The horizons of the tall buildings could be seen from a distance.
Those familiar buildings and orange roofings had been my second home - A place where I've been treated unjustly like a slave and had been welcomed wholeheartedly by a few people.
Seated in the driver's seat was Richard, driving me back to School.
Well, he strongly insisted he drive me back, and not his Chaffeur. His reasons being validated for us to have a quiet time, together, for the last period we'll be separated from each other.
Thinking about our sudden seperation, gave a rising stinking feeling in my stomach.
What IF he doesn't love me any longer?
Or looking for an excuse to get some dirty secrets of his hidden from me?
I breathe hard, trying to suppress the insecurities welling up inside of me. Just so you know, insecurities are spoilers of mood, and accommodating them signifies accommodating ill feelings!
'You need to stay strong,' I told myself, trying to keep my emotions in check. 'Your life started without Richard, stay strong'.
Richard took a swerve heading into the large school compound and he didn't even need to horn because the security officers immediately opened the gate, saluting repeatedly as we rode inside.
Many students on sighting a Rolls Royce in the school compound, all came out in large numbers, excitement and admiration on their faces.
Of course, a Rolls-Royce signifies an influential personality, and things like this, happen once in a blue moon.
I clenched on the seat belt, my fingers digging through my skin as I gasped for air.
Suddenly, I felt Richard was not on the driver's seat anymore, and was about to tuck my head in the left direction when a sudden gush of cold air on my face made the hairs on my skin stand erectly.
Richard had opened the car door in a gentlemanly manner, ushering me out of the car, as though I was 'a supposed Prime Minister's daughter' . I flushed pink in embarrassment, when he took my hands in his, slowly bringing me out of the vehicle.
At the sight of this, a loud uproar erupted from the students. Shouts and screams from every corner.
"Vanessa Higgins?"
"Isn't that Vanessa?"
"No- she isn't."
"Man, are you nuts? This is the providential Church rat!"
I swallowed hardly, avoiding the murderous look on the eyes of most ladies. Well, I was a shy girl who hated anything 'screaming attention'!
My stay in WestHouse, hadn't changed that narrative concerning me, as shyness was already a talent hidden inside of me.
Richard firm hands gripped my tiny waist and I opened my mouth in a bid to protest when his lips, slowly crashed against mine.
What!
A kiss in the public?
This was just too much for me to bear!
"Rich-" I mumbled, incoherently, at the brink of crying.
"Ssh, Vaness." He stared into my eyes, in the most loviest gaze. "It's official, my love. I'm marking my property."
Suddenly, flashes of camera flew in here, and there. The screaming, intensifying.
Of course, I was expecting this scene - the flicking of cameras, and the videos and then, social media banters.
I was expecting all of them.
As Richard released his soft lips away from mine, I tried staring at his face, searching for answers but his face was calm, void of any trace of emotions.
As we were about to take another step, A crowd of important men and women were approaching towards us.
They were the school authorities.
The Authorities laughed, as they praised Richard, neglecting the fact that a human existed beside him. But when they saw Richard entwining his fingers, passionately around mine, sweat dropped in tiny columns.
They stared at me to be sure if this was the same Vanessa of old.
The poorest church-rat of The Great Bells.
The sawdust-brained.
That good-for-nothing Lady.
The same student from the faculty of English Language, who was always seen running to the cafeteria scooping staled-bread for dinner.
Of course, they couldn't believe the smooth transformation. They didn't believe that someday, I'll be useful to somebody - since, under-privileged students aren't useful in The Great Bells University.
The Vice chancellor who always mocked my existence in the past, came forward, gripping my wrist in a tight handshake, with a guilty expression plastering his face.
"Welcome back to School, Mrs Lieu," He said uneasily.
Richard read a lot of meaning into that handshake and he shot him a deadly stare, his face twisting into sudden disgust.
"A handshake is not unnecessary."
Well, Richard took his time, in conversing with The Authorities, and only those conversations alone cleared everything.
They shook their heads like dogs, agreeing to every terms and conditions without batting an eyelid
"I'll be leaving shortly." He said,patting me in the back.
Instant tears filled my eyes. I grabbed his arms fiercely. "Please. Promise not to disappear." I begged.
"Sshh. Stop crying, My love." he said wiping my tears with his hands, "What will the news say, when the videos of Richard Lieu crying girlfriend goes viral? Please be strong, Vaness."
We held hands for a long while before it was time to part.
__________
I carried my train of luggage, head faced to the ground as I headed to my former lodge.
The crowd of students paved ways for me.
Some students didn't even spare the shame of rushing after me, requesting for some luggage to carry.
Just like a lady, who crutched at my sides, pleading for me to release the petite handbag I was holding, so we might talk along.
Oh God, a handbag too?
I was totally embarrassed.
This was an irony to how I was treated in the past.
Now, everyone gathered around me to carry things which are not worth 'carry -able.
"No, thank you," I said, hushing them away politely yet, they still swarmed around, bulging in the most annoying way one could ever think of.
Even though, I felt like a Celebrity, I wasn't used to this attention-thingy life.
As I got to my lodge, I was 'sweetly summouned' by my House Mistress. . "Miss Vanessa Higgins LIEU," She said, stressing every syllable, most especially the 'LIEU'. "You don't belong here anymore."
"What? What.. do...do... you mean by I don't belong here?"
She pointed at the well structured and magnificent building projected for lecturers and one-time-guests. "You own two Presidential suites, dearest. "
The crowd went ballistic, with serious commotion everywhere!
They shouted. Scorned. Showered praises and said all manners of things in derisions.
My thoughts went overboard, my knees, weekend.
"But, Ma'am Alicia. The presidential suites are meant for lecturers and I'm neither a lecturer. I'm a student."
"It doesn't matter. That is your abode dearest, follow me," She replied.
She called on three female students arguing from a distance, and urged them to move my things to the presidential suites which they willingly obliged to, without delay...