Chapter 16: Complicated?

Lucas's POV:

Noah... You! Charlotte.. Why the hell do you like him? You don't even know that he's blackmailing me on your name.. Don't worry. I'll soon make it this complicated that he will no longer be able to do that.

Astrid... You're his biggest weakness. If I have you, I can control him easily.

Astrid's POV:

I helped my mom a little more and then went back to my room. I slept.

The next day, I went to college and Lucas was there. Mom was still not up, so I made the breakfast and went myself.

"Hey!" he said.

"Hi" I replied.

"I'm sorry for yesterday" he said.

"Yeah it's fine" I said and then we went inside.

I went and sat beside Noah.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked me.

"Yea" I said.

He didn't say more and started studying. Everything went well and it was now lunch period.

I heard a sudden sound and then I turned back. I saw Lucas and a broken chair on his side.

I went there.

"Lucas! What's this..." I asked him.

"Ari.. Actually.. By mistake.." He said.

"Lue but!"

"I know.. I'll go and accept my fault to—"

"Wait. I'll take the blame, its fine" I said and went straight to the principal's office.

I told the principal about everything.

"Astrid! That's just too much! How can you be like this?" he said and started shouting. I heard it all and then he said something that made me shiver.

"I'll call the disciplinary hearing for you!" he said.

"I'm sorry sir.. Please... Don't" I said.

"That's final, Astrid!" He said. He then ordered me to go out. I went out and sat like nothing happened.

Noah called me when my classes were over.

"What happened Noah?"

"I should ask you. Why is the school calling disciplinary hearing for you?"

"You know about it?"

"Everyone does. It's on the notice board"

"Oh"

"You haven't answered my question" he asked again.

"Actually.."

"It's because of Lucas, right?" he asked.

I became silent. I can't say anything, because he is right.

"That's not cool, Astrid" he said. "Have you thought what your mother will feel if she comes to know that because of her daughter, disciplinary hearing is being called?"

"I'm... I can't do anything.. Noah"

"One more warning. Stay away from him" he said and went away.

I didn't know what to do.

Before going to home, I bought a gift for my mom. I bought some nail paint and lipstick from my savings.

I went home. As expected, she was doing some work in the kitchen. But I could see that she was sad.

"Mom.." I said. She looked towards me. I saw tears in her eyes.

She quickly wiped them off.

"Mom.. Don't cry, see I bought something for you" I said and gave the gift. She was a little happy on my innocence. I know material things can never heal the pain but still that's what all I can do. I spent the rest of the day with her.

At night, I remembered about the disciplinary hearing. Oh god, what if I'm proved wrong? Then my mom.. She will be called, and I'll be punished. Oh god, I have to be proved right.

Just then I thought of messaging Lucas.

"Hey" I said.

"Hi" he replied.

"Actually you know they are calling the disciplinary hearing" I said.

"Yea..." He said.

"So what should I do?"

"Just accept that you broke it" he said.

To be honest, I was shocked.

"I-I mean that if you accept it, they will not punish you" he said.

"Hm I'll see bye" I said and put my phone down.

Really? How can he tell me to accept someone I didn't do?

I then called Noah.

"Hey Astrid" He said.

"Hi Noah.. Actually, I need your help" I went directly to the point.

"Yeah" He said.

"As you know about the hearing so can you tell me what should I do?" I asked.

"Well to be honest, I want you to tell everyone that you didn't break the chair and that he did it"

"Wait. How do you know??" I asked him.

"Of course it's clear that the chair was broken by him" he said.

"But"

"Astrid. Why did you take the blame? You have two days still. Go and tell the principal the truth"

"Even if I did, he'll not believe me"

"He will.. There are CCTV cameras. But they won't be checked until you put a question mark!" he said.

"But"

"That's the only thing you can do. I think there's a tough time on your family right now. Don't make your mom more worried" he said and cut the call.

Wait. How does he know about my father? It's very complicated..