Chapter 56 Always
Uriel's POV
"In as much as I know you enjoy working with Ryder, your services will not be needed anymore."
Tell me I'm not the only one reading the double meaning in what he's saying.
"Sorry?" I raised my eyebrow at the principal, wanting more clarification.
"You are no longer Ryder's Assistant," he said plainly. "He already graded you and asked me to scrab you off the team as he believes you've worked your part and seeing that it's almost exam week, i agree with him. For once," he muttered the last part more to himself.
"Oh"
My heart ached from hearing it.
"The grading is ... Unexpected." He pushed it to me. "You sure know your stuffs, Uriel."
Frowning, I glared at the principal, "yeah. I worked hard intellectually. Thank you."
"Of course! That's what I mean." He chuckled lightly, taking the paper back.
This time, I wasn't in the mood to read any review.
Scrab me off the team?
I don't know but he had been acting weird since we returned back to school.
It was even more terrible that I couldn't remember anything that happened after I took that drink.
My alcohol level was really low, brah.
Or...
No.
He wouldn't drug me.
Apparently, you took his drink
Nice one, Uriel.
Anyway, I was tired of watching him turn the other way when he saw me coming; tired of having him sit far from me in class; tired of seeing him avert his gaze almost immediately, whenever our eyes collided.
If I did something he didn't like, he should be able to tell me.
"Uhm... Uriel?" The principal called up to me, making me halt at the door step.
"Yes, Sir."
"H..have - sorry, do you know if Emma is seeing someone else?" His voice was shaky as he spoke.
My eyebrow furrowed in confusion, "huh?"
Someone else?
Hmm.
"I mean... Uhhh - look, I'm just looking out for her as her principal and I have been hearing rumors and -"
"Emma is a social butterfly and can't exactly be trapped down." Shrugging, I told him the truth.
"Right." He nodded, his eyes gloomy. "How about bringing boys home?"
"Why are you asking me all these?" Folding my arms, I smirked
Was there something I wasn't getting?
"Nevermind. I'll just talk to her counselor." He forced a smile on his lips.
Oh.
"Alright." Turning away, I slammed the door behind me.
Not too hard.
"Is the principal inside?" I raised my face up to see Emma, chewing gum nonchalantly.
Rolling my eyes, I walked past her.
I didn't want her talking to me. We hadn't talked for days and today wasn't any different.
"Heyy!" Lance joined me, walking alongside. "I've missed you."
My eyes fluttered, my tongue heavy but somehow, I managed to choke out, "me too."
"I was thinking we could -"
"Can't." The words blasted out immediately, cutting him off. "I have something very important to do today."
Lance paused, his eyes growing dark, "you didn't let me finish."
Chuckling nervously, I rubbed on my arms, "sorry. I just - go on, please."
He sighed, placing his hand on my shoulder, "if you're feeling awkward about -"
"Oh no. Friends peck each other right? You'd peck Chloe and Kathie too, right?"
His eyes was blank, his face straight, "Actually..."
"See? So it's cool." I patted his shoulder, moving away from him. "I'll call you?"
I wasn't going to.
"Sure." His tone was cold and void of emotion.
Not turning back one bit, I walked up to the swimming pool arena, searched for Michael and asked of Ryder.
"He excused himself from practice." That was his reply.
Seeing I had nothing to do again in school and I needed to study, I came up with a spot -
Don't worry, you'll see.
So first, I stopped at the grocery shop to get few things. I had been taking quick online jobs that had to do with virtual assistance. It was fast paying.
Smiling, I surfed through shelves looking for edibles when something caught my eyes, making me pause, the pack of Cheetos falling from my hand.
"Sorry dear." Someone said, helping me pick up my Cheetos, placing it in my small basket.
Frowning, I marched down to the lady who was throwing herself on a very elderly man as she tried to fill up their carts.
When I was close enough to them, I cleared my throat. My mother's eyes widened like she had seen a ghost.
"Uhhh... Are you lost kid?" The man asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Do I look 2?" I raised my eyebrow at him.
"Sorry, it's my ex-husband's child from that his mistress I was telling you about." She muttered lowly but my ears still caught on it.
This only made my blood boil. My nose flaring up. Before I could say anything, she pulled me away, digging her nails into my flesh.
"What are you doing here?" She bit out harshly.
"You just denied us. All of us." My tone was almost high pitched.
"Oh please!" She rolled her eyes. "If you say anything to anyone, I'll make sure I deal with you. You don't want to know what I'll do." She eyed me up and down, walking back to the man
My body froze, my legs pinned to the same spot. My eyes narrowed down to them, kissing and joking while she continued shopping with no atom of shame.
My eyes stung with tears, my cheeks turning red from my boiling anger. Clenching my fist, I turned away, eagerly fighting to get my goods and myself out of this place.
Betrayal stung deep under my skin as what I saw kept replaying in my head. I was betraying my Father and it hurt me so much.
If you saw me, you'd think I was a walking corpse because my eyes were empty and my face was pale like I had just seen a ghost, while my legs just moved.
"What are you doing here?" Ryder's voiced pulled me out of my head.
Shakily, my eyes moved up to his. Immediately our eyes collided, his softened and without saying anything, he pulled me into his arms.
"You can cry it out, Kinky." He cooed, wrapping his arms around me, tight. "I'm here."
"Always?"
His shoulder tensed, his grip tighter. Then he rubbed his hand up and down my back, before muttering, "Always."