Chapter 2

Change

"Oh! He's coming?" Pearl asked as she munched her food.

I wiped the side of her lips using the tissue. She's a messy eater. I can't believe we're at the same age whenever she acts this way. People can't believe that she's being a baby whenever she's with us because she is known as the mysterious athletic girl. A baseball player to be exact.

I'm not surprised every time her suitors get startled when they found out her true personality.

I nodded at her and then proceed to review the lessons for the test later. 

"So?" She asked again, waiting for something.

I frowned. "What?!" She smiled at me suspiciously. I shake my head.

I give up! Seems like I can't review right now. I faced her and then showed her my bored face.

"Look, I know he's coming but what do you expect me to do? Throw some party to welcome him? I don't even know him and also, this is just only for the sake of our business. I swear I'll never like him the way you are implying, hearing words about him makes me shiver in fear and disgust."

"What if... he's handsome, smart, kind, and especially rich? Perfect for you and your family's standard. Are you sure you'll not gonna fall in love with him?"

"What's with your question?! Of course not. Even though he meets my criteria for my ideal guy, it doesn't change the fact that he agreed to this kind of setup. It just means that he doesn't have his own principles."

"Really?" She teasingly asks. She's not done teasing me.

I scowled at her. "Hey! Don't expect that we'll love each other just like you imagine. We're different okay! Plus, I'm too young to think about that!"

"Oh! A heated discussion early in the afternoon?" asked Maia, the oldest of the three of us.

I just averted my gaze and then look to the open field of our school as Pearl tell Maia what we were talking about. It was peaceful at first then suddenly a commotion happens.

I frowned as I stand up, very eager to get a better vision of what happened there.

"Oh! What happen?!" said Maia when she finally notices the scene.

"Is that Lux?" Pearl added pointing at someone.

"You know him?" I ask her.

"Yeah. He's one of the famous college freshmen this year. I heard he's from a powerful family."

Pearl tells me more about him as we walk in their direction. But I don't understand what she's saying because I'm too focused looking at the guy she said is Lux.

As soon as we get there, we witnessed the awful treatment of the seniors to him. They are positioned like they just finished punching Lux. They are waiting for Lux's response but I only saw his blank expression along with the blood running from his lips. Though his friends looks angry from what they have witnessed.

"What now?! You can't fight back because you don't have any power now. You are only brave because of your family but now that they have abandoned you, What can you do?" Mocked by one of the seniors.

Lux just showed him a smirk and then immediately punched the senior's face that made us all startled. I was so scared when his friends help him to punch the other seniors which made the situation worse.

My mind went blank and all that I did is screamed for help. It takes a few minutes until they stop because the guards finally arrived. And I was just there standing and watching them getting captured by the guards.

I am still occupied that I didn't realize we were already in the cafeteria and my friends are already eating. That scene really bothers me. I suddenly felt worried about that Lux.

Is he okay? Did he already treat his wounds? 

I sighed. Why am I thinking of him?

"As far as I know, he's from a family of lawyers. His family is also powerful that's why most of the students here are scared of him including the seniors despite being a freshman," Maia said.

That's explained his behavior a while ago. He's so brave to fight back with the seniors and he still managed to remain calm.

Is that the effect of growing up with a family of lawyers? Because you know when you will be right or wrong?

"If his family is that influential, why do the seniors attack him and his friends?" asked Pearl.

I nodded in agreement.

"You know the seniors very well that they love boasting themselves but they can't fully do that now because of Lux and his friends. I also heard a while ago that the seniors are mocking him about his family. I think it's either his family lose power or they abandoned him or something like that."

"What?!" Pearl and I said in unison. I almost spilled my juice.

Maia laughed. "What's with your reactions? It's not surprising anymore... Okay? Last week I heard that he's rebelling against his family." She said as she take a bite of her sandwich.

What?! That handsome man is rebellious? I am so shocked because someone like him who has a perfect face and body doesn't suit that.

Wait, I don't even know what did he do. And why did he decided to do it. I should not judge him easily.

"How did you know these? Seems like you heard a lot about him, hhmm." I asked.

"Duh? Lux and his friends are famous, so there are a lot of people who know things about him. And also he has lots of obsessive fans who like digging about him just to be updated."

"And you're one of those?" Pearl laughed.

"Yuck! That's so gross! I like his friend," Maia said in response.

"He has fans? Is he an actor or something?" I ask out of curiosity.

"No. He's pursuing arts. He loves drawing and painting that's why. But since he has the body and looks, girls are going crazy for him same with his friends."

Pearl looks at Maia teasingly "You know lots of things huh!" 

Maia just hit her arm. 

It feels strange that he's pursuing arts instead of law. He's lucky that his family let him take it. But, he still chooses to be a rebel son. 

What's wrong with him? 

Though, I suddenly felt jealous. I wish I were able to study painting instead of business course.  I wish my family considered knowing what I really like to pursue. How I wish that happened...

 But, to think of it there is also chance that him pursuing different career from his family may be the reason he's in conflict with them.

I don't know what to think.

"Oh! Auva? What's with your face? Are you thinking of Lux?" Maia asked.

"No!" 

"She seems in denial." Pearl laughed. "Auva it's okay if you have a crush on him. At least you experienced that before meeting your fiancé."

Great! I almost forgot I have a fiancé. 

How I wish it will be cancel.

I sighed with my thoughts.

It was a peaceful evening but for me, it feels like hell. This is the night that I will meet my fiancé. My brother is not at home.

He's not a fan of this setup for me so I know he didn't want to witness it. I'm also thankful he's not here because I know he'll just get mad and that will result in a chaos. He might get punished by daddy again for being stubborn.

I look at my reflection, wearing a white tube dress with petals of roses at the bottom of the dress.

The hairstylist made my brown hair curly in the end, just matched with the light makeup that the makeup artist chose. They want me to look like an innocent yet elegant lady. 

I remember how surprised they were when they found out that I'm meeting my fiancé. Well, I'm young to be engaged but my parents don't care about it.

 I used to happily obey my parent's decisions because I thought it was the best for me. But when they started to control almost everything in my life that's when I realized that it was not good for me. Because what they are doing to me stops me from being myself. 

 Still emerged in my thoughts that I didn’t notice we already arrived at the five-star hotel.

I look at my parents and they look happy. They are impressed with the family of my fiancé. 

The hotel manager guides us the way to the staircase. He told us that the event is on the ground floor and we should use the staircase for photo shooting purposes.

My parents nodded before being led down the stairs.

The manager also told me to wait a few more minutes before going downstairs. 

So I did, I walk gently like an elegant princess. I heard lots of noises but chose to ignored them. I focus on walking down the stairs and got confused why there was no flash of the camera came.  

I decided to look straight and then saw the chaos that is currently happening. All of the people seems panicking including my parents.

Then, I turned my gaze towards where most of the people are watching.

That's where I saw a man who hurriedly goes down the stage who I think was my fiancé because of his clothes. 

Wearing a black tuxedo he escapes through the exit door without looking at any people around him. I did not even see his face because he left so fast. It took me more minutes before I realized that my fiancé has escaped.

"What's happening?" I softly asked, still digesting the scene happened.

No one answers me until an unknown man of my age goes toward me. So I look at him in confusion.

"The engagement is off. Your fiancé declines." And with that, he left me with more confusion.