She stood stiff and rigid, even her breathing was controlled. His hand ran through her straightened hair."I'm sorry, Bernadette, I'm sorry. I'm here, you can lean on me. I'm sorry."She tried to pull away but he held her back so she stayed cold. Vincent and Frederico watched with narrowed eyes.*"The PDA can be saved for later. We have a brother in surgery." A cold voice cut through the moment. She jumped away from Merlione, looking guilty and nervous as a drenched fish."Vincent," She called in greeting, trying to match his cold look. He eyed her up, also Merlione who came to stand protectively by her side.She wondered why she felt so nervous and guilty. Perhaps because she knew she needed the approval of King's family.Frederico stepped forward, looking unbothered. "We heard the news. What happened?""He called me," she answered smartly, "he called me just before he lost consciousness.""How did you know where he stays?""He told me." She was less nervous now but there was someth
My best friend is a nine tailed fox. He sneaks out at night and turns into some creature with nine tails. It’s a secret, nobody knows but me; his best friend; Joan. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone.“Seriously?”Joan jumped, her pen falling off in the process. King laughed loudly, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he laughed. He had spoken very close to her ear. She sighed, picking up the fallen pen and turning back to her writing.“Your best friend is a nine tailed fox” he repeated, coming to rest on the table she was writing on.“Yes” she snickered, looking up at him, “You sneak out at night and turn into some creature with nine tails. It’s a secret, nobody knows but me; your best friend; Joan. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone”She finished in a dramatic whisper, a small smile on her face as she watched him burst into laughter again.“You've watched too many Korean series” he commented when he finally stopped laughing.“Like you don’t watch them with me also” she replied, shutting the book
Sisi was a year older than her. She was seventeen, Sisi was eighteen but they were both in the same grade, grade 12. Also Keisha and Selena, who were also eighteen.They were in the cafeteria after having the first half of their classes.The cafeteria, as expected, was crowded and noisy. She and her friends sat on their table at the far end of the cafeteria."I love your braids" Selena said to her and she gave her a look."Girl, I've been on this braids for two weeks now"Keisha snickered while Sisi typed away on her phone."It looks new to me" Selena shrugged."Madeline is just an attention seeker" Keisha commented and they all looked to the group that was making the most noise."You're a cheat! You hear me! A cheat! I can't believe I fell for you, you liar!" Madeline, the ever pompous girl of their set shouted at her boyfriend, Niel, now ex-boyfriend.Niel was sitted on his table with his friends, a bored look on his face as he twirled his car keys in his fingers while Made
"How many times have I ... Why do you let this happen!? What is wrong with you!?" She shouted, her hands hanging loosely at her sides, not making any move to hug him back but not pushing him away either."I'm sorry" he murmured."No!" She continued, "You're not! You're not, King! Everytime this and you keep complaining yet you don't do anything about it. What's wrong with you!?""I'm sorry"She opened her mouth to shout again but then closed it, shutting her eyes and taking deep breathes to calm herself."I'm sorry" he repeated.They fell silent."Just let me go" she spoke upon opening her eyes.He did slowly and reluctantly, his eyes searching hers. She looked away."Sit there" she nodded at the dining. He complied. She opened a cupboard, bringing out a first aid kit from there."You see this?" She asked him, bringing out an almost empty pack of cotton wool from the kit as she walked up to him."Most of it ended up on your face" she slammed the kit angrily on the table.
“Why would he stay the night when he has a home?”Joan stared at the floor.“You have not given me a tangible reason, Joan. He cannot just stay the night whenever he wishes. He has parents, he has a home. He needs to be more responsible. So, NO King cannot stay the night. If you don’t have anything else important to say, you can leave my room. I am angry with you enough.”Her mother turned the other way on her bed, concentrating on whatever it was she was doing on her phone. She sighed, shuffling her feet. She wanted to tell her mother the truth, everything about King but there was something holding her back, something she couldn’t quite figure out.“Mum, please. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t necessary, he'd leave very early tomorrow morning, I promise.”Her mother didn’t reply. She moved the distance and stood in front of her.“Its late. You can’t expect him to go out by this time.”“I’m pretty sure the streets are still overflowing with people. He better leave now.” her mot
He didn’t have much yet he spent a good amount each day, going back and forth. No matter how many times she pleaded, he wouldn’t let he visit him, she didn’t even know his address.Plus… “King?” she called when she stepped into the sitting room and didn’t find him there. She checked the kitchen and her room and the guest room but there was no sign of him.King was gone.*“You could have told me you were leaving. I was very worried… Just get out of my phone.”Joan cut the call, entering into Sisi’s car where Sisi was already waiting.“Who was that?” Sisi asked curiously. “Someone.” She replied curtly. Sisi didn’t know of their relationship, didn’t know that King was her best friend neither did any of her other friends. Sisi had seen King a few times but she hadn’t suspected anything. She didn’t feel the need to inform them, she wanted her relationship with King private.No toast?” Sisi asked, seeing she wasn’t in a good mood.She face palmed, realizing she had forgotten
“Whatever it is you have to say, say it and stop beating round the bush.”“Or I may lose interest.” She added, smirking.He laughed nervously, and ran a hand across his face then he stopped, his smile dropping.“Okay. Joan Michaels” he started, looking her directly in the eye, “Would you like to go on a date with me this week?”*Flashback…“Joan Michaels, would you like to go on a date with me this week?”She pretended to think about the question, her lips forming into a pout and her brows, furrowing.“I don’t know, King Johannson. What does this date have to offer?” she questioned after a long moment of silence.15 year old King blinked innocently, looking up at her.“A lot, Joan Michaels.” He said, “A princess crown, the best dress ever made in this universe, specially prepared food and my heart on a platter of gold.”She twirled her hair around her fingers, her left hand on her in a pose as she stared down at him, knelt down on one knee, a single rose held up in his two
“Avoid him from now on.” Beck warned, as all three of them shot her accusing looks. She glanced at Koty who couldn’t even keep his eyes open.“I’m sorry… I …” she stuttered in confusion.“Just do what I said.” Beck repeated harshly then they walked away. Beck and Francis supporting Koty on either sides. It was then she noticed they had a small audience gathered around, her friends included.She watched helplessly as they moved farther and farther away from her.*She wasn’t allowed into the clinic where Koty rested; Francis, Beck and Jude made sure of that. She couldn’t concentrate on her books, she avoided her friends perpetual questions and then hurried home immediately the bell rang. Koty was the only thing on her mind, she felt guilty but then she consoled herself with the fact that she had not done anything wrong. She had not known Koty was asthmatic and even if she knew, was she supposed to have accepted his proposal out of pity? Koty didn’t deserve that, he deserved someone
She stood stiff and rigid, even her breathing was controlled. His hand ran through her straightened hair."I'm sorry, Bernadette, I'm sorry. I'm here, you can lean on me. I'm sorry."She tried to pull away but he held her back so she stayed cold. Vincent and Frederico watched with narrowed eyes.*"The PDA can be saved for later. We have a brother in surgery." A cold voice cut through the moment. She jumped away from Merlione, looking guilty and nervous as a drenched fish."Vincent," She called in greeting, trying to match his cold look. He eyed her up, also Merlione who came to stand protectively by her side.She wondered why she felt so nervous and guilty. Perhaps because she knew she needed the approval of King's family.Frederico stepped forward, looking unbothered. "We heard the news. What happened?""He called me," she answered smartly, "he called me just before he lost consciousness.""How did you know where he stays?""He told me." She was less nervous now but there was someth
She laid her head on his shoulder and let him tell her about work and his life for the past nine years while sharing one large can of soda then they ran around and played like little children, using the swings and involving in a sand castle competition with the other children.It was exactly what they needed in their too-careful world.*Frederico puffed on a cigarette, lost in thought. He was surrounded by loud music and intoxicated people but none of the senseless activities going on around him registered in his head. Only one thought did.He had to get rid of King Johannson.Either he did that or he risked being killed. Who else would have the audacity to kill Luca? And motive? There was also Vincent. He sure as hell was a suspect but all fingers pointed to King. It wasn't a coincidence that Luca was murdered during the same period the girl King loved was getting hooked.He took another long drag and stubbed out the rest. It was Luca first, soon it would be him. It was Luca's fault
The problem was that he just couldn't accept the reality that she wasn't his any longer. It felt unreal.He clicked the call icon. Still, he wouldn't leave her. If he ever left her, it would be because she asked him to.Switched off. He dialed her line again. Switched off. Third time. Switched off. He ran a hand down his face.*Isla knocked on Vincent's front door."Tommy, Tommy" She cooed when Thomas answered the door."Thomas, how many times have I warned you to stop answering the door!?" Charlene shouted from somewhere inside."Calm down, Char," She chuckled, entering the lavender-scented home."Nice morning, Aunt Isla," Thomas greeted respectfully, seemingly oblivious to his mum's worries. She laughed, ruffling his hair then stuffed a hundred-dollar bill in his hand. He beamed."Buy as many chocolates as you want, ok?" She whispered, ruffling his hair one last time before going into the kitchen where Charlene was."Oh, my love," She cooed, seeing the five-month-old baby in a movi
She threw her phone aside with a satisfied smirk, "he asked for it. Imagine telling me to apologize after openly stating he didn't take it to heart. A hypocrite, that's what he is."Joan didn't know whether to laugh or cry."Yes, he said he doesn't mind but it is only normal for you to apologize when you do something wrong to show you are truly sorry.""Well, that should be my choice, not his." She stubbornly refused.Joan raised her hands and dropped them in resignation."Good riddance," Isla whispered.*"You were out all day."Were the first words she heard upon entering the house at about 7 pm."Yes. I'm home early. Is there a problem?" He was at the foot of the stairs. He looked sad and beaten but he was one hell of a good actor."Sorry," She changed tactics, putting on a smile, forcing ill feelings out of her heart, "good evening. How was your day?""It was trashy and boring without you," He replied in a monotone, "I went out to see my family when you left for Church and I got
"Thank God, he's gone." Isla sighed with contagious relief."Nah," Joan shook her head, "you get his phone number and talk to him."Isla's eyes widened, "How am I supposed to do that? He's obviously in a rush. Why else will he get takeout?""I'll get it for you.""How?"*Just nice, she was called three days later."It has been confirmed," James spoke, the smiling man she met at the restaurant gone, "Fr. Greg wasn't the chief celebrant at your wedding."She wasn't surprised. "Then who was?"They were all present as three days before, including James' secretary and the Priest who had never uttered a word other than a quiet greeting.He showed her a photo."After going through the footage of that day, the day before, and the day after, we suspect this man as the culprit. He has never been seen in the Church before that day. He was seen entering the Sacristy just seconds after Fr. Greg did but he was never seen coming out. Upon closer inspection..." He showed her another photo. It was a
She thought of going to see King but the memory of Vincent's cold face crossed out the thought. She visited Isla instead.*"Surprise, surprise." Isla's eyes were wide as she ushered her into her modest penthouse in the early afternoon of a Monday. The house was pretty small but comfy. A set of mismatched couches in the middle, an eating area to the right, a TV at the center, a few flowers in antique vases kept at strategic corners, and a treadmill close to a door she assumed led to the room."I checked you at work but I was told you wouldn't be at work for the rest of the week. Is there a problem?"Isla laughed, passing her a glass of water after she sat on one of the couches, "Must there be a problem?""No, but one doesn't just take a leave from work, do they?"Isla wrinkled her nose. She looked pretty. Her long red hair was now shoulder length and she looked very relaxed at home in pajama shorts and a too baggy T-shirt."Ok," She plopped down beside her and tucked her legs in, "I
"There's something else. Your father...""Sold me off? I know that. I received documents today that stated I'm no longer enslaved to them and neither are you and I under any threat. I'm simply just married to him with the condition that I can never divorce him.""Like you would ever." He scoffed.She smiled. Patience, King, patience; I'm coming for you.*She posed and smiled the brightest as the media drowned them with camera flashes and endless questions. Her arm in Merlione's, he led her carefully through the sea of paparazzi and important figures to the hall where the business dinner was being held. It was a week since their wedding.The expensively decorated eating area was to the right while the guests milled about on the left, greeting each other and making business friendships. The first eyes she made contact with were that of King's. He was invited, along with Frederico.He was chatting with an older man. A stinkingly rich one, she realized, seeing his face. She couldn't reme
"Ok, but I'll like to remind you that until this case is resolved, you are still, as it is, married to Merlione Fritzgerald and it is holy that you remain faithful to your vows."She smiled, "Yes, Father."He rose. She did too."You don't mind if I pray for you?"*She returned to her current temporal house, as she chose to call it, after spending some time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. She put on her nicest dress, applied makeup which she seldomly did, wore her best heels, and styled her hair until she looked the part of a queen.She sat in the living room and waited for Merlione to return. Once he walked through the front door, she stood and made to walk past him. He grabbed unto her arm."Where are you going dressed like this?"★Merlione's mouth dropped open at the sight of Bernadette. She looked... beautiful was an understatement. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her dress so much. He snapped back to his senses as she walked past, her rosy perfume tickling his nostrils. He grab
She always swallowed everything in and cried till her body was drained of fluid then she got up and pretended everything was fine.She looked up to Heaven and vowed. Even if it was the last thing she did, she'll fight for her and King's freedom.Making that decision, she got off the floor with a smile. The Fritzgeralds family had it coming.*"I told you; I told you! I warned you not to add that in the agreement yet you did. Look at the outcome now!" Merlione hollered, in front of his aunt and uncle."Stop being such a kid," Josephine snapped, "do you really think she'll never divorce you? Don't believe her religious crap.""Well, yes, I believe her. That's why they fought so hard so we'll never get married.""But you're married now," His uncle, Steve, reminded him.He fought the smile that forced its way up his face. He sighed, taking a seat on a side stool."I hate that I had to use such methods to get her. It's annoying seeing the hatred in her eyes whenever she looks at me which i