<Half Truth>
I spent the whole day in my garden library studying and crying. It's not like anyone in class would miss me. Nobody would notice that I am gone. Maybe the principal would call my parents but they wouldn't care, or mum would probably give me a nagging when she came back home from her trip with dad. Or maybe she would be happy that I was isolating myself. I put on sunglasses to hide my red and puffed eyes, (so much for being strong). Betty's trying to cheer me up but failed. I am grateful of her presence but I wished that I was alone. All the while I was here, my phone vibrated for a while and I bet it was Maybel or Max. They had wanted to find me at my garden but I told them I was at home.
The school bell rang loudly in the empty and silent library, signalling the end of break and I sat on the floor beside Betty. I hugged her tightly and sighed while she just lie there, happy that I did that. A tear slitted down my eyes and I wiped it away, mentally noting that I shouldn't cry because I am a strong girl. Soon, tears poured out and I started crying silently. "Ellie? Are you here Ellie?" Betty ears perked up and she moved a little but never left me. The voice outside the door was so familiar, where had I heard it before? And the realisation hit me, it was Ethan's. Oh god, why did he had to come at this time? My eyes were red and puffed like a goldfish. I sniffed and wiped off the tears, trying hard to remove evidence of me crying, but Betty's fur had a patch of wetness from my tears. Still not answering him, I heard "Ellie, I'm coming in." I continued to stay where I was lying, unmoving. In the first place I wasn't even planning to move. I heard the door squeaked as he opened and Betty moved slightly but she didn't get up. Good girl. She knew better than to leave me in the cold floor. I like her warm fur. I heard footsteps on the marble tiles coming towards me and his beautiful soft voice spoke "Ellie, where have you been?" So soft that I might break if he was to touch me. I sat up but didn't spoke or turned, glad that the tears had stopped but were threatening to spill. Betty went up to a sitting position facing me and wagging her tail, waiting for Ethan or me to play with her. I closed my eyes behind the pair of sunglasses and I felt him walking round Betty to see me.
"What happened?" he asked me softly, I opened my eyes and blinked a little, seeing that he had kneeled down beside me as Betty was in front of me, pushing her nose onto my face and comforting me with her licks. Ethan hands tried to lift the sunglasses off my eyes. Instinctively, my hands flew to his and stopped them. "Nothing." I lied and my voice cracked a little, I looked at him through my sunglasses. I saw him frowning after letting go of my sunglasses and he shifted himself in front of me before sitting down because Betty had moved away, chasing a butterfly that flew past before running back to us. She was now standing beside Ethan, wagging her tail at me and sticking her tongue out.
He sighed and held my face towards him, his smooth fingers sent chills and electricity all over my body and his soft yet firm voice said "Ellie, talk to me. Trust me." He stretch the "trust me" and that's all it takes to made my tears gate opened. Tears gushed out and he took off my sunglasses, pulling me towards his chest which caused me to crash straight into his lap and arms. He hugged me firmly and at the same time softly that I am afraid I might break. Betty giving a light bark.
I sniffed and took a deep breath. "I-I-" before I could finished my sentence, tears continued to spill and my cries turned into a sob. He didn't said a single word, just stroking my light brown hair and hugging me in his arms. Hug me like a baby in need of love and his hug was so nice that I thought I would stay in here forever. I slowed my breathing and sniffled before pushing him away a little and sitting straight up. My own puffy and red eyes stared into his soft green eyes. He returned my stared and nodded slowly. A sign that I should tell him what happen.
Wiping off one last tear that hung itself on my lashes, I whispered "I'm tired. Mentally tired." and looked away. Not knowing whether or not to continue telling him. It was a big step I had to take. Never had I taken this step before to an outsider. Sensing I wasn't going to continue, he prode, "About your family?" This made me turned to looked at him. Making me wonder how did he knew about what I'm stressing about. Was it all so obvious? I mustered all my courage and gave a slight nod. Knowing that he would continue asking if I wasn't planning to say and he smiled a little.
I took a deep breath and sighed a little before I continuing my story "I came from a troubled family. My parents, they're always treating me differently from Daphane." he frowned a little and I said "Daphane is my 14 yrs old sister." correcting myself. He continue to nod and I felt that tears would spill again, so I took a deep breath. I told him about how my parents would never hug me and celebrate my birthday. How Daphne would never treat me as her older sister but a maid, how she would chase me out whenever she needed the house to host a party. How she always made me sit and do her homework. The disrespect and scoldings that I got from Daphane.
All the time I'm talking, tears started flowing and I couldn't stopped it. It soon turned into sobs and I was crying as if I was short on breath and he was providing me tissues. He seems attentive and Betty was just being Betty, occasionally coming towards me and licking my hand, attempting to cheer me up. After all, it had been 2 years since I picked her off the streets and adopting her as my own. I had watched Betty grown and became a girl she was today. Occasionally, I would bring her home during weekends because that was when Daphane and my parents wouldn't be home, and we would spend hours rolling the grass and me trying to teach Betty how to do tricks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the end of school and Ethan had stayed with me the whole time. I was so tired that I fell asleep on his lap and it was the school bell that woke me up. Talking to him had made me felt less stressed out and made me realised that I could trust him. I rubbed my eyes slowly and yawned. He looked down at me and smiled sweetly showing his dimples. This caught me off guard a little and I sat up. I blushed a little and sat up straighter. He stared into my turquoise eyes and I blinked, trying not be trapped in his enchanting eyes. That's right, Ethan had saw my vulnerable side and he didn't turned away from me. In fact, he stayed with me and be with me.
~~~{ Ethan }~~~
I didn't mean to stare into her turquoise eyes. It's just too enchanting and familiar about it. There was just something about her that reminds me of someone I knew. But who? She noticed that too and she started blushing. How cute when she blushes and tried to hid them with her long brown hair. My heart aches for Ellie. Not only her sister, Daphane, treated her badly, her parents, her mum to be exact, treated her badly. Ellie was adopted since birth, that's right, adopted. And they didn't told her, at the aged of 5, the mysterious person who gave Ellie up stopped giving the Swift family money and that was when they gave up on Ellie too.
No matter how Ellie aced her test or exams, she would never get her parents' attention. Daphane would be the one the parents love the most and gave money to. Ellie had to work her butt off to survive on her own. Ellie could be any other normal teenage girl but She attended a private school because the mysterious person said Ellie had to complete her education in a private school and she would be funded till she graduates. So her adopted parents agreed to it.
I knew all of these because I'm the Prince of Gardina. I learnt about her story the day I knocked into her at the school corridor and her turquoise eyes was what made me look into the database. What I found wasn't nice but I knew Ellie worked hard enough to prove to the entire world that she was someone who would do anything in her power to be the perfect girl, not for anyone else but for herself. And that's right, I am The prince she had always wanted to meet but never gotten a chance. This time, I came to this private school because my parents wanted me to marry someone with statues, since I rejected the princess that I was blind date to, and to do so, only this region private school had people with statues. But I found myself drawn to Ellie the most even though girls had thrown themselves on me several times. Ellie had seen me as me and not a rich guy trying to marry someone.
"Ethan, thanks..... For everything." she said softly, her voice drew my attention back to where I am and I watched as she hugged Betty, avoiding eye contact. I felt a little disappointed that she didn't hugged me but I smiled anyway. I am willing to do what it takes to make her life good. As long as she's happy. "Welcome. Anytime for a friend." I smile and replied her warmly. I mentally reprimand myself for mentioning the word "friend" and how I wish she treat me more than just a friend. She stood up and walked to her desk slowly, as if she would break any bones in her. Her movements were like an angel and her shirt was a little crumpled from her lying down before I came in.
"I'm going to go home and cook for Daphane. See you at the bookies." she said a little force happiness in her voice and started packing her bag. I wanted to stop her and it breaks my heart to see her forcing herself to be strong. I wanted to ask her to run away with me or maybe marry me but I couldn't. I didn't have the courage to ask her. I just couldn't said and watched her walked away. Mrs Jimes used to be my palace housekeeper but she was getting old and her wish was to open a bookstore, so my parents granted her the wish and it so happen that Ellie worked for her. Maybe it's fate that brought us together.
"I'll sent you home." I walked towards her and touched her arms lightly. She flinched a little but relaxed. She shook her head slightly. "I can manage. Thanks." with that, she walked off and Betty tried to follow her but she stopped Betty. She smiled at Betty and waved to me before walking out of her garden. I want her. I want to see her smile and I would do anything to see her smile. I felt disappointed that I couldn't do better for her. But at the same time, I wondered if she would accept me if I told her I was the prince. I fear I would lose her if I told her.