the teacher could postpone mine until evening. I was lucky enough because Mrs. Holden allowed me. Besides…
For Blake still trying his best so he would come was enough for me. Usually, he would say that he couldn’t make it and sent John to replace him. Maybe some part of him had realized that he should act more like a father. Maybe he had a terrible nightmare about me? Probably so.
“Hey, girl?” I looked in front of me and Karen stood there with Lisa-her mother. I pushed my body up. “Where’s Blake?”
“He’s…still on his way,” I lied. I didn’t know whether he already headed here or was still at his office.
“Olivia, dear,” Lisa called as I turned my eyes to her. “If he couldn’t make it, I don’t mind to be your guardian in his stead. You know him. Usually, he would cancel right before his time. Just like usual,” she suggested. She was right. Sometimes Blake would usually do that. But this time…
“Thanks, Lisa. But I’m going to wait. He said to wait for him so I’m going to,” I politely refused.
“If you said so, dear. But if he doesn’t come, I will help you.”
“Thank you. Um, so Karen? What did she say?”
“Well, the usual stuff. Like how well I did in classes, my career in modeling, and if I’m going to continue to college. Something like that.”
“I really hope you will continue your college. You need to do something besides modeling. Although I’m supporting you, you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. So, you need another education background in case you failed.”
“Jeez, mom. You don’t have to say it out loud like that.”
“I’m talking about reality. I’m your mother and I’m worried about you.” I formed a smile watching them. Although Karen looked like she was bothered, I envied her. She had a mother to tell her what’s right and what’s wrong. Probably Lisa could help her with guys.
I didn’t have one.
I would never know how a mother forbade her daughter to do something. Like to not come home late, don’t go out with some certain guy, asking about guys, and other stuff. My current father never did something that a father should do. I was like raising myself by my way. Without any direction from anyone.
“I don’t want to think about it now. I’m still sixteen. I still have another two years to think about it,” Karen said.
“Yeah, like you’re going to think about it seriously.” Lisa’s words made me chuckled. She was totally right. She knew how her daughter never took anything seriously. Except modeling.
“Hey! What are you laughing about?” Karen shouted a bit.
“Sorry. Oh.” My eyes set on the person walking in my direction. No. Way.
Karen realized what I was looking and she directed her face in the same direction as mine. “Oh.”
Blake was walking his way on me. I couldn’t believe it. He was really here. He came for me. For the first time. I thought I could cry with happiness. Maybe it was weird for a teenager like me to be so happy and excited because her Daddy just came for her PTC. But to those who knew about me, would feel the same as me.
As he came closer, I realized he was still wearing his business suits. But it didn’t stop him from looking so damn gorgeous. Stunning as always. He walked past some girls and their eyes were fixed on his Adonis-looking figure. Even their mothers were doing the same.
I waited until he arrived beside me. “Hey.”
“Hey. Sorry, I’m late.”
I shook my head. “That’s okay. Thank you for coming. Well, shall we?”
“Yeah.” We both entered my class after I gave one last look to Karen as she smiled widely. I saw Mrs. Holden on her chair and she raised her head to us. She stood up and greeted us. We walked inside and I closed the door.
“Mr. Morgan. Glad to have you here,” she said while stretching her hand to him.
“So do I.” Blake shook her hand and we both sat on the chair.
“Well then, where should I begin?” she asked while looking at me. “I must say, Olivia here is doing very well in every class she takes. Her grades were perfect and it’s going to be easy for her to get a scholarship anywhere. Do you have any plan, dear?”
“Um, y-yes. If I could,” I replied.
“What do you think, Mr. Morgan? If your daughter could get a scholarship outside the country or maybe just out of the city?” she asked. I glanced a bit at him. I also wondered how his reaction would be if he knew that I wanted to get out of the house after I graduated.
“I guess I’m going to support everything that she had decided. I want her to live by herself so she could be more independent. Although she is now because I rarely at home. But as her father, I want to see her grow up without my help. Besides, all kids have to defend themselves in the future, right?”
I was surprised. Like, literally.
My mind could only think of one thing.
He wanted me out.
He didn’t want me to be beside him anymore. The feelings were mutual.
“Yes, that’s right. Well, I’m sure Olivia can do it. But I suggest you have to pay more attention to her. You still have two years before she leaves, right?”
“Yeah. I still have two years.”
Two years.
Two years and I would be out of his house. Maybe he would withdraw his adoption on me. Maybe he intended to do that when he suddenly became so cold to me. But since I was still underage and no one could take care of me, he was pitying me and held himself until I was old enough to be thrown away.
That was the reason why he rarely came home.
He didn’t want to see me.
“If you watched the news, sir. Then you know how lots of innocent girls got into trouble because their parents didn’t watch them.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said as I turned at him. There was something on his tone. Something so…dark and intimidating. “I will make sure no one would dare to touch my daughter,” he added.
I could see Mrs. Holden from the corner of my eyes that she was quite shocked by Blake’s words. Something dangerous from his tone. And his eyes…they were dark. Like the eyes of a…murderer. A criminal. My mind immediately went to those missing boys.
They’d been found.
Three days after their disappearance.
They were dumped on the garbage, barely alive. They had a lot of bruises on their body. They were being tortured brutally. Also, a lot of blood. When I heard about their condition, I wanted to puke so badly. I immediately recalled the condition of those girls.
They were almost the same.
One of the boys lost his thumb and none of them could talk. The doctor said they were shocked and even at the hospital, they only stared blankly at the ceiling. Looking at nothing. Few of my classmates and I visited them what I found from them like they had lost their soul. Their eyes were empty.
I pitied them.
Although they accused me that I had slept with Blake, I never despised them. I never hated them. And witnessing their current condition, I pitied them. Who would do cruel things to them?
I only had one answer and I hoped it was not the correct answer.
Blake.
I knew I couldn’t exactly accuse him of being the culprit. I didn’t have any proofs that Blake was the one who did those things.
“Um, Olivia?” Mrs. Holden called as I turned my eyes on her. I blinked few times. “Are you okay? You were like…dozing off.”
“S-Sorry.”
“I think she’s tired because she’s waiting for me. Well then, Mrs. Holden? If that concludes the PTC today, may we be excused for today? I should bring Olivia home now,” Blake said.
“Sure. You two may go home now. Thank you so much for being here, Mr. Morgan. Please always watch over your daughter. I will do my job here as well and support her educationally.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my part as well.” Both of us stood up and Blake shook her hand. I thanked her as well and we both walked out of the class together. Until her voice stopped us.
“Oh! Mr. Morgan!” she called as we turned to her. “Do you know that the missing boys from the news are from our school?” she asked. My heart was like jumped out when I heard it.
“Yes, I’ve heard it.”
“You should be extra careful and rethink if you’re going to leave her alone again. It looks there’s a maniac on the loose and I’m worried about Olivia getting hurt,” she advised.
This time, I didn’t want to miss anything. I turned my eyes on Blake and his expression was like usual. Flat and expressionless like he was not worried about me at all. Not until he spoke.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Holden,” he said and found his blue eyes on me. He was slightly smiling but not the kind of smile that people would like.
His eyes shown something bad.
His smile was nasty.
“Not even a maniac could lay his hand on my daughter.”
Is this the real Blake?