𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦- 𝘈𝘯 𝘈𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺

V

She rushed through the corridors, checking each and every classroom on her way. She searched in the library, the gym, even in the school kitchen, but no luck. Serena Yvonne lost it. She lost her pendant. The only thing she had left of her mother was lost.

Serena was like any other high school girl. Age 15, pretty ocean blue eyes with soft, honey-blonde hair up to her jaw line with fair skin. She had everything a person could ask for- friends, a loving dad who supported her all the time, good education and even a crush. Except for a mother, but she never showed it. 

She never showed the loneliness she felt at home when her dad was at work. She never showed how much she needed a mother to help her when she cooked because her dad was the worst at it. She never showed how much she needed a mother with whom she could sleep during sleepless nights, with whom she could share just everything of the world, with whom she could spend a lovely mother-daughter moment. She never showed it. But instead moved on. Thirteen years of living without a mother was tough. But she felt her mothers' presence, everywhere and every time- through the tiny, silver, A-shaped pendant that she just lost. 

'A' stood for Aria- Serena's mother. From what she heard from her father, he gifted it to her on Aria's 17 birthday, back when they were in college. He used the pendant as an excuse to talk to Aria alone and then confessed. Aria was overjoyed with the thought that Robert, her crush, returned her feelings and so they started dating. They married, after Aria got her PhD degree and Robert was successful in opening his own bakery, Serenity Bakers. Whatever the reason maybe, but Aria always fancied the word 'Serenity'. So came the names- 'Serenity Bakers' and 'Serena'. For Robert, Serena was a blessing, the best gift he received but for Aria, she was a parasite. With Serena's birth, Aria faced many complications and as much she denied it, the truth never changed- Serena killed her. Aria fought till Serena's second birthday. She died of her illness after a couple of months. Serena always blamed herself but she figured how to deal with it. Deal with guilt. Deal with the burden of being a murder. Robert was unsuccessful in trying to convince his teen daughter that she had no role to play in her mother's death. Serena wasn't a kid. She couldn't be convinced so easily. She knew she was the reason. The reason for her mother's death. The reason for her father's depression after her death. Yes, Serena was two at that time but she saw it all. And it was embedded like a crystal clear memory in that tiny brain of hers. All that was left of Aria, was that 'A-shaped pendant' and Serena just lost it.

Serena ran like madman, looking everywhere for it. It was tiny but her mother was in that silver thing. P.E. period was going on and Serena made an excuse of being sick just to find it. She noticed that she lost it when she was changing into P.E. uniform. She didn't feel the cold jewelry on her neck. And so she had to find it. 

Serena slowly walked towards the lockers and leaned on them. She was exhausted. She panted and let the tears fall. Slowly, calmly and noiselessly. 

Serena, though pretty and intelligent, was clumsy and forgetful. She regularly tripped from the same root of the tree that came on her way to school. She regularly forgot to lock her locker. Also, she often forgot to do homework until it was midnight. But this time, it was not just a clumsy act. Her life had been lost. She lost her mother, twice. 

She slowly slid down the lockers and pulled her knees to rest her head on them as she silently cried in the middle of a stranded hallway. 

"Hey Sere! I am so sorry, but no luck. I didn't find it." Dawn said.

Dawn was Serena's only friend, her best friend. She was a bubbly, short-tempered girl with beautiful blue locks and a pretty face boys drooled over. 

"N-no u-u-se..i--i---it's gone." Serena cried on.

Dawn bent down and stoked her blonde hair. 

Dawn knew Serena better than anyone else. Serena was a fragile girl. You mention her mother, Serena would break down instantly. Dawn strongly opposed the fake guilt Serena lived with. But Serena being Serena, was clumsy and stubborn.

"We will get it girl. Don't 'ya worry! I will write a notice on your behalf and get it onto the notice board. I can even get it announced on the speakers if you want- 'ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Dear students, my bestie, Sere, lost her pendant. If anyone sees it, return it immediately to Dawn Berlitz, which is me! And if Misty and May are found with it, again approach Dawn Berlitz, which is me!!'" Dawn said rolling up her book, pretending it to be a mic. 

Serena laughed at her best friend's ridiculousness. But she was thankful. Dawn really was a saver.

"Hey Sere. I am sorryyyyyy but I gotta rush. Meeting up with the principal to get a lecture on 'Student's duties and responsibilities'."

"What did you do now?" Serena questioned with a frown.

Dawn had a reputation of getting into trouble. She visited the office every day, thrice.

"Nothing much girl! Just slapped a guy who was trying to get into my pants. He was so not my type. And just to ensure you-it wasn't Ash." Dawn winked leaving a flushed Serena behind. 

Serena sighed and placed her head over her knees again.

Please come back mom. I miss you.

She felt a presence, someone was standing in front of her but she refused to get up. 

Must be another student who thinks I am a killer. They will go away soon.

But they never did. Instead Serena felt a hand being placed on her shoulder.

"Hey there."

Serena looked up, only to meet a pair of glistening, brown eyes. 

Ash.

"Hey, Serena! What a surprise to see you here. Shouldn't you be in P.E.?" Ash tilted his head in confusion.

"Uh-Uhm--Y-Yeah--I, I was s-suppos-ed t-t-to be in---P.E.?" It came more out more as a question than a statement. He looked at her, amused by the fact that she was stuttering uncontrollably in front of him and also that her eyes were puffed as if she were crying.

"Were you crying?" He asked forming a small, assuring smile.

She looked at him in disbelief. 

Why would he want to do anything with me? With a murder? And, did I really cry this much that even he noticed? 

A small smile played on her lips as she shook her head no. 

"Nope, I-I-I a-am al-alright."

"Okay as you say. But don't hesitate to approach me for anything. I will be glad to help." He grinned and left, waving at her.

Serena slowly waved back. She sighed.

He cares. But the only reason he does, because I am a classmate. Maybe friends but nothing more than that.

As for Ash, he was slowly walking towards his next class. While doing so, he was fumbling with something in his pocket. He took it out, to reveal a beautiful A-shaped pendant. He looked at it once before keeping it in his pocket again. He remembered seeing the same pendant around a girl's neck before. Today he found it lying near his locker and picked it up. As he was turning around the corner, he heard two girls talking, one trying to soothe the other. He overheard them talking about something being lost and the owner seemed specifically disappointed. Their conversation ended with the bubbly girl walking away leaving her friend behind. As Ash looked over to see who it was he was shocked to see Serena sitting, sniffing slightly. But he should have expected this, after all, she was known for clumsiness- but for her cute clumsiness.

So this is yours? You will get it back, I promise.