Chapter 9
2223 Words
[Chapter 9: Friend]
•>>———∘◦❁◦∘———(Elora / Brianna)
I groaned in pain as I felt my eyes slowly starting to open. There was that throbbing pain in my head but it wasn't too bad to the point that it was intolerable.
What the heck happened?
"Uggh.." I groaned raising my right hand to touch my head.
"Oh, You're awake! Thank goodness!! You really scared me when you collapsed there..." I adjusted my vision at the blurry figure in front of me while attempting to sit up.
My mind felt hazy and my hearing wasn't any better because of the distant ringing I was hearing, but I can conclude that the figure was a girl from her voice. She helped me sit up and then went towards the kitchen to get a glass of water.
I noticed that I was in my room due to the familiar blurry surroundings and mentally facepalmed myself for forgetting that I had a kitchen in my room.
I didn't even have to go to the cafeteria and yet I had been doing that this whole entire time!! How stupid can I be? (ｰ ｰ;)
I gladly took the cold water in the strangers hold and downed it in one go.
"Careful." The girl said when few droplets of water dripped down on my chin.
My hearing was slowly starting to get back to normal as well as my vision, and I closed my eyes for a few seconds before opening them once again to stare face to face to someone I was avoiding the most.
She was staring at me in awe in contrast to mine who was staring at her in alarm.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!" I screamed making her widen her eyes in alarm. She quickly stood up and raised both her hands up.
"What. Are you. Doing here?!"
"Uh-uhm.. I helped you princess--" Antonella said but I quickly cut her off.
"And stop calling me that!" I glared at her but I don't know how that went since she didn't look intimidated nor scared. Instead, she looked at me in adoration. Why though? (~_~;)
"What do you mean? Did you mean the title? But isn't that true?? You are a princess!" She said stressing the word 'are', and seeing her determined and excited face I couldn't help but sigh and just burry my face in the palm of my hands.
"Why are you so persistent?! You're like a stalker!" I said lowly with a scowl in my face.
"W-what do you mean..?" She asked seemingly taken aback.
"Haven't you figured it out already?? I don't want you around because you're being loud. I don't want anyone to know I'm the princess and you're ruining that! That's why I've been running away from you all this time." I sighed in exasperation but my voice didn't raise, despite the emotion I was feeling, due to exhaustion.
"I-I'm sorry.." Her voice was wavering and so I looked up only to see her crying.
"I-I didn't know you didn't wanna be called princess. I j-just wanted to ask you how my a-aunt has been doing. I- I won't bother you again!" She stormed out of the room, making me feel guilty.
But wait! Did she just tell me she wanted to check up on her aunt..?!
I suddenly thought of Ruby and all the hard work she had done to me. What would she think about me once she finds out that I bullied her dearest niece?!! Aaahhh!! I'm too cruel!
"W-wait!" I said reaching out my arm but she had already closed the door before she could even hear what I was about to say.
I can't leave it like this and let it drag on!! I should explain things to her! Who knows what she could do out of spite?! She could tell everyone who I really am, now that she knows I didn't want that!
"Wait! Hold on Antonella!!" I yelled as I chased after her. She was at the end of the hallway and had turned left so I quickly rushed over to that direction.
Just as I turned the corner, I bumped into someone making both of us stumble back a few steps. I mumbled a quick apology and started to continue on my path, but just as I took one step someone grabbed my arm completely making me stop.
"Hey! You should fix your apology! Do you even know who I am?!" I couldn't care less about who he was so I forcefully took my hand out of his hold and dashed away.
"Sorry stranger! It's an emergency!!" I said loudly as I got a bit farther away from him and his group.
"What the..? Did she just say stranger?!!"
"Should I chase after him, Louise?"
Was the last thing I heard from the group before I turned the corner.
Who the heck are those people? I don't know who they might be, but they sounded pretty dangerous. I should totally watch out for a guy named Louise!
I turned, and turned, and turned... but I lost her.
I stood at the middle of the hallway as I hunched over in frustration. Uggh! It was all because of that stupid Louise! If he hadn't stopped me, then I would've caught up to her by now!
I walked while dragging my feet behind. But just as I quickly left the scene, I suddenly felt the urge to go inside the two large doors that was in front of me while I was hunching over a while ago.
I slowly opened it and peeked inside only to find out that it was a library. A big one at that.
My eyes shone with excitement and I quickly slipped inside before I knew it. The librarian glanced at me and so I smiled and she nodded once in acknowledgement.
I've never been in a library this big! Its even bigger than the one at home!!
I looked around and found a few ladies sitting at some tables while reading. I smirked, grabbed a random book, and was about to head towards the prettiest girl I saw when I noticed something.
I put the book back and walked over to one of the aisles. I headed to the very end and picked up the lone book that was sitting on the floor.
It was a random romance novel entitled 'Perfect Strangers'. I was about to open it and look inside when I heard sniffling.
I furrowed my brows and looked around only to realize that the sniffling belonged to the person right at the other side of the aisle where the book was originally placed. The person must have knocked it off with their head.
I quietly placed the book back and slowly crept my way towards the other side. I peeked through and saw the familiar yellow dress of Antonella. She was hugging her knees while her face was buried on it.
Oh? Hahahah! What intuition I have!! It didn't even cross my mind that she'd be here!
I walked towards her and plopped down besides her. She was startled and quickly looked at me. Her eyes then widened in shock and she was about to get up when I stopped her by holding her wrist.
"Wait!.. uhm.. let's talk...." I quietly trailed off.
She stopped but didn't look back. She stayed standing as if contemplating on what to do until she finally turned around and sat back besides me.
She hugged her knees again and carefully placed her chin on it, sniffling every now and then.
"Uhm.. I'm sorry. I didn't know that you wanted to check up on your aunt... To be honest, I really was annoyed by you--" She whimpered.
"--because you kept calling me princess when the students didn't know who I was. I really didn't want them to act all hypocrite once they find out that I'm the neighboring kingdom's princess.. Its better for them to ridicule me than to put up a fake front just to get my favor." I explained and she was quiet at that.
"I really didn't mean to shut you off like that when all you wanted was to ask about Ruby... I'm sorry...." I muttered the last part.
"Uhm- I'm sorry too!" She suddenly said, coming up close to my face, making me widen my eyes in shock.
"Sorry.." She mumbled, moving away while averting her gaze. But despite that, I could still see her reddened ears.
How cute! (⁎⁍̴̆ω⁍̴̆⁎)
"Aww.. are you blushing~?" I teased and as if realizing it, she quickly covered her ears making me laugh.
"Its just that.. you're very pretty, s-so seeing your face up close made me all flustered is all....." She muttered and I turned her face to pinch her cheek.
"You're so adorable~!" I chuckled when she whined because of the strain on her cheek.
I let go and quickly fixed my sitting position.
"Uhm.. as I was saying. I'm sorry too.. I didn't know you didn't want me calling you that. I acted out on impulse and called you in the way my aunt would always call you as well.." She said making me furrow my brows as I looked at her, she sensed my questioning look and so she continued.
"Auntie Ruby always told me wonderful stories about you every time she visited home for vacation since I was little..." Elora suddenly felt bad about Ruby, since she knew that the Elora Ruby was telling her was the old Elora and not her as Brianna. "That's why I had always admired you since then... uhm.. part of the reason why I.. why I was calling you was.... was because I wanted to ask you to be my friend...." She fiddled with her fingers.
"Friend?"
"Yes... I want to be your friend.. uhm! Not because of your status of being a princess!! No! Its just that, you seem nice.. and is the only person who hasn't.... mocked me so far." She mumbled the last part but I still heard it.
"Mocked you? Why would anyone mock you??" I asked with a baffled expression.
She's so friendly and bubbly, and pretty too! So who in the world would mock her? And for what??
"Well.. people knows I live in the eastern part of Aeanthra. That part is quite famous among people and a lot of people call it 'trashy mountains'. It is hard to explore that area and so everyone criticizes me, saying I should wear mountain boots instead of heels and whatnot... They say mountain people aren't welcomed in this famous school." She started sniffling and so I searched around my pockets to look for a handkerchief.
"They also said that the reason why there isn't pavements and pathways there, is because the King didn't care about that part of Aeanthra therefore neglecting it by doing just that." She explained while crying silently.
I gave her my handkerchief, she refused at first but soon gave in when I forced her to take it.
I placed my arm around her shoulder and rubbed it up and down comfortingly. She only cried harder and so I let her let all of her troubles out.
Thinking about it now, she's right.
In the story, it said that Antonella often received bullying until she met the protagonist. After meeting the FL, both of them was getting the fair share of mistreatment. She who lived in the 'trashy mountains', and Angelina who lived at Zinnia Kingdom— which was famous for not having the vastness of knowledge when it comes to magic.
Of course when Angelina met Elijah, the bullying stopped and it was Elora's turn to bully her. Antonella stood up to Elora, cause of wanting to protect her best friend, and in turn she got the bullying as well. But when she met Alistair, everything went downhill from there on for Elora.
That was the reason why even her brother didn't speak up when her execution was declared.
Thinking about what Elora faced makes me shiver. Although I'm confident that I won't face the same fate she did, it still bothers me that the future tormentors are around me!
I'll let Antonella off though. She's a sweet girl, and the only reason why she had joined on tormenting Elora was because Elora provoked her. Her feelings builded up inside you know?
"I'll be your friend." I said after she had quieted down from crying.
She looked up at me with hope twinkling in her eyes.
"Really??" She came up close to my face, startling me yet again.
"Oh sorry.." She chuckled and I soon joined her.
I guess she has that habit when she gets excited.
"Really, really." I honestly said and she hugged me.
I got taken aback at first but I soon returned the hug.
I guess its fine like this. Adding one more friend to the list isn't so bad!
But that's just gonna be it.
A friend.
I can't swoon her when she's my brother's future partner! .°(ಗдಗ。)°.
Oh well~ there's plenty of fish in the sea! ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ
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- Writer
