The Commoner

Chapter 7: The Mansion

After a few minutes drive, Luke and I arrived at his place. It's a huge middle eastern styled mansion that looks like a castle build with strong bricks and surrounded with palm trees. There's a rising four storey building at the middle of the entire mansion surrounded by many small houses which is not connected to each other. Luke stop the car at front of the tall one and instructed me to wait for him there. After a minute or two he got back wearing smile on his face.

"This way." He said and I followed him to the entrance.

"My dear, Arya! Welcome to the house of Ballinger! Im so happy that you are finally here. My Jakey has been waiting--" Luke's mum excitedly welcome me with open arms when luke interrupted her.

"Mum!" He exclaimed. "Ari this is my mum, Kiara. mum, Ari. Where's kim?"

"Right here, Jakey! "She shouted while walking toward us. "Oh, you must be Arya, well, you are more than welcome here... Im kim, Luke's sister. 3 years older than him. Anyway, your name suits you."

"Thanks, kim and Kiara." I said shyly. Honestly, I was starstruck with Kiara and kim's looks. gosh, they're all beautiful. Kiara looks so young to be luke's and kim's mum while kim, her mascular feature, I can even feel her 6 packs abs when she hugged me, her small pointed nose that matches her small facial features. she has green eyes just like their mum and chestnut long and silky hair down to her waist. Are they even a normal human?

"Come on, let's get inside the kitchen, you must be hungry. How about the rashes? is it all gone? you poor jakey, why did you ever bring her to the sea food restaurant? you should asked her first for--

"It's okay, luke did asked me but I told him I dont have any allergy, i just wanted to eat lobster and I always have antihistamine with me." I cut her off while explaining the side of story and to defend luke of course.

"Seriously kimmy, im not gonna bring her there if I know she would be hurt." Luke said while grinning.

"Okay, enough with that guys, food is waiting. Jackson is currently out of town so he can't be with us for today's lunch." Kiara informed while sitting and we sit also and luke sat beside me while kiara and kim sat opposite to us. I was just silent there while thinking how beautiful their house is from the inside. All you can see is green and mint, maybe they so in love with nature to design their home like this.

"So, where you from, Ari?"Kiara broke the silent.

"Im from Millwood but moved to Algona 7 months ago, where I met bailey." I said looking at her to show some respect. This woman is so motherly in nature. I actually missed mum from her.

"You moved with your parents?" Now it's kim. Why is everyone asking about my parents. Are they trying to make me cry? I frowned and replied

"I moved to Algona when my parents died."

"Why Algona? it's like 10 hours away from Millwood. Plus the city is so boring." Kim asked to keep the conversation going while kiara and Luke are just listening.

"I saw Algona a lot in my dreams and I find it interesting. Well honestly I also saw this lunch coming. I mean I have dream of eating in an old middle eastern styled house and there are children playing around. It's kind of weird thing about me." I opened up to them. I even paused in between my words coz i dont know if I can trust these people but here I am telling my story. Kim's eyes widened to my revelation.

"Are you a witch or something?" She asked.

"No, of course not. Do you believe in witches, magic?"

"Of course, I do. but nevermind about it." She said trying not to say something.

"Kimmy, your asking to much. If you keep being like that Ari wont visit us here again." Now it's luke.

"It's okay. Actually it feels good when someone listen to my story. It's my first time telling someone about it coz you know, we can never make people believe in our story coz they have a version of their own."

"Yah, you are absolutely right, Ari!" She agreed with my statement.

"How did your parents died, Ari? I hope you dont mind for asking this but if you dont want to answer, it's okay." Kiara now asked.

"Car accident. On the 10th of May. 12 midnight. Returning home from a business trip. They actually planning to surprise me on my 19th but they end up dying." I said while my tears starting to fall and my voice cracking."I've warned them not to go home and stay at the hotel near the airport coz I've seen that accident in my dream. I always dream of my parents died in a car accident but no specific date. They both died on the spot. Luckily , our driver survived. He told me everything. That my parents wanted to surprise me that night. He even presented to me my favorite cake that was ordered by mum. They supposed to pick that up before heading home when they were hit by a truck. The question that always haunt me is, Why do I have to lost my parents on the day of my 19th birthday? Since that day, I dont want to fall asleep anymore afraid that I might have a bad dream again. Then my aunt, dad's cousin decided to marry me to her business partner's son so I wont be alone anymore specially at night. That's when I decided to leave Millwood. I left everything behind. I am 10 when I started dreaming a small town with trees and cars with a population of 7,325 to be exact. I searched it in the internet and Algona pop up. I called dad's lawyer to inform him that I am leaving the city, then book a ticket and pack my things. When I arrived at Algona, I have nothing but myself till I saw Happy Cafe is looking for a staff. I applied, when I saw Bailey, I remember that I have a dream when I was 5 about working in a small cafe with a kindhearted boss same thing that came in my mind when I look at Luke's eyes earlier. I thought I've met him before coz I've always dream of a hazel eyes that I have mistaken it as reality." I just didn't answer kiara's question but I totally tell them almost my whole story out of nowhere. The last time I check, I dont want to talk about it but here I am revealing every detail of my life. I just find it safe with them. I dont understand why.

"I'm so sorry that you've gone through a lot. If you needed a mother's hug, my arms are strong enough to hold a 3 big babies." Kiara said trying to comfort me.

"Thanks, kiara." All I can say while wiping my eyes."and sorry for the drama in front of food." I said looking at three people around me. Luke didn't say any word but I can see his reaction on his face. he looks worried or concerned. is that toward me? well, i hope that he will never ever pity me.

"So how's Thunderwood college? do you like it there? Heard that you are taking up nursing?" This time it's kim again.

"Yeah, maybe i'll try to send an application someday."

"Hey, send it as soon as possible. They'll gonna accept you. As you can see, not a lot of people here are interested in medical profession." She exclaimed. Yah, I observed that too when we went to that school but why is there even a medical school here if they are not interested at all.

"Kimmy is a doctor by profession." Luke finally talked

"Just like mum."Kimmy said rolling her eyes to her mother. So I am taking my lunch with doctors and lawyer huh.

When were done with lunch, luke and kim clean the table and washed the dishes. Kiara grab my hand and walked me to the elevator. Yes, these house has an elevator inside but unlike any other elevator, these one has a pin like a room hotel. I dont know how rich this people are. They own the entire city. It's in the 2nd floor when the levator stopped.

Once in that floor, Kiara walked me inside the huge room.

"Sit over there my dear. Im just going to get something."

I nodded and follow as she says.

"Here, open it." She handed me a small box, I opened it and surprise what is inside the box. It's a necklace with a moon pendant.

"Why?" I asked her with my confused looks.

"Accept it, please. I'll be sad if you dont. I am very proud of bailey for having you."

"Well, thanks kiara." I said while opening my arms to hug her.

We heard a knock on the door, when kiara opened it, it was kim and luke.

"Dad will arrived soon." Kim excitedly said.

Luke rolled his eyes and said

"Ugh, dad will never stop talking about morreth again."

"I know." Kim rolled her eyes.

"Kids, he's proud of her. I mean we are all proud." Kiara inserted. "Let's go downstairs, come on your father will be here in a minute."

"Are you okay?" Luke turned to me.

"Yeah, it feels good to actually talk about it after so many months. You have an amazing mum, beautiful inside and out."

"You'll never be alone anymore, Im here I mean we're here you can treat us like a family of your own." Luke said in a soft tone. Seriously, his voice sounds music to my ear if he's concerned.

"Thanks, again. So, Is there any other place that you want me to see? coz I just wanna go back, maybe bailey is awake now and she'll look for me."

"She visited her sister. And she wont look for you coz she knows that you're in a good hand."