Dearest, Duke

CHAPTER 1

Cassandra's POV

“Cassandra! Wake up!" my mother growled at me as she pulled the blanket wrapped around my body. I closed my eyes as I felt the sunlight hit my face.

"Get your ass up now!" she commanded.

“Mom. It’s too early,” I said, and I took the blanket from my mother and wrapped it around my body again.

"Get up!" she said while slapping my buttocks.

“Mom! What!" I immediately stood up and frowned at my mother.

“Breakfast is ready. Make sure to eat it. We are leaving, ” she said and she gave me a warm kiss on my forehead. My parents will be going on a business trip, so I will be left alone at the house again. I was used to it, but there are times when I want to be with my family, but I can’t do anything because they work to sustain my needs.

The inside of their house was quiet. I walked downstairs while looking around. The house seemed quiet and I seemed to be deafened by the silence that enveloped the inside of the house.

“Ms. Cassandra, your breakfast is ready,” Manang Belinda told me. I smiled and sat down. I was sitting at the long table, which is why I felt sad. I was eating alone again. I never even experienced me and my parents eating together. They’re always busy with their jobs and seem to forget about me, their only child.

I don’t move my food because I’ve lost my appetite. Manang Belinda looked at me, knowing that I was also having a hard time with my situation and the situation between my mom and dad.

By the time I got to school, I frowned as I got out of the car. Lizzy saw me from the gate and waved her hands at me but I just frowned and walked closer to her.

“What? What happened? Yesterday you had fun and now you're frowning? What's the problem?"

"Family matters again."

"They left again?" I nodded her head. Lizzy wasn’t surprised anymore because she knew and she witnessed how busy my parents were.

"So, what do you want to do?"

“I’ll be throwing a party later. Help me decorate the house,” Lizzy smiled as she looked at me.

"You can count on me."

“Thank you. You’re the best.”

Later that night, loud music, screams of people enveloped our entire house. Everyone was having a good time, and especially me. I was smiling while looking at everyone who came to our house. However, even though there were a lot of people inside, I was expecting to see Clark around. I was restless as I stared at the gate and hoped Clark would arrive.

“Thank you everyone for coming tonight. Let’s have a good time and party!”

“Whoo!!”

Everyone was dancing while holding champagne in their hands. There is also hard alcohol that the boys drink inside my house. Lizzy was with other boys partying and chatting.

I felt dizzy, so I sat in a corner near our pool. I smiled as I watched everyone around me. “Why am I dizzy? I haven't had much to drink yet?” I asked myself as I held my hand over my head.

I saw Clark arrive, he roamed around the place and heard loud noises coming from inside. He just kept walking and he was stranded in the pool. He looked around and immediately saw me in a corner, my eyes closed as I sat.

Clark was walking towards me when Misty suddenly blocked him. “Clark! You came! ” she said in an enticing tone of speech.

"Misty?"

“Yes. Finally, you recognize me.”

“If you excuse me. Wait a second,” he said, and immediately headed in my direction.

"Cassy?" he wakes me up.

"Clark?" I said, while my eyes were half-open.

"Why did you drink so much?" he asked, so I smiled at his question.

“Are you worried about me?” I laughed. “Clark? I have something to tell you.”

"What is it?"

"I've been…"

"Cassandra!" he was stopped when Lizzy suddenly moved in our direction.

"Clark?" she said with mixed surprise when he saw Clark was the man in front of me.

“You can continue,” Lizzy left immediately to give us private space to talk. She was smiling when she walked away from me. “Go Cassy! Tell him,” she said.

“Let’s go. You’re drunk,” Clark said and he was about to touch me when I stopped him. “I’m not drunk. I need to tell you this,” I said. Clark’s eyes remained at me while waiting for me to speak.

"I like you, Clark," Clark's eyes widened when he heard that thing from me. He was speechless and stunned at the same time. When I opened my eyes, I saw Clark was looking at me.

I smiled. "I like you."

"I'm sorry, I don't like you."

Tears started to well up in my eyes while looking at him. That wasn't the answer I wanted to hear from him.. I can’t believe I heard those words right from Clark. Clark stood and started to walk away from me, leaving me all alone, stunned and frustrated.

Clark

“Clark…” he never looked back. He never looked at me again. She was left there, alone, while people were laughing at her. Lizzy got closer to me, but I started to walk away from them. I was just walking when I felt dizzy again and immediately lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I was gasping for breath. I woke up from my bed and found myself in my room. My eyes roamed around. "What happened to me last night?" I asked myself while checking on myself. I covered my mouth when I remembered that I confessed my feelings to Clark last night.

“It was a dream?” I then went downstairs and saw Manang Belinda.

"Manang," I called her.

"Yes?"

"Did I throw a party last night?" Belinda frowned and shook her head. "No, Ma'am."

I sighed in relief, "Thank God, it's just a dream."

To be continued...