Leah
I pretty much spent the normal teenage life. I was also done with the one of the most stressful days of the school life, mid term examination. Banzai!:) I can guarantee I will pass this semister with a flying colours without any problem, all thanks to Haze. He will really make a great master. For the whole week, he was strict, but giving me weird punishments.... for falling asleep or if I try running away from his head aching weights of books which adds up when I complain everytime.
He says, " lazy ass creature like us only learn better under tension and pressure."
And I almost topped for the first time, crying. If I failed I don't want to imagine what he will do to me. The thought itself motivated me to make a run for the race.
As for the rest..... I can't say the same for them. I might say.... it will be on the verge of collapsing but is hanging on the strand of thin rope, especially Casper and Paul.
PuL might be out going but she was so confident with herself that she hit it all right, and it was quite a surprise that Alfron managed to like almost hit the top ranks, a natural genius.
Nita was the most shocking one. Who would have guessed that the one who seemed the wisest one would actually be fighting a losing battle. Casper was never the surprise. He was bound to fail, but the luck caught him.
It hasn't been stiff between us and go on spending times like we usually do. He did sound... ok to me.
"Now that the vacation is starting what do you have in mind?" Nita asked, who was the most excited to leave.
"Is there something special happening?"
Paul was unexpectedly eager and rosy cheeky.
"Your face," Nita checked out Pal from head to toe, mostly on her face suspiciously, "you are gleaming. Who is it?"
"What are you talking about?" We had no idea what was going on with these two, but Pal made up here and there patching up broken stories.
"Ok! I will tell, so stop sniffing me out like a dog."
"I, Paulette Clay, am going out for the vacation to..."
"To?" We all approached her together, leaning in closer while her facial expression changes from indifferent to a smiling goddess.
"Meet someone. To spend some time alone on a date. I promised I will come meet this year for sure. Last year my missed my chance. "
Nita elbowed Pal, moving her eye brows, creepily grinning, "who is that special person? You didn't tell us."
"I thought it was normal for everyone to have them."
"Them?"
"Yeah, my grandparents. I promised that I would this time meet them and take them on a tour with me."
Defeated of expectation, Nita sagged down leaving Pal and us alone.
"I gotta go now, you single guys are not worthy of my time and Pal, you need to think out of the box." She left, bitting farewell. So did Alfron, who had the flight to Sweden and he followed after Nita? Shouldn't he be going to his room if he is to leave?
"Where're you going now?" I caught Casper by his collar which chocked him when I pulled him to stay.
"I am sleepy! I need to sleep." If it was Alfron, I would have believed that he wants to sleep in the middle of the day.
I again asked, "where are you going?"
He gave me a 'sorry' gesture.
"We have been here a week in the domintory, so now I think it is high time that we return now right? I have a feeling that if I don't leave now, a storm is heading this way." Creating a distance between us, he whispered those words.
I haven't even looked back, then someone had pushed me ahead accidently as the person was in hurry and ran shouting an apology to me. I tripped and was caught into Casper's arms.
"Hey! That was totally not cool!" Casper yelled out to that person but he had already gone pass our sight.
"Are you hurt?" Casper worriedly enquired, but I told him it was just a dash and nothing happened to me.
"I am fine, don't worry!" I laughed how much of a chicken he was being and I took his hand trying to stop him from getting anxious.
"But I don't think he is," he quickly removes his hand from my waistline and letting go of my hands.
I looked at him who was looking at the back and when I turned I found out that there is going to be some misunderstanding created between us for sure.
"That's no-" he didn't even wait to listen to me to clarify what just transpired between us.
Haze glared at Capser and left us with a sour face.
"I am sorry, Leah. I didn't think-"
"No.. it's... I will think of something." I chased after Haze but he had already left for some unfinished business or something.
I couldn't even find him in the room.
"Maybe when he return," I reassured myself saying he will listen to me when he comes back, till he didn't even dare to reply to my text or he didn't even come home this very night.
I wasn't anticipating for him to completely ignore me.
It has been a day without contacting with him.
"Is something wrong?" Luca came to make his visit to meet me before he had to move back home tomorrow after his business is back to normal sailing.
"It's just... that Haze.... has not returned home since yesterday... I am worried he is furious about that incident." It has been troubling me what I have done wrong.
"Then," he suggested me a card, "come with me on this party."
"But-"
"Read what's written in it." He opened the card shoving the name Stevens Family Business Party.
It says, "all people are welcomed to attend the business party, and the Stevens Family invites Luca Cameron along with his companion to the grant opening party."
"Here, that guy is bound to attend the party. As my companion, I am inviting you with me. So, you know... you can take this opportunity to make up to him. It's a party.. not that formal... so you can get comfortable as it is not necessary to wear suit and dress for it, as long as you are presentable it will be fine." He eleborated, "though I still don't want you near him, but I can't watch you making that face."
I do not regret slapping him, but I am thankful that he atleast knows it was his fault and he is going me a great favour.
"I am grateful, honestly I am," I gave him my words of gratitude.
I can still sense his mistrust, but he was doing all this for me. I ought to forgive him by now. Later, I will say it.
Luca didn't hesistate anymore and pulls me into his car, as I put my seatbelt in the front seat.
"Where does it take place?" I forgot to ask him about the location for the party, so I don't have to get weary when I get there.
"It's actually a nice setting, much closer to the natural habitat there is private restuarants contructed over years ago and it is said have made much closed off for most people, but right now it is allowing selectively picked members to have te privilege to get to savour this warm resorts welcoming the people of his famous entertainment industry, business industry and higher status people," he made a U turn that got the car to enter through gates and through underground parking space.
There were not many cars than expected but all seemed important to me.
I followed after brother into the building,and the scenerio overlooking the nature from the glass walls were so beautiful and so familiar, as if my soul was getting sucked into another timeline where one was lost in the woods just like this. I feel a connection to this place.
"Luca?" I stopped to touch the glasses standing by it, "have I ever been to this place? I don't know why but I feel that I have already been here. I saw dreams were I was crying getting lost in the woods from the... park? Tell me was there a park on the other side of this nature reserve? Does it have the stage where Mayor uses it to gather people for the elections? And a Plaza? Or... maybe.. there are museum like house.. age old... with priceless artifacts but none were allowed to enter?"
Luca seermed profoundly confused by what I was babbling about. Even I don't know what I was also saying.
"There is nothing like that...." then he got hold of some of the memories when he had been here, "but there was once place like that around... 7 years back??"
It triggered me making sense that I came here before I lost all the memories about everything.
"Which means... my dreams were my past memories. But... Luca? Have you known a guy... quite in his adult teen, playing... with me?? I get a hunch that he and I got along well. And... he.." there was a slight pain sipping through my head, from the exact spot where I hit my head. Ah, I held my head in my hands and my ear drum heard so many perplexed noises causing a discomfort and scaring me.
"Leah!" I couldn't see Luca anymore, and my eyes were blurring losing consiousness fainting right at the place.
"...eah!... Le-..." Neither I couldn't hear anything nor couldn't I speak.. my words were stuck in my own body. I layed on the ground... as someone tried shaking my paralysized self. I only hear the beating of my own heart beat.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Mama? Why did you leave papa?!" I was small, but I could understand what was happening with the family falling apart. I looked up with teary eyes at the unknown woman whom I never saw until now which I called mom. I was begging the weary lady to not to leave. I tugged her sleeves and then drop down on the floor, rebelling against her.
"Leah, my darling," she carried me with her, and sadly explaining, "your dad is not a hero like you think he was. He's changing. He's blinded by some evil force. So mama needs to keep my baby Luis Save ok? Try to understand mama."
"But mama! He loves us a lot! I know!" I reasoned and brushing her hands away. I could feel I was terribly missing someone.
"I know. But he needs to see what's wrong with him. He needs to figure out what's he has to realise." She reasoned me as a loving mother would do to her child.
"Papa... papa will be hurt!" I pointed my small hands to her heart, "you hurt too, right? Mama hurts too."
She broke with my words, "Th- then, Hero always wins and realises that. Don't you want father to do that too? He's a hero... you said it yourself. Believe me, my Darling."
I was nodding.. yes.. then we left moved away to this country: starting anew in a quite neighborhood where she learned to worked extra shift to earn ourselves the living for the next few months until she finally hit herself a better job in the local daycare center.
I saw myself grow up, getting homeschooled, playing in the park, mom crying over dad's photo at night and me sleeping with mama to cheer her up. All ended.. when she passed away due to stress and illness and I grew up in an orphanage for few weeks... until...
"Leah!" I woke up with someone shouting my name, "Leah!"
"How long was.... I out?"I asked, even my throat felt dry, groggy eyes, but gaining access to my fingers and then to my whole body as I felt the pain subsided along with the memories.
"Thank god! You gave me a heart attack!.... you were out for.. 2 minute I guess??" Luca helped me stand on my feet as I held my head. The ache was brutally heavy for the slight seconds.
"It feels as if I lived another life during this two minute," I stood without stumbling but only with Luca to support me.
"Do you want me to take you to one of the room? You need rest."
"No. It's ok. I can bear atleast this much. I just... want to meet Haze."
"I wished you were this eager to meet me too."
"Haha! I might when you someday grow a common sense inside your pea brain head."
".... then it will never happen.."
"That's what I am telling you." I messed with him till we reached the spacious but marvelous flashy and lavishing ball room like area where the most important of the wide known public figures seems to be present.
I was awe strucked by how beautiful and how much they were glittering even with their less formal clothings too. They were already engaged in some casual talks instead of business, taking it easy and in the far corner I saw Haze.
He wasn't at all interested to let anyone approach him. A typical him. I laughed inside of my mind.
The ladies did wave with ostentation and flutter like faries from my point of view. They were the ideal word of 'gorgeous', but none were able to strike his interest.
If it were me, I would have grabbed one of them for a date or something.
Luca impelled me towards his direction with his shoulder but pretended as if he didn't even do it, whistling and turning his back on me, literally.
I moved with uneven and rocking motion, uneasy of what to say next after I greet him. Normally I would have jump scare him but backfires and I would stick my tongue out taunting him if I were to think of greeting him.
Right now, we were in public and doing it in open, that also in front of the important figures, so I don't know how to say it.
I almost had him from his back, but a lady whispered something into his ears that he had to leave with her.
I did follow them, but someone tabbed on my shoulder.
I thought it was Haze, unfortunately he was not him.
"Uh?? Uncle? What can I do for you? Are you lost?" I asked the man who almost seemed at the age of his forties or fifties, with grey hair and weary eyes, much like someone I had seen before.
"I want you to listen close," he didn't scare me since he showed no desposition to be hostile, "you're getting fooled." He casually signaled the waiter to take away his drink, step back to gravely face me as if he was inspecting me top to bottom.
"...I beg your pardon? Where are you trying to get to by sprouting nonsense?" My forehead wrinkled narrowing my eyes brows with my hands making a fist ready to hit and run if he was a sign of danger for my life.
"Haze. He is not to be trusted. You don't know that man." He seemed worried for me.
"You aren't that different. You are a stranger."
"I am your uncle, your father's cousin," his words only made it complex.
"I never knew father had a cousin."
"I mean your real father, Falkrik Devon. I am Michael Devon, the only remaining survivor of the Devon family aside you." He wanted to clear everything I had in my mind though I had my guard up against him.
"How do I know you are not lying?" I can just be cautious and careful. Better save than sorry. So I stayed uptight observing all his movement.
He was lost in his own thoughts, maybe searching his memories for some relation.
"Your mother," after a long paused, he continued, "she used to tell me a lot about you. She told me once that you had fallen over and... injured yourself on the upper left thigh. It still haven't completely faded."
He said it correct. I may not know the whole story, but I have a mark on the exact place he had said.
I can't say I trust him, but I am curious as to what he meant we were the only survivor. I followed him to a room, I presume it was his and he done nothing out of normal.
He took a bottle of wine pouring it to his glass and also offered me a juice since he thought I must be underaged which was basically true.
I did take the offer, but I wasn't going to drink it.
"Can I ask what you meant by us being the survivor?" I straight away got to the point.
"Your father? Do you remember him?"
I asked him as he drank the wine with his ice cube but only of less amount as he took a sit to the other side of the table.
"Yes," I lied. It wasn't a complete lie. In my dreams I saw mama looking at a frame of a stranger most times. So I believe it must be him.
"He.. do you know where he is right now?"
I shook my head. "Where?"
He pointed it up to the sky, "with your mom." Grievingly drinking his sorrow away.
"...." I didn't know what else I could do so I just pat his back. I can't say you can't get sad. It is natural emotion of ours.
"You know what? You got this habit from your mom," he was responding which held so much of regrets, "those caring nature and don't forget those eyes."
I was about to say something, but he was not serious and worried, "you must not trust that guy, Haze Stevens. I saw it with my own eyes. I was on the verge of dead bed that time, almost dying but I saw it." He had fear oozing out.
"What did you... see?" I was scared to know what he was about to say. But I cannot run away from truth forever. At some point I am bound to know it.
"Haze. Killed, your father," he said, shocking me to the extend that I wouldn't be able to comprehend and that I was forced into darker side, "I knew you wouldn't believe me but I have prove. For years, I was searching for evidence. I payed up hired detectives and some of my own man worked out. This footage. The cloth. Two dead bodies. They all were found in that burned down house. One belonged to your father, other remained a mystery. It must be your father's man."
This can't be true, "a lie." But he did it. He was younger and cold in his appearance and personality. He came out as the only one and even saw from the angle where he held the man, my father and twisted the man's neck breaking him dead.
"Believe me, he is not what you see. By the time he reached your age, he mastered the art of deceiving and took on his Mafia king. He played around, which amused him, he would pick on them and play around then throw it away at the end. If lucky, they only manage to get out alive. Most of them would be under the grave whoever opposed him. Another discovery. Taylor is Haze's person, working under him," I sat still, hurt and betrayed taking over me. Michael even had the prove that he did that all behind my back.
"Tell me then, he knew you long before you lost your memories 7 years back. I checked your medical history and I believe it stays you had almost forgotten everything. He knew you that time, but tell me why didn't he tell you that?"
"You are also one of them, a temporary play thing. To quench his thrist for lust. Pleasure."
"A LIE!" I broke it all, ravishing the entire footage and the files along with his bottle breaking it into pieces. I also cut my hand but I didn't mind it. The cut within is much worse. It bled.. I let it flow.
I... will never... believe anyone... ever... again.. but before.. that let me confirm it.. on my own.. everybody is really messing with my head...