Chapter 7 part a

“Mum!! How can you just throw me out already?! I’m not even married yet!!” I groaned. I dropped my bag on the floor and grabbed my luggage from her.  She’d packed all my clothes and necessities while I was away.

 “Brenda says she’d like it if you stayed with them starting from now. You may want to get used to a lot of stuff, and also learn basic stuff you still don’t know. You don’t even know how to cook yet,” she said.

 “But you’re here! You can teach me.”

 “Clare!! Listen to me will you?!” her decision was final. It was obvious from her harsh tone but I still didn’t want to go. Although I would see dad more often since he would be just close by, but the fact that I’d be leaving my mum alone just made me feel bad. 

 “I’m not going!!” I insisted.

 “Yes you are…”

 I felt my heart skip a beat when I heard his voice. It surprised me. He was all around with Maya a while ago that he didn’t even offer to drive me home like he usually does. I turned to see him standing at the door which I’d forgotten to close because of the whole ‘leaving the house’ matter.

 “I’m not leaving my mum alone!!” I snapped after an awkward moment of silence.

 “Clarissa…I wish you’d give me some time alone instead of sticking to me every day worrying I’ll go crazy if I’m left alone. I’m going for a vacation…to Italy. Your aunt is going into labor soon and since she’d my only sister I want to be there for her. So, since Robin agreed to take care of you while I’m gone just go, ok?”

 My jaw dropped and I gave her a disapproving look. “So it’s not because you want me to learn ‘basics’ and get used to everything, is it?”

 No wander she’d been going around shopping for clothes and other things. She sighed as I leaned against the wall refusing to leave.

“I’ve leaving tonight, and I won’t feel good leaving you here alone so stop acting like a brat,” she said impatiently.

 “Mum!!” I exclaimed. I had no intention of leaving home right now. She gave me a look that shut up me up. “Fineee…I’ll go…tomorrow. I promise,” I muttered.

 “I’ll stay with her so don’t worry,” Robin said.

 My eyes widened and I glared at him. Is he serious, that idiot?! My mum didn’t think it was such a bad idea though. She left a few hours after that to my relief. Right after she left I blew up at Robin. He just stood there staring at me with amusement.

“I don’t want you to stay here!!” I snapped.

 “Why not? We can stay up late like before and play games, or eat ice-cream? Maybe a scary movie?”

 I actually considered that thought for a moment, then quickly shook my head. “No!”

 “What happened? Did I do something wrong? We were getting along just fine yesterday,” he raised an eyebrow, eying me curiously.

 “I want to be alone,” I turned away and walked upstairs but he followed me.

 “Do you like me?”

 That caught me off guard making me freeze in my place. Why would he ask something like that? I didn’t say anything or move but felt him gently take my hand in his. “Or is it hate?”

 “Fine…you can stay but you’re buying,” I groaned and turned to look at him, pulling my hand away from his. He just blinked then smiled impishly.

 “Why the sudden change of topic?”

 “Stop asking useless questions,” I snapped as I walked back downstairs. Honestly, I had no idea how to answer him. I didn’t hate him, but I don’t think I loved him that way yet either.

 “Ok, ok. Snacks?”

“Baskin robins chocolate ice-cream and chips…” I muttered.

 He smiled. What was he so happy about? I narrowed my eyes at him as he quickly wore his shoes. “I’ll be back soon so pick out a movie and let’s have a date here, ok?”

 He left before I could say anything else. I stood there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot. Date? I frowned. Why was he being all sweet and nice all of a sudden? Maybe he thinks I’m still angry? Now that I think about it, why was I angry at him in the first place?

 I looked into the CD-rack and tried to pick out a nice movie. I wasn’t going to watch anything romantic or scary with him, so I settled with a sitcom. I got everything ready, and jumped onto the couch taking up the whole place so he wouldn’t sit next to me.

 Once he got back he gave me the plastic bag filled with chips…ketchup flavor, salty, original, cheese, vinegar… and another that contained haagen dazs chocolate and strawberry flavor ice-cream with Baskin robins chocolate ice-cream.  

 He’d been running since he’d got back in 5 min. when the nearest shop was around 10 or 15 min. away, and right now he was lying down on the ground just beside me breathing heavily.

“You didn’t have to get all this…” I said. “Are you ok? Why on Earth were you running?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t know what you’d like better…besides, if I were to come late you’d fall asleep then I won’t be able to have a date with you.”

For a moment I felt the urge to hug him and run my hand through his light brown hair. Then out of nowhere I said it. “I’m not angry you know…stop trying to be nice.”

That caused him to sit up abruptly, his eyes looking at me blankly.

I did it…I said what I was thinking and then hugged him. “But thanks for trying.”

“Clarissa?” he was shocked…he had to be but he sounded indifferent…at least he was trying to sound normal. I quickly backed away though and just when I was about to get up he pulled me back for another tight hug.

“I wasn’t really trying to be nice. I just don’t like seeing you upset or angry, so tell me what’s annoying you and I’ll do my best to stop it.”

I just sat there close to him, feeling the warmth of his closeness. Hell, I don’t even know why I was being like that. “I’ll tell you when I know…”

Chapter 6

I tried looking for my phone in my purse but then I remembered I had left it with Robin. Seriously?? This day can’t get any worse…the fact that no one’s out there doesn’t help much either. I took off my heels and banged on the door hoping someone passing by might hear, which I don’t think will happen. Yet I still banged on the door for God knows how long…and after my hands started hurting, gave up.

What now? I’m pretty sure everyone’s worried by now but I haven’t told anyone that I was going to the bathroom. So, I don’t think I’ll be getting out anytime soon. I sank down to the ground, feeling dizzy. When things like this happen I can’t help feeling stressed out and scared.

I took a deep breath and kept trying to reassure myself…everything will be ok. Someone will eventually come. I hadn’t noticed the hot tears threatening to come down until after a while when I touched my cheeks and tried to stop them. Out of all the days it had to happen today.

I can’t just act weak. This is most likely what Maya is trying to make me be…she wants me to show weakness. I won’t just let her have her way…not after all she’s done.  

“Clare?!”

I jumped at that…my eyes open wide all of a sudden. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve dozed off, but when I did wake up I was leaning against the door blocking any way for the door to open.

“Clarissa?!” It was Robin. Relief washed over me as he called out my name for the third time. I got up abruptly causing the numbness in my leg to worsen. I closed my eyes and bit down on my lower lip. I stood still in my place…waiting for the numbness to go away.

Robin slowly opened the door and came in, looking at me with a mixture of mixed emotions…worry? Anger? Maybe even astonishment.

“Robin I-..”

“How did you get locked up in here?” he interrupted. Behind him were our parents who were trying to check in on me…worry etched on their face. What caught me off guard was when Maya pushed herself to the front and gave me a fake smile.

“Are you ok? You might need to rest for a while. You don’t look too good.”

If I could, I would have pulled her into one of the bathroom stalls and locked her in for the rest of the day but unfortunately I couldn’t.

“Let’s get back to the party. I don’t want to go home yet,” I said. Apparently, I had dozed off for more than an hour…2 maybe. Maya grabbed my hand and held my purse, taking me upstairs to one of the rooms.

“Everyone will be leaving soon anyway. There’s no use for you to be there now.”

I took a quick look back as she dragged me off. Robin was talking to my dad about something, and I couldn’t help but blame myself for being so stupid.

Once I got to my room I quickly took a shower and changed into comfortable clothes. I felt tired and worn out and I just wanted to get into bed and sleep but Maya was still sitting on the bed when I came out of the shower.

“You aren’t meant to marry him, so give it up,” she said after a moment of silence. She was looking into her phone impatiently. I snorted causing her to snap up her head and look at me in that scary, hostile way. “He doesn’t even love you,” I could tell she was just trying to stimulate anger in me, so I just smiled wearily.

“Is that why you locked me up? That’s strange…I was definitely sure it was because of jealousy and the fact that you’re scared he’s already fallen for me…” of course I just said that to make her leave but that just made her more determined to prove me wrong.

“He didn’t notice you were gone for a long time…”

“Well, can you leave now? I’m not in the mood to argue.”

 She gave me a harsh look before getting up and leaving. Looks like I’m going to have to go through hell for a while. The thing is I thought she was here for only a while but the next day I woke up and went to the dining room for breakfast the topic of someone exchanging to our university came up and that person turned out to be Maya.

I had a hard time trying to go through the day after that…

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“THAT BITCH!!!! If I were you, I would have murdered her in her sleep already,” Lena growled. For some reason Lena and Gabriel hadn’t come to my engagement party so I let out all my anger and frustration today. I told them how Maya had ‘come out’ to ‘ruin’ me.

Lena seemed angrier than me, while Gabriel just gave me a blank, expressionless look. I sighed. “I don’t want to commit murder and go to prison at this age, and especially on my engagement day. Although I was thinking of it too…”

Gabriel blinked at that which to me was progress. He’s been acting very strange and distant recently. I smiled but caught him looking behind me. Whatever it was that had caught his attention wasn’t me. I turned and swallowed hard at the sight of Maya standing next to my ‘fiancé’.

Robin put his hands on both sides of my chair and leaned in so we were both at eye level. “Why would you commit murder my little angel?” he was angry although he was trying to hide it, and I had a feeling he had misunderstood the convo and thought it was directed at him.

“I…I wasn’t…”

Maya grabbed onto his arm just then…rendering me speechless. “Come on. You need to show me around campus…”

Robin glanced over at Gabriel who gave him a shrug before leaving with Maya. Lena was as speechless and annoyed as I was.

“Did she just hold onto your husband and leave?!”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “He’s not my husband…yet.”

“Why’s he being so arrogant again?” Gabriel muttered. I missed hanging out with him like usual, and the fact that I was getting married seemed to make him distance himself from me for some reason. I looked at him intently, trying to figure out why he was being like this. He noticed and quickly got up leaving me sitting alone with Lena.

I turned to her and before I could say something she said what I was dreading most. “He likes you and it’s obvious…”