The Heiress They Ignored

Chapter One

The car was unusually quiet tonight. Not that Daniel and I talked much, but between the “Heys and His”, there was more of silence in our relationship. With time, I convinced myself that true lovers were the ones who felt very comfortable in silence. But the air tonight felt especially different, and I couldn’t tell why.

We weren’t exactly the typical couple who’s obsessed with public displays of affection. As a matter of fact, Danny and I only ever went out late in the evenings. We would either go bowling, grab dinner, go to an arcade or go see a movie.

At first, I wondered why. I dared to ask once and Daniel said it was more romantic that way... “Everyone is always out and about during the day, Ames. In the evening, the same spaces are less crowded, plus the evening breeze makes it more romantic for the both of us”

It sounded plausible to me, but sometimes we would get stuck in traffic and he would begin to complain, and I would add a supporting statement to ease his temper. But here we were, sitting in the same traffic for five minutes now, and not even a single grunt or sigh.

“Are... are you okay?” I asked after mustering the courage.

“I’m fine” He replied, his voice flatter than the air I just exhaled.

Uhm... maybe he needs a little more to warm up.

“The traffic is absurd tonight; I wonder what’s causing it” I said in a nervous attempt to liven up the mood.

“Mm..” he added dryly

Wow! Just mm?

Something is definitely wrong.

We’ve just arrived the venue, the place is already full, thanks to the traffic. There were cars lining the street, and music floating through the air from inside.

If I wasn’t aware that this was a house party of one of Daniel’s friends, I would have thought that it was a work party.

I adjusted my dress before stepping out of the car, and while waiting for Daniel to come around to my side, so we would walk in together, he came around, and just walked ahead.

“Daniel” I called softly

“Yeah”

“You’re walking too fast”

“Oh”

He glanced at me ever so briefly and said “sorry”

But he still didn’t slow down. I adjusted my pace and stayed close behind him as we walked in.

The place looked even nicer inside, the interior of the house was a sweet mix of modern and minimal, but the smell of food mixed with perfume, cologne and the music playing from the large speakers wasn’t exactly as pleasing.

Daniel though, seemed different. His posture straightened and his eyes and his eyes scanning the room like he was searching for someone.

And he founded...... I wondered as I followed his gaze.

He found Patricia. Of course she was here too.

She stood near the centre of the room, surrounded by a small group of people who looked like Daniel’s friends.

She wore a fitted silver halter top and a pair of black low-rise jeans.

Patricia was always the centre of attention even without trying. The silver contrasted beautifully against her skin, and I was in a brown mini dress that didn’t hug in the right places.

“Ames...” Daniel’s voice broke my thoughts...

“Yeah?”

“I’ll just greet... some people”

“Uh, ok” I hadn’t even finished and he was already walking away.

A few minutes had passed, and I was in a quieter corner, with a cup of God-knows-what that I’d grabbed earlier.

My eyes located Daniel, he was still with his friends and Patricia.

She said something that cracked the group up. Daniel laughed too... like really laughed and his shoulders even looked more relaxed in that moment.

I looked away quickly.

“Should I go over there?” I wondered

“I mean, I am his girlfriend after all, but I noticed that Patricia was missing from the pair.

I took one last sip of my strange-tasting drink, as if it was a confidence boosting elixir as I walked to the table behind me to drop the cup.

When I looked at my intended destination, Patricia was walking away from the group and Daniel was walking towards me.

“Did he finally realize that he wasn’t with me the whole time? Did he perhaps notice that—

“Ames,” he said when he got close.

“Yeah?”

“I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“Oh.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He hesitated for a second, then added, “I won’t be long”

I forced a small smile. “That’s fine.”

He nodded and turned to leave.

My eyes followed him as he walked away even though I didn’t mean to.

Then it hit me, Patricia was heading toward the same exit bare minutes ago.

I felt something in my chest drop; I looked down at my hands then back at the door they had just walked through.

I stayed seated long after Daniel walked out but I kept looking at the door, waiting for Patricia to walk back in and ask the other guys about Daniel or for Daniel to do the same.

“Maybe I’m just overthinking it, I mean, people step out all the time at events like this. To take calls, to breathe, to gossip... It doesn’t have to mean anything, Amera”

I thought, in a frantic attempt to convince myself.

Sitting there quietly, I looked around and noticed how the party carried on like nothing was happening.

I could feel reality settling, I had just gone through the five stages of denial, but somehow, I didn’t feel like crying.

I don’t belong here, I feel so out of place. I decided to go and find Daniel so we could leave.

Outside was much cooler, I stood for a long minute, breathing... Then I heard voices.

Lord knows I wasn’t trying to listen, but that laugh sounded too familiar.

Patricia.

I froze.

“.... I’m serious,” Patricia was saying. “I honestly think that you should have ended it a long time ago”

There was a small pause and then Daniel’s voice.

“I know”

My grip tightened around my phone

“I just didn’t want that on my conscience,”

Patricia laughed softly. “Your conscience?”

Daniel hesitated.

“...I don’t want her thinking it’s because she’s not my type,” he said.

Silence, then Patricia replied... “These things can’t be forced, Dan.”

“I tried, but it’s just not there.” Daniel responded

“I know you have” Patricia affirmed.

It was in that moment that everything settled inside me.

I turned and walked back inside.

Daniel found me a few minutes later.

“Amera,” he called

Wow, it’s not “Ames” anymore. I thought to myself before looking up and answering. “Yeah?”

“Can we talk?”

I nodded and followed him to a quieter part of the room.

For some reason, I wasn’t nervous but I wasn’t hopeful either. I was just.... ready.

He looked around like he didn’t want anyone listening.

“I think we need to break up” he said abruptly

“You think? Why would you think that?” I asked, trying to be calm and act unsuspecting.

“It’s not working, Ames. You can feel it too if you’re being honest”

“If there’s a problem, we should discuss it in private. Not at a party, by the sideway, Daniel.” I said, slightly raising my voice.

“It doesn’t matter whether we do this here or at my place. The outcome would be the same.” He said coldly

“Your mind seems made up already.” I said, my voice numb from feeling nothing.

“It is. I’m sorry, Ames. It’s not you, it’s...”

“Oh please! Spare me that generic bullshit” I cut him off

“You can’t do this with your reason being only that “it’s not working.” I deserve better.”

Daniel sighed. “That’s all that it is, Amera”

He can’t even meet my eyes. Can it be that he’s in such a hurry to dump me, or could it be that he still cares for me?

“Hmph” I smirked. “You’re not ready” I turned to walk away

“I’m tired, Amera!”

His voice jerked me in my steps

“Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be” He continued

“I’m tired of the side comments.” He spoke

“I’m constantly aware of it. When I’m with my friends, when we go out, even when I’m just alone” he said in between breaths

I didn’t think he would say it.

I always knew what people saw when they looked at me – A big girl.

Not the kind people hyped online with soft compliments. Not even the kind that at least turned heads for the right reasons.

Just... big

Truthfully, I don’t think I’m even that big.

I’m a size 14 on a good day.

Size 16 when the material was being mean by refusing to stretch.

I knew how to dress around it, though. With the dark colours and loose outfits.

Could this be coming because I chose to wear a mini dress tonight?

Still, I never thought Daniel would ever say it to me.

“You met me like this; I’ve always been this way. How is it suddenly a problem, D?” I asked softly, in a bid to appeal to whatever kindness what left in his heart.

He rubbed his head “I’m tired of pretending”

“Pretending?” I blinked once and asked, his words sharper than the last

“Since when?!” “I never begged you to be with me! You literally moved to me Daniel!!”

“I admit that I did, but it purely out of pity!” He said his voice increasing slightly

“Look around you, Ames...” he continued. “You don’t belong here”

“Wow. Okay” I responded, my voice breaking

“Ames, please don’t make it hard” he said grabbing my wrists

“You have tried equally but the way you carry yourself, the way you dress...”

How could someone be so stupid and sensitive?

“Has he always been like this?” I wondered as I tuned him out as he spoke mindlessly.

“...I mean, look at Patricia,” those words snatched me out of my thoughts and a new wave of anger swept through me.

“It’s easy. There’s no explaining, and I don’t have to think twice when--”

Crack!!!

My chunky hand slapped him across the face.

“How dare you? Who do you think you are to compare me with another woman??” I asked angrily

“You want to be with her that bad, right?” I continued.

“Say less! It’s over!” I stormed off

“Amera, I didn’t mean... I didn’t mean it that way”

His voice followed behind me, but I didn’t stop.

I kept walking till I ran out of road