AWR Chapter 28: The blaming game
1360 Words
“Hello, sweetheart,”
She answered Carson’s call as soon as she sees her phone beside their table.
“I’m here at Leylah’s school. We’ll be going with Leylah somewhere. You know, father and daughter bonding.”
“Oh, it’s alright. Please enjoy.”
“Are you sure you’ll be alright at home?” She could sense his worried tone on the other line. However, it made her very excited that her husband and daughter will go somewhere. It made her heart race fast.
“Yes, definitely. I will be okay. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“Why, I should do what a husband would do to his beloved wife.” He’s happy on the other line but it made Stella close her fists.
Oh, you mean take care of your past very well? She only managed to keep those words to herself, knowing that she’s not going to justify that anyways. The damage has been done.
“Y-Yeah…sure.” She answered ironically. From what she’s hearing from her husband, she doesn’t know what to believe and what not to believe.
“We will make sure we’ll be right back very soon.” He ended the call right away. She got up from bed and glanced at their wall clock. Approximately, they will bond for at least four hours and more than that. If Carson will catch up with Leylah, it will take them almost half of the day to bond as father and daughter.
She took a quick shower and put on her best casual clothes and put light makeup on her face. She took a deep sigh and swallowed. When she was all done in less than thirty minutes, she rushed outside and locked the entrance door. She looked at her left and right before she reached the main road. She hailed a taxi and it stopped right next to her.
She grabbed her phone inside her purse and dialed a number. She bit her lower lip. She’s almost catching her breath as soon as she could hear a ringing tune from the other line.
“Hello?”
“Sebastian, it’s me.”
“Stella?”
“We need to talk. I am going to your apartment now.”
“Whoa. Ok. I will wait for you here.” She ended the call right away and as soon as she gazed up, she was able to meet the taxi driver’s gaze through the rearview mirror.
In their neighborhood, everything didn’t escape through Ms. Willow’s gaze. She even got her camera to take pictures of Stella rushing outside the house and even the hailing of a taxi from where she was. She’s standing by her window overlooking the fence and entrance door of the Hacke family. She grinned as she took the photos that she needed once again. How she enjoyed these moments, seeing fresh news and revelations from the family that she’s always observing the moment they set foot in the neighborhood next to her house.
----
"Hey, you didn't see it coming, right?"
"Yeah, that's not the kind of plot twist that I am expecting," Eveelia said through gritted teeth. Ameliah is crying at a distance and Lea is sitting next to them too.
"Can you please stop the drama? We're not suspended, okay?" Eveelia exclaimed furiously at her. Ameliah sniffles as she wipes her tears and she looks at her.
"See? That's why I doubted at first when you asked me to do it to Leylah." She answered as she closed both of her fists. Eveelia looked at her and she's even fuming mad.
"Oh, and are we going to play the blaming game here now?"
"Of course! I never agreed with you but you keep on insisting your way always!"
"You agreed to my terms! It's not good to put all the blame on me!"
"Of course, I will blame you because you made me do it!" Ameliah retorted.
“Is it my fault that she was able to record everything?”
“She’s a smart ass. I guess you underestimated her too much, you forgot that one.”
“Oh yeah? Not really. She’s still stupid and a fool. I guarantee you that.” Eveelia raised her voice all of a sudden because of what Ameliah said just now. It’s like Ameliah hit the core of her ego when it comes to Leylah. She won’t ever accept what Ameliah is trying to tell her because it’s nearest to the cruel truth.
“You can never outsmart someone like her. You have to be very careful the next time that you try to put up something against her.”
“I will never stop until I will succeed at my plans.”
“Well, in order to succeed, you don’t have to drag others to your craziness.”
"Stop the nonsense. At the end of the day, you made it and I saved your ass." Eveelia answered, pissed and frowning at the same time.
Eveelia turned her gaze at Lea who said nothing but she seemed to have something in mind. She never even bothered to interfere with their blaming game.
"Any thoughts about something?" Eveelia tapped her shoulder. She looked at her and said nothing in response.
"I guess I'm just tired. I wanna go home."
"Oh c'mon, we're hanging out now, don't kill the joy."
Eveelia tapped Lea on both her shoulders but she just sighed. "We'll be having our exams tomorrow. We better hurry and study or else we'll be dead meat for sure."
Eveelia let go of her and bid her goodbye. When she left, Ameliah went near Eveelia.
"I'm not sure about Lea." Eveelia turned her gaze to her.
"I think she still cares for her former best friend." Ameliah added while following Lea as she went outside their "mini headquarters". It's a storage room near the library.
"I don't think so…"
"What do you mean?"
"She hates Leylah, that's for sure."
“How can you say so?”
“Well, I knew something that I am confident of. I can use that against Leylah for Lea to hate her more.”
“Gosh, you’re not Eveelia for nothing,” Amelia commented with a grin.
----
Leylah looked at her phone for a long time. She can't get off the screen knowing that she reminded Walter to text and call her using her same number. She suddenly got frustrated that she took a deep breath while holding her phone.
"It's now or never…" She muttered as she dialed her boyfriend's number. It rang and it almost made her heart jump.
She waited for at least thirty seconds before she ended that call. What is he doing right now? Why is he not picking my call?
Leylah stood up and walked to and fro from her bedroom. She finally sat down in front of her cabinet with a half-body mirror in front of her. She looked at her phone screen again. When she noticed that nobody was sending her a message, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
She looked at the eye bags around her eyes. She obviously lost some weight because of the things she's facing right now, including the bullying part that Eveelia is doing to her.
She got her phone and browsed her contacts. It's only twenty people including Walter as "Wilma" and Lea as her best friend. She looked at Lea's name for a long time. She hardly ever noticed the tears that's brimming on her face because of the way she's treating her now.
Does it mean their friendship is over? Now that she's going with her mortal enemy, Eveelia? Lea is fully aware of that. She even changed into a white lady to prank her. Lea showed how she supported her to get even with Eveelia. But now? She's not sure anymore. They're more allies than best friends.
Leylah couldn't help but think about Lea and Eveelia. Were they even friends while she's being "best friends" with her too?
Thinking about all these things makes her crazy. Both Walter and Lea made her down and sad at the same time.
- Writer
