CHAPTER TWO
969 Words
CHAPTER 2
Ariella’s POV
“Principessa” I hear a soft voice calling my name
I know it’s papa, but I really do not want to talk to him, so I pretend I am still asleep and refuse to open my eyes
“I know you are not asleep Principessa”
“I want to talk you my dear, please wake up for you father”
I don’t budge, stubbornly pretending to be asleep
I hear papa sigh, and I know I have won
“I know you’re still angry at papa” he speaks
I roll my eyes internally, almost breaking my act with a smile but I bite back my smile
Of course I have forgiven papa.
I can’t be angry at him for too long.
Nah Never, but I just want to get a favour out of him, so being a bit difficult won’t hurt
“What do you want me to do to make it up to you?”
“Anything you want, I will give it to you” He speaks
Ah Ha!
Just what I want to hear
My mind sweetens like Kool-Aid with trucks of sugar innit
I sit upright, not bothering to keep up with the fake sleep act
I know papa would not be angry with me
I’m the apple of his eyes
“Hey Papa” I hug papa, inhaling his chamomile scent
“Papa, errrhh... in my dream I heard you saying you would give me anything I want”.
“Is that true?” I ask, twiddling with my fingers, my eyes carrying a twinkle of mischief
“Arabella... You and I know that you were not sleeping” He replies, amused
“Oh My God” I gasp, dramatically fainting on the bed
Papa laughs.
Not the perfunctory ‘nice to meet you’ laugh he gives his guests.
No
That deep rumble coming from his chest, and reverberating in the room, telling me how happy he is at this moment
I sit up to watch papa laugh, and I join him, until we are almost out of breath
“Okay, Okay Papa”
“I know I have been caught, but you made a promise”
“You cannot go back on it Papa” I whine, smiling sheepishly
“You swindler” He muses,
“You are swindling your old papa aren’t you?”
“No, Papa” I speak, my hand scratching the back of my head before I realise
“No problem Arabella”
“You are my Principessa” He speaks, tapping my nose
“Anything you want I would give you” He continues, while caressing my hair
I am Arabella Laurent, daughter of the Duke and Duchess Laurent.
Only child, only heir and apple of my father’s eyes.
Of course I get away with anything I want
“Well... Papa” I speak, slipping my hand into his arm, my head resting on his shoulder
“I was thinking”
“Since I’m starting a new school”
“Instead of the entourage I carry, what if I drive to school alone?” I speak in soft tones,
I try to table the matter in the softest and least harmless way possible, knowing how delicate what I’m saying is
“No” Papa replies instantly
“But Papa...” I protest
He cuts me off
“My answer is final Principessa” his tone grave
“You are not allowed out of this home without at least 2 guards following you”
“Or did you forget what happened the last time you ran away from home because of your obsession with being poor?”
“You remember how they almost killed you. You know Arabella” Papa chides
Yes,
I remember like it was yesterday
I ran out of the house after remembering something.
A memory or dream? I can’t recall
But I knew I wanted to be far away from this luxury
And it just didn’t feel like home to me
So I packed a few stuff and sneaked out, not letting anyone know
I remember those men and their lecherous gazes as they bundle me into their vehicle
Neither can I forget the gun pointed to my head, while threatening my papa for ransom
My grip tighten on my father’s arm, tears well up in my eyes threatening to fall
I remembered the sinking feeling in my chest.
The despair...
As days turned to weeks and Papa wasn’t there to save me.
I truly believed like I was going to die
“Principessa!” Papa calls my name, shaking me until I come out of my thoughts
“Yes Papa?” I reply, looking at him but my eyes very far away
“I’m sorry Principessa that I cannot fulfil your wish”
“You can ask me for any other thing, and I would give you”
“But this, I cannot change for your safety” Papa replies, pulling me into a hug
I inhale his scent, and it instantly calms me down
I’m home now. They cannot get me again. I’m free from them.
My shoulders relax in relief
“Alright, get ready for school, I’ll be dropping you off today” Papa replies, taking his leave from my room
“Uuurrghh” I groan in frustration, watching all my plans to sneak out being blocked by Papa
I can’t blame him though
I was one dumb and irrational kid then
But, I still feel suffocated by the constant watching and too much luxury
Besides, that fragment I saw in my head;
Me playing in a shabby playground with dirty children like me
It’s a stark contrast from this luxury I’m in
I must find out who I am
With or without surveillance
- Writer
