“Dad?” Declan furrowed his brows as he stared at his dad suspiciously.
“Y… Yes?” Senator Han gulped.
“Kids, do you know where she lives?” he asked, his eyes hoping desperately that they know.
“Dad…” Marlie sighed.
“Tell me.”
“Dad, did she offend you? You wouldn’t look for someone without a reason,” Declan said.
“Just tell me where she lives,” Senator Han ignored.
“If you think she offend you then I bet you’re mistaken. I know Tiffany is stubborn but she wouldn’t come at you unless you did first, that I know for sure,” Declan guaranteed.
“Just tell me where she lives, I need to find her. It is very important, please kids.”
Declan furrowed his brows, his dad was not the type to apologize for someone or anything.
What does he want from Tiffany?
Does she owe him anything?
He really doubt if his father and the lady had ever crossed paths.
Now, he couldn’t help but wonder what his dad wants from that girl.
“I need to know why you want to meet her first. Is her safety guaranteed?!” Declan hit the table.
“You said she is from your school, right?” Senator Han asked and Declan looked away while Marlie nodded her head in affirmation.
“It’s done then. I’ll take care of the rest. You can leave,” He grabbed the picture, returned them to his locker, and then grabbed his phone.
“Fûck!” Declan groaned, stood up angrily pushed the chair away, and stormed outside.
”Declan!” Marlie whisper-shouted stood from the chair and rushed after her brother.
“Hello, Senator!” Came the voice of Western high school’s dean.
“I heard there’s a girl by the name Tiffany in your school.”
“Well… I’m not sure. There must be over one person by the name Tiffany. What is her first name?”
“I don’t know. Give me details on every person with that name right now!” he ordered.
“R… Right now? S… Sir, this is past…”
“Tomorrow morning. I’ll text you my email address now. Send details on every person by that name tomorrow morning!” He said and then ended the call without another word.
**
“This is…” he rested his hands on his waist.
“Bro, chill…” Marlie hit his back gently.
“Dad can’t hurt Tiffany. I can’t live with it!” he yelled.
“Why? Do you have feelings for her?”
“She is Aiden’s girlfriend, Marlie! And I know of Aiden’s love for her. The guy was happy again because of Tiffany. If anything happens to her because of our dad, I’ll never be able to face Aiden! You know that dude is the only friend that I have.”
“I don’t think dad is going to hurt her though. He didn’t look like he was going to hurt her. He looked like… Huh… he was looking for his long-lost child, something like that,” Marlie snapped her fingers.
“You think dad wouldn’t hurt her? Hello, our dad is a politician!”
“So?” Marlie laughed.
“Everyone could testify that Senator Han is one of the politicians who weren’t part of corruption. Do you remember when he was being investigated when he just became a senator? He came out perfectly clean. So, don’t think of my dad as one of those corrupt politicians, okay?”
“Okay, daddy’s girl,” Declan scoffed.
“Let’s watch how things unfold. Okay? Dad wouldn’t hurt her, I know that for sure,” Marlie hit his back gently.
“Yeah, you know everything after all,” Declan joked.
“You can say that again.”
==
Following day, Friday evening
Wesley’s domain.
Aiden sat in the living room with his dad who had spaced out as usual while he watched a movie on the television while munching on popcorn.
His mum had called him the previous night just after he had dropped Tiffany at her place and told him to visit the house the next day.
The maids confirmed that his mother arrived the previous night and only stepped out this morning.
“Dad, I discovered something very amusing, you wanna know?” He leaned closer as he dropped a popcorn in between his teeth.
“Did you remember the demon you released eighteen years ago in Sabalem mountain?” He asked.
Aiden raised a brow as his father turned his head slowly to look in his direction as he asked the question.
“I released it,” he whispered.
“Yes, I know. Why?”
“He will come back for me…” Theodore drawled.
“He will come back for you? Why?”
“I released him.”
“Yes, I know but why?” Aiden asked.
“I released him.”
“What was I expecting? Never mind,” He pulled away and resumed watching his movie.
“Dad, it’s enough. I’ve heard you,” Aiden groaned as his father wouldn’t stop talking about releasing him.
**
“Hey mum,” Aiden greeted as his mum entered the living room.
“How are you son? It has been so long,” she smile as she walked closer to him.
“Only to you. I come home whenever I want to see dad,” Aiden replied and then kissed his mother who bent beside him on the cheek.
“Right?” Martha smiled.
“Yes. You’ve been extremely busy these days, well, every day,” he rolled his eyes.
“Are you angry?” Martha raised a brow.
“Angry? No way. Even those times when it was only me eating alone at the big dining table, I wasn’t angry,” he shook his head.
“Your birthday is in two weeks, right?” Martha asked as she settled on the chair beside him.
“Not exactly two weeks, it is in ten days,” he replied.
“Approximately two weeks,” Martha added.
“Whatever.”
“What do you want for your birthday?”
“Anything but not car and bike,” he replied.
“Well, I have a bigger present for you.”
“Which is?”
“Announcing you as the heir to Wesley’s group,” she smiled.
“Fûck, no!” Aiden shouted.
“I guess you didn’t see the news?” Martha took the remote control that was beside him and changed the channel.
“THE HEIR TO WESLEY GROUP WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE 13TH OF NOVEMBER. Says Martha Wesley,” he read as he glanced at his mom’s picture and a picture of him that was blurred out.
“Mum, no way!” Aiden stood up angrily, the bowl of popcorn rolling over.
“Why? You’re the only heir the household has,” Martha frowned.
“What are you planning on doing?”
“Your birthday will be celebrated with the media around.”
“Mum, I don’t want to be announced as the heir, at least not now!” Aiden ran his hand through his hair.
“Why not now? When should it be? When you’re thirty? When you get married or what? I’m doing this my way. So, take it or take it,” Martha stood from the chair.
“Mum, my life will be monitored if I become announced. The reporters will be around me all the time. I don’t want to do this now. Let me finish high school at least,” Aiden pleaded.
“You’ll be seating for your final year exam next year January. There’s no need to delay anything. After your exam, prepare to go to college. I have everything planned out. If I could have things my way, I would have you enter college now, but I can’t. The media will dig it out and it will become a problem later for you,” Martha said and began to walk towards the stairs.
“Fûck, mum! Can you let me be?!” Aiden screamed.
“You’ve had your ways up till now. It’s up to me to do the rest. Get enough rest. Don’t think of fleeing or whatever, I have people watching you.”
“But…”
“You should be grateful that I’m pretending not to know about that girl,” Martha interrupted with a smirk.
Which girl?
Tiffany?
His mum knows about her?!
“I’ve always said that a man’s biggest weakness will be the woman he loves,” she shook her head.
“This is… Fûck!” Aiden screamed, grabbed his car key, and then stormed out of the house in anger.
“So ignorant,” Martha shook her head as she began to ascend the stairs.
==
Western high school= Monday.
While the morning gathering was going on, Tiffany excused herself to visit the restroom, and along the hallway, she ran into Zoey.
“Zoey,” she halted with a frown.
“Tiffy!” Zoey waved her hand at her and then rushed towards Tiffany.
“You… You’re such an idiot!” Tiffany hit her shoulder.
“I missed you,” Zoey chuckled then hugged Tiffany.
“Why did you do that?” Your line hasn’t been going through since Friday. I was so worried!” Tiffany whined.
“It’s not my fault, I swear,” she pulled away.
“I admit that I switched it off after I left school on Friday but when I got home I switched it on. I dropped it inside water,” she added with a sigh.
“Why? Did you do that deliberately?”
“Why would I do that deliberately?!” Zoey snapped and Tiffany chuckled.
“Sorry.”
“Where are you off to? Is the morning gathering over?” Zoey looked around.
“No, I was going to the restroom. Did you just arrive? You know you could get whipped for going to the gathering late, right?” Tiffany asked as they locked their arms together.
“Yeah, I wanted to get whip. I need more reason to cry. So if someone sees me crying, I’ll say I was crying because I was whipped and not because I was rejected,” Zoey answered as they began to walk in the direction Tiffany was heading.
“You’re so stupid, ain’t you?” Tiffany chuckled.
“I know, right? How’s your boyfriend?”
“Don’t even get me started. Aiden and I were supposed to meet yesterday but he didn’t pick up my call no matter how much I called. So, I’m wondering if he didn’t pick it intentionally or something came up,” Tiffany mumbled as the opened the door that led to the female’s resting area.
“Do you think Aiden would intentionally screen your call? Probably something came up. Talk to him when you see him and don’t assume things yourself,” Zoey nudged her.
“Okay. Wait for me here, I’ll be done in a jiffy,” they let go of each other’s arms and Tiffany entered the restroom.
*
“Declan was really worried after you left,” Tiffany said to Zoey as they headed to their classroom.
“As if. I bet his pride was hurt that I dumped him before he could reject me,” Zoey hissed.
“Still, I think you should hear him out. He looked so worried.”
“Since when do you start supporting Declan?” Zoey frowned.
“I just couldn’t ignore what I felt,” Tiffany said as she stared at Aiden who rested against the wall of her classroom, and Declan in front of him.
“Are you guys escort or something? You look like you’re guarding a president’s daughter right now,” Tiffany scoffed.
“Hi,” Aiden waved his hand at her.
“I’ll be in the classroom,” Zoey said and walked past Declan.
“We need to talk, Zoey,” Declan grabbed her wrist.
“We have nothing to talk about,” Zoey said, not looking at him.
“We have many things to talk about. On Fri…”
“I said I have nothing to say to you!” Zoey snatched her hand from him and entered the classroom.
“She’s so impatient, don’t you think?” Aiden furrowed his brow.
“Mind your business,” Tiffany glared at him.
“But you…”
“Follow me, you owe me an explanation more than anyone in the world,” she grabbed Aiden by his collar and then pulled him along with him leaving Declan who stood still, speechless.
*
“You missed my call purposely yesterday, yes or yes?” Tiffany asked as they reached the end of the hallway.
“Let me explain,” Aiden exhaled.
“You better do. I’m so angry that I can kîll you right now.”
“Come on, babe. That’s not a nice thing to say to your boyfriend,” he teased.
“Why didn’t you pick up my calls yesterday?” Tiffany glared at him.
“I got into an argument with my mum on Saturday, haven’t gotten over it,” he answered.
“Since Saturday?” Tiffany raised a brow.
“It’s a touch argument babe. She’s going to place a huge burden on my shoulder, and besides, my phone was on do not disturb mode so I didn’t see your call,” he answered and twitched his mouth.
“I was so worried,” Tiffany pouted.
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to let you see me in that mood,” Aiden answered and cupped her cheek in his palm.
“You can see me anyhow but I can’t see you even in your worst mood? Wow, you’re so mean,” she pushed his hand away.
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It’s alright. I’m off to class.”
“Are you angry?”
“Not at all. Zoey is alone in the classroom, she’s not also in her best mood. All because of your friend,” Tiffany rolled her eyes and then turned to leave.
“It’s your friend who’s not giving my friend listening ears,” Aiden said.
“Whatever. Let’s see later. Take care.”
“Alright babe,” Aiden waved his hand as he watched her out of sight.
==
Lunch break.
In the cafeteria.
Aiden and Tiffany walked inside the cafeteria and strolled towards a vacant table and sat on the chair, facing each other.
“I didn’t notice Zoey leave. I thought we were coming together,” Aiden looked around.
“She went to the restroom,” Tiffany answered.
“I’ll go get our food, so wait here for me,” Aiden stood up, patted her back, and then walked away.
Tiffany sat alone for a while, looking around the so many students in the cafeteria, picking her nails when she sighted Zoey.
“Here,” she waved her hand at her and the lady rushed towards her with a smile.
“Are you okay?” Tiffany asked.
“Of course. I needed to visit the restroom, you and Aiden wouldn’t stop being lovey-dovey in front of me,” Zoey hissed.
“I’m sorry,” Tiffany blinked her eyes.
“Why? Wait, don’t pity me, I’m not bored one bit. I’ll get a boyfriend soon and oppress the two of you, I promise,” she shrugged her shoulder.
“How would you do that? You’re clearly not over Declan yet,” Tiffany chuckled.
“Bîtch, fûck you. I’m hungry. I’ll go get my food. The perfect boyfriend is on his way,” she nodded her head at Aiden who was walking towards them with a tray in his hand.
“Join us here, okay?”
“Of course, you and your boyfriend can’t get rid of me easily,” she giggled and then walk away.
“Did you miss me?” Aiden dropped the tray on the table with a smile.
“No,” Tiffany replied bluntly.
“She could have said yes. She’s extremely boring,” Aiden mumbled as he scratched his forehead.
“I heard that,” Tiffany groaned.
“Of course, you did,” he nodded his head and settled down.
They had barely dug into their food when Declan walked towards them.
“Where’s Zoey?”
“I see someone is not giving up,” Tiffany chuckled.
“Mind your business,” he hissed.
“She went to get her food,” Aiden said to avoid the two starting an argument.
“Thank you,” he said and rushed away.
“All this is not necessary, he should just admit he loves her also,” Tiffany rolled her eyes.
“Your friend is not giving him the chance,” Aiden sighed.
“Shouldn’t you support whatever I say?” Tiffany dropped the spoon in her hand with a frown.
“I am right. Besides Declan is my friend,” Aiden protested.
“Declan or me?”
“You!”
“I love you,” Tiffany smiled.
“I know,” Aiden shook his head.
*
Declan waited while it was Zoey’s turn to get her food, and while she was done and approaching, he rushed towards her.
“Zoey, we need to talk,” he stopped in front of her.
“What more do you want from me? Is it hurting your pride as the school popular guy that you get dumped before you could even reject me?” She tried to control her temper and asked in a whisper.
“Is that what you think of me?” Declan furrowed his brow.
“Yes. That is what I think of you!” She snapped and then brushed past him.
“Zoey, I love you!” Declan shouted which made the lady halt and everyone in the cafeteria turned to look in his direction.
“What?” Aiden choked on what he was eating and then turned to look at Declan.
“I should take a clear video of this!” He removed his phone from his pocket, grinning.
Zoey inhaled, the guy was probably pulling legs, she took a step forward and his voice came up again.
“I fûcked up, and I know it. I messed up badly! I thought it was okay having you around without admitting my feelings for you but I was wrong,” he confessed loud and clear so everyone could hear what he was saying.
“All my life, I’ve never had to confess how I feel for a lady and that is why it took me so long to let you know how I feel. When you left on Friday, it dawned to me that I could lose you with my cowardness and that thought didn’t go well with me.”
“All the time that I’ve spent with you, every talk I’ve had with you, the things we see together… Your laughter, y… Your beautiful face, everything… It makes me want you the more. ”
“Idiot, the time you spent with me didn’t make your heart flutter?” Aiden hissed, still recording the emotional scenario.
“Zoey, I love you. I love you so much and I’m so sorry it took me a while to admit it. I am…”
Zoey dropped the tray of food that was in her hand and turned to face Declan, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Woah, this looks like we’re shooting a movie. So emotional,” Aiden sniffed his nose jokingly.
“I am sorry,” he mouthed and then walked towards her slowly.
“Woah, you look like a male lead in a romantic film. Damn, you’ve watched a lot of movies. Don’t worry, I will edit this video with my all,” Aiden assured.
Declan stopped in front of Zoey, cupped her cheeks in his palm, leaned closer, and then kissed her on the lips which made everyone shout out.
“So beautiful,” Tiffany smiled widely as she watched them kiss each other.
Xyler watched everything from afar, but what was happening wasn’t on his mind, something else was.
Aiden and Declan.
This was sure, the dudes made up already.
*
TBC…