Past - 8
Third Party's POV:
"Where is dad, mom?" Elysia inquired as she placed ice cream in the freezer. Mrs. Lawson guided Sven towards the sitting area.
"He went to pick up some ingredients," Mrs. Lawson replied and set a mug of coffee and a slice of cake in front of Sven, her smile radiating warmth. "Make yourself at home," she added gently to Sven.
"Go change, Ely, I'll warm up lunch for you," she directed her daughter, who seemed hesitant to leave, casting Sven a suspicious glance before complying. Elysia grabbed her bag and exited.
Sven reached for the cake, digging into it with enthusiasm as it delightfully melted in his mouth. His gaze wandered around the small bakery owned by the Lawsons, taking in the cozy atmosphere. A scent of fresh baked cookies and cakes surrounded the whole bakery. It also had a small sitting area attached along with a bookshelf, giving it a peaceful café environment.
It seemed to reflect Elysia Lawson perfectly.
Sven allowed a knowing smile to play on his lips, convinced that Elysia had likely played a role in decorating this space. It matched her personality quite well.
"Do you like the cake?" Mrs. Lawson asked Sven as she observed him savoring the cake. Sven refocused his attention on her, sitting upright and nodding appreciatively.
"It's very delicious. Thank you," he replied with an honest smile.
"You're very welcome," Mrs. Lawson returned the smile and then motioned towards the direction Elysia had gone.
"Are you friends with our daughter?" She inquired, her enthusiasm palpable. Sven raised an eyebrow, uncertain about how to respond.
He couldn't admit that they didn't know each other well when he had just dropped her off. Nor could he reveal that he was actually just messing with their daughter because she seemed like a frightened kitten all the time which really made him curious.
"...Yes, we're friends," he answered, nodding and flashing a charming smile.
Mrs. Lawson's eyes sparkled, and she beamed with happiness. "Does our Ely talk with her classmates? Is she making friends there? Are people treating her kindly?" She looked at Sven with wide, expectant eyes.
Sven's smile wavered slightly before he nodded. "Yes, of course."
But why wouldn't she talk to her friends? Although he hadn't seen her interact much, but that could be because she was a new student. Every time he had encountered her, she had been alone.
Coincidence, perhaps?
And why wouldn't people treat her nicely?
Mrs. Lawson's questions left Sven perplexed, but he maintained his composure. With countless flings in his past, he had mastered the art of concealing his true emotions.
"That's a relief. We were so worried that she would never open up to people again," Mrs. Lawson expressed with relief, her eyes gleaming with happiness as she discreetly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
Sven's brows furrowed as he observed the various emotions on Mrs. Lawson's face. Her words left him even more puzzled.
"What ha—" he began to ask, but before he could finish his question, they heard approaching footsteps, and Elysia entered. She was dressed casually in a loose pink colored shirt and grey long trousers, her long damp hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her large, innocent amber eyes shot him a "get up and leave" look.
For a brief moment, Sven found himself captivated by her beautiful, delicate features, and his mind went momentarily blank, causing him to forget what he had been about to ask.
"You're still here?" She inquired, sounding surprised that he hadn't left yet.
"Huh?" Sven blurted out as he processed her words. "Oh, yeah, I... was just leaving," he quickly stood up and cleared his throat, trying to appear calm but his flustered actions gave him away. Sitting on the opposite of them, Mrs. Lawson observed Sven's actions, a knowing smile playing on her lips when she noticed the corners of his ears turning slightly red.
"Why not have lunch with us, Sven?" Mrs. Lawson suggested, pursing her lips to hide her expressions and posed a surprised look on her face.
"No, no, Mrs. Lawson. I was just dropping off clum—Elysia, so I'll take my leave now," he clicked his tongue, running his hand through his hair.
"Oh, okay, but feel free to visit again. My Ely's friends are always welcome here," Mrs. Lawson nodded in understanding, smiling gently at him.
Sven thanked her, bid farewell, and walked out of the bakery. Elysia accompanied him, intending to see him off.
As they reached his bike, Sven's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Elysia, his thoughts and attention fully absorbed by her. When they arrived at his motorcycle and Elysia turned to him, he quickly looked away, his heart racing in his chest.
"What did you talk to my mom about?" She inquired, her fidgeting hands revealing her anxiety.
His head snapped back towards her, eyebrows furrowed slightly, observing her nervous demeanor. Mrs. Lawson's words resonated in his mind, particularly her last sentence. He glanced at Elysia, who appeared genuinely concerned about their conversation.
"...She was just asking where I live and about my family," he replied, taken aback by the relief that washed over her face upon hearing his response.
A smile broke across her face as she nodded and thanked him for the ride and the ice cream. Sven couldn't help but notice her beautiful smile. Involuntarily, a genuine smile appeared on his face as well, just from witnessing her smile like that.
Even though he had numerous questions swirling in his mind, but the way her expression shifted to relief upon learning that they hadn't discussed her seemed to deter him from asking direct questions.
He told her to go inside and then hopped on his bike, mildly surprised by his own concern for her. The way he reacted upon seeing her, fresh from her shower, had caught him off guard. She just looked so...
He shook his head, banishing those thoughts. How could Sven Neve Damaris get flustered merely by seeing a girl in casual clothing?
'Well, she is undeniably beautiful, and I'm only a man after all...' He reasoned with himself, quickly pushing the strange thoughts aside. He donned his helmet and rode away.
On the journey back home, his mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of Elysia. He was undoubtedly curious about Elysia and everything about her. He recollected her reactions, responses, and overall behavior. Now that he thought about it more carefully, it was indeed peculiar – the way she always seemed as fearful as a kitten, even her curiosity about that guy—
Wait, who was that guy anyway?
His brows furrowed in a sense of distaste as he recalled the guy he had seen earlier. Ares Simon, the star student of their school. Sven had heard his name before but had never paid much attention. However, now his perspective was different. He felt a growing need to know more about this guy, Ares Simon Knight!
Sven parked his bike near the same ice cream parlor where he had shared ice cream with Elysia not long ago. A grin naturally formed on his face as he remembered how she savored her treat.
Elysia remained oblivious, but Sven's attention had been on her the entire time as she relished her ice cream. The way she found joy and happiness in something so simple was a new experience for Sven. He had never seen girls who could take delight in the simple pleasures he always enjoyed on his own.
His past encounters with girls had revolved around clubbing and drinking. They typically only had two interests: shopping, or showing him off to their friends, as if he were some kind of trophy. He had never felt like himself around any of them, and to be honest, he wasn't complaining. He never expected anything more from any of them. He was merely using them, just as they were using him, nothing more and nothing less.
He had grown accustomed to this lifestyle, until today. He couldn't explain why he had stopped at the ice cream parlor with Elysia, but he experienced a strange, comforting feeling around her. It was as if he could truly be himself around this "little mouse" because she seemed genuinely nice.
However, he had a feeling that when it came to Elysia, his reputation might cause him trouble because that girl was avoiding him as if he were a ghost. It meant she had heard the rumors about his past.
A small laugh escaped his lips as he recalled her expressions. "You're certainly something else, clumsy head." Slightly shaking his head in amusement, he drove back home.
Upon entering the grand mansion, Sven made his way to his room without acknowledging the people sitting in the living area.
"Sven Damaris!" His father's sharp voice resounded behind him, halting his steps.
Judging by his tone, he was undoubtedly furious... again.
Sven turned around with a stoic expression, facing the three figures who were supposed to be his family.
His father, Philips Damaris, stepped forward without hesitation and delivered a hard, stinging slap. Sven's face jerked to the side from the force, a metallic taste filling his mouth as his cheek was cut.
"How could you get suspended from school?" His father thundered, his voice trembling with anger.
Wiping the blood from the corners of his lips, Sven shifted his gaze towards his stepmother, Melissa Damaris, who wore a thinly veiled triumphant smile.
"Dad, let's calm down and discuss this," Henry Damaris, his older step-brother, intervened, attempting to defuse the situation. Sven couldn't help but smirk with a mocking look on his face, well aware of who had stoked the flames.
"Look at his face! He's not even remorseful. He continues to create problems for me. Do you have any consideration for my reputation? You've done nothing but bring trouble into my life, you ungrateful son of a b*tch!" His father exploded in anger, attempting to slap him again before Henry restrained him.
"Go to your room, Sven!" Henry ordered, attempting to pacify their father.
Sven cast a final menacing glare at Melissa before exiting the mansion through the same entrance he had used just a few minutes earlier.
"Sven!" He heard Henry's voice calling after him, but turned a deaf ear and hopped back on his bike, riding away from the gilded cage he called home.
His foot pressed hard on the accelerator, pushing the bike beyond the safe speed limit. As the sky turned dark, he didn't know how long he rode aimlessly through the city, but when he caught sight of the familiar sea waves, he slowed the bike and parked it near the hill.
Disembarking from his bike, he made his way to the edge of the hill and took a seat, his legs dangling over the abyss. The resounding crash of the waves enveloped the swirling thoughts inside his head, momentarily providing a brief respite.
He couldn't count the number of times he'd visited this place, contemplating ending his life to stop the relentless torment, to finally put an end to his suffering.
Being surrounded by countless people yet feeling utterly alone in a crowd was a familiar boundary that he had grown accustomed to. The whole world believed he had everything: wealth, fame, friends, a prestigious family background, and a life brimming with happiness. But no one knew the stark reality that lay beneath the surface.
No one knew that Sven Neve Damaris was not the proud son of Philips and Melissa Damaris; he was an unwanted child, born as a result of his father's most regrettable mistake. His mother had been a destitute woman who had given birth to him and then abandoned him for a paltry sum of money.
He was his father's mistake, a stain on his otherwise impeccable reputation, and he was the one paying for his father's sins, paying by merely existing.
Recollections flooded his mind of the countless times people had expressed their wish that he'd never been born, including his own father.
For years, he had done everything in the hopes of receiving even a fraction of the love and acceptance that his father bestowed upon Henry. But as he grew older, he saw nothing but disdain, disgust, revulsion, abandonment, and hatred directed towards him.
All he had received after being engaged in a slew of destructive habits – drinking, drugs, fights, and various flings – was a little bit of attention from his father. Yet, this attention wasn't rooted in paternal care; rather, it was driven by his father's fear that Sven's actions could tarnish the family's reputation. This fear alone served as a reminder that he had another son after all, an existence that might otherwise have faded into obscurity in his father's eyes.
There was no one he could truly call his own, no one he could confide in or share his innermost feelings with. He yearned for someone who would accept him as he was, someone who wouldn't judge him based on his background, status, or wealth, but simply love him for who he was as a person.
A sudden ringing of the phone jolted him from his reverie. Retrieving the cellphone from his pocket, he noted Brey's caller ID flashing on the screen. He answered, placing the phone to his ear.
"Hello," came Gabriel's voice through the earpiece, accompanied by thumping music in the background, confirming he was at a club.
"What is it?" Sven asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Yo, bro, come to the party. Let's have some fun; everyone's here already," Gabriel yelled from the other end.
"Not in the mood," Sven replied curtly.
"Come on, bro! The girls are here too. Ophelia is asking for you," Gabriel insisted.
"Ophelia?" Sven muttered.
A chuckle emanated from the other end. "It's the girls' group from the school."
Sven closed his eyes for a brief moment, sighing. "Do whatever you want; I'm not coming." He disconnected the call without waiting for a response and stared at the phone screen for a while.
Subconsciously, a figure with a sparkling smile flashed before his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, his fingers moved to dial a number, making a final decision.
As he opened his contacts, he realized he didn't have the number he wanted to call. A wry scoff escaped his lips as he ridiculed his own actions. But a sudden thought struck him, and he scrolled through his contacts to find another number, dialing it.
"H-hello?" came a hesitant voice from the other end.
"Give me the numbers of the new students from our class, and you're freed from doing our assignments for the rest of the year," Sven stated directly, wasting no time.
"What?" the surprised voice exclaimed.
"If I don't receive the numbers within two minutes, consider this deal off," Sven stated firmly before ending the call.
Jade was their class nerd, who also happened to be their class representative, and who better to obtain someone's contact than the CR?
His phone blinked, signaling a message notification. Sven quickly opened the text message, and there it was!
Elysia Lawson!
He immediately saved the contact and dialed her number.
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Hey, lovely people! What are your thoughts about today's chapter? 🤗
Soon, the story is going to take a drastic turn. Prepare to delve into the rollercoaster. 😉