A flurry of rain was pattering against the window shell of my gigantic room. The absence of moon led to a dark and gloomy night, the stars were hidden under the clouds blocking their sight from the people of Madrid. Silence surrounded me from all directions letting disconsolate feeling grow upon me, except the pattering sounds of heavy rain. Silence is an unpleasant term of English dictionary. A strike in that unpleasantry would cause a thousand mile heart beat.
Thunder roared in the night sky resulting my jump on the bed. My forehead was sweating as an after effect of the thunder. My hands clutched the sheets as a reflex responding to the stimulus caused by the thunder. If Sofia or Bridget is frightened of something that would definitely be thunders. Another thunder roared in the night sky making my hold over the sheets tighter. These times all the possible negative thoughts invaded my mind- thief, kidnapper, murderer or worse a ghost. I cursed myself for watching conjuring a while ago.
When the third thunder stroke, the light started blinking and flicked off resulting in an eruption of scream from my throat.
"Arghh..." I screamed as soon as the darkness blinded my vision of sight. My heart was thumping in my chest due to my over fondness towards darkness. My ears practically could hear their body's own heartbeat in the calm surrounding.
My hands frantically searched for people's favorite device, mobile.
Using mobile, I can have a source of light at least. Mobile, where the hell are you?
In the middle of the hopes of finding my mobile, the lights flicked back on. My hands immediately landed on the location of my heart and a sigh of relief left my lips when the lights returned. I searched for the phone on my bed, in case the lights decide to turn off again.
"There you are," I mumbled to myself and crawled towards to another end of the bed where my phone was relaxing peacefully.
A smile of relief took over my features interrupted by a sound resonated in the room. A slow door opening sound to be exact. Immediately my ears perked up, my grip on the phone became tighter and breath hitched in my throat. I turned my head in the direction of the sound at a slow pace, droplets of sweat glistened my forehead and my posture was stiff with alertness. Even at such a low temperature, sweat managed to form on my body. I was shit scared. Do ghosts really exist?
When I finally managed to turn around, a foolish look mirrored my features. Should I silently laugh at myself or chide myself for being foolish. It was just Ethan who was making his way towards my bed yawning and rubbing his eyes for a clear sight.
"Momma, I no sleep in my room. Thunders disturb." He raised his hands once he reached my bed indicating me to pick him up.
I took hold of his small yet heavy body and placed him softly beside me. I pushed back the hair on his forehead and placed a feather kiss on his forehead.
"Sleep, momma is here," I whispered softly and let go of him.
"You couldn't sleep, could you?" a feminine voice entered the room causing my head snap towards its direction.
"Oh Valery, you scared the shit out of me. And the answer for your question is no." She chuckled and strolled towards me yawning in her way. She was wearing a white nightgown which was tinted with black polka dots on it. She brushed a strand of hair to the side which escaped out of her hair bun.
"Still thinking how to face Samuel?" she asked instantly grabbing my attention.
"How do you know?" I asked my eyes going wide.
"Your expression and restlessness say it all silly."
"By the way, what are you doing here instead of sleeping in your room?" I asked with a quizzical expression.
"Well, some poor soul screamed loudly when the lights flicked off for a moment," She smirked through her eyes at me though her lips remained unmoved.
I narrowed my eyes at her and accused "You like annoying me, don't you?"
She immediately bobbled in laughter raising my pulse rate. "You should have.....heard...your screech." She managed to cough the words out.
"Just shut up and get to the matter," I grumbled.
"Okay, okay. Listen to me. Samuel coming here is not bad." I interrupted her with, "Yeah Lord Voldemort getting hold of Harry is not bad." I added an eye roll for extra effect.
"Let me complete my sentence, will you?" She hissed.
"Okay okay." I raised my hands in surrender.
"Look, things with Samuel didn't end up well for you. You both still have differences which need to be solved. You need to get a closure in order to move on from him. You need to close this chapter in order to open a new chapter. Talk to him, sort things out and try to be civil towards him. Don't think of killing ideas as soon as you lay your eyes on him. Okay?" She warned me, her eyes containing a flicker of a challenge to cross against her statement.
I began to mull over various possibilities when I cross paths with Samuel. Sure, my first instinct would definitely be a fight. But that was not people consider maturity as.
I should manifest Samuel that Bridget is a new person. There no longer is the naive Bridget he left behind, now she knows how to protect herself. She has developed in past 5 years and now is Sofia.
"I guess... you are right. I need a closure with him. Even if we meet in near future after his visit, I should not castrate him to death."
"I knew you are a very intelligent girl and will understand whatever I have to say." she patted my head. A tinge of a smile played on her lips, but her eyes gave away the surge of happiness.
"Maybe even I would smile if you will stop treating me as a kid." I indicated her patting with the help of my index finger. She was of my age for crying of loud!
"Oopsy!" she giggled while I just stared her with a blank expression on my face.
*********
"Hey Ivanna, don't you think that it is a bad idea for me to meet Samuel. My parents should discard the idea of me greeting Samuel. That is not the fairest decision on their part," I said, "or is it?"
"I agree with Valery, dear Sofia. You need a closure with Samuel to start new," she said while struggling to style my hair in a bun.
"Don't stress yourself Sofia. At the end, everything is going to work out well." Valery attempted to raise my low spirits but eventually failed.
"Damn it, you shouldn't have gone for n haircut," Ivanna mumbled in frustration over my rebellious hair.
"Why don't you just put on a different hairstyle?"
"You think I'll do that?Huh...definitely not. You still don't know much about Ivanna, Sofia. If she wants something, she'll definitely get it. Even if your hair is going to trouble me." I let out a chuckle at her narcissist statement. I bet the end result of my hair definitely would not reflect a bun.
"So...did you speak to Alejandro?" The question was directed to Valery, I knew she heard me despite my low tone when she halted her actions and stiffened.
"I did, actually," she said, "but...it seems the feelings aren't mutual."
The quiver in her voice did not go unnoticed by me, neither by Ivanna. Everything has an appropriate time, so does this.
Ivanna and Valery resumed their work while I stared at my reflection. Ivanna's expressions twisted, her hands wrestling with my blonde hair leading a smirk to grow on my lips.
"When I said you couldn't style my hair into a bun, I meant that Ivanna." A satire left my lips which curled themselves into an evil smile.
"Okay...you win! I can't handle your hair for another second." she threw her hands in exasperation, mumbling some incoherent words my ears couldn't pinpoint despite their remarkable sense of hearing.
"At least twist my hair into something other than a bird's nest," I yelled when she started walking across the room.
"Nah...I and your hair can't even stay as acquaintances. Do it yourself! Fun doing it. Meanwhile, I'll just accompany Ethan in getting ready for school." Her voice becoming faint as she stalked towards Ethan's room.
"Valery...." My eyes pleaded.
"You two childish souls." She chuckled adding,"should get together often instead of coming with witty comebacks."
"Stop acting like a bloody grandma and style my hair, will you?"
*****
Me, Valery, Ivanna and Alejandro were seated in the 'throne room' of the palace, generally used, to hold council, to grant audiences, to receive homage, to award high honors and offices, and to perform other official functions.
Sweat glands of my body produced extra sweat, much to my dismay, an indication that I was nervous.
Generally I'd prefer to collide with problems instead of turning my back to them. But today, my feelings conflict with each other.
One end says, please face him while another end was trying to turn gears in the reverse direction.
But in an instant, my sanity checks back into my brain from when Valery said I needed closure.
"Will you stop biting your nails? I tried hard to shape them and art them perfectly." Ivanna scowled at me slapping my hand away, effectively ceasing the communication between my fingers and mouth.
"Well, you aren't the one in my position, it's me." I hissed at her, pointing myself.
"Why don't you practice how to greet Samuel. I am Samuel for a moment." I contemplated for a moment. The idea wasn't that bad. The most could happen was, getting humiliated because of my lacking skills.
Upon hearing that, both Valery and Alejandro's heads snapped in our direction. Valery stopped fumbling with her bracelet and dropped her legs on the floor which initially rested on a stool, whereas, Alejandro stopped practising his innovative fight moves. Both pairs of eyes switched to assess mode to see what was going to happen.
"Come on."
"Okay..." I sighed.
Compose yourself.
"Umm. Hello, my name is Sofia Habsburg. Soon-to-be Queen. Pleased to meet you," I said, trying best not to quiver while saying.
Lol...more like a robotic voice..My subconscious laughed at me. Damn her.
"Act like a princess, not a bloody pauper." Ivanna yelled at me making me jump on my seat, my eyes wide. What had gotten into her? A bloody ghost? These British words of European people. I don't remember using word bloody, it was always, fuck!
"Try again," she said with a brisk voice.
Someone's on their period.
Calm...compose. Calm....compose.
"Hello, Mr.Anderson. I am Sofia, soon-to-be-queen of Spain. Pleased to meet you." This time with vigour in my voice. My face contained a little confidence, while, a genteel smile played on my face. Hope, it was better.
My face brightened when I heard heavy claps.
"Well done, Sofia. This time you weren't nervous, though I don't understand why are you so nervous to meet this man." He wondered out. I, Valery and Ivanna exchanged quick looks without responding to the other half of his statement. It's better if he would be oblivious.
"Thank you, Mr. Alejandro." I bowed a little getting on my feet. We all cracked up, on my little behaviour, until someone interrupted us.
"Queen and King are here with guests," Roman said out loud clearly indicating Ivanna and Valery should take a leave now.
Roman was one of the security guards working in the palace. His short introduction 'My grandparents moved here long back after getting married resulting my dad, my dad married and I 'popped' out. My grandmother wanted me be Roman.' I cringed at his English when he first introduced himself to me. Much like Wingardium Leviosa by Ron.
Pushing apart his English, Roman is a very nice man whose family comes from Italy. He is built with impossibly strong muscles, only for me. Alejandro snorts in jealousy when I voice these thoughts out. I slip into dreamland consisting Michael Davis whenever my gaze falls on him. He has hazel eyes and curly hair which complement his tanned face.
As soon as those words left his mouth, the two ladies scuttled out of the room through the giant doors whilst me and Alejandro seated ourselves. We both sat on each of the Royal type designed stools (I don't know what you call them), which were designed in European style and were positioned in front of the walls located on either side of the entrance. There was a Royal chair on the wall opposite the entrance, for King to seat himself. The Throne room's walls were either covered with blue or with red curtains. A chandelier was hanging from the ceiling completing the simple look of the room.
Not only I and Alejandro were expected to be elegant, which we already were, but also to act dignified, what I think was difficult for me.
Keep calm and face him. Keep calm and face him..I chanted over and over to boost energy into my veins.
My mantra broke when we heard steps thumping the floor from another side of the door, muffled voices could be heard whereas my body visibly tensed from a minute back.
As the footsteps became closer my heart beat increased and increased and increased when finally four people entered into the room. Mom, Dad, Samuel and.....Alice?
What was Alice doing here? No one mentioned me about her visit.
"Before sitting and relaxing, why don't you meet my daughter," my dad said while my mom gestured my to come over.
You need closure. Show him you are not Bridget anymore. The little voice returned from yesterday, augmenting the confidence in me.
With a one last 'I can do it', I strolled towards them with an aura of confidence, my head held high, like a princess I was.
"Hello, Mr. Anderson and Miss. Hunter. I am Sofia, soon-to-be-queen of Spain. Pleased to meet you." I greeted with a vehement voice and held out my hand for a shake.
Samuel's features contorted, his eyes calculating, trying to evaluate something or precisely someone, must I say. I smirked inwardly and waited for him to realise who I was, for an expression of infeasibility, but that never happened. Instead, he shook my hand which still hung in the air saying, "Nice to meet you too, your highness." He bowed down a little as an action of respect with a smile on his face.
Didn't he recognise me?
In the meantime, my dumb friend Alice replied with a 'nice to meet you too.'
Well, the feelings aren't mutual, cherie.
"I'll be right back," I mumbled excusing myself after whispering washroom in my mother's ear.
How could he forget me? That was an impossible thing to happen.
I reached the nearest washroom and started pacing in front of it fidgeting with my fingers to calm myself and to stay focused too.
"Do I know you?" Suddenly a well-known voice sounded in the hallway snapping me back into the present. My anger rate proliferated at the man in front of me, who failed to remember his own wife.
This is your chance Sofia, make him realise who you are.
I collected myself and looked up at him.
"Well, yes maybe, maybe not." I looked up into his deep gray eyes which held an emotion, confusion. With that, my confidence spiked up, yet again.
"Can you be clearer?"
"Oh...we had a lot of love between us Samuel. I just turned my hair colour to blonde. How could you forget me?" I feigned hurt by placing my hand on my heart's location. With each word I spoke, my confidence raised to another level.
For a moment, his face stuck in realisation.Then he shook his head whispering, "No way..."
"Yes, way."
An unbelievable expression took over his features. "Bridget....Sofia..."
"Well, at least you realised." A sinister smile took over my lips. I walked away from him like a Queen, leaving behind the piece of shit, shocked in place.
Well, I already see a plan forming in my brain.
Thank you, Alice, for coming here. Initially, I never had any plan. But now, I got a chance to show you both a movie.
**********
Sorry if there was an update notification. I do updated but the chapter did not update itself fully.
I tried to publish again, but got deleted.
Don't get upset because I couldn't satisfy you :(
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