Two

{Katherine}

‘Katherine Thrones please come to the chancellor's office,' the voice on the intercom announced for the third time.  

Mrs. Jones was lecturing us about the structures of humans, she was our anatomy lecturer and I loved everything about her, especially her teaching methods. It was well understood and she gives a theoretical explanation too.

“Miss Thrones you heard the announcement, you are needed,” Mrs. Jones said and I frowned, having to miss this class means extra studies for me and also borrowing my friend’s notebook.

I got up slowly from my seat as I sluggishly walked towards the door of the classroom, hoping for Mrs. Jones to tell me to answer the call after her class but she said nothing and I knew she wasn’t going to call me back and I needed to hurry up and meet the chancellor so that I can come back to the class before it was over.

I ran through the hallway as I headed straight to the chancellor’s office, on getting there I knocked on the door and a voice told me to come in which I did.

I entered the office, the chancellor was sitting on his chair with an envelope in his hands stamping his foot.

“Good Afternoon sir,” I quickly greeted while he pointed at a chair for me to sit down on.

I walked towards the chair and sat down before he slid the envelope towards me and I picked it up and I tore it open. It was a letter of agreement to three apartments.

“Your dad told me to look for an apartment for you, closer to the school but the ones I could get my hands on are a little bit far from school, twenty minutes walk and I got some pictures for the apartments.” He said handing another envelope that contains pictures of the apartments.

Flipping through them one after the other, I finally found the one I like and I pointed it out to him.

“I like this one sir,” I told him.

“That’s on the main street, New York.”

The apartment is huge and spacious, and with a premium location, I could sense comfort and peace.

“Nice choice, hand me the first envelope,“ he flipped through it before handing me a document to sign. 

“Here is the agreement guide read through it before signing it,” he said.

I scanned through it making sure to not leave any rules out, pretty much all the rules were used to me, they are like my everyday life.

I don’t party, nor have wild friends I can bring over. I don’t even stay out late till midnight so the rules are pretty okay and good to me.

“I accept the terms and conditions, sir, can I sign it now?” He nodded his head, I immediately got to it, signing every space that contains my signature and name, when I was done he called his secretary to make a photocopy of it, handing me my part of the agreement form, he handed me the keys to the house and “make sure to call your dad.” 

I headed out of the office feeling delighted and took to my heels once again to the classroom. When I got there, Mrs. Jones was just talking about the group work and how we should pair ourselves into a group of five and get the assignment done.

“Damn! I missed everything,” I said out loud when Mrs. Jones left the classroom.

“Yeah you did, what trouble did you get yourself into? You are not the type to be called into the chancellor's office like that.” Katie said.

Katie had been my childhood friend, she knew almost every detail of my life. 

Mom always added that when I make friends they will hinder my chances of being a ‘Good Lady’ or ‘Achieved Lady’. Kate has been understanding which kept our bond unbroken, even stronger.

“I did nothing wrong, he called me for this,”  stretching my hands and passing the agreement form.

“Wow this is crazy, how did you do this? You are staying opposite my building. I would have gotten that but the rules are definitely too much. Well given for someone like you, you can stay there with no difficulties but how did you do it?” she asked me.

“My dad did it for me,” I noninvasively answered.

“Wait your dad!!! Does your mum know about this?” she asked me and I shook my head, “you little devil, you are going against your mum, I love this,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have done this but you know how she pressures me about school and reading and if I don’t leave I will end up committing suicide. I need freedom so I went to meet dad and he helped me out” I told her.

“Wow that’s nice, she is going to rain lightning and thunder on you when she finds out that you went to your dad for help,” Katie said smiling.

“Stop with your evil smile and no she won’t find out, I asked my dad to do something smart for me.”

“What’s that?”

“I told him to make it look like the school gave it to me for being the best student, so I killed two birds with a single stone.”

“Wow you sly devil, I like that. Now we are close to each other. No way we are going to be separated ever again. Sleepovers and girls' night.” she yelled out as every eye turned towards our direction.

“Shush, stop drawing attention to us.” 

“We should head to our lockers and get our book for the next class, I don’t want to miss two classes in a row and I will need your anatomy book to update my note tonight please.”

“Say no more sis, I am ready to give you everything as long as you are happy,” she said, winking at me.

“Thank y….” 

I couldn’t complete my statements when we heard screams coming from the hallway and our attention was drawn towards the direction of the screams and then I saw him, the hottest, hardest and richest boy in school, Alexander Clinton Xander the captain of the football team, every girl's dream man except me.

To me, he is an arrogant boy that thinks he can toy with every lady's heart and then dumps them when he is through, throwing money at their feet for them to wipe their shame away.

Someone like him isn't fit to be called a human, giving out a long hiss, I returned my attention to what I was doing in my locker.

“Isn't he cute?” Katie said, pulling me by my clothes.

“I don't like him!” I told her before banging my locker and inputting the password.

“You still keep hate, when would you stop that?”

“Their kinds are the type that doesn’t respect women and tends to treat them like trash. You can tell by how many ladies he has slept with and discarded them like a piece of rag. Too bad they wouldn't learn from each others’ mistakes and still run after him" I told her.

“Hmmm, you are quick to judge. Just because you are always indoors and haven't seen the open or been in a relationship once doesn't give you the right to judge people wrongly.” Katie said.

“Wait! Don’t tell me you like him.” My voice is warlike “And, who told you I haven't been in a relationship?" I told her in a stern tune.

“I have known you for a long time, so you haven't, or have you?”

“Yes, I have been in a relationship,” I told her, lying blatantly.

“Hahaha,” she laughed out, “oh how can I forget, the only one I know that you are in a relationship with is your mother hahaha.”

“I hate you,” I told her, holding my book firmly to my chest as I walked faster, ignoring her calls for me to slow down.

When classes were over, Katie drove me home.

I was about to enter the house when she called out and I walked up to meet her in her car.

“When you are ready to pack your things, just let me know and I will be your driver for the day,” she said, hitting her car.

“Dad will take care of that for me, thank you for your offer, pretty Katie,” I told her, “see you tomorrow, you can bring some food over for me,” I told her before entering the house.

When I got into my room, I quickly washed up and went downstairs to prepare dinner. When I was done, I began arranging my things for my apartment when I heard the front door opening and closing and soon I heard mum calling out to me.

“I am in my room mum,” I yelled out to her.

“What's going on here Katherine Thrones?” she asked me.

“I got an apartment in school for being their best student and making the school proud, the chancellor said he called you,” I told her.

“I was busy at work today so I couldn't answer any phone calls. I am glad you are still the best student even though sometimes you don't take your bookwork seriously. I saw your reading calendar and you have shortened the time by five minutes instead of adding to it. Is this what you will do once you move into your apartment?” she lashed out.

“Mum please don't, I shortened it because you told me to have an extra class so as to boost my grades which are higher than anyone in my school,” I told her trying to control the anger that was building inside of me.

“That's because you don't have proper time management, and you don't know how to properly arrange your time and utilize it well so you don't have to reduce your reading times. Remember you need to be the best, so you won't end up dependent on any man and….”

“Enough mum please, you decided to end up this way, dad is filthy rich and can buy us everything we want but you choose to remain here and suffer while he and his wife live in affluence. You brought this upon yourself and not me, why are you hell-bent on ruining my life?” I lashed out, for the first time in my life, and I stood up against her.

She broke down in tears, “Your dad was not a nice father but an evil one, did you see him coming to look for you?” my mum asked me in tears.

“When will you tell me the truth of what happened mum, I am old enough to know what my dad did,” I told her.

“Soon, very soon but not now, pack your things and then come eat so you can read on time. When are you leaving for your apartment?” she asked me.

“Tomorrow, I called someone to help me with the packing,” I told her.

“Ha, I see…. That's nice, then you need to sleep early today, you are permitted to read half your usual time. Come down for dinner.” she said before heading out of my room.

When I heard the door close behind her, I crumbled to the ground. I felt angry and sad, angry at myself for speaking rudely to my mum and for making her cry and sad because the pain of what I said would always be in her heart.

My things were all packed and all  I needed for my new apartment to look simple. I wasn't having the appetite to eat any longer, so instead, I lay on my bed with the book to read on my bed while I messaged my dad about the arrangement to pack my things.