Chapter 33 The Engagement
The day I dreaded came faster than I had expected. I had arrived in school with two hefty bodyguards, each walking by my sides.
I bit on my lower lip nervously as I got stared at. Everyone who saw me, stopped and muttered to themselves, giving me peculiar looks which were less of disgust but surprise, before walking away.
My mum had given me a whole lecture on how to behave before I left for school. I inhaled a sharp breath seeing that no one was coming towards my way. There was no need to be too nervous.
“Yvonne?” A familiar voice sounded behind me.
I turned around and so did the bodyguards. They stood in front of me, towering over me that I couldn’t even get a glimpse of who had called out to me.
“Step away sir,” The one on the left with scar on his cheek said.
“Huh? Why? I know her,” The person responded. “Yvonne, it’s Ryan.”
My grip on my school bag tightened as I heard it was him. He had been standing close to Tan that entire night and he had spent the last weeks apologizing and saying he didn’t know she would have done something like that if not he would have stopped her.
Even though I had a bad feeling about him, something deeply nudging me that he was probably lying but I thought better of it.
Ryan had nothing to gain by hurting me.
I sighed. “Let him pass. He’s a friend.”
The one on the right with a more friendly face turned to ask me. “Are you sure miss?”
I gave out a small smile and nodded.
As they gave way to Ryan, he walked up to me with a wide smile on his face and hugged me. I was taken aback by his actions as I chuckled, circling my hands around him.
“Hey big guy.”
“Yvonne, I’m so sorry,” He laughed, disengaging and staring at me. “I’m just surprised and also very happy to see you here. I thought you would be locked at home forever.”
“Well, me too though,” I shrugged. “But my mum spoke to Aurick. Said going out rather than staying at home will be better.”
“Yes. We can’t let Tan get the better off you,” His face was filled with disdain as he mentioned her name. “Have you heard?”
I raised a brow. “Heard what?”
“Hmph, I don’t know if I should be the one telling you this though,” He said, rubbing his thumb over his lower lips, his head tilted to the side.
“Come on. Tell me,” I urged.
“If you insist. I have heard rumors,” He began. “They are just rumors though, I don’t know how true they are. You know how the school gossip can be sometimes.”
“Ryan?”
“Alright fine. Tan is getting engaged to Barth soon before graduation.”
I felt the air choked out of my lungs as color drained from my face. My lips parted but I couldn’t form any words out as I stared at Ryan, my mind swirling.
He was getting engaged to her and he had kissed me?
I couldn’t feel more disgusted at myself right now.
“Yvonne?” Ryan called out worriedly, snapping his fingers in my face as I blinked.
I swallowed the deep lump formed in my throat. “What did you say?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yvonne!” Someone screamed excitedly running towards us giving me the grace of not responding to Ryan’s question.
It was Chloe.
I tried to smile as she walked towards us with a big smile on her face. We had gotten quite close over the weeks that I wasn’t in school.
“Oh my goodness, it’s so nice to see you again, Yvonne. I was so worried about you to be honest. I would always ask Barth if you were alright.”
At the mention of Barth, my smile faded. I didn’t know how to feel about this discovery. Barth had told me he didn’t have feelings for her but now, they were soon to be engaged?
I gave out a sad chuckle. “Trust him not to be worried about me.”
Chloe’s brows pinched. “Why would you say that? Of course he was. You should have seen him at the gala. He was so enraged, he nearly ripped the screen off. Tan is such a bitch for pulling that stunt!”
“Well, it doesn’t matter again. They are getting engaged,” I responded, trying to sound not affected.
Chloe glanced at Ryan with frown who looked away, before looking back at me. “We don’t know how true that is. Tan has been insufferable since the match and making up stories just to make everyone worship her. It could just be one of her tricks. Even if they were going to be engaged, you would be the first to know right?”
I shrugged, sighing deeply. “No one tells me anything anymore but I don’t care. As long as they are happy, that’s all that matters.”
“Oh, Yvonne, come here,” She cooed, wrapping me in her warm embrace. “If it’s makes you feel better, I had a crush on my step father once.”
“Really?” I chuckled lightly, feeling my mood lightening up.
“Yes,” She laughed. “He’s hot. What do you expect? And so is Barth. It’s not like no one has crushed on someone they shouldn’t have. Right, Ryan?”
Ryan stared at me with a gaze that made my cheeks hot. “Yeah and I think I’m in that predicament now too.”
We locked gazes for a minute before I started to feel weird. Chloe seemed oblivious of the tension in the air as she held my hand, staring at Ryan.
“Shouldn’t you be at practice?” She raised a brow.
Ryan glanced down at his wristwatch and nodded. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder, Chloe. Yvonne, I will see you around.”
I nodded and he walked away. Chloe snickered. “Boys, you do know he likes you right?”
I stared at her surprised, not knowing what to say to that.
“Never mind. Come on now. Let’s get you to class we wouldn’t want you to be late.” She leaned into my ears, staring at one of the bodyguards a safe distance behind us. “I must add. Aurick has a nice taste. These guys are hot!”
“Oh Chloe!” I bursted into laughter, palming my face.
“What?!” She shrugged. “I’m just being honest.”
“If you want, I could get your their numbers,” I teased as we walked past the administrative block towards the lecture halls.
“Nope,” She waved her hand dismissively in the air. “Men so hefty like this won’t be that hefty down there.”
My face turned pink at her vulgar words.