Chapter 5 | Where's Helena?

Helena’s phone call immediately slipped from Alice’s mind. Aside from the piles of homework which distracted her from the call, her parents finally had time for a family picnic due to the success of UNITY’s fundraising event.

Since the Le Blancs did not have the whole weekend to travel nor drive a three-hour journey to their picnic spot, they held their family picnic into the vast garden. A huge picnic cloth was spread out into the freshly mowed grass as Alice eagerly placed a stack of board games in the center.

She faced her father. “Monopoly, Scrabble, or Werewolf?”

George hummed, thinking. “Let’s go for Monopoly.”

“You always choose that because you’re so good at it,” Alice stated as she put the other two boxes of board games away. “That’s unfair.”

Her father laughed. “Life is always unfair. You need to learn how to make your way around it.” That, Alice thought, was good advice.

It was not long after Meredith came out of the house, a series of housemaids trailed behind her. Meredith was carrying two baskets while Maya and Olivia, their maids, started setting up the barbecue grill.

The three of them started the Monopoly game as Meredith and George asked Alice about her new school. Alice, who already learned from her past mistakes, did not mention Helena or Candice’s hatred for her.

“What club do you plan on joining?” her father inquired.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll join Leia in Literature or a science club.”

She was not fond of reading novels and classics, but she did not have any other talents or interests useful in other clubs. Besides, she would embarrass herself if she joined a club that involved singing, dancing, or sports.

“Oh, Al, you could join the art club,” Meredith suggested.

“Mom, I don’t even know how to draw a stick figure properly,” Alice reasoned in between her laughs.

“Really? I could teach you,” George said proudly.

Meredith shook her head. “Aside from your business skills, you don’t have any other talents.”

George looked at his wife, horrified. “Oh, really? How about my dancing skills, huh?” He stood up and wiggled his waist, rather, tried to wiggle his waist. Alice’s laugh reverberated through their garden as he watched his father dance like a dying worm.

When the dancing finally stopped, George settled in between his wife and daughter. It had been a long time ever since they felt like a family due to their tight schedules. He knew that Alice was growing up fast, and times like this would be less and less, but deep down, he hoped that his little girl would stay the same.

George smiled warmly at Alice. “I love you, Al.”

Alice was not fond of intimacy, but because it was her father…

Well, she could make an exception. “I wuv you too,” she said as she stuffed her mouth with bacon.

“And I love you, Mer.”

Alice failed to notice it because her attention was on the Monopoly and bacon, but her mother did not reply to her father’s declaration of love.

Monday came, and Alice was delighted with her weekend. She caught up with her homework, read plenty of comic books, watched some movies, and had a wonderful family time she was craving for.

Leia, on the other hand, did not look like she had a great time. There were huge, dark circles around her eyes; even her eyeglass could not cover it up. She was not even carrying her usual books.

“What’s up?” Alice asked her friend as they both sat at their homeroom.

“My morale is not up.”

Alice snorted; she was about to ask Leia what happened, but Miss Dalia already came in for their homeroom attendance.

For the rest of the morning period, Alice focused on her lessons. She and Leia were the type of students who listened very well to their teachers, passed homework on time, and were always at their best behavior.

When lunch came, the two sat on their usual spot at the corner of the cafeteria. Now that a week had passed since classes started, the groups around the academy became more defined. Candice’s group, also known as the mean girls, settled themselves at the center while Thomas and his art friends ate lunch by the window.

Alice felt in her gut that this set-up would change once the clubs started.

“So, do you mind telling me why your morale is not up?” Alice queried.

Leia ignored her question. “Where’s Helena?”

Right then and there, Alice remembered Helena and her unusual call. She was meaning to ask Helena about it but did not have the chance.

“Maybe she’s reading at one of her hiding spots.”

For the week that they ate lunch together, Helena told them about the spots around the academy where they could read and eat peacefully. She was the type of girl to hide around the campus so no one would be able to bully and insult her.

“That’s weird. She said she’ll take us there,” Leia uttered.

Alice squinted her huge eyes at Leia, but the latter averted her gaze and ate a spoonful of steak. It was apparent that Leia was changing their course of conversation.

“Alright, fine,” Leia stated when she had enough of Alice’s scrutinizing stares. “After the UNITY party, my parents introduced me to some guy. We both know it was normal for our families to introduce us to a lot of people, but this one is different.”

Alice, who already had an idea as to where this was going, nodded. “Go on.”

“Mom said that this guy and I—” Leia’s words hung into the air when a boy walking towards their table caught her attention. “Oh, heavens,” she whispered.

The boy was over five feet tall, had short, neatly cut, dark-brown hair, stunning blue eyes, and a robust and muscular body. However, despite his attractive appearance, Leia found him displeasing to the eyes.

“Can we talk?” the boy asked; his eyes were on Leia.

Alice stared at the boy shamelessly, not because he was handsome, but because his face and voice were oddly familiar.

“Take a seat, Yu,” Leia mumbled.

Yu glanced at Alice. “In private, if you don’t mind.”

“No, it’s okay. Alice can hear it. She knows.”

On the other hand, Alice did not precisely know. She had an idea of what this was about, of course; arranged dates were not uncommon within their community.

Her mother, for instance, was also in favor of arranged dates and marriages for convenience. If it were not for her father, Alice would have been in an arranged marriage as well.

Yu sat beside Alice, in front of Leia. At that moment, her memory cleared up, and she immediately remembered why he was familiar. He was the boy she saw arguing with the senatorial candidate, Li Jing Zhang.

She was no detective but based on his appearance and similarities to the politician; she knew they were related. A father and a son, perhaps.

She did hear Li Jing threaten Yu, though. Something about his mother.

“I know you don’t like our set-up as much as I do,” Yu started. “But I am willing to do it so that my father gets off my back. I’m asking you to do the same.”

“So, you’re saying we should date?” Leia clarified. “Like, an actual date? Are you serious?”

Alice knew how smart Leia was, but right now, she sounded a little less brilliant.

“Just think about it.” Yu, looking both disappointed and hopeful, stood up and left.

As the day passed, Alice noticed that Leia did nothing but thought of it. Her friend was called to answer a question at Biology; Leia answered it correctly, but Alice had spent years with Leia to know that her friend was not listening in their discussions.

On her way home, Alice’s car passed by Sally’s Pizzeria. Her eyes remained on the building as it completely vanished from her sight. It reminded her of Helena.

Wilson glanced at her from the rearview mirror. “Did you want pizza? We could turn around.”

“No, it’s okay, Wil. I just remembered something.” Alice took out her phone and searched for Helena’s number.

She did not have many contacts saved; the few numbers were of her parents, Wilson, Leia, Leia’s parents, Helena, and her only friend before she met Leia named Felicia.

TO: Helena

Hey. You weren’t at school today. What’s up?

Anyway, I just wanted to ask. What did you mean when you called the other day?

Alice waited for Helena’s reply. She waited while she was eating her dinner (beef, potatoes, cheese, and beans). She waited while she brushed her teeth. She was even waiting as she did her Spanish and Biology homework.

She waited until she fell asleep, but no reply came.