The Forced Mate

Chapter 9: Playing with the tune

A new day began and it was on Monday.

I have started living with Bernard and his parents because all that my parents had; has been passed to Bernard, so I had no place to go and since I am his chosen mate, I have to be with him.

All that I need, from clothes down to my school stuff have been brought down to Bernard's family house, where I stay now... So I had no issues preparing for school.

I was almost done preparing in the room I was given, when I had a knock on the door and when I responded to ask the person to come in, it was the maid that walked in.

"Good morning miss, I am to inform you that the vehicle which will take you to school is already waiting for you outside" Angela, the maid said calmly in a respectable manner.

I nodded my head with a smile to show her that I have heard all that she said.

Immediately I responded to her, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

I took a deep breath, as I took my bag to walk out of the room... I had to talk to myself.

"Maria, just relax and watch everything return to normal!" With a low tone, I encouraged myself before walking out of the room.

I got to the living room and I found no one there, but immediately I stepped out, I met Bernard waiting for me in the car.

"Good morning Maria!" With a half-smile on his face, Bernard greeted me.

"Good morning Bernard!" I also greeted him back calmly, which was to his surprise.

We both sat side by side in the vehicle, as the driver drove us away from the house to the college.

After a little long while drive, we arrived at the college and we both departed for our various classes.

I was about to walk into the class when I heard someone call out my name and it was a familiar voice.

The moment I turned back and saw that it was Cassandra that called me, I was surprised, but filled with a mixed reaction and feeling towards her.

I was happy that she was alive and okay, but was not pleased with her for not showing up all this while and especially at the hospital.

"Cassandra, you better start explaining yourself now, before I pour out all my anger on you!" I sounded angry, as I looked away from her direction.

"I know you must be angry with me and thinking that I let you down, but it wasn't my fault though... I was high jacked by Bernard's guards and they asked me not to come to the hospital again if I still need my life and I was also warned never talk to you about it" Cassandra explains all that happened, as she sounded very sorry.

But I wasn't going to let her off the hook easily like that, so I kept on with the long face and questioning.

"So why are you now telling me now?" I asked as I turned to face her with my eyebrows raised.

"Come on Maria, I can't let go of our friendship just like that and I'm sorry that I was too scared to talk to you then... It's just that Bernard has changed so much and I'm even scared of him now!" With a hint of fear and with a sorry tone, Cassandra let out her worries.

"I do understand everything and you don't need to be scared to talk to me from now on... Come over here friend" With a smile on my face, I said to her; as we both hugged each other tightly.

We were both still hugging when Cassandra pulled me out of her arms and looked straight into my eyes to question me.

"Maria, talk to me, I heard about everything and the way you have been forced to stay at Bernard's family house... Are you okay, how have you been?" With a lot of curiosity and concern she inquired.

"I don't know if I'm fine right now, because everything is happening too fast and I don't even know what to do!" I said calmly, before bursting into tears.

Cassandra held me tightly to herself, as she kept on putting me at the back.

"Don't worry, everything is just going to be fine soon!" She encouragingly said to me.

"I don't know how I'm feeling right now, but I just know that I have to be fine... So that I can be able to figure out a solution to all these issues" I wiped away my tears and as I put on a courageous face saying those words.

"Let's start going into the class Cassie" I urged us to leave at once, to avoid getting into the class late.

We got into the class and all eyes were on me because the news of I and Bernard staying together as chosen mates has gone viral and there's nothing also hidden about that all my parent's properties have been handed over to Bernard... So it's time to receive the wrath of gossip and backbiting.

Cassandra and I walked to our seats, but I was shocked when my eyes met with Laura in the class and before I could say a word, the lecturer walked in and the lecture immediately commenced.

Throughout the lecture period, I was not concentrating on what was being taught, but focusing on Laura and trying to figure out why she's also in the same class as me.

'Is she a spy following me or what, what's she doing here?' A lot of questions were popping up in my thoughts, as I couldn't wait for the class to finish, so I can talk to Laura.

As soon as the class got finished, I moved quickly to Laura at where she was sitting, while Cassandra followed me.

"Hey, Maria! How have you been?" With an exciting smile on her face, Laura said?

"What are you doing here, are you following me now?" I asked her with an unpleasant look, without paying attention to her greetings.

"Come on, following you? I and my parents just moved over to Inverness and I just need to conclude my education, so I got enrolled into this institution here!" With an awe reaction on her face, she explains to me.

But I wasn't too satisfied with her explanation, so I decided to probe further and before I could say a word, she already started talking.

"The other day I met you at the hospital, I only came around to get my medical report; which I need to submit alongside my other document before I'm given admission into this college... Why are you questioning me, was it a crime that I helped you and we also meet here?" With a hint of anger in her voice, she explained and question me.

Cassandra was watching how I have been questioning Laura and immediately she noticed that Laura was almost getting angry, she jumped into the conversation.

"Please forgive my friend, she has been through a lot lately, and trusting people is kind of difficult for her now!" Cassandra pleaded calmly, with an innocent smile on her face.

After Cassandra said those words, I then realized that; I was being too hard on almost everyone and including Laura that also helped me, so I decided to apologize to her.

"Laura, I'm very sorry... Everything happening to me now is just getting to me and I don't know what to do. Please forgive my manners!" I pleaded with her with a sorry expression.

She immediately came close to me and hugged me gently.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine... Just relax your mind" Laura told me calmly and her word gave me relief and I was a bit calm.

"Oh, forgive my manners. Cassandra meet Laura, she was the one who helped me out of the hospital some days back and Laura, this is Cassandra my childhood friend" I made the introduction and before we knew it, we were all chatting and things started moving on gently.

As we're still in the class chatting, I was still having my doubts about Laura and how she drove me to the packhouse without asking me where I was going... Something is not clear about her and I will need to find out, as soon as possible...