If Dad hadn't made me feel like Elena was one crazy lunatic who always chased us around like a goose, maybe I would have noticed how beautiful she was.Aside from the black gown and veil that she seemed to always wear, which hid her pretty face, she felt quite normal to me, not all crazy as Dad did put it sometimes.I stared at her, hiding the disbelief in my eyes. When Lola told me Elena had come to look for me, I tried to dismiss the fact that maybe, just maybe I wouldn't get the chance to meet her someday, because I wasn't sure of what I was going to meet. I tried to convince myself that it could be another Elena, it didn't have to be the mysterious one.But here I was, staring into the cunning and desperate eyes of the same woman who had found a way to always locate me and my family. What was it that was important that somehow always made this woman locate us?I gave a nervous chuckle at her statement and decided to walk out of the cafeteria. I thought I was ready to face whatever
My face lit under the settling star of the evening, my voice was barely audible, easily carried away by the breeze. " No one, I was just talking to myself," I mumbled, avoiding Ariana's gaze. The confession that had tumbled from my lips seconds ago, a secret held prisoner in my heart, now felt exposed and raw.Ariana perched beside me, the warmth of her presence a stark contrast to the turmoil within me. Her eyes, pools of fathomless blue, held a gentle concern that I couldn't escape. "You weren't just talking to yourself, Ella," Ariana said softly, her voice laced with quiet knowing. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"My heart hammered against my ribs, I felt like a frantic bird desperate to escape. I fumbled for words, my mouth dry and cottony. "No…really," I stammered, "it was nothing."But Ariana was not easily convinced. She studied my face, tracing the telltale signs of turmoil etched in the furrow of my brow and the tremor in my chin. "Don't lie to me, Ella," she pleade
Micheal's POV.A few hours ago…It was Nico, it had to be Nico. The ferocity and rage I felt inside was second to none. What was in that scumbag that girls didn't seem to have enough of?The bar was a few walks away from my dorm. I wasn't in the mood to entertain chitty chats from my roommates and I definitely wanted to cool off, taking a few beers might just be what I needed.I sank into the dim corner booth, nursing a scotch that tasted like regret. The echoes of my argument with Ella about Nico were still raw, leaving a gaping hole where joy used to reside. The bar buzzed with Friday night revelry, a stark contrast to the storm brewing within him.Suddenly, a voice broke through the haze. "Rough day?" A student just like him, maybe a year or two ahead of me, leaned against the corner of the booth, a mischievous glint in his eyes.I grunted, not in the mood for company. But something about the guy's easy grin disarmed me. With a sigh, I poured out his woes. "It's just this girl…she
The sun filtered through the leaves of the school's willow tree, painting dappled patterns on the grassy slope where I and Ariana sprawled. Laughter erupted from between us, a sound as natural as the rustling leaves in the breeze. Our bond, once playful and teasing, had deepened since my confession.I guess the vulnerability I had shown, the whispered admission of my feelings for Nico, had become a bridge, a foundation for something stronger."See, I told you Nico wouldn't bat an eye at a little competition," Ariana chuckled, nudging me playfully. "With eyes like yours, girl, you could have the whole football team chasing butterflies."I blushed, a warm flame dancing across my cheeks. "Not the whole team, Ari. Maybe the quarterback, if he wasn't such a jerk." I teased.Claire sprawled across the grass with a book precariously balanced on her stomach and snorted. "Yeah, Nico's got charm, I'll give him that. But don't let him make you forget our resident brooding poet, now."Ever since
Nico's POVMy hands clenched into a fist, my knuckles turning white from the force. Mother was on the line sobbing over Father again, and this time it was worse, he beat her.According to Mother, Father had been sleeping out for some days since he came back from his trip, which wasn't news to me. But what made it worse, he brought his whore into the house to spend a night with on their bed.An argument began shortly after they had arrived and Father insisted on taking the lady upstairs to the room. Mother declined and that was when Dad hit her. He came back downstairs with the lady a few hours later after he must have had a good time with her, and they got caught up in a heated argument again, Mother, Father, and the stupid lady."God help her soul I find her.." I muttered as I walked around the school's environment."Don't do anything stupid Nico," Mother warned."How could you possibly say that," I was furious, "God really should help her, because if not…all she would have left are
"I told you he was a jerk," I dashed my bag angrily on the bed once we got to our room."Well you wouldn't blame him for acting that way," Ariana pointed.I shot her a stern look "Huh?"Ariana gave a sigh of exasperation. "Claire, help me out here.""You see…you were not really much of a welcoming match when Nico came along. You were more of "go away, don't look into my eyes, I feel awkward after our first night" Kind of Ella," Claire grinned.Somehow, they found this amusing, while I wallowed at the fact that Nico wasn't enthusiastic about my upcoming birthday."You didn't give him the chance to be free," Claire continued. "You totally snubbed him.""I didn't," I argued."You did too," Claire persisted."I didn't.." I continued stubbornly."Yes, you did Ella," Ariana cut in firmly. "You didn't look into his eyes, didn't talk back to him…tell me, was there a hello or hi that came from you?"The room went silent as they both stared waiting for an obvious answer.I swallowed my pride an
The chuckles and giggles around the house sprouted me out from the bed. I had left school a few days ago and planned to have my birthday at home with Dad and Nana, along with a few friends of mine.Today was it, today was my birthday, and I felt oddly strange about it. I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't want to expect anything. Ariana and Claire pushed the idea of sending invitations to a few of our friends, left to me, I just wanted to hide myself in my house and blow off the candlelight off a little cupcake while making one simple wish; that mom be present.18th birthday always seemed something to be pumped about, turning into an adult, making your own decisions, and the rest of them. But my 18th birthday, although it made me feel excited before, was currently making me feel nervous. There were going to be a lot of people coming to my house for the first time, a lot of whom I was never friends with, but would be exchanging birthday greetings as soon as they walked in like we
Dad selected the music, he said he didn't want anything that would attract squirrels, and by that, he meant rough college boys. Even though I wanted to celebrate with my family, I saw this coming, I knew merging both sides of my world would somewhat be difficult, but I wanted it to work, it could be the best combo to go down in the history of birthday parties….or the worst."You better straighten your face or you will chase your guest away," Nanny spoke from behind me.She was right, I was nervous, sick, dizzy, confused and tensed. I didn't know how this was going to end. I was the celebrant, and I was supposed to come out for several people to feast their eyes on me while I gave an appreciation speech to half of the crowd I never spoke to."If there would be guests in the first place," I said, slightly worried at the low turn-up of people present. I was beginning to doubt if Ariana and Claire were really friends with the people they invited.. Or they didn't just like me."Don't sound