Rose and Rapier

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Hey, hey, hey. You really are going to read this chapter. It was assuredly an utmost honour I shall receive to grasp your attention. 

My name is Claire Aldan, but you might remember me as Katherine Black's friend, I mean, best friend! We practically spend our time together later in her house, as her dad was finally let her enjoy online games more. Spency also often hang out with us, as she finally letting go of her duty as student council. So now, she has much time to do stuff with us.

Although...

"Sorry, Claire. Ray and I promised to go to the aquarium this weekend."

"Claire, I'm so sorry! Ray already bought the tickets to the theme park, and I promised to go with him. Sorry!"

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry I forgot about our plan!"

And it continues, on and on and on.

I knew she already got a boyfriend, and of course, it was understandable to spend more time with him. In fact, I was happy for her. 

Why? You know how timid Katherine used to be, but seeing her all confidence, it makes me happy, as her friend. Just somehow, I too felt lonely...

"Claire!"

My sword's instructor's sharp shriek awake me from my aimless imagination.

"Ouch!"

My opponent quickly landed a mark on my chest, as his sword stabbed through my vest. I fall down, as the push from the sword's stab was a bit forceful.

"Huh, is this the so-called the top-tier of the swordswoman in this class? Pathetic."

I touched the spot, where it hurt the most and tried to withstand the pain. 

Gerald Leroy.

My classmate in this class. Though, somehow, I do not know why he always wants to pick a fight with me. I often called him 'the annoying one', as he always goes into my nerves.

"Gerald, that's enough! Everyone, back to your stance!"

Sir Edmund, our instructor, asked everyone to be in their defensive stance. He then proceeded to me and helped me get up. 

"Miss Claire, I expect more than you. Are you not feeling well today?"

I shook my head, but my mind was still in the wander. 

Yeah, I am not okay.

The training finally ended, and for the first time, I was so relieved as it ended. Though fencing is my favourite class so far, as my parent always send me for extra curriculum, I felt somehow not enjoying it, for now. Something inside me felt empty as if it begs to be feed with something. Something like...

"Miss Claire? We already arrived, miss."

Uncle Harson, our family's driver, called me out, as he parked the old BMW's car inside our luxurious garage. I did it again, dreaming while my eyes were wide open. 

Ah, Father and Mother will not like to hear about what happened earlier today, in the fencing class.

"Sorry, Uncle Harson. I did it again. So unladylike of me."

I forced a smile while talking with him. He studied my face, though it was a happy face, he still gets to see right through it.

"You have something that troubled you, miss?"

That is our Uncle Harson, who already worked with us for almost 30 years. He sensed something was wrong with me today, by just the glance. He really knows me well, as he was the one who was always with me since I was little. 

I bit my lips, tried to hide it, but eventually, his soft voice calmed my nerves, and made me opened up with him.

"You can always trust me. You're always like my granddaughter, and it was a grandfather's job to listen and pampered to his grandchildren."

I almost cried, with the verge of tears were almost drop from the lid of my eyes. I maintained my smile, but this time, it is more genuine.

"Um, nothing, but somehow, maybe, I felt...lonely."

Uncle Harson waited patiently, as he let me continues with my rant.

"Katherine, you remember her, right? She has a boyfriend now, and lately, we didn't hang out much, which make me felt like, I was left behind."

I opened up about how I felt lonely when Katherine had her own life, now and I still trying to figure mine. Uncle Harson listened carefully, then he pats my head.

"Well, Miss Claire, I'm not in your shoe, and I might not know about how you feel right now, but perhaps, it might be the best if you, yourself tell Miss Katherine about how you feel."

I nodded. This might be the first time I felt assured, since...well, you know, since The Virtual thingy incident thing.  

Talking about that incident, wow! It was already a year since that thing happened. Well, to be accurate, a year and nine months. And after that incident, you can say, everyone, who still stay in that game until the end, somehow, changed. 

Katherine. Once a timid girl that I knew. Now, she is not afraid to push herself forward and more outstanding than anyone else. Ray, though I only knew him in the game. Yet, he improved a lot from the first I met him. While Harith, well, I always knew him, lurks behind her sister, but now, he proudly walks beside her. And of course, Amber, though I only knew her through Katherine, now, she is less mean than before, but still mean. Spencer stays the same, but somehow, she is presently less stressed like before, as now she said, she wanted to enjoy her youth more.

What actually happened after my forced logout?

I will never know because I am the only one who was not with them until the end!

Boohoo...sad me. 

"Miss Claire, you probably should go inside now. Your parent might be waiting for you."

Ah, again! I always let my mind wandered around thoughtlessly. Better get inside.

As I walked inside my house, all the maids already lined up, waiting to greet me.

"Welcome home, Miss Claire."

I love this kind of welcoming, but I always felt it was a bit exaggerating. I prefer the simple one, maybe the one where Father and Mother are the ones who welcomed me.

"Is Father and Mother around?"

I asked Aunt Flora, the head of the maid in my home, as the others took my jacket and stuff, to be put in my room.

"Master and Madam are waiting in the dining room. They actually told me to give a message to you to join them as soon as you returned."

I nodded. I went to my room to change to more appropriate cloth and then hurried to the dining room. I recollected my memories, to guess about the things that they might want to discuss with me.

Is it about my academics' result?

But, I aced every subject, plus I am the top at my school.

Is it about my curriculum's class?

I was already attending most of it, the piano lesson, violin lesson, languages classes, even entrepreneurs' class. Though the group only has old people in it. I only go to that class, since Father said, I might continue his legacy later. 

Hurm, I cannot think of any other reason. Might as well hurry to there. Maybe, Father planned to go on vacation together, our whole family. 

Ah, it was like a long time ago, since our last family's vacation together, before Father was the CEO of one of the top company, Oblivon. Co. While Mother aggressively participated in Fashion Runway event, she was one of the well-known contributors to the exhibition. They were not always around, and I am the only one left in this house.

But I was never alone! Of course, I have my maids, Uncle Harson, and Aunt Flora. And sometimes, my friends will come to visit me, and Spencer always stay in my home when I was afraid to be alone, and...and!

And...

No. I was alone.

"Miss Claire?"

Anna, one of the maids, who is much younger, called me out when she saw me spaced out.

"Oh, Anna, why? Is anything wrong?"

I asked though the only one has something wrong is me.

"No, but are you okay?"

She asked, and I immediately nodded. She knew I was hiding it, but she hurried to escort me to the dining room.

"Here we are, Miss."

"Thank you, Anna."

Anna left, leaving me alone at the front of the dining hall's door. 

Here it is. OMG! I'm so excited!

I pushed the door, slowly but forcefully, to make it open wide. The first thing I saw was both Father and Mother, already sat there, with luxurious meals, all well-put on the table. One of the chef's helper escorts me to the table, picking a seat for me. He showed me the chair, in front of my Mother, while Father sat at his usual spot, the head of the family's chair. I sat quietly, while smiled at them.

"It was a rare sight to find both of you here early. Is there any matters to discuss with?"

I asked though I hid my excitement, with the thought that, they will bring up about the family's vacation. Though, deep down in my heart, it may be something that they were not satisfied in me. Mother looked at Father, who is still chewing his food. Eventually, he stopped eating and wiped his mouth. Somehow, his face is neither showed a happy nor severe. The expression was quite sad. 

"Claire, my darling. You know that we love you, right? But, I also have a company that I need to look out."

I did not know where this conversation might lead to, so I remain silent.

"Honey, your father and I love you, and we really do want to give what is best for you, we really do. And to do that, one of us need to sacrifice."

This started to make me feel weird.

"Mother, Father, what is this? What is going on?"

They both looked at each other.

"You have to marry one of the heirs of my partner's company."

WHAT?!