I walked through the hallways until I reached Room 201, my first subject of the first day of sophomore year was English. A dull ache went through my chest as I remembered a year before in the very room I was going to I met Adrian during English class. I reached it a few minutes before the bell rang and took my seat near the window in the 3rd row. Though the day was bright, it felt dull. I wasn't very much excited today, though I usually was on the first day of school. Walking through the hallways, towards the classes which I had spent time and shared with Adrian just a year back. It all brought up memories that I am trying so hard to push into the back of my mind because I knew that if I constantly thought about Adrian, I would break down into tears and I've done a lot of that during my summer holidays. Summer had never been worse.
There was a tiny, irrational part of me that hoped against hope that Adrian would be here right next to me with his silly grin, messy hair and annoying questions and would pull me into a hug again his chest with my head tucked under his. When my eyes would be filled with relieved tears, he would just pull back, wipe them away and look up at me grinning, saying "I am back, see! Nobody can just take me like that!"
I didn't realise that I was so far gone in my musings until I felt baby blue eyes peeking curiously and concernedly at me whilst the owner of those eyes were shaking my shoulders in an attempt to bring me back to reality. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and looked up to see who it was.
My first thought when I saw the person was "Hell has frozen over. Officially."
And that was because the person was no other than the last person on earth who'd actually feel concern for anyone- Rhea Fox.
I blinked once, twice and then, thrice yet the person in front of me didn't change. I rubbed my eyes to see whether Rhea would finally disappear but no, she was still standing in front of me her baby blue eyes filled with concern, her blond hair pulled into a high ponytail and her hands still on my shoulders. Had I finally cracked? Had I started thinking a lot about Adrian? Had my grief given way to hallucinations and imaginations too wild to comprehend? Well, I wouldn't find the answers if I just did stare at Rhea, would I?
"Rhea?" I asked cautiously.
"Annabelle, are you- I mean, are you- are you ok?" Rhea stammered through the sentence.
Is it just me or did Rhea actually sound concerned?
"I am fine, thank you asking, Rhea." I told her, with a small smile.
"No, you're not." And saying so she wiped my cheeks. Until then, I didn't realise that I had been crying. "You were crying thinking of something or maybe someone. I guess it's someone. Adrian, maybe?" Rhea asked softly.
I stared at her in shock, what had happened to the Rhea Fox we knew?
"I know it's shocking to see me like this but I really have changed. I can't believe my parents did something like this that caused Adrian's parents' company to incur such a huge loss." Rhea sighed.
"Oh, Rhea it happens in business doesn't it?" I told her, soothingly.
"It does but my parents didn't do it for that purpose. They did to take revenge." Rhea spat out bitterly.
"Revenge?" I whispered quietly, overwhelmed by this new piece of information..
"Yes, revenge. Revenge because of me. Revenge because Adrian and I broke up. They took revenge because Adrian broke up with me. I had no idea my parents had set up a contract to have Adrian and I married soon after we turn 18. Just a fortnight before the holidays, my parents decided to bring this up with Mr. and Mrs. Rider who politely refused because they knew Adrian and I had parted on bitter terms and Adrian didn't trust me anymore after all what I've done, I don't blame him or Allison or Anna or Hayley or Roxy or Frannie or you because I was really horrible at the time. They told my parents that they didn't want to force Adrian into a marriage he wouldn't be willing and they were quite happy with his current girlfriend. My parents were really furious and though they also knew that Adrian and I parted on bitter terms and what I've done, they didn't mind. Bringing their name to the top of the corporate world and merging their company with Grenalda Solutions was what they wanted. They always thought about how they could do in business, they never cared about anything else. That's how they planned and made Grenalda Solutions incur such a loss. My parents knew how important this latest project was for Mr. Rider but they wanted to take revenge and they finally did. Look where this led the Riders to." Rhea said bitterly as she wiped away angry tears.
I was shocked. How could people be so cruel? "What do you mean by this project is important to Mr. Rider?"
Rhea looked up and smiled sadly "It would have helped Mr. Rider in finalising the cancer trust fund he had set up. He had put almost all his money in doing it and a few thousand dollars was all he needed to finish it and the rest of the money to ensure the smooth running of Grenalda Solutions but after he failed to grasp this project, everything went downhill. The little money he saved he had to use it for this cancer fund of his and the bank accounts were drained to sustain Grenalda Solutions and I guess they used it to flee the country too."
"Do you know where did they flee?" I asked her, hoping that she indeed did know.
"No, sorry Belle, I have no idea. All these big business corporates keep their hideaways secret and even the children wouldn't know all of them. Hell, I don't know a single one of ours and I am not allowed to ask either." She shook her head sadly.
"It's alright. I don't understand anything about corporate business world, sorry. My dad's an environmental lawyer whilst my mum's a lawyer dealing with family problems." I told her, apologetically.
Rhea nodded her head and before she could reply, Mrs. Lockhart entered the class. Rhea looked around the class to see that none of the desks were vacant except mine. I tugged at her wrist.
Rhea looked at me, confused and troubled.
"Hey, just sit next to me." I whispered fiercely, not wanting to be overheard by strict Mrs. Lockwood.
"Um, I don't think so-" Rhea began but I pulled her down to the seat.
"Stop being such a scaredy cat. I won't bite you. So, gather your courage and sit, relieved instead of getting scolded by Mrs. Lockwood." I hissed at her.
She looked at me for a moment and nodded gratefully, "Thank you."
*************
During lunch, when I met my friends I retold the whole story Rhea told me and all of them were shocked as I was.
"Arranged marriage between two enemies just for the glory and fame of the corporate world?" Roxy spat out in disbelief.
"It's so...uh, I don't know...it's so silly. They are supposed to marry when they turn 18. Talk about pressure!" Hayley nipped in
"True that. I feel so sorry for Rhea, and I didn't think her parents would do it without her permission." Allison said quietly.
"You know Allison, you can be friends with her. She was after all, your best friend for a long time. Don't let it go because of a boy. Rhea is quite nice. I think her attitude is based on her family." I told her quietly.
The girls looked shocked at me and as understanding dawned on their faces, they turned towards Allison who simply looked up, hurt.
"I know that but the betrayal was just too much. It'll take sometime for me to get over it but you guys can be friends, no problem with that." Allison sighed.
"Childhood friends are important, Allie." Frannie said, softly.
However before we could take this conversation further, we were interrupted by Mark and Miles.
"Hey." Both of them said softly.
"Hi." We chirped, the tension in our table dissipating.
"Erm...Belle, I am really sorry about Adrian, I really am. He'll be back soon, I am sure of it." Mark said sliding next to Hayley.
I smiled sadly at him and before I could respond, Miles spoke up.
"Belle, I really do hope Adrian would come back soon. Do be strong. He will come back, he simply will. Until then, you have us to lean on."
"Oh Miles!" I said, voice choked up by emotion. "Mark, Miles..thank you so much guys. Even if he doesn't come back, your words will help me stay strong. Thank you for being awesome friends to Adrian and now for me. Do be better boyfriends for Hayley and Anna. Excuse-me, I got to go now, continue without me." And saying so, I took a fleeting glance at the bittersweet smiles in my friends' faces and ran out to the school basket ball field.
I sat on the grass, to think of all what had happened and to stop my tears. Mama and Papa were fine. They had recovered but weren't quite fit to come here. I was grateful that my parents were safe. They too know about Adrian and the Riders and though everybody tried to soothe me, I am just trying to get over the fact Adrian was kidnapped, that he didn't disappear on his own.
Hello peeps,
I know it's been a long time...but I've just come back from the UK...the weather was not too bad during our stay but towards the end there were fierce gale winds and rain just after a few days of sun. Anyway, it was a great trip and I also went to the Oxford Union!!!!
I just came back 3 days ago and I've been jet lagged for the past two days and was also sick (still am!). I've only got a fever and sore throat, my voice is gone too *winces*. However, I am bit better now...I wanted to update this earlier but sadly I had no wifi where I lived and couldn't use my phone to update (not so good at typing a whole chapter in the phone) and the computers I used in the library just lets me on for 30 minutes and I got to log on again.
Alright, let's stop my blabbering and rambling...what do you think of Rhea's character here? Aaaannnndd...this is my first chapter on my very first Apple product, the MACBOOK!!!
VOTE>>>COMMENT>>>SHARE
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Dum-dum-di....you guys are nearing the end of Triple Life....guess how many chapters, more?
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GirlzSparkle
PS: Pic. of Rhea on side.