Seven years later
The door opened soundlessly as I entered the softly lit bar. The air-conditioned air was pleasantly cool against my skin as I strode towards my destination, never breaking in my stride.
I spotted them before they saw me and smiled widely. Seven years was enough to change a lot of things. After my departure from Bloomville, I had immediately started therapy sessions. Though annoying, they were quite helpful in helping me overcome the traumas of the past. I was still healing but the improvement was clear. Dr. Stephen was also helping me in projecting my emotions well. No more did I have to mask my feelings behind an artificial mask of someone else's making. I was my own self.
My quest in finding myself was going well. Each new day came with new discoveries about my person. I just recently found out I hated the smell of peaches and I had a talent in painting. I had grown to appreciate myself and the features I possessed, most especially my hair which I was now wearing short. I had decided that I would never live with someone controlling my life for me. I made my own choices and I was proud of them; both good and bad.
The relationship between Mr. Lanchester and myself was growing better and more natural. I was already getting used to referring to him with a more personal title - dad. He had sheltered me from the press and social media pressure when it was revealed I was his daughter. I went from Monalisa Del Lana, the beautiful daughter of local famous cosmetic legend and architectural genius to Monalisa Lanchester, the infamous daughter of the world's richest man within a day. The news would no doubt be juicy for them.
Everyone wanted to know the backstory and the history between Mr. Lanchester, Carmen, and I. Speaking of which, Carmen had met her dues.
She was sentenced to life imprisonment for the several crimes she had committed which included, attempted murder, homicide, child abuse, possession of an unauthorized weapon, kidnapping, drug abuse, and so on. When she tried to plead innocent on the count of mental illness, the recording I had made was presented in the court and she had no choice than to go with the court's sentence. Even in the jail uniform, she still showed no remorse for her actions. Abel on the other hand was charged with two years imprisonment for being an accessory to her crime of kidnapping. It was safe to say I wasn't going to see those two anytime soon.
There were days I would shed tears for the wonderful mother I never got to know. The only memory I had of her was a blurry one showcasing her wide smile. Camellia had transferred the inheritance willed to her to me and Ezra but as I was the only surviving child, I got it all. I and Dad visited the lake where her ashes were spread on every of her death anniversary.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Mel cheered when she spotted me.
"Look at who it is. Our Mona's looking sexy." Jarod teased, making biting gestures.
"Careful Jarod, Lexi won't be happy if she heard you say that," Layla warned.
I wasn't the only one who had undergone some form of change during the past years.
Mel was now a successful fashion designer with a history of ruining the career of famous actors and actresses who dared to cross her. Even now, she was still vicious in her revenge schemes.
Jarod was a famous journalist who from time to time, helped Mel in her career-ruining hobby. He had every news agency trying to get him on their side. I heard he and Layla had dated for a while before they agreed on being friends instead of lovers. He was presently dating a girl named Lexi. I hoped it lasted.
Layla's change was the most surprising of all. Gone was the shy girl of seven years ago. In her place was a beautiful confident woman who was working for the FBI. She was recruited after she had hacked their top-class system security and was currently their best hacker. I guess you can't be in the FBI and still remain the same person.
I was in touch with everyone, except for one person. I never forgot him all these years. His memories always left a burning wake in my mind whenever the thought of him came. More than anything in the world, I wanted to ask about him and see him but I was a coward.
I took a seat and signaled to the bartender.
"Hey, Mona. The regular?" He asked and I grinned.
"The regular."
"Hey, Mona! Can you talk to your dad for me?" Jarod asked, adjusting his glasses. Years later and that signature style never faded away. They gave him the hot nerd kind of look the ladies were screaming for, so he said.
"For what?" I took a sip out of my margarita Josh had made for me.
"I want to interview him on his latest project and his potential love interest."
I shrugged and took a small bite out of the cherry floating in my drink.
"Okay, but on the last part, don't bother. I recently managed to set him up with this nice Mimi girl he seemed really fond of. That man's so determined on finding me a man but when it comes to himself, he runs the opposite direction."
We exchanged some laughs over that, and Mel questioned.
"So did he?"
"Did he what?"
"Did he find you a man you're interested in?" she expatiated.
"No. whenever I meet them, it's like they're missing something or I don't know but I think it's because I'm not ready for a relationship yet."
"Or maybe it's because they're not a particular someone." Layla chipped in slyly and gulped down her beer. I narrowed my eyes at her and folded my hands.
"I think I liked you better when you were shy and blushed at every word."
She childishly stuck out her tongue at me and set the beer down.
"I won't wait for you to ask me about him because I know you won't. You two are so stubborn but anyways, he's doing fine. His football career is going more successful with each match his team plays. Oh! And his female fan base also keeps on increasing but so far, he's still single. Adulthood is favorable to him."
Mel nodded, agreeing with Jarod.
"He looks even more handsome than the last time you saw him, and I heard he's visiting Bloomville this weekend. Will you go?"
My eyes stung from the painful memory of our breakup and I took a bigger sip out of my drink.
Could I summon enough courage to meet him once again after all these years?
*******
It turned out, I could. That Saturday, I had taken my car and driven to Bloomville. Stopping first to greet Ezra, I took a quick tour of the town that once inhabited me.
Each place that held a memory got resurfaced and I recollected with a strange feeling of nostalgia. It was surprising when the memories of the mansion didn't hurt as much as I thought they would. It was like a sting compared to the piercing pain I had imagined I would feel.
I couldn't bring myself to go to his house. He might not even be living there anymore.
I stood in front of Bloomville High, taking the sight in. So much had changed since then. The building had been renovated and repainted. I almost wasn't sure I was in the right place.
I sighed appreciatively and turned to go when I saw him.
Mel and Jarod had lied. Adulthood had more than favored him. While he had always had the roguish handsome looks, they had developed into a type of beauty with manliness. Gone was the boy of seven years ago and in his place was a hard-toned man -a handsome hard-toned man.
"Lisa?" he asked unsurely.
I smiled slightly in return.
"Hi! I'm Monalisa, Monalisa Lanchester but you can call me Lisa. It's reserved for some special people."
"Oh my god! It is you." He cried grinning and at that moment, I knew everything would be fine. That things would work out well. Though Bloomville was filled with my scars, it also had the beautiful flower of a blooming love between two strangers. And where those strangers departed, we reunited, in the same place it all started.
In the end, I didn't need anyone saving me. Why? Because with a little help from friends, I saved myself.
THE END.