chapter fourteen

The next morning l thought to myself, this day was going to be the most embarrassing day of my life. I was even more nervous of going to school than my first day.

Auntie Yolei was insisting that she should go with me to the principal's office and give a parental complaint about abuse at school. I had to earnestly plead her not to, promising that it won't ever happen again. She at last gave in to my plea but however was going to send an email to him about it.

I received a good lashing lecture from auntie Yolei before going to school. But I was more than grateful because she had dropped the resolve of going with me to the principal's office.

"Arielle, don't give people the impression that you are still naive. Never again agree to be drawn to closed spaces, there are evil people out there. Try as much as you can to stick with Keisty or Prisca because you are not good at turning down people, they can. If anyone bothers you, please tell us or Keisty, we can't afford to let other students bully you. We might as well transfer you both to another school if push comes to shove".

My drive to school with Keisty was not as weird as l had imagined. We talked but I could feel that she was now having a more protective behavior towards me. I started to fear for Stewart. Since I had told Keisty that l didn't like him that way, Keisty might interpret anything he tries to do to me as abuse.

We went to classes. I was having my biology lesson which was the last period before break time. My phone vibrated in my pocket, so l draw it out. There was a text.

"Hi, it's Whitney, thanks for taking my number. Are you free at break time?"

I thought for a minute, after having confessed to Keisty that l don't like Stewart, having break time in his office wouldn't be a good idea. But neither did l want to have break time in the cafeteria. I thought that l could just tell Keisty that l will be hanging out with Whitney. She wouldn't be so pleased but at least it's less threatening. It's someone that she knows and l can recognize.

"Yes, why?", l replied.

"Great, l will soon be finishing up my practice, please come let's meet at the main hall"

Great, another note. If Keisty sees this one, she will not let me go or maybe she will go with me intending to stab the person with a knife. This time it was different though. The note is not from someone anonymous nor a secluded place.

I sent Keisty a text telling her that l would be hanging out with Whitney. She didn't reply but I was sure she had seen it.

The siren rang, everyone went out for break time. I walked out of the classroom and walked swiftly through the corridors heading to the main hall. I didn't want to meet anyone that l knew. If l meet Keisty, she would question me and l might end up showing her the text. If l met Prisca, she would want to drag me to the cafeteria. If l met Stewart, he will want the answer to his proposal. If l met mark, well, l wouldn't know what comes up next.

The main hall was the entire ground floor of the left-wing of the building. I walked through the wide corridor leading to two large wooden sliding doors. I stood at the door and gave out a nervous sigh. Faint sounds of someone shouting dance moves was sipping out the doors. I gently slid the doors open, careful to not attract attention and closed the doors behind me.

An adorable sight caught my eyes. I saw angelic forms gracefully twirling with the toes of one foot whilst they held the other high above their heads. Their elegant costumes were made of glittered white lacy material.

The girls hair was tied into buns making their facial features look sharper but cute. Their cheeks were ruddy, could be because of the heat from long dance sessions.

A female tutor with glasses was walking around them in her formal white shirt with a red blazer and red pencil skirt. Her red heels were echoing in the vast space as she instructed the girls on the dance floor.

One particular face caught my attention. It was Whitney's cute smiley face. Her glazing brown eyes sparkling as if with excitement. Her entire face was lit with a wide smile with her shiney white teeth causing her cheeks to look even more blushed than the rest of the girls.

I have to admit that this girl looks pretty. Her smooth glistening skin and long legs make her peculiarly noticable among other girls. Her smile is unique and so are her eyes, ever shining like a dazzling diamonds.

"Ok we're done, we will continue later!", their tutor shouted. The girls stopped with audible gasp of relief. Some of them sat and removed their small flat pumps to nurse their punished toes. Some of them walked to their little bags to draw out their little bottle drinks.

I saw Whitney gulping down some drink from a glittered purple bottle drink with little stickers on it. It was looking big on her small hands. She was throwing her head back with her eyes closed. I heard a female voice shout to me disrupting me from my stare.

"Young lady!", l heard their tutor call. I turned to look and saw her looking at me. "Come here please."

I walked to her hoping that l won't get scolded for coming uninvited to their practice. when l was approaching her, she narrowed her eyes and gave me a scrutinizing stare. I felt my body start to emit heat from nervousness. I slowed down my pace starting to be more cautious with my footing. l was feeling like l was about to pass out.

"Come on girl, don't be shy. Just make a few more steps to me. I promise I don't bite", she said still scrutinizing me. I felt like my knees were about to give away but managed a few more steps to her.

"Dear girl, don't be nervous. Did you come to join ballet?", the lady asked. I detected a Spanish accent in her voice.

"No, l came for my friend, Whitney", l said with a shaky voice.

"Oh, so don't you want to join us. You have such a beautiful body and your walk tells me you are ballet material. I think I have found just the write person l have been waiting for", she said eyeing me from toe to head with one hand under her chin.

"No, thank you, l just came for my friend. She told me to find her here at break time"

She looked a bit disappointed at me. "At least wouldn't you like to try. You never know, you might find hidden passions in you. It's always good to give up on something after you have tried"

I stared at her not knowing how to answer her. She noticed my struggle then just gave me a polite dismissive wave.

"Okey, Whitney!, your girlfriend is looking for you", she called out causing everyone in the room to stare. I felt a blush creep up my face.

I was about to tell her that she is not my girlfriend but Whitney ran and hugged me vigorously. She squeezed me tightly and swept me of my feet for a second then drew away a little with her arms still around my waist. It all had happened so fast that l hadn't found time to react.

"Play along", she whispered. I was so embarrassed. I felt everyone's attention on us. Most of them must have been wondering how this happened without going viral on the school.

"Thank you Mrs Elguarò, are we dismissed?", Whitney asked looking over my shoulder.

"Yes, but everyone must be back by twelve sharp. If you are late, don't bother yourself by coming."

Everyone murmured a "yes ma'am " in sync and they started taking their satchels and leaving out the door.

Whitney looped my arm in hers and we turned to leave. Mrs Elguarò shouted to us causing us to turn our heads back.

"Whitney, talk your girlfriend to join us, it would be such a waste of beauty for someone this adorable to not be a ballet".

"Yes ma'am, I will try ", Whitney said looking at me.

"And girl what's your name?", Mrs Elguarò asked me.

"Arielle"

"if you ever change your mind, you can come to my office, Whitney can show you ".

We nodded then left.

"So you haven't eaten yet right?", Whitney asked. I nodded. " Good, so we can eat together but first l need to change out of this costume. Please come with me to the changing room ", l didn't have the time to answer her because she was already dragging me along.

I stood opposite to Whitney's locker who was stripping off her outfit in front of me like it was a normal thing to do. It made me remember the scene in the hall.

"Whitney, why did you pretend that we were girlfriends?"

"I'm sorry, l was just excited at the moment.

"Excited about what?"

"About people thinking that we are in a relationship."

She turned around to look at me. Her eyes were brown lighted up brightly and her eyes sparkling. Her cheeks were red although she wasn't smiling this time.

We locked eyes but it was like we all didn't know what to say. At last l looked away and she looked down.

"I think I am done, let's go eat before break time is over."

" I don't want to go to the cafeteria! ", l blurted out. Whitney was a bit surprised but she didn't ask why.

"That's okey, neither do I, why don't we go to the sports fields. It's quite there." She paused remembering something, "wait, but I will need to first buy food at the cafeteria".

I thought of it. If l go to the cafeteria l would be risking encountering the people l am avoiding.

"No don't worry, we can share mine. I have a lot of food, l won't finish it by myself". She looked at me hesitantly but agreed.

We sat on a soft blanket in the green fields. Whitney was surprised to see that l carry a lunch box to school. She was also surprised by the type of food l carry in the launch box.

"Are you like a healthy fanatic ?", Whitney asked while we were eating.

"No. My aunt is. She said she doesn't want us to become plump", hearing this, Whitney burst with laughter.

I laughed too. A while later we both stopped laughing. Whitney wiped the tears that had gathered in her eyes then we continued our eating. After a moment of quietness, Whitney turned to me with a sad look on her face.

"At least your parents make you do things you are not fond of for your own good, unlike mine. Everyday feels like l am just living a life that is not mine", her voice began to shake. I could sense that she was now fighting against the urge to cry. She tried to continue, "Every step l take is controlled. My life doesn't belong to me it's theirs and for their own selfish desires. l feel like l'm a walking dead, a zombie or a robot controlled by a remote. Everyday is just...", she broke into a whimper.

I had no idea what she meant but I could sense that she was in deep travail. She looked brocken. It made me think that her eyes have always been glazed with emotions that she tries to hold back. Tears started spilling from her eye, not dramatically but the drops were big. They splashed on her skirt making a big wet round patch.

I moved closer to her and put my arms around her shoulder. She snuggled more into me and pressed her face in the crook of my neck. Her cheeks were hot and wet. Her breath was hotter but moist.

She stopped crying but did not move out of the position. I was a bit confused by her brokenness but l knew that Whitney was not one to cry without having deeply suffered. I wanted to know what caused her deep pain.

"Whitney, l'm so sorry if l have triggered bad emotions in you"

"That's ok, it's not your fault", she said wiping her eyes.

"Do you mind telling me what's bothering you. If you don't feel like it, it's still fine, don't force it"

"No, l don't mind. The thing is, my parents family is the Torrens. All they care about is power and control. My grandparents are the Manors and owners of the entire East and West Torrens. They made sure that all my sisters got married to powerful families. My brothers married from powerful families too. To my family dynasty, we are just pawns they use to extend their dominance".

I was starting to get an unsettling familiarity to the feeling. I swallowed the knot that was forming in my throat. I then rested my head on the crown of her head.

She continued, "l didn't want to be used by them so l retaliated". She took a deep sigh," When l knew that they were setting me up with someone, l was angry. I went out wild to piss them. I went around dating boy after boy as many as l could. I posted it on my social media accounts so that they wouldn't bother me but this put me in worse strait than before. They disowned me and kicked me out of the family."

I twitched with disbelief. I can't imagine such cruelty can come out of ego. I drew a bit away from Whitney to look at her face.

"I'm so sorry, you had to experience such..."

"Don't worry, it's okay now. They are not as heartless, they send me a monthly allowance to cover my expenses without fail. I get enough to cover my education, rental and stuff." She said it as though that would convince me that her situation wasn't bad.

"So they are egoistic rulers ha?"

"Yes although in my situation it was amplified by the fact that they saw my birth as a break through to their dream of having ultimate rule. They wanted to wed me to the last son, a lord of a powerful family dynasty"

"Which family is that?", l asked.

"The Loire".

I froze, all at once my blood became hot but l started to feel cold from the sweat l had released that instance. Whitney felt it and set up to look at me.

"Are you ok?", she asked.

"Ye-ah yeah, yes", l straggled to answer. She looked into my eyes then put the back of her hand against my forehead.

"You look a bit flustered. Is there something you know about the Loires"

"I don't remember ".