Chapter 44: The truth shall set you free?
1893 Words
The girls were leading the way, Lucas was behind them and this time it was not a competitive race. He was contented following the lead and also the busy traffic couldn't allow them to race. In the girl’s car it was all quiet, no music, just Ivy focused on the road and Audrey at the back reading a book, flipping through the pages and smiling as though the pages were talking to her and they were. How amazing it is to realize that within those thin pages lies worlds that titillate our desires? That invoke our ability to see things differently using the third eye?
"Oh s**t?"
"What? Please don't tell me we have a flat tire I don't know how to change a wheel"
"You literally don't know anything about cars...that asshole is right behind us on a bike with his weird looking helmet"
When she mentioned a bike, Audrey didn't need more information to know she was talking about Sean, she rolled down the window pane as last time but there was no sign of him.
"I can't see him, maybe you confused him with someone else"
"Right behind me, should I just run him down?”
"He'll die and you'll rot in prison"
"But at least I'd have done you a great favor"
"Am not worth it. Why do you hate him so much?"
"He dared touch you. That's a critical offence" they came to a stop, looked as if the god of Sean was a living one and he must have answered prayers instantly. Since that confrontation he was yearning for a chance to speak to her and apologize.
"Hey stranger!" Audrey said happily when she finally saw him, "looks like we will always be meeting on the traffic jam"
"Audrey look..."
"You're sorry and it won't happen again, I can read it on your face, not a good look for you I’m afraid"
Guilt. Just like everyone human enough who had messed up with her he was feeling guilt. But f**k the guilt and sorry look, how was he going to make amends? That mattered a lot. Second chances don't come by that easily unless someone was dealing with Audrey miller, some called her naive others thought she was just stupid to believe snakes actually change after shedding their skins.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that"
"Forgiven"
"That easy?"
"Yeah, I'm going to talk to Tina and see how we can help you"
"That's a dead end. There's a snowballs chance in hell she can be part of that. Good luck and good day"
"I'm still going to try, good day too"
When he went back on his bike he tried to wave at Ivy, she didn't wave back instead she just glared at him. Cold and remorseless. He knew he deserved it even though he couldn't get why she was finding it so hard to let it go when the direct victim of his stupid actions had chosen to forgive him.
"Are you in love with him? Clearly he is not asking for your help but you're insisting"
"Compassion"
"This will ruin you and Tina's friendship. Make a choice, don't dig up snakes you can't kill"
"Haven't you been the one warning me against Tina"
"Yes, all of them are shitty people but Tina is a lesser asshole than that guy. Why can't you see it?"
"Our experiences shape us, we don't choose what we are but we can always work on improving and getting out of that shadow and to do that we need someone to believe in us"
"Damn! I hate it when you go Solomon on me"
That's how Ivy gave up trying to warn her against Sean, it was a battle lost. There was not much she could do to paint that picture of Sean being a troublemaker, a walking incarnation of pain and suffering. She had that feeling, all she hoped was Audrey saw it sooner. As for Audrey, the mother Teresa in her still saw a chance to help Sean, yeah even at the expense of her friendship with Tina that's if she was going to be hard to reason with. One would have thought she didn't have enough problems on her plate already. Behind that confidence was a scared version of Audrey, if indeed it was true then it was definitely going to change everything. Especially since there were high chances she lied and assassinated Sean’s character.
Students, workers and teachers at the prestigious Bridgetown High were walking from the parking lot to their respective stations. The mood in the air was great, most of them were still riding on the wave of that win the previous day, and also, the half term was around the corner, a few days off school work and academic pressure. Ivy and Audrey joined the bandwagon of students, the first stop they made was at Ivy's class, she kissed her cheek goodbye and joined her classmates. As though Tina was just waiting in the shadows she showed up immediately with her old trick of covering Audrey’s eyes from behind.
"Good morning thick b***h"
"Good morning Tina you've been scarce" she said turning around to face her, "you look like you've been up all night are you okay?"
"You can tell that from a single look?"
"Yes, are you okay?"
"I'm good"
"Meet me at break time we have something important to discuss"
Tina felt her heart drop in her belly, a cold shiver hit her body and a weird mixture of adrenaline and fear took over. Had she finally found out? Found out what really? Secrets on secrets and the end was a painful experience, always.
"Are we okay?"
To make her feel comfortable she smiled. It didn't work because Tina knew Audrey was terrible at showing emotions. She could smile to even those who openly hated her.
"We're good. Now go"
"Are you sure?"
"Don't sweat it" she assured and pat her on the back.
*****
For Mason and the rest of the soccer team, it was a celebratory week and that morning when he walked in class limping he found a standing ovation waiting, dudes were ready to shake his hand and give compliments while ladies lined up for warm hugs and God he longed to feel their porky sharp-pointed erect teenage n*****s on his chest and the mixture of different colognes. Lucky for him he was wearing jeans and that boner wasn't going to show.
"Thank you so much guys, I couldn't have had it any better"
"Man, you were great yesterday" the captain said helping him to his seat.
"Thanks man, but it was a team effort"
"Well, the team is built around you. Like your idols... how's the leg holding up?"
"Great"
"You seem like you want to say something but you can’t somehow, why?"
"It's nothing men, don't worry"
"Order!" The life skills teacher Mr. Greenwood showed up with a bunch of books under his armpit, "Mason, how's the magic foot?”
"It’s okay sir I can play again soon"
"We all hope so, now, to today's class"
The next forty-five minutes saw the teacher emotionally and unknowingly banter Mason, everything he said seemed to be attacking him directly and he couldn't stop thinking of Audrey and how his bet with the team captain was affecting her. He kept stealing glances outside and at the cap until the teacher noticed.
"Mason, are you in love with the team captain?"
The class burst into a thunderous laughter, it was not sarcasm there it was stupidly outrageous to say that since everyone knew he was a playboy who had minds of girls under his control.
"No sir, am straight as a die"
"Then why were you looking at him like an eighth wonder of the world"
"I had no idea he was looking at me sir. But for clarification purposes am also straight" The captain made them laugh even louder.
In another coincidence the two friends who had just been accused of being love outside the pitch shot their hands up- in the field they were like some sort of a jig-saw fit, one couldn't work well without the other. One was dangerous, working together they were catastrophic to the opponent.
"Couples move in sync" a guy from the back shouted. The class laughed again and surely those who had lost their concentration had every reason to smile as it slowly crept back.
"Our love is on the pitch; can I use the bathroom sir?"
"Sure, and you Mason, what is it you wanted?"
"Bathroom" he said shyly sending the class into another frenzy, this one had Greenwood also laughing his head off. In fact, he chose to call off the lesson and donate the three minutes of his time to the first period. The moment he left cap walked to Mason's desk.
"Dude, what the f**k?"
"My bad, he was literally talking about what am doing to Audrey man" he whispered looking around just in case their secret landed in the wrong ears, "I'm getting cold feet"
"Why? You love her?"
"Hell no"
"Then what? You got only a few days to the end of the deal man hang in there. There's a dance coming up after the break use it to meet your end of the deal and I'll sweeten the pot"
"What are we talking? Hopefully worth my lack of sleep at night"
"Don't worry, just get the job done dude. We're going to be great friends"
"We're friends, what's up with you man"
"Chill, you got this unless you want me to tell the guys you couldn't do it"
Ruin his reputation in the locker room? That would have proved to be catastrophic. And without his fame and social stature Mason would have felt empty, like the weird talking captain said it was just a matter of days and that dance was going to be the climax of his entire plot.
"Don't"
"Then make Audrey Miller fall in love with you. You have ten days if you want more just say it can be arranged, we're family...soccer family"
He was going to deal with the captain’s weirdness later, now that he was a man out of time he chose to get to work immediately. When the bell rang he shoved his books in his backpack, the last stop in mind was Audrey's class. He didn't have to get there, good news she was right in front of her, bad news she was right in front of her in close proximity with another girl he was involved in. What's that name we call her? The mystery girl? Yeah that one, she was just around the garden.
"Argh! f**k, I don't have time" he growled punching his head.
"Dude" Lucas said joining him from behind.
"What's up bro? You good? How's that deal coming up homie?"
"Great man it went well. The guy has legit goods but my parent’s kind of found out thanks to my loudmouth cousin it's a shame I won't be doing more business with him"
"No hard feelings bro, it’s not good for you anyway"
"What were you doing standing here? Let's grab something at the canteen that's if you can walk"
"I can it's actually helpful for my healing"
Mason had to abort mission, unwillingly. Audrey was still on his mind.
- Writer
