The next morning I woke up for school. My body still aching from the previous night. I did my best to ignore the aches in my body and concentrate on class. By the end of the day I was exhausted as ever and It only left me famished.
Once I got back to the villa I wasted no time in inspecting the fridge for some delicious goodies to tide me over until dinner.
"Oohh, what do we have here." My eyes lit up when I came across a carton of strawberries. The were a vibrant red and looked super juicy. If there was one thing I loved it was strawberries. I couldn't believe my luck and quickly snatched them from the fridge before heading to my room. I greeted the guys, who were lazing on the couch around the tv, on my way past. Eisuke, however, was no where to be seen.
'I guess he must be in his room.' I thought before entering my bedroom. I sat on my bed and immediately dug into the juicy looking strawberries. "Mmm. These are soo good." It was like heaven in my mouth. I could tell straight away they were some A-grade strawberries.
"Who took my strawberries?!"
A sudden voice cut through the air. I froze on the spot a half-eaten strawberry in my hand. 'Oh dear... That was Eisuke.' I sat up straight in a panic and quickly hid the strawberries in my bedside draw. I then stood up and moved closer to my door and took a peek outside. There I saw Ota and Baba cowering on the sofa with an infuriated Eisuke towering over them.
"Which one of you took my strawberries? I warned you both last time If you ever did it again I wouldn't let you off easy." Eisuke barked, his arms firmly crossed and his eyebrows knitted.
On the couch, Ota and Baba looked completely clueless. They looked at one another like lost puppies.
"We didn't take them. Honest." They both said, bowing their heads as they cowered in fear.
I covered my mouth at the scene. I felt incredibly guilty they were receiving such a whipping when It was I who was to blame.
'Maybe I should go out and confess. I can't let them take the blame for me...' I thought it over. As amusing as it was seeing Ota and Baba so panicked I couldn't let things keep going as they are.
I took in a deep breath and retrieved the strawberries from my bedside draw and left my room.
"Eisuke." I called out to him with a almost shaky voice, worried how he would react. He certainly seemed to love these strawberries.
Eisuke's head snapped up at my voice, his expression turned to one of surprise to see me looking so troubled before him, "What is it?" He questioned me.
"Um...Well..." I didn't know what to say. I slowly brought my hand out from behind my back that held the strawberries, "Here." I held them out to him, my hand slightly shaky.
"You had my strawberries..." Eisuke said in almost disbelief. At that same moment Baba and Ota expressions turned to one of relief as they had been saved.
Eisuke took the strawberry carton from my hands and noticed half were gone. He couldn't help but sigh, "These are quite difficult to get a hold of. To think you got to them before I had a chance. It seems Baba and Ota aren't the only ones I need to watch out for." Eisuke's shoulders slumped and he gave a half-hearted laugh.
"I'm so sorry." I squeezed my eyes shut as i apologized, "I was so hungry and It just so happens I love strawberries. I couldn't resist when I saw them. I could tell they were top quality. I should have known they were yours." I looked away, regretting what I had done.
"Heh. So you love strawberries, huh." Eisuke chuckled as if this amused him. "Since you didn't know, I will let you off the hook. But don't let it happen again." Eisuke gave me a wicked grin before leaning in closer, "Otherwise I may have to punish you." He said leaving me paralyzed before walking off with the half finished carton of strawberries in his hands.
After the whole strawberry ordeal earlier, I had returned to my room and was waiting patiently for dinner. However, during this time the unexpected happened. I heard a commotion coming from the living room and dashed out of my bedroom.
My heart stopped the moment my eyes fell upon the cause. I thought at that moment time had come to a stop.
"You...!" There stood Kat, looking furious. As soon as her eyes fell on me her face twisted menacingly. I could see the hate she held for me in the depths of her eyes.
"I knew it. You have been here all along!" Kat screamed, pointing her finger towards me. She looked ready to jump at me. "I thought something was off yesterday at the masquerade ball. It was you wasn't it! I did some research and found out your home had been burnt down and then it hit me... You have been staying here right under my nose!" Kat had totally lost it. She spat out one thing after another, I didn't even have room to defend myself. The guys watched on, unable to do anything themselves as Kat was on a rampage.
"What's going on out here?" It was then Eisuke came out of his room and was surprised to see such an irate Kat breathing heavily in the living room.
"You stay out of this!" Kat spat at Eisuke, leveling him a cold glare before turning her icy gaze back on me.
"Why do you insist on causing me nothing but trouble?! That title was supposed to be mine! I was meant to be Queen but you stole that from me and now I find you are living in my Villa! Inconceivable."
I had seen Kat angry in the past but this was the first time I saw what looked like pain hidden behind her outrageous facade. It was like she was struggling beneath it all and was using her anger towards me to make herself feel better.
"Kat... I'm sorry." I bowed my head apologetically.
Kat scoffed, "It's too late. I want you gone. You are to leave Kanata entirely. I forbid you staying in my province for another day." She threw her demands at me in a forceful tone.
But I couldn't accept them. This time I couldn't let Kat walk all over me. I couldn't let her win. 'I will fight. I have to. I need to win!' I put on my game face, I wasn't prepared to back down. I refused to do so.
"Kat." I said her name in a cool but firm manner. I gave a smirk of my own, my face was brimming with confidence. The demeanor I had taken on not only surprised Kat but everyone in the room; it was the first time anyone had seen me so confident. Truthfully, I was shaking in my boots but I couldn't let my fears show. I had to fight my enemy head on.
"I know how you feel. I understand you are going through a great deal of pain."
"What do you know?!" Kat retorted, angrily. "Don't pretend like you understand, because you don't!"
I shook my head, "Oh but I do." My words seemed to have everyone wondering what I meant, "I understand your pain all too well. However, there is one major part that is different. My sister is still alive."
"What are you talking about?" Kat was still on the defensive, her eyes pointed fiercely at me.
"My sister... She disappeared when I was only 10 years old. I've been looking for her ever since." I finally revealed what I had kept hidden for so long. The guys in the room before completely flabbergasted by this revelation.
"And? What has that got to do with me?!" I could tell Kat was finally starting to break down. She was losing the fake persona she tries so hard to keep up.
"I know what it is like to lose a sister. ...I have no idea if she is still alive but I refuse to give up. And...I just know she must still be alive. I just know... I won't accept otherwise until I know the truth myself." I believed in my heart of hearts Lucy was still alive, somewhere.
Kat was now speechless, she looked conflicted with her own feelings. I couldn't stop now, though, I kept up the attack.
"I don't know why my sister left me. I need to find her so she will tell me the truth. We...use to always be together. She was my role model. I loved my sis more than anything. But one day there was an accident... After that day she was never the same. My sis stopped smiling and hardly came out of her room. She was a popular idol in the town I lived and her name was spreading by the day. Everyone loved her but after the accident... she never sang again..."
"Your sister...was a singer too..." Kat was almost in shock from what I was saying. "You...You are doing all this just to find her?" Kat's voice had grown weak, she had lost the drive from earlier and was now engaged in a battle of her emotions.
I nodded my head and smiled softly, "That's right. It's because of her I loved to sing. I wanted to make others smile just as she did. It broke my heart when she just left me... I was lost without her. Lucy was all I had... Everyone...Everyone hated me. But not her." I could feel painful emotions welling up within me as I thought back to the past and all that I've struggled with in my search for my sister but also in my search to discover myself.
"You really admired your sister..." It was as if Kat was speaking not only of me but of herself when she spoke.
"I understand how you feel to be all alone and in pain. I truly do. It's hard to feel forgotten and left out. But I never stopped believing in my sister and that's what always helped me to get through even the darkest times."
I walked up to Kat. Her eyes were wide in disbelief she no longer held the hostility towards me as she did earlier. Perhaps she could just how heartfelt my words are?
"I truly believe your sister wouldn't want you to feel this way. You can stop hiding the real you behind this facade you think you have to keep up. It's time you let the walls you worked so hard to build up and let the people who care about you into your life."
Kat flinched at my comments and turned away, "No one cares about me. And no one should." Kat turned back towards me, looking terribly pained and angry, not at me but at herself, "I've done some terrible things... All because I felt betrayed. Jealous. Used. No one seemed to understand me and so I wanted them all to suffer like I had suffered... I was so jealous of you. You had natural talent. I worked hard to get where i am and you..." Kat sighed in self-depreciation.
"You're wrong."
"What do you mean?" Kat asked in surprise.
"I had to work hard too. I studied endlessly. I was even made fun of for doing so. People hated me for being smarter than them and being the best in class. I was always looked down upon and bullied. I had no one to defend me. I spent years all alone. Many times I wanted to give up and run away like my sister but that would mean I would be giving up on all my hard work and my chance at ever finding her. I had to stick with it no matter what. That's how i got where i am today." I smiled, though, thinking about it all now, I truly was shocked i ever managed to pull through such painful experiences and still keep on moving forward. It was a miracle.
"I-I didn't know... I was jealous of you and this whole time you..." It was then Kat finally broke down. It was as if she could no longer carry all the pain that had burdened her for so long and it came bubbling to the surface.
"Kat..." I looked at her sympathetically and gave her a hug. Kat cried her eyes out on my shoulder, "I'm so sorry... I don't ask for you to forgive me... I've been such a fool. I didn't think anyone would ever understand me and yet the person I tried so hard to hate and destroy and who only kept rising up through all the pain, was the one who could relate with me..."
'Eh...She's right. I had just about everything thrown at me and somehow I kept pulling through and coming out better than before. How is that even possible... I have to be like the unluckiest and luckiest girl all at once. ...I wonder if that's what being a special case means...' I thought to myself as Kat quietly sobbed on my shoulder.
The guys in the room just watched the heartwarming scene in silence, leaving us girls to do our thing.
After Kat had finally calmed down she looked embarrassed for having lost it like that and then bowed her head, "I don't expect you to ever forgive me. I...I'm still in a daze myself. I never thought you would be the one to save me from myself. Your sister is lucky to have someone as kind and dedicated as you are. I promise I will work on changing my ways." Kat smiled. It was her first genuine smile i had ever seen and i was momentarily stunned.
"O-Oh yes. Joelle will be so happy. She has wished nothing more than this for so long."
"Poor Joelle... I caused her so much pain..." Kat looked regretful of what she's done. "People may still try to use me but I now see not everyone is the same. ...And I should have always believed in Joelle. She's never given up on me but I did on her... My sister's death affected me greatly. I couldn't handle it. I still feel like I'm to blame..." Kat's voice was laced with pain, she really did feel tortured by the loss of her sister and that it was all her fault.
'That must be why she worked so hard on pushing everyone away and only causing herself more pain while acting like a snobby, stuck up princess. But deep down she was just lost and confused
Kat had lost her way and couldn't find her way back. I am so grateful I turned out differently...' I shivered at the thought of how I could have been. Maybe If I was born in Kat's family I would have walked the same path. The only difference was my parents still loved me. It was their love that kept me on the truth path and not faltering and losing myself in the process.
"Elli... Thank you. I want you to know that I take back everything I said earlier. You may remain in Kanata. Well i better be going. I apologize for my outburst..." Kat said, bowing once again. It was like she was a whole other person. I was still in shock from the different treatment.
"Hey, wait!" I grabbed Kat's arm as she turned around, stopping her from leaving.
"What is it?" Kat looked surprised.
"Let's be friends. Okay?" I asked and then my eyes crinkled in a tender smile.
"Friends... You really want to be my friend?" Kat looked troubled by the idea. It was like she didn't think she was worth it.
I nodded happily, "Of course. I think more than anything, you have a strong desire for friendship. Real friendship. After all, we all need good friends in our lives." I stated and she was even more surprised.
Kat thought about it, and then closed her eyes as a small smile lit up her face, "Thank you..." She muttered and then glanced at the floor. I then let go of her arm and she soon vanished from sight.
No sooner did she leave did i collapse on the couch, "I'm soooo glad that's over." I let out a long drawn out sigh, relieved I could finally relax. I didn't know how things would work out but once again a miracle happened from what seemed like would be a total disaster.
"Well done." Eisuke said, commending me, though he seemed a bit smug about it. "However, I'll want to talk with you later." That was all he said before retreating back to his room. I immediately knew what he had in mind. But didn't get much chance to think about him as the others got cozy on the couches around me and began bombarding me with questions and retelling everything that happened that evening and their thoughts.
It sure was one heck of an eventful night and not what i was expecting. But finally, I somehow had gotten through to the ice queen and at last she could defrost. It felt like a heavy weight had finally been lifted and my chest felt a little lighter. I no longer had to live in fear. Life should finally settle down. I've overcome every obstacle that's come my way, It was about time I could relax. But as usual only more drama was lying in wait for me in the future.
"Wait? I'm still hungry!" During all that I forgot I hadn't even eaten dinner yet. If anything, I was nt going to bed hungry that night and got Baba to finish off dinner immediately. Nothing beats having a full belly.
