Chapter 14
1402 Words
Patrick***
' What is she doing here?' I thought as she was conversing with Juliana.
I didn't know how to react or what to do. I just froze there.
It was a surprise to see her.
At that moment, the only thing that was ringing in my mind was who she was.
'Is she following me, just because of that small talk I had with her?' I thought.
Juliana and the strange girl seemed to have an emotionally awkward moment.
"It was good to see you" Juliana said, raising questions in my head.
She was leaving when Juliana spoke, making her stop halfway and turn her head towards Julian. She smiled at her, then she left.
A weird kind of feeling enveloped me.
'Why am I feeling guilty?"
"Are you okay?" Juliana's question pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Who is she?" I asked.
"That's my friend, ex-friend," she said, grabbing a glass of water.
"What do you mean by that?'
"She was my friend, but we are no longer friends," she said after taking a sip of water.
"Why?" I got more curious.
"Can we please sit?" she asked.
I sighed, then I said, "fine."
I followed her to the other side of the living room, which consisted of five pairs of sky-blue couches which matched the color of the curtains that were hung on the windows.
"Feel free, you can take your seat," she said, when she noticed my hesitation.
"Thank you."
I lowered my body onto the couch.
I sank onto the couch, it was a haven of comfort, feeling the softness enveloping me like a warm hug.
"Yeah, what was your question?" she asked, as she, too, sunk in the couch next to me.
She sighed as she took a seat.
"What happened between you two?"
"Her family killed my mother."
I lifted my eyebrows questioningly.
"Are they witches?" I asked after clearing my throat.
"haha...no, come on? Her smile spread on her face, but it did not take long for it to disappear.
"I didn't mean that" she continued.
"So then what do you mean?"
"On my eighteenth birthday, my mother and her mother went to a cake shop to get me a cake, but on their way back my mother died."
I narrowed my eyes to her
"I don't understand," I said.
"Her mother is the one who was driving, so I don't know how she was driving that they had to bump into a tree. Her mother survived, but my mother died on the spot," her voice trembled as she spoke. Tears flooded her eyes and she let them flow.
"Hey, I am so sorry that happened to you," I placed my hand on her tiny hand.
"It happens, accidents happen," I said, soothing her hand.
"I spend every single minute convincing myself that it was an accident. For the past six years, I can't bring myself to accept what happened," she spoke in between her sobs.
"I understand how it feels to lose someone important," I said, blinking back the tears that almost escaped my eyes.
"Every year on my birthday, I remember that it was her death day,"she cried.
"I am so sorry, but I think it would be a lot easier if you had moved on. Let her go."
"I can't let her go. I tried but I couldn't."
"Maybe it is because you pushed everyone who was close to you."
"I can't let her go," she cried.
"Can I tell you something?"
She nodded her head in response.
"I lost my mother too," she lifted her head to look at me.
"I am so sorry to hear that," she said, wiping away the tears.
"Yeah, thanks," I found myself swallowing my emotions back.
"She died while saving her enemies' daughter," I gulped.
"How?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I really never talk about her death," I heard my voice breaking. The memory of her death always broke me.
Even if she passed away when I was nine, her death was still a clear visual in my mind.
I felt her warm hand placing on mine. Looking into my eyes she said, "It's okay if you do not want to talk about it."
"I think I should get going,"I said, standing up.
"Ahem, right now?" she asked, standing next to me.
"Yeah, I have to work on something," I said, avoiding her glare that would not leave my face.
"Before you go, I think you should eat something," she placed her hand on my shoulder.
It was suffocating. I had enough of her touches.
"No, thank you."
"Please I Insist.'
"On one condition," her eyes widened, finally removing her hand from my shoulder.
"What is the condition?"
"Call my guards."
"Come on," she rolled her eyes, stamping her feet like a little girl.
"What?" I lifted my shoulders questioningly.
"They will come, I will send my guard."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
I just wanted to go.
"You had better stick to your words," I stated.
"Is that a yes?" a smile spreading all over her face, she asked.
"yeah."
The next second, I saw her jumping around.
"Please take a seat while I prepare the food," with her lit face displaying a smile that I couldn't help admiring, she asked.
"Sure."
She ran to the other room, which I guessed was the kitchen.
I sunk in the couch, the thought of that strange girl hitting my mind.
"Who is she anyway," I thought, brushing her off my mind.
Sitting there, my heart ached at the thought of my late mother. A lump formed in my throat and all I could think of was visit her at her grave and cry.
She was the most understanding person in the world that I had ever met.
If she was still alive, my father wouldn't have been pestering me about marrying in order to keep a positive picture of his company, or rather my company.
The shareholders were not impressed enough with the rumors flying in the air about me sleeping around with women.
So my father demanded I marry
Ever since her death, my father has distracted himself by throwing all his attention on the company.
I couldn't bear her death at a young age, and neither could my father.
Every time my father looked at me, I reminded him of her, so he sent me away to my grandmother.
"Hey, hello, are you okay?" Juliana snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, ahem, uh," I couldn't form words out of my mouth as my heart was pounding harder against my chest.
"Have been calling for what felt like forever," she said, sitting next to me.
"I am okay," I said, trying to keep my face.
"Are you sure?" her voice was full of concern.
"yeah I am perfect."
"Okay then. I am almost done cooking, sorry for taking so long," she said.
"It's okay."
"Alright, I will be back soon," she said before leaving.
Thirty minutes later, she returned with a big silver serving dish which she placed on the dining table.
The dining area was a big space that was on the other side of the living room.
The dining table was a big round glass table that seemed like it had a mixture of diamonds in it. It was sparkling.
There were 4 dining chairs around the table.
She returned to the kitchen and collected two more serving dishes.
"You wanna help?" she asked, peeping through the kitchen door.
"Huh, me?" I stammered.
"Hehehe, just kidding," she laughed.
"Oh okay."
"I am done now," she said, placing the sky-blue plates on the table.
"Please come over here," she said, her face sparkling with joy.
"Sure," I said, walking towards the dining area.
I moved the chair backwards and took a seat. So did she. We faced each other.
"Can I?" she asked, opening the serving dishes, spreading different flavors of food in the air.
I raised my eyebrows as I could not understand what she meant.
"Oh, can I serve you if you don't mind?"
"Sure."
She grabbed a plate that was placed on my side and began to dish out the food.
The intoxicating aroma of crispy, golden-brown fish, infused with the subtle zing of lemon and the deep warmth of spices, wafted up to tease my nostrils, making my mouth water in anticipation of the first bite.
- Writer
