What will he do? Why is he staring at Runa and walking towards her?
Arden put one hand in his jeans pocket, and Runa followed the movement. Then she found a box-shaped object under the fabric of Arden's jeans. Runa slowly widened her eyes and looked back at his eyes. She could have sworn Arden gave her a small grin as their distance grew closer.
Was he going to give her the cigarette he took earlier?
Runa's heart pounded in her chest. Even though Sunbrillo didn't have a no smoking rule, but still it would be a big disgrace to her. She who had been maintaining her reputation so well would not let Arden destroy everything.
Runa bent down to pick up the fork that had fallen near her feet. Then she stood up and got up from the chair. Her sudden movement made Mandy's attention shift from Arden to Runa.
"Where are you going?" Mandy asked, holding out one hand to caress Runa's arm as she passed behind Mandy.
"Take a new fork," Runa replied, not even turning to look Mandy in the eye.
Runa walked quickly towards Arden. Her jaw tightened until her molars hurt. The hand holding the fork clenched tightly, and she felt the slippery and sticky sensation of the spaghetti sauce on her palm.
Whatever Arden was going to do now, Runa had to stop him. Her brain thought as her steps getting closer to him. Soon they passed each other and she was about to decide what conversation she would start with Arden when suddenly he took a sharp turn to his left, between the rows of cafeteria tables, and walked away from her.
Runa heard a small snort of victory and she could only stare at Arden's back while imagining what kind of annoying expression was now plastered on his face. She wanted to chase him and stick her spaghetti fork into his back, through the pure white shirt that made him look like an innocent angel.
Runa was sinking in aggravation when someone tapped her shoulder from behind, making her turn around and almost point a fork at the person, who turned out to be one of the campus staff.
Runa's stiff face turned friendly in an instant, and she smiled politely. "Sorry," she said. She hid her hands behind her back. "What is it?"
"You have a guest," said the staff. "Ms. Sophia."
---
Runa thanked the staff who escorted her to one of the campus living rooms where Sophia was waiting for her. Her hand raised to the doorknob, and she felt unsettled. She stopped for a few seconds before turning it. Runa took the time to wash her hands before heading here, and now her wet hands felt cold and slippery when she turned the doorknob.
From where she stood in the doorway, she could see the figure of the woman who had accompanied his father since ten years ago. The light blonde hair that was styled into a small bun at the nape of the neck had become her trademark. When she heard the door opening, Sophia turned and stood up to greet Runa.
"Ms. Crown," she greeted. She bowed a little as a form of respect. It was just a formality. It had been so long since Runa trusted Sophia's sincerity to her.
Runa nodded while blinking her eyes slowly. "What is it?" she asked, not trying to hide the coldness in her voice.
Sophia pointed one hand at the chair in front of her. "How about you sit down first?"
"No, thanks."
"I've checked your schedule today. You don't have class until about an hour from now. We've got plenty of time to speak."
Runa studied Sophia's tiny face hidden behind black-framed cat-eye glasses. The face that deceived Runa in the first years of her appearance. The face belonged to someone Runa thought would be her best friend, who could keep her little secrets from her father.
But Sophia turned out to be the same as the others in the Crown family's residence. There was no one Runa could trust there. Not after her mother died.
Runa folded her arms in front of her chest and slightly tucked her chin. "Just tell me what you need, Sophia. You know I don't want to be in the same room with you for more than five minutes." Even five minutes is too long.
Sophia sighed and smiled. "Soon you will turn twentieth, Miss. You should be more mature."
"I'm out." Runa turned on her heels and was about to head for the door when Sophia raised her voice. "Wait!"
Runa, who was now facing the side, turned and tilted her head. She looked at Sophia but said nothing.
"It's about your birthday party! Mr. Crown told me he wouldn't be home that day. And he asked me to ask what kind of celebratory party you would like."
Runa almost said 'do whatever you want' because she was carried away by emotion. Thank God she didn't say that right away and could still use her brain. Her birthday is a day when she can do and ask for anything, and Runa never wastes it. Even though her father had shaped her personality in such a way that she wouldn't even break a trivial rule in public like littering, but on her birthday, Runa tried to cross the line a little, even though it meant pushing her luck.
Runa moved her jaw, her eyes glaring at Sophia's face before turning to the clothes she was wearing. The kind of boring black suit secretaries usually wear. Blazer and short skirt and a simple pair of high heels.
"As usual, I would like to invite all students on campus."
Sophia grabbed the tablet and stylus that was lying on the table as soon as Runa spoke. She held them in each hand and started to record Runa's words.
Runa mentioned a series of certain foods and drinks, then she mentioned some singers, DJs, and some bands that crosses her mind, and what kind of decoration she wanted.
"Costume party," said Runa later. "I want to have a costume party."
"What costume?"
"Anything. Let my friends go wild with the theme. I want to free their minds. I will reward the ones who wear the best costumes with a car and some jewels."
Runa caught a moment of doubt in Sophia's hands as she took notes of Runa's request. Her request this time was ridiculous as hell, Runa admitted it. But she didn't care.
"Anything else, Miss?" Sophia asked. She looked up and pushed the frame of her glasses against the bridge of her nose.
"Booze."
"Yes?" Sophia gasped, her glasses drooping again while her blue eyes widened in surprise.
Sophia must have thought she had heard wrong.
"Booze. B-o-o-z-e," repeated Runa, this time spelling out the letters. "A lot."
"But..."
"Didn't my father say I could ask for anything?" Runa raised an eyebrow. "And on my upcoming birthday, I will be at the minimum age legal drinking, no?"
"Y—yes," Sophia stuttered in response to Runa's question.
Runa wanted to add cigarettes, but that seemed too much for now. So she gave up her intention.
Only once a year, and Runa would make sure she played up at her own party.
---
Arden was enjoying a cigarette on the rooftop with his friends while looking at the sky, which was slowly turning orange. His eyes squinted as the afternoon breeze brushed against his face, and as he was brushing his hair from his forehead, his eyes caught sight of a figure in the distance, walking through the backyard into a small forest next to the Sunbrillo complex.
The figure looked familiar.
Just as he was thinking about it, Hunter, the person who had always clung to Arden since Arden moved to Sunbrillo, stood beside him and followed Arden's gaze.
"Miss Perfect. Runa Crown," he said in a cheer tone. "Always walking home alone in the afternoon. Doesn't she look like a lost little rabbit?"
"Home?" Arden said with a frown, then he took another deep puff of his white cigarette. His eyes were still fixed on the girl named Runa. Then he remembered her panicked reaction in the cafeteria when she thought Arden was walking towards her.
The memory made him smile a little at the corner of his lips.
Arden had intended to approach Runa and give the cigarette to her, but he realized that so many eyes were watching the girl. Not the casual or curious kind of stare, but the eyes watching her every move, as if waiting for her to make a mistake.
"Yes." Hunter pointed towards the small forest beside the Sunbrillo complex. Arden pulled back a little before Hunter's black nail polish fingers poked his face. "You see that grove of trees that looks like a forest?"
Arden turned his head in the direction Hunter was pointing. "Yeah."
"That's her yard."
"She lives near here?"
Hunter leaned towards Arden while lowering the volume, as if he was telling a secret. "It is said that her father built a house near where Runa went to school, so he could always keep an eye on his only dear daughter." Then Hunter reached out and picked up the pack of cigarettes lying on the parapet. He studied it before saying, "These are expensive stuff." Then he looked at Arden with curiosity in his eyes. "Where did you get it?"
Arden pulled the cigarette stick out of his mouth and exhaled the smoke into the cold air. His eyes glanced at Runa, who had now disappeared behind the trees before looking back at the horizon. "I stole it."