Chapter 53: Chapter fifty three

Arielle

I've been hated most times in my life, mostly by strangers on social media who judge me based on the headlines I made. Spoilt daddy's girl. Rude Minister's daughter. Mean school queen.

I was even hated by own family. My father doesn't love me, my cousin and once best friend now loathes me, even my mum was treading the line between love and hatred.

But none of that realization had hurt as much as this one does. Learning that my entire relationship with Drayton these past few weeks had been because of a bet.

I hadn't really thought of how much our tentative friendship meant to me until now. I had resumed school senior year, knowing that everything was going to changing but hoping that my feud with Drayton wouldn't change.

I had gone from wishing that, to actually enjoying his friendship. But I should have known better. No one gets close to me unless they wanted something.

I tilted my head back and squeezed my eyes shut. I refused to shed a single tear because of Drayton King or any man. That gender has been the cause of my sadness for too long.

After I successfully fought back the tears, I opened my eyes and stared into space. I couldn't go home nor could I go to Chuck's. Drayton was etched all over those places and that was the last thing I needed. So I came to one places where I knew I could be alone. The school's rooftop.

My eyes involuntarily traveled to the small engraving on the concrete stone of the “I” sign and I smiled. I stood from where I crouched and walked to the edge of the roof where the school's name was molded with stone, Diamond High Academy.

I crouched down, careful not to fall off the roof, and ran ny fingers over the tiny engraving. I hadn't been up here since freshman year. I guess, I hadn't felt so alone that I yearn for a company from my past. I was pathetic.

“What are you doing here?”

My head swerved towards the voice and I almost lost my footing but I quickly caught myself. I moved away from the edge to solid floor before I fell off the roof. Only then did I finally look at the person standing before me. There was no mistaking the honey coloured hair.

“What are you doing here?” I fired back.

Natalie rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“Lemme guess, you suddenly felt nostalgic and decided to come up here. Well, this is my personal space.”

“Last I checked, it was a public place. Anyone can come here. You don't own it.” I retorted.

I was already regretting coming here. I wouldn't have if I knew I was going to run into her. The last thing I needed was to have an argument with her.

“Actually, I kinda do.” Natalie folded her arms and gestured to the engraving I was just admiring.

I didn't need to look at it because I knew what was written there. “The McAlister twins”. Natalie and I had wrote that when we were in middle school. Her father was still alive and our families were kind of normal.

We would call ourselves twins, not cousins, and tried to convince ourselves that we look alike despite our clear differences.

“Guess it belongs to both of you then.” I smirked.

“Doesn't count when you haven't been here for years. Don't come here trying to act like we have something together cuz we don't. Get out of here.” She waved me off and flipped her hair.

Normally, I would have responded with an equally rude comment. But I didn't have the energy to argue with her. She was right after all. We've clearly outgrown each other. There was no use trying to rekindle an old relationship just because I lost the one that made me feel like myself again.

I gave Natalie a nod and began walking away.

“Wait.” She called just as I was about to exit through the door. I turned slightly to face her.

Her face softened as she said,

“I heard about your parents. I'm sorry.”

I stared at her for a while not having a single clue what to say to that. She was the first person other than my family and Drayton that knew about the separation.

“You can stay if you want. Just be really quiet and sit at that far end. I won't bother you anymore.” Natalie added when the silence stretched for too long.

I didn't know which one was worse. Someone else knowing about my family's business or offering me sympathy because of it. I just knew I didn't like either of them.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want your pity.” I walked away, cutting her from whatever she was about to say next.

I hadn't gotten down the stairs when I received a text from my mum and Penny simultaneously. Both of the texts says they would be home late and to not worry.

Well, at least I got some alone time before they all show up. I just hope Drayton didn't go home like he said.

I had barely taken a few steps away from the staircase when I heard hurried footsteps behind me. I turned to see Natalie walking towards me.

“I didn't mean it like that.” She said when she got to me. “I just wanted to say you could talk to me if you want.”

“Why would I do that? We don't even like each other.”

“Yeah, but you were there for me when my dad died. Well, most of it. I know you have a lot of friends you can talk to, Dan, and that girl in junior class, but we're family. You can talk to me if you want.”

Natalie was offering me an olive branch after years of rivalry. It was unbelievable. But then again, I did befriend Drayton and our feud was way deeper than mine and Natalie's.

“Thanks, Nat.” I smiled at her and walked away.

.

.

.

How I managed to get home after realizing my new frenemy, that I might have had a slight crush on, placed a bet on me, my cousin extended a bridge over our relationship, and having to take the bus all by myself, was a miracle.

Sure enough, neither Penny or my Mum were around. So I decided to relax before they return. I was going to take a shower, make popcorns, and watch the cheesiest rom-com ever while trying not to think of my life. And maybe, read a dark fantasy after. It was the perfect plan.

I sat on the couch, a bowl of popcorn on my laps and prepared to begin my movie marathon when the door flung open. I didn't need to turn to know who just walked in. His presence seem to echo in the small space.

He didn't move away from the door and I didn't acknowledge his presence1. I munched on my popcorn and pretended he wasn't there despite how the hair on my body stood.

“I'm sorry.” He said after long minutes of silence.

I nodded without looking at him. I was going to pretend it didn't matter, give him the cold shoulder, but after a while I couldn't take anymore.

“Was it all a joke to you? Every thing that happened these past weeks, was it just to get back at Jack?” I asked.

I found myself holding my breath while waiting for his response. I didn't realize how much I wanted the answer to that until I asked. I wanted to know, needed to know, that I wasn't the only one who felt this shift between us. It was too intense and it couldn't have all been a pretense. Right?

“It was never about Jack. I…” he paused and sucked in a sharp breath. “I care about you a lot, Arielle.”

Then he walked away before I could respond. I contemplated going after him but it didn't seem like a good idea. Besides, what was I going to say? That I cared about him a lot too?

Saying that would mean acknowledging that the budding connection between us which might end up ruining it. I'd lost a lot of people already. I didn't want to lose him too. Not right now.

But as I turned back to the TV screen, my mind filled with conflicted emotions, a loud thud came from upstairs followed by a scream of pain.

I didn't think, I just acted. I jumped up and sprinted to Drayton's room. The scene I met was not what I expected.