Arranged Alliance

Reunion of Friends – Part 02

Nicholas Bretons

When dad said to me that I was going to get married to a girl who was the daughter of his best friend, who also came from the richest family in England, The dukes. Just like us, they are on the 4th standard of the richest families in London. Her hair was in curls and she was the really whining type, but then a girl stumbled on me and I lost consciousness. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, almost like a fairy. But she wasn't. She pulled out of me and nodded towards the family, introducing herself as Nora. And I was just standing there staring at her, then I saw she was struggling with gifts and became conscious and took them from her, putting them on the side table.

After that, Nora's mother accused them and said enjoy ourselves. Sure, why not? I thought sarcastically. I saw Mr. Duke was saying something in his ear. Then he ran away. I shrugged. Violette, Seth and I introduced ourselves. She didn't talk to any of us. Seth and Violette were fighting over something going on at their school and on which side they were. Lucy was on her phone laughing and smiling after a second. But Nora was staring at the painting and I was at her.

What happened to me today?

I shook my head and also took my eyes toward the painting. I saw it many times. It was made up of four friends, two girls and two boys. Arms on their shoulders on each other's side. They were smiling and looking forward to the painting. It was from my best friends. Four best friends that turned into a tragic story. Two girls died in the accident and two boys died inside. After the disappearance of their two best friends, they can't ever move on, so they also end up married to some businessman's daughters and make their family. But I heard that both of them never forgot their two best friends who died in an accident. They said that they were dead in the same accident and we were only dragging our bodies here and there.

It was really a tragic story. I thought. I know all of this because my father made it and explained it to me.

"You like that painting?" I asked her. She observed the painting. For a moment I thought that she didn't hear it did but then she nodded, looking at me. "My father did it did." I said proudly. We both made eye contact and she smiled at me.

"I like it." She beamed at me; I smiled back. And we were back in silence until an early waiter came and asked Nora some questions and gave her a plate of pasta and juice. Then I remembered that we ate without her and I didn't ask her anything. I want to slap myself hard. She started to eat pasta and I felt so bad for her, suddenly.

"Your father really is a car for you," I said. She looked at everyone. My siblings were fighting. Her sister was on the phone.

"Yeah. I guess so." She chuckled, then answered. Odd.

"So, what do you do?" I asked, making a converse.

"Nothing, just handle the business." I nodded and pulled my lips in thin line, "What do you do?" She asked. I gave her the same answer. She ate her pasta and now was staring at the juice, we were discussing some business stuff when some laughter rang in my ear. Dad came laughing with Mr. Duke. Mr. Duke's hand on dad's shoulder, Nora ignored them and kept staring a her glass like it was the most interesting thing in the world and I was at her.

What really happened to me? I asked myself while sighing.

"Nora, you didn't drink the juice, it's your favorite, drink it." Mr. Duke said, she took a sip and gave him a satisfied nod. I was biting a smile. Mr. Duke coughed and turned towards dad, "Meet him, Nora. He is my best friend, James Breton. He's also your mother's friend." She nodded at dad.

"You are just like Sophia, Nora" dad said. Sophia? Who is Sophia? Why is he comparing Sophia to her?

Everyone is still,the tension in a room is something I can't define. Elizabeth and Sana came into the room at the same time and smiles dropped from their faces as they stared at dad. Mr. Duke drops his hand from his shoulder. He also stared at dad. Lucy stopped typing and her hands were frozen, even Seth and Violette sat down quietly, also staring at dad. I stared at Nora; Nora's hands curled around the glass as she took a sip of her juice. She was relaxing as she knew that this was coming up. She made eye contact with me and held it.

Her eyes were something else like addiction. They were sparkling even though they were only brown eyes. In her eyes there was determination, and something evil. And I know something similar is in my eyes too. And then we both were who we are, the moment we made eye contact. Her lips curled up to one side and she looked at dad.

"Of course, I look like her. She is my mother after all." She said, sipping her glass. I stared at my father as she stared at Nora open-mouthed. Then there was a voice of glass shattering, Sana dropped her glass of champagne and looked at Nora, then at Mr. Duke. Tears threatened to come out of her eyes. She put a hand on her mouth, Elizabeth rubbed her back, but what most surprised me, Nora knew who her mother was, so why they lied to us. It made sense when Sana ran out of the room and Mr. Duke after. Lucy also sprinted and ran after both of them. Nora was just sitting there drinking her juice. Amusement in her eyes.

"Dad, what's happening here?" Seth was the one who spoke first. Nora glanced at him, then at dad. He nodded toward her and turned around to Seth.

"Nothing. Elizabeth took the kids home." He said. At first, she just stood there staring at Nora, then hearing dad's voice, she pulled Violette and Seth, but Seth delayed it.

"I will come with you, Nico." Just so that I realize my own presence. I drank a whole full glass of water. Seth rubbed my back; Nora was still drinking her juice. A little later, Mr. Duke came and pulled Nora with her forearm, her glass shattered on the ground, and as he pulled her to her feet he slapped her, hard. I was on my feet in a moment. He raised his hand again; I was going to stop her but dad was by her side before me. He grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"Are you in your senses, David?" Dad said. David released his hand from his grip and ran a hand through his hair. "She is just a child," Dad said. Nora didn't budge from her place; it was like she wasn't faded by it. She removed her hair from her face, there was a little cut on her lips. Her breathing fast.

"She is not a child." David said, "She knows what she is doing and saying." He said, glaring towards her. She didn't look at him. Seth gave her a glass of water, she took it and drank it raised a gulp. "Your mother fainted in the park." He almost raised his voice.

"She is not my mother." Nora gave him a sharp look and snapped at him, "She is nothing to me." Elizabeth was also there. Nora glanced at her but her eyes didn't linger on her. David again jumped on her, dad grabbed him by his waist and Seth blocked her with his back on her.

"Shut up."

"David," dad warned, "go where you have to be. I will drop her." At first it looked like he didn't hear him, but then he pushed dad, glaring at her, then sprinted out of the room, glaring at Elizabeth in the way. "I said you to go with kids." He said to Elizabeth. She took a glance at Nora, then nudged his chin toward Seth. Dad looked back at him, he was rubbing her back. "He will come with us." Elizabeth nodded and went out of the room. Now there was only dad, me and Seth. Nora sobbed, then put a hand on her mouth as if someone might hear her. Dad went toward her and put her arm around her, "Oh, you poor soul." Nora immediately hugged dad as if she knew him all her life. She sobbed on her chest. "What happened to you when I wasn't here?" Seth and I just stood there watching dad comforting Nora and Nora hugging tightly dad.

And then I realised that my life wasn't as messed up as hers was.