Heiress 101

Chapter 13 - Something Called Love

A/N ♥

I'm changing Shade's model. He will be the awesome Francisco Lachowski from now on :) Mwah.

Shade's POV

"Shade, baby? Are you there?" She's not my girlfriend okay? It's just my mom.

"Yes, Mom! I'm here, I'm downstairs!" I yelled. Mom rushed down the stairs and pulled me into a bear hug. I smelled the strong scent of beer on her breath and pulled away. "Mom, you drank again. Didn't I tell you stop it already? Look at you, you're drunk." I said with my sweetest tone. Offending her or hurting her feelings would be the last thing I'd want to happen.

She pouted and played her fingers with a lock of her curly brown hair. "But I thought you said you wanted me to have fun." now she's acting like a child . . . again.

Ever since my father died when I was 13, Mom became like this: A drunkard. Her life became a mess. She lost her job, she lost her friends, and she lost her dignity.

Our only financial source right now is from Uncle Clyde Reed. He's not a relative of mine but he insisted on helping me and Mom. He's as rich as fuck anyway. So let him be.

"Baby? Can you give Mommy a bear hug? I missed you." she asked sweetly and pouted like a cute baby. How can I resist that? I pulled her into a big warm bear hug and stroked her hair gently. "Why did you drink that much, Mom?"

"I miss your Daddy." she said and cuddled closer. I sighed and pulled away. "Mom, you should sleep."

She shrugged and nodded like a child. "Okay. Good night, baby. Sweet dreams." she yawned and stretched her arms as she walked back to her room.

I shook my head and sighed. My life's pretty tiring. Going to school, trying to maintain your straight A grades. Going home to be welcomed by your drunk mother. Not that I don't love my mother, I love her to bits and she means the world to me. But . . . this kind of life? Who wants this shit? And those are only like 10% of my problems. Sigh.

I need fresh air.

The lake.

A grin painted my lips when that thought crossed my mind.

* * * *

I shut the engine of my Mustang and parked it on the lonely road. But there's one object that makes the road less lonely ―a black Lamborghini.

I wonder who owns this baby? I shrugged and walked towards the lake. The night was as dead as the leaves I'm walking through the forest. The sound of insects covered the silent place.

I was about to step out of the long thick veins to enter the paradise where the lake rests when I heard a cry. It was a lady.

Slowly, I peeked through the veins and tried to see who was crying.

She had long black hair, as dark as the night. She was pale against the light of the moon and her dress was slightly thorn.

Snow White?

I mean, look at her. And my description soothes the appearance of Snow White. Is she actually Snow White?

Kidding. I chuckled and Snow White's head snapped at my direction. Whoa ― did she hear me?

Whoa is that Avry?!

I was taken aback and slowly, she stood up. Cold wind brushed my skin it made me slightly shiver and Avry . . . she was wearing a tube dress but she looks . . . I don't know . . . fine? I mean, she don't look cold or something. It's freaking night and it's really not a good idea to stay outside. It's really cold.

She narrowed her eyes as if trying to zoom her vision to see me properly. Unsatisfied, she took a step closer. Not wanting to spice up the suspense, I stepped out from behind the veins and chuckled at her shocked expression. Her eyes were so shoc― puffy?

Oh right. She was crying.

"Shade? What are you doing here?" she asked. Her voice was husky and faint. She must have been crying for so long.

I scratched the back of my head and walked closer to her. "I ―uh. I was just," I shrugged, "sight seeing?"

She rolled her eyes and smirked at me as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Right."

"How about you? What are you doing here?"

"Just the same reason you have. To breathe."

"Okay, I admit, I'm no really here for sight seeing." how did she notice that?

"Yeah, I know. Let's go?"

"Go where?"

"Let's sit, idiot."

"Oh, right." I chuckled and followed her tracks and sat beside her as we faced the calm facade of the lake.

My curiousity kept growing inside me wondering why she was crying in the middle of the forest in front of a lake instead of her warm and safe room. Not like I want to intrude or ― alright, I'm going to ask her. If she don't want to tell me, fine. If she'll share, great! I cleared my throat to get her attention and shifted my position so that my whole body is facing her.

Okay, here it goes. "Why were you crying?"

She stared at me. And stared, and stared, and stared at me. I didn't ask again and just went back to my position earlier. I accept that her silence means 'who-are-you-for-me-trust?' silence. And the way she stared at me? I'm sure she doesn't trust me. She probably think I'm just a ―

"I ran away." she said in a whisper. I turned to her and she continued, "They forced me to be engaged to someone I barely met. And you know what he did? He . . . kissed me. I felt violated. I mean, yeah I teased him and it was just a freaking kiss. What's the big deal with that? Mom said I had no right to be mad. He's my fucking fiance in the first place. He has every right to do that." she paused and wiped the tears that escaped suddenly.

She sighed and turned to look at me this time. "You know what the big deal is?"

I remained silent.

"I'm a woman. And I protect the things to me that are precious. Even my first kiss is a precious thing. I want to give it to someone I . . . love. I want my first to be memorable and worth it. And he just stole it. He took it away like stealing a lollipop from a child."

I was speechless. What I thought was many of the girls only want to get laid by hot males. I know many of them. The cheerleaders at school, even some nerds. But Avry? She's as hot as fuck and here she is, crying over a kiss. I guess I should change my point of view among girls. "You're a great person, Avry. You deserve respect."

I want to give her a hug but . . . what if she misunderstand and think that I'm taking advantage of her? But I really think she needs comfort. Crying girls is my weakness. Especially with my Mom. She cries a lot and it hurts me a lot as well. Avry is not an exemption.

"Umm . . . hug?" I suggested and spread my arms.

She stared at me with a puzzled look and then change into a smile and then she nodded and giggled. "Yes, please?"

And with that, I hugged her and gave her the best comfort I could offer. I kissed her forehead and stroked her long hair gently. "Don't worry, Avry. Everything will be alright. I'm right here."

I felt something warm when I touched her cheek and realized she was crying again. "Hey, hey. What's wrong?" I asked sweetly.

She shook her head no and smiled at me. She was so beautiful when she smiled. "Nothing. I'm just glad you said those things. I feel better now. Thank you, Shade."

"For what?"

"For being the first person to comfort me."

I didn't say anything more and hugged her again. I slowly rocked back and forth so that she could sleep. And she did. Gently and carefully, I layed her sleeping anatomy on the soft green grass. I stared at her face and realized something . . . something I felt before. Something I felt when I first saw her in this same place. It was . . . something between . . . recognition and warmth . . .

Something called . . . love.