As I stood, I felt a pang of pain from the bruises I'd gotten during the struggle with Maya. But my attention was fixed on uncovering the mystery of Tony's disappearance. I walked past Maya, who was kneeling on the rooftop, her eyes fixed on the edge. Tears streamed down her face, her body shaking with silent sobs.
I followed her gaze, and my heart sank as I realized what might have happened. "Is Tony...?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. I rushed to the edge, my legs trembling beneath me.
The sight that greeted me was one I never wanted to see. Tony lay on the ground, his body still. But what struck me was the faint smile on his face. It was as if he had died in peace, knowing he had saved us. A sense of numbness washed over me, followed by a wave of grief. I felt my legs give out, and I knelt on the rooftop, my eyes fixed on Tony's lifeless form.
As I looked down at Tony, something inside me broke. I felt a warmth spreading down my cheeks, and I realized I was...crying. It was a strange, unfamiliar sensation. For the first time in my life, I was crying not for myself, but for someone else. Someone I cared about. The weight of Tony's sacrifice crushed me, and I let out a sob, releasing all the emotions I'd been holding back.
My vision blurred, and my mind went blank. The world around me seemed to fade away, and I felt myself falling. Everything went dark.
******
The smell of antiseptics filled the air as I opened my eyes, slowly my vision went from blur to clear. And what I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling, as I slowly lifted my body, I felt something on my wrist, it was an IV line attached to me. That's when I realized I was at the hospital.
Looking at my surroundings I wondered, "how did I get here?."
And immediately the vibrant brain tosed the latest memories to me, flashes of Tony's lifeless body enveloped my mind and instantly tears rolled down my cheeks as I let out consistent heartbreaking sobs.
"Oh! you're finally awake!, I'll get the doctor!". A nurse who was attending to me said and rushed out to get the doctor.
Before I was discharged, I was told that I've been unconscious for three days, and during this time no one except my butler Roberts visited me.
Walking out of the hospital, a man in a black tuxedo in front of a black luxury limo, he was tall and although he was in his late 40s he had an athletic build.
"Young miss, I'm glad to see you on your feet!, how are you feeling?" He said in a deep voice with a relieved smile on his face.
"I'm fine Roberts, can we go now?," I replied eager to get away from the hospital.
"Sure young miss, right this way". He said while opening the back door of the limo for me.
I entered and we drove off. As I looked around the city from the window while the car zoomed through the city, I had a sudden thought and asked...."Roberts...how is everyone and...what was their reaction to...what happened."
Roberts who was sitting a few inches beside me, replied with a serious look on his face, "well, your parents are trying to suppress the escalating rumurs and as for miss Maya, she's...been locked up in her room since 3days, the rest...I suppose it's best to see for self.
His words felt heavy and hearing Maya's name, put me on guard.
We arrived at the Hawkins manor, the car pulled up in front of the main building, it had a castle like vigor to it.
As I walked in, a bold figure as if they'd been waiting for my arrival appeared in front of me.
"Because of you...Tony's...it's all your fault!" Maya said, her black hair mostly out of proportion and her green eyes tainted with the flames of rage.
"To think I initially wanted to just ruin your image in school" she scoffed, her expression vicious.
"But now you've proven that it won't be enough,...so now I will make your life a living hell". *click*
Maya took her smart phone and clicked on it after she said those cold words.
I felt a shiver down my spine, and a sense of uneasiness washed over me as she walked past in complete rage.
I couldn't help but think, "what did she just do on her phone?, did she release the secret...."
"There you are, you ungrateful brat!!" as I contemplated my situation, an audacious but familiar voice called out to me.
"...m-mom? Wh-what did I...."
*slap*
As I spoke a thunderous slap that spread across my left cheek stopped me from finishing that sentence.
"After everything we've done for you, given you everything a child could ever want". She said, her exquisite face rumpled in disappointment as she continued. "You decided to ruin our reputation".
"I didn't do any..."
Again my words came to a halt, but for a different reason this time, my mother raised her phone to my gaze and what I saw made my jaws drop and my eyes widened.
A video played on the screen, although familiar but the scenes felt one-sided.
It was a video of me and Maya on the rooftop, but the video only covered the scene where I lunged at Maya and our struggle was turned to a fight between us, and then the final scene where Tony sacrificed himself to save us, but then I noticed when he pushed us back, my long strawberry blond hair swung to his face causing him to loose balance and....
Aside from the last part, it felt like the video was edited to paint me as a ruthless villain.
I had no words to my defense, as I stood there awe struck knowing what might come next.
"Your father has decided to send you to another country for some time, you'll be accompanied by Roberts and he's transfered 20 billion dollars to your bank account, also he bought a villa for you as your new residence". She said, her expression contempt and disgust.
"Honestly I never want to see you again, so it's best you disappear, you're such a disappointment, I regret the day I gave birth to you". She ruthlessly shot me down, flicked her strawberry blond hair and elegantly left the scene.
Although I took after my mother in both looks and hair, she never liked me, she always saw me as a mistake, she finally got the chance to get rid of me. If not for my striking resemblance of her I would have gone for a D. N. A test.
Everything I've become, everything I've done till now has always been to make my parents proud, mostly my father, he detested people who slack off and only rely on others so I decided to be independent and become an athlete, honestly I have more money than I need from my career.
Raising my head, and slowly wiped away the stray tears that I couldn't hold back.
I made a decision right then and there.
From now on I was going to live my life the way I want.
As I stormed out of the house in an overwhelming anger and sadness, Mr Roberts was already waiting for me with the limo doors open, his head elegantly bowed.
He must have already been informed about the situation. I entered and he took the seat beside me. I noticed my luggage had already been packed.
"Can I atleast attend...th-the funeral..." I said in a soft saddened tone.
"Sorry young miss, the instructions was to take you to the airport and then take a flight to...."
"You know what...fine!, instead of going to the country they want me to...I'll go further away." I said cutting Roberts short.
"I know!, let's go to north America, the U. S to be precise!." I continued, my voice getting louder in revolt.
Robert turned to look at my determined expression, he chuckled slightly and said...
"I know a great place in California, if the young miss has no objections..." He paused for a moment seeking my approval, I nodded slightly in agreement.
"Then driver, if you would...drive us to the airport." He concluded, his tone elegant as always.
We got to the airport, boarded a plane to U. S California, and that was how I moved to California.
Before we got there Mr Roberts had already bought us a nice villa, with a view of the beach in a town called pismo beach.
I decided to dye my hair blue, to further emphasize my new life...honestly a part of me knows it's because when I look at the mirror I can't help but remember my mo- I mean Mrs Bella Hawkins.
And to continue my studies, I enrolled at P. C high as a transfer student. This was where my new life would begin, I thought to myself as I stood outside class-A year 3.
As the teacher signaled me, I entered the classroom and gave a wonderful self introduction, everyone was in awe especially the boys, they couldn't take there eyes off me, I don't blame them though, I mean who wouldn't stare at my extremely pretty face, my hot athletic body, plus I gotta say the new hair wasn't half bad either and don't forget that killer smile, okay I ain't bragging but it's a fact I'm a hottie.
Seeing all the boys expressions it makes me wanna play with them, but I've decided to turn a new leaf so let's just make friends...
At that moment as my thoughts were on overdrive, something caught my attention.
A silver tipped black haired boy sitting in the back row one seat away from the window, his face mysterious but cute, his build was in the average side, but what really intrigued me was the fact that he paid no attention to me, and stared into space like he was in his own world.
I decided to sit close to him, for some reason I was drawn to him, I managed to get his attention, and then he said...
"Huh?! Oh! Umm hi...sorry didn't see you there."
"huh?! You didn't see me? Anyway my name is Chloe what's your name?, I asked while trying to shake off the annoying feeling.
"...well my name is Mike...Mike Morgan nice to meet you," he replies reluctantly,
"ok Mike let's be friends I'll call you Mike and you call me Chloe ok" I said with a breath taking smile, but he still wasn't fazed.
"ok I guess but...."
"Shouldn't students be paying attention to the teacher instead of chatting." A strange girl who is also sitting beside Mike near the window cuts off our conversation while glaring at Mike with an angry expression.
Who is she?, I thought to myself. I didn't give it much thought, and at lunch break I found Mike and kept on flirting with him, but after an awkward moment he zoomed off and I couldn't even get his number.
"What a shame right?!" a strange but yet a familiar voice called out to me.
"Wait...your the girl that was sitting beside Mike in class right? Miss model student!" I scoffed realizing who it was.
"the name's Mio cruz, and word of advice stay away from Mikey, I won't warn you again!," she said her expression agitated.
"huh?! Why do u care?!" your just a bully, although you might have known each other since you were kids but your not even friends so why should..." she suddenly cut's into my words.
"Mikey is mine so stay away!" As Mio said that, suddenly a huge breeze blows a bit of dust into my eyes.
"Aaahh! My eyes! Mio help me, I think I got a little dust in my eyes!" I yelled in pain as I wiped away the dust with my hands and opened my eyes.
"Mio?! She's...gone?" Suddenly Mio was nowhere in sight.
I still couldn't figure out what the relationship between Mike and Mio really was, but I found Mio's competitive nature amusing, she kinda reminded me of Maya...
Ugh! I don't wanna think about her.
One day at the gymnasium I decided to challenge Mio to a volleyball game, which I knew was definitely in my favor, or so I thought.
Just when I thought the game was all wrapped up and I'd be the winner, her movements changed, it didn't just change, it became unnatural, as she leaped off the ground, her speed unbelievable, her hands filled with what felt like electricity, she hit the ball and vaporized it in an instant.
Although smoke filled the entire gym because of the explosion, my eyes caught her as she ran to the restroom, and I immediately followed her, my eyes and mind couldn't fathom what was before me.
Her eyes glowed a radiant blue and her entire body surrounded by crackling blueish white chaotic lights. It was as if she was inside a ball of lightning.
I hid behind the door, terrified of what I just discovered. She left the the restroom and headed to the rooftop in a hurry.
I've always loved fantasy novels, the magic, the mystery and the supernatural. But there was nothing thrilling about that scene at all. I mean she's a real life witch.
I needed to protect Mike from her, but she might have bewitched him already. As I contemplated my situation, something caught my eye. It was Mio's bag which had her phone inside it.
My determination grew as I put a tracker on her phone, I decided to follow her and find a way to save Mike from her evil grasp.
One day I followed them to a junkyard using the tracker I had put on Mio's phone, that was when I saw...
Mio suddenly flew to sky like she was one with the wind. And next she created sharp spears out of ice and lunched them.
Some knocked over cars while some pierced through, leaving a clean hole.
Imagining that was targeted at a human sent a shiver down my spine.
I was already sure that Mio was a witch, so I was more terrified than surprised to see what she was capable of.
But what truly left me stunned was....
Mike vanished and immediately reappeared behind Mio and with a hand gesture suddenly lifts and destroys a car without touching it, as if that wasn't enough he levitated to the air with a stick in hand, he dropped the stick and suddenly...him, Mio and the stick were back on the ground in an instant, I couldn't quite rap my head around it, I mean I didn't even blink and yet I didn't see any movement.
While I was still consumed by my thoughts, they both suddenly vanished without a trace. Even the tracker couldn't find them anymore as if they didn't exist anymore.
Walking by the beach, wondering what actually happened, suddenly a strange girl approached me. She was a red hair, her skin pale as snow, her blue eyes filled with resentment, which made me think I had offended her.
"You're Chloe right?!" She asked, her voice firm.
"Well that depends, who's asking?!" I replied cautiously, although Roberts assured me there was nothing to be worried about.
"My name is Linda, please I need you to come with me to the nearby cafe, there's someone who wants to meet you" she answered, her tone unwavering.
Looking at her she didn't seem like a threat so I said, "sure lead the way".
We got to the cafe and walked towards a boy that seemed to be the same age as Linda and I. His head just bellow his brown hair was rapped with a bandage, his brown eyes and face distorted with rage.
As we sat with him in the same table, he introduces himself as Bradley from the same class as I, Mio, Mike and Linda. So it turns out we are all classmates but I kept wondering what this meeting was for.
After the introductions the meeting commenced.
"Ehem!" He cleared his throat signaling the importance of the next topic.
"Let's get straight to the point, we all here have a grudge against Mio, and have noticed something...strange about her. So I say we all join hands together to expose her and get our revenge." He said, his voice firm and eyes lit with determination.
Hearing those words I took a glance at Brad's bandaged head again, that's when it struck me...he's the one that got knocked across the hall by Mio in the rumors, but...looking at his muscular frame and height Mio's hand couldn't possibly...wait did she perhaps use sorcery on him?!.
"so, are you in or out?" He asked while staring at me and Linda.
"I'm in!, I'll do anything to get back at that bitch." Linda gave her answer in a bold tone, with hatred in her eye's.
"Good, what about you Chloe?" Brad asked, his attention focused on me now.
Thinking about it I never really hated Mio I'm just...scared of her abilities and apart from our competition over Mike I don't have any grudge against her. To think that I'd actually fight over a guy again after Tony's....
"We're still waiting for your answer" growing impatient Brad shot at me.
"Count me out," before my brain could process the reply, my mouth moved on it's own. "I refuse to join you guys in your quest for revenge." I concluded and started walking out of the cafe.
"We won't beg you to join, but know this, if you tell anyone about our plan, we'll come for you as well!!." I didn't need to turn back to know that agrivated loud voice was Brad's.
"I won't interfere, unless it concerns me" I said while walking out of the cafe.
"Fucking bitch!!! You...." I didn't careless about what he said about me, at that moment all I cared about was...
"Mike?...and Mio, th-they're back?!" the tracker I had put on them had come back online as I instinctively checked my phone.
"How can I be sure it's both of them?...I mean I only put a tracker on Mio, she could have left him somewhere and...."
My hands again moved on their own and dailed Mike's number, which I had gotten from the class register, don't ask me how, a girl has her ways.
After calling mike and confirming both Mio and Mike's location, I let out a sigh of relief.
But I couldn't shake off the the feeling that I had interrupted something...whatever I'll talk to Mike once summer break is over.
And decide whether Mio is friend or foe...