||Valeria||
I don't know how long I have been staring at the close door but when I finally turn around, I find Chantel fidgeting. It is a weird thing to witness on her. Chantel, I mean. She has always been the composed one between us and me the fidgety type. The one who always freaked out.
Like the day we sneaked out after our parents told us not to. There was apparently something going on about a business rival or something in that lines. I never paid enough attention to know. I was always ignorant to what my parents did, so long as they provided for what I wanted.
Everything started off okay. We glammed up. Make up on fleek, heels on point and outfits to die for. We looked smoking hot. Made heads turn and 'oohh' and all. The the only anomaly stacking up against us was our ages. We were under age and I mean under age as in thirteen and sixteen years underage. I don't know what we were thinking going to a strip club. It was all on Chantel's magical list of things to do before we turn eighteen. I went along with the whole charade. I would've never admitted this but I really did enjoy myself. We just let go and dance until the wee hours of the next morning. It was something different from my normal scene. A change. A breathe of fresh air, and was it the most liberating thing ever. We were having fun of our lives, dancing the night away until two guys started getting touchy-touchy. Chantel kneed one of the guys in his balls. One thing lead to another, and we ended up getting arrested. And through all that experience that made me want to vomit my whole gut out and what, she remained calm, not even afraid of the looming our-parents-infused-apocalypse.
Now, seeing her like this is just so unusual. Something I'll describe as unorthodox.
She moves up and down the room without saying anything. I don't say anything either. I keep quiet and stare at her blankly.
She suddenly turns around to face me taking a sharp intake of breath.
"I know what you are thinking..." she runs her hands through her hair.
"And what is it that I'm thinking Chantel? You seem to have all the answers." I spat.
"That I'm crazy and losing my mind. That I'm wasting my time being here. That I don't probably stand the slightest chance of earning your forgiveness."
"Oh, you are so spot on with your last statement darling. Never knew you were smart enough to put something like that together." I fake a smile.
She sighs.
After a short silence she asks the most unexpected question. "So... is it true? Uhm... about the... you know..." She leaves the question hanging.
I knew exactly what she was talking about but I wasn't ready to divulge into that subject. "What is?" I ask her instead, bluntly to add.
"You don't have to pretend with me Valeria. I know. Everything. Perks of being a Stewe." She smiles sadly.
"Oh, almost forgot that fact." I say dryly. "Perks of being a Stewe." I mimick her.
"How are you holding up?"
"You mean after trying to commit suicide and coming out unsuccessfully? Oh, I'm the definition of awesome. The sun shines bright. The sky is blue. I can still breathe. What should be wrong with all that?"
She doesn't reply immediately. "You don't have to be sarcastic with me Valeria. I know you."
"Something I wish was never the case." I mutter under my breath. She flinches at that pressing her eyes close.
She is silent, with a thoughtful pained look. "So...?" she looks at me, questioning.
"What?"
"Are you still?"
"Am I still what?"
"Do I have to spell out the word for you?" She sighs irritatedly. "I'm asking if you still pregnant Valeria?" I close my eyes, touching my belly unconsciously.
The bump is still practically non-existent but it's there. The floodgates open as the tears start running down my cheeks—softly. The pain wounds open with newfound explicitness. The pregnancy... God.
"Hey, hey, I'm sorry Valeria. I'm really sorry." She takes a sit next to my bed, taking hold of my hands immediately. "I didn't mean to upset you." I don't reply.
That's the question that has been in everyone's mind. Am I still pregnant? What answer do I give them? Ignore. Only three people know (Ndeshi and her parents) besides the attending doctor and nurses.
"You and Pius? Are you... like an item or... something?" Chantel asks out of nowhere. That makes me blush crimson. I cover it up with a quick non-chalant cough because I don't want to think about Pius and in that way either. No. So instead, I throw her one of my intense glares, silently letting her know that I'm tiring of her distract-to-divert tactic.
"Are we going to beat around the bull the whole day or what? If you have something to say, say or forever hold your piece." I said, cocking my head to the side.
That did it.
"I'm sorry." She says softly, totally resigned. "That's all I wanted to say. I regret—"
"Oh, it's a good thing regrets always come late, because when it does come, it stings like a bitch and that's the only thing I wish for you." I sneer with so much venom.
"Val please—"
"No. Don't you dare call me that?" I warned. "That name was only meant for my best friend. My sister. Someone I thought would always have my back no matter. Not you. Not ever." A tear runs down the left cheek.
"All I can say is, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not believing you." Chantel closes her eyes, glowing in unshed tears.
"I think it's a little bit too late for that." I start. "If you did that then, I wouldn't have went through all the shit I did. Do..." I trail off, swallowing the tears. "Do you know what I went through? Do you have any idea? You obviously don't because you were just stuck up there on your Ivory Tower. But let me tell you. I lived on the streets for months, I ate garbage food, begging people to spare me something. Everywhere I went people looked at me like I was the most nauseating thing ever. And for what? For something I didn't do. I slept in rain. I went days without water and food. I learnt life 101, the hard way. So don't come here with your empty, apologies, because you are not getting it."
"Valeria you not getting it."
I burst into a scornful laughter with no humor. "I'm not getting it? She's kidding, right?" I ask myself. "What don't I get Chantel? What? You think I don't get how I was humiliated and kicked aside without even a backside glance. You believed my aunt over me and..."
"I had to."
"Oh, you had to. Wow. Okay. You done?"
"No. Are you? Because I'm not." She deadpans.
I take in a deep breathe to compose myself. I might as well let her talk.
I nod my head "Go ahead."
She doesn't start immediately. "Uhm, do you remember the day I texted you about your parents laundering money?" She asks. I nod my head yes tentatively.
"Well, the thing is, that's not the whole truth Valeria. I... was forced to..." she blurts out.
"What?"
"Nothing like that never happened. Okay, it happened, but they weren't the ones that were involve."
"You better be shitting me. You..." I close my eyes, silently calming myself. "I argued with my parents for something they didn't do. Do you have any idea the things I said to them? Do you..." I shut my eyes and wipe away the tears. "They died, thinking I didn't love them. Thank you so much for ruining my life. I'll never get the chance to tell them otherwise. Do you have any idea of how much damage you have done?"
"Oh, I have. You have no idea, how big and beyond these whole thing goes."
I scoff at her dramatic remark.
"Who forced you to tell me those fabricated lies?" I question her.
"I can't tell you." She responds.
"You can't or you won't"
"I won't tell you because I can't. It's better if you don't know."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did those people go through all these trouble just to get to my parents?"
"You don't get it do you? Your parents weren't just any business people. They were the business moguls. I know you were too busy being rebellious to notice anything but they were beyond loaded, rich, copious, whichever way you like to put it. They were admired, envied and had enemies at every corner. The fact that you were rebellious didn't boat well for your parents because you were just adding to their troubles. Do you remember that time we were told not to leave the house but we still did because... Geesh, we were us?"
I nod my head, yes.
"They didn't tell you that just as a wash over. Someone placed a price on their heads, but they survived, I don't know how. People have been working around the clock behind the scenes ever since to bring them down and take over their empire. They lived a simple life and that's what astounded everyone. Why live like that while you have all the money in the world, was the most asked question. Them, dying—"
"...wasn't an accident." I finish softly.
"No it wasn't. It was a meticulously planned out murder staged as a car accident." She states matter-of-factly. I look up at the ceiling, willing the tears to go back.
"But that's not the only reason I came to see you today Valeria." Chantel says. I frown. "There is more to the story. I'm here to tell... no warn you, to prepare yourself, and prepare yourself well, both emotionally, and physically, because there is a war coming. A brutal one. They want you gone Valeria..."
"They?" I don't like the sound of this.
"The Secret society, Hoards or whatever they call themselves. I don't know. All I know is that, they want you gone but there is someone protecting you from behind closed doors. Their every attempt either comes out unsuccessful or it backfires. Its pissing the Hoards off. So be prepared. And I'm sorry. I really am. For playing part in everything you went through. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me one day. Until then, don't trust no one. Only trust yourself. Your gut. You will always be my small sister Valeria. Nothing will ever change that and I'll protect you with my dear life." And with that she retrieves her handbag from the lounge and leaves the room, after waving me good bye with a sad smile.
Don't trust no one.
She didn't have to repeat that statement twice because that's one thing I promised myself never to. No matter what, because trust means heart break, and I'll not make that mistake...
Not ever and again.
✴️✴️✴️
A/N: Just as I promised, this another update. Thank you so much for reading. Means everything to me. Hope you enjoyed it.
Don't forget to VOTE, comment and share.
Until 2017
- Stephen