After they went separate ways, Care braced herself for another batch of people who would probably try to get on her nerves. Strangely, nothing of the sort happened. Thus she thought she'd be left alone for the rest of the afternoon until --- Tadaaa, boys swarmed her area!
Curse is what best describes the current chapter of her life since the Gala. It marked the beginning of chaotic days in which life unleashed a streak of unfortunate events exclusive to her. Other than her recent altered death, this situation seems fitting as an example.
"You must be deeply rattled, Care. Why are you holding up when you could've left for today?" Alder said scooting on her chair to fit in with her.
And yes, the touchy maniac Alder Legazpi!
She endured letting him prolong the hand contact for the sake of determining if ever he was her Fated. Thank heavens, the absence of a red string confirms he isn't!
However, will he be missing in action?
Nope with a popping P. The prick expectedly pops everywhere like a mushroom. That was a tough pill to swallow because he was her blockmate alongside Ivy, Skylar, Mandy, Penelope and Roux. They enrolled on the same Business Management degree hailing the line-up of future heirs.
"I'm coping fine though Mandy's cruelty saddens me." she answered out loud, fully aware that the wench was present in the room.
In her peripheral vision, Mandy just smirked intending to appear unaffected but failed to do so as her hostile aura reached her fast. The girl sashayed her way towards the door loving the growing tension between them.
How long could she maintain that level of audacity, Care wonders.
"Madelaine Salvador, born with a silver spoon in her mouth... I'd say considerably pretty and esteemed social butterfly. For somebody who had never been an outcast, shockingly grew a habit of preying on one deprived of sociability." She spoke in a higher voice mimicking a narrator's introductory speech.
The haughty expression Mandy wore was wiped off, replaced by dilated eyes showing panic. It fueled the fire within Care prompting her to confront her. She was itching for retaliation after they wronged her in the POD Office. The latter drew back then halted her actions in a split-second of indecision. Both ladies believed retreating will be their loss.
Alarmed by the unstoppable rising tension, Alder along with other guys tried blocking Care from advancing.
"Out of my way!" She commanded in gritted teeth.
That easily cleared a path towards the shivering damsel, Mandy, now in great distress. She brushed past the gentlemen as Mandy also begrudgingly did on the opposite side.
"Of course, it's easy! Is that right, Mands? Since you don't know the feeling, you couldn't be bothered pushing her further into her shell. I bet it never crossed your ignorant mind that you permanently doomed her from building relationships with people! You, insensitive less of a woman!" she spat with superb eloquence as her sentiments are being affected by past experiences.
Each word laced with raw painful emotions stirred Mandy's conscience. Tears streamed down her cheeks without her permission. In spite of that, she refused to admit her sins. It's Aster's fault for tolerating the bullcrap we gave to her when she could have fought, she convinced herself. The thought became a mantra on repeat in her head so she'd feel blameless.
"What are you---"
"Please, shut it! You know exactly whose life you're ruining!" Care screamed at the height of hysterics, cutting her off.
Due to the high pitch of her voice, Mandy recoiled. She was shaken right to the core. However, the momentum was short-lived. A strong arm yanked Care to the side.
"Enough, Caress!"
She was taken aback, finding it hard to believe the face of the man who intervened. Far from his usual tender looks and bashful eyes, Lark's darkened expression introduced her to a whole new side of him.
"Arky, thank goodness!" Mandy cried, relief washing over her face filled with dread a while ago.
The leech clung tight to her step brother.
"I don't know where she got all that made up lies. She's too much, Arky! Get me out of here!" she begged in a fit of fake sobs.
Before they could go, Care deliberately caught his wrist then bridged their distance to whisper to him.
"Your two-faced step sis is no saint."
He stared at her in the eye as though peeping into her soul and replied, "And you're no angel."
She was left dumbfounded. His statement was like a bucket full of ice thrown at her destroying the delusions that what she has is a noble cause. This is pure vengeance.
"It was nice having you as a friend even for a short while, Lark." she mumbled under her breath while watching the step siblings fade from sight.
The sound of applause in slow succession aroused her instinct, so she turned around. Ivy Nguyen emerged behind the corridor clapping merrily. At the face of another rival, the emotional exhaustion was finally felt by her system.
"For a second, I thought I was watching a soap opera. By the way, I heard your representative candidacy was dropped."
Her gleeful voice full of explicit mocking ticked her already triggered mood. Given how mentally drained she was, she simply sighed.
"Whose orders?" she probed, less conviction and more like a simple query.
Ivy gaped at her momentarily, dismayed by the dull reaction.
"The Discipline Committee. I must say very diligent lads knowing that once your bullying allegations were confirmed, they had a session pronto. They cited ethical conduct as grounds."
"Y'all joining hands, I see. Shall I congratulate you in advance since you're winning every merit there is except the Sister of the Year?"
The stupefied expression Ivy made brought her a little comfort. Then, she realized that Aster bottled up her sufferings inside because even her blood sister had no idea for YEARS!
I'm done here, she conceded.
"What was that?!" Ivy shouted.
Same with how she dealt with people earlier, she outright ignored her yapping. Some guys called out her name but she passed by them without stopping. By doing so, she was liberated from being some girl who does everyone's bidding. Knowing she played that role since forever allowed her to see how pathetic she was.
Wind descended on her face sending a tingly chill to her skin. The tips of her eyelids moistened as she fought a yawn from slipping her mouth. She imagined her king size bed full of fluffy pillows waiting for her to crash on. Her feet fastened its pace when she sighted her pink Porsche parked at the end of the hallway.
Harris opened the car door for her. One look at her sullen face and Teddy drove no questions asked. The inaudible conversation between the bodyguards lulled her to a cozy nap. She only woke up when they pulled up at the entrance of the mansion. Filled with hopes to be reunited with her father, she hurried inside. His embrace was always a place of refuge... neither the most destructive storms nor the strongest gales are capable of harming her as long as he is there.
"Momma..." she mumbled.
The person waiting at the foyer was Helena Aragon clad in immaculate white corporate attire matched with killer heels. She seemed to be standing there for a long time. Her crossed arms warned her of what was coming, especially that her Daddy appears to be nowhere in the vicinity.
"I received a call from the Prefect of Discipline office." Ena spoke in a calm yet stern manner.
Thud, thud, thud. Every step she took towards her unmoving mother equaled the slow painful beat of her heart. She subtly placed her fidgeting hands behind before she crossed the one more meter distance between them. Mustering up the courage, she leaned to give a peck on her cheek but---
SPLAT!
Her face jerked sideways as a result of Ena's palm landing hard and heavy on her cheek.
"Learn your place, you good-for-nothing wretch!" She reviled in severe hostility that caused Care to shudder.
The hurtful statement rang to her ears. She actually bet it reached the front yards up to their second floor. Housemaids, helpers and bodyguards stand as witnesses. No one among them possess the guts to conciliate. Caress Aragon was under Momma's mercy like she always had been.