"Most importantly, don't forget to come to my mom's birthday party tomorrow. I don't care what you have to do, just make yourself available and that's it." Victoria said.
Annabel was about to say something but Victoria hindered her from uttering a word.
"Please there are no excuses, you have to be there. For goodness sake, you are my best friend. To me, your presence is much more important than anyone else's. So, tell me right now if you are coming or not, don't make me hang my hopes so high that I would be disappointed in the end." Alex said and was about to leave her friend but halted in her footsteps when she asked her to.
"Wait! I don't know how I would do it but I will surely be there at your mom's birthday party tomorrow and not just as a friend but as your best friend."
"Do not think that I don't cherish our friendship because I do. I value it more than anything else. You have brought nothing but happiness into my life and I know I have some responsibilities towards you, which is why I agreed to be there to support you." Annabel reassured her.
Victoria squealed and says, "what did you just say? You are serious and this is not a prank right?"
She wants to be sure of what she heard. "Tell me already, are you going to be at the party tomorrow? Tell me! Tell me!! Tell me!!! I want to know." she speaks atop of her voice.
"Calm down and stop squealing you're creating a commotion here. People are starting to get uncomfortable around us. I have said it all already, I will be there at the party."
Victoria turned to Annabel, stretched her arm, and asks, "Pinch me, pinch me, pinch me. I think I am dreaming. My best friend is willing to go against her strict stepmother for me irrespective of how risky it would be. Oh my! I'm touched. Thanks, bestie, I love you."
She kept jumping from one table to another asking them one question, "did you hear what she said?"
"Listen, everyone, my best friend said she would do anything for me; she would be at my mom's birthday party. I am so happy that I am inviting all of you as well." Victoria enthusiastically declared.
"But only the teachers not the students." She specified.
Annabel was somewhat abashed, she tugged her friend and dragged her out of the canteen.
"What are you doing? Stop it already and let's go back to class, the lunch break is over." She said.
"Okay, your majesty." Victoria curtsied and bowed to her friend.
She was extremely overwhelmed with excitement that words couldn't explain how happy she was.
In her mind, she has begun preparing to ensure she enjoys her stay at the party. In all honesty, she's more than a friend to her and has always loved her as a sister.
Annabel will be meeting her parents for the first time tomorrow, so, she wants things to turn out well.
She wants her friend to create the best impression that she doesn't need to do anything. Though she had told her parents a lot about Annabel, they have not seen her in person.
They will officially meet with her tomorrow evening. She really can't wait to introduce her to them.
The rest of her day was filled with excitement.
In the evening, at Fazer's Resident.
Olivia was in the living room waiting for her daughter. She arrived home on time before them. Now, she's desperate to share it with someone, her entire body is itchy. She couldn't refrain herself any longer than this.
Just then, Sophia materialized, her mom was pleased to see her. "My princess, how was school today?"
"Mom, it went well. And our final exam is fast approaching. It has been fixed to hold from next week Monday..." She said.
"Alright, you will need to study and prepare for your exams. Go upstairs and freshen up, meet me in my room afterward dear."
Sophia did as she was told and went to her mother's room to discuss what she had promised to tell her this evening after school.
Olivia told her all that took place in the dream.
Sophia was stunned, she couldn't believe that it all happened because of her. She was the cause of the tragedy. 'Could that man be Robbin? No, I don't think so. Robbin is a gentle guy and would never do such a thing especially not to her.' She thought.
To be sure it's not his current boyfriend, she asked her mother if she could still remember the face of the man in her dream.
"Mom, can you still remember the face of the man in your dream? Or anything that could be very useful to us." She queried.
"Of course not, it's a dream and many things were not clear. I can't recall his face but his body figure was familiar, it felt as though I have met him before in real life."
"Please honey, be careful with the people you mingle with. I have told you all that I could remember. Be cautious around some people, we can't take the risk of being of reckless." She advised.
"OK mom, I will be sure to be careful. But stop troubling yourself so much over this nightmare, it's not good for health. I need to go now, it's time for studies." She said, kissed her mom on the cheek, and left for her room.
In her room, Sophia was contemplating who it was that wants to destroy her family and smuggle all their properties from them.
"Voo Voo Voo... " was a vibration sound coming from her mobile phone. She checked to see who was calling. It was Robbin, she picked the call by sliding her index finger across the phone's screen and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello!" She says.
"Hello, how are you my beauty? I have missed you. You didn't bother to contact me today, what's wrong?"