Favored by Indivia

18

Chapter Eighteen

In which she sees a snippet of her sister’s world.

-

[Ross Pagette Monstine.]

I needed time to talk to Clara.

Frankly, I could send an email or text—that would have been easy rather than marching through the entire campus without a plan in mind. However, I do not have her number and I do not even know where to start to look for her email address. That being said, I was forced to look for her by my own means.

By my own means, I meant jogging around their building.

Walking around the campus and spotting someone you never wanted to meet seemed so easy before—and now that you needed to see that person, it became so hard to even see a sliver of their hair flowing through the sea of students going around the hallway. I thought asking for her would be easy since she is a student council officer.

However, I was f*****g wrong.

I didn’t actually know how busy their day was, as their designated room is practically empty most of the time. At these type of situation, I feel like I needed to call Ryli and asked her for Clara’s personal information. Of course, that would be impossible since I didn’t want my sister to be aware of what was happening.

“Hey, it’s Ryli’s little sister,” a soft voice called up to me, making me confused.

Another popped to the side, looking in the same manner as the blonde one. “Are you lost? This is a different department.”

“I doubt she is that stupid,” says another.

Standing before me are a group of men that I had never seen before. Of course, that was expected since I do not visit this department nor I have been involved with any of the students that learn here. The one who spoke so casually to me seemed to know me well though—well, judging by how he addressed me.

But I was sure I do not know of him.

His hair was slicked back, and a uniform that fits my sister’s course. Ryli never introduced any man from the family, so I don’t understand how he knows of me.

“What makes you visit our building? Looking for your sister?”

I bite back the snarl. While I know they were being friendly, it is just particularly hard for me to speak with men so casually. Much to my dismay, I do have social anxiety. Having their group looking at me with expectant eyes were hard enough as it is. I could hardly think at their disposal.

“Actually, I need to find Clara Nueza. Is she in class?” I answered, after a soft pause.

“Clara?” Another man pipped in the conversation, looking at me all confused. When he seemed to realize who I was, the man looked worried—or actually, a tad concerned. He pulled the lollipop swirling inside his mouth to ask. “Do tell. Did the vixen offer you a nice treat, and only now did you finally realized she’s up to something?”

I paused, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Ah,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You didn’t realize.”

“Sebastian, pipe down,” the others mentioned, nudging him away from the conversation.

Sebastian, as I had heard, only shrugged and looked away. I didn’t understand what he was pertaining, as I doubt Clara did anything of the sort. While Elizabeth mentioned how Clara had a small gossip about how she always fancied using other people for her own benefit, I didn’t understand how getting me into the competition helps her in any way.

Then again, maybe he thought that I was those people.

“No…” I muttered, looking at the person standing in front of me. “I just need to talk to her. Does anyone know where she could possibly be?”

The man shrugged. “Clara is excused earlier in the morning. So, I don’t think we’ll be seeing her on campus today.”

“Then, what time is your class tomor—”

“She doesn’t have a schedule tomorrow,” Sebastian answered the question, looking at me with the same concern in his eyes. “And probably for the whole week. The organization is arranging something. I doubt that you’ll be seeing her for a while.”

What the f**k.

I know that I could simply inform Matthias about the sudden change of plans, but I know that he still needed to confirm things with Clara. I am not sure if changing things would damage the schedule that Matthias is balancing for a while. That is why I wanted to talk with her first since she was the one to who Matthias asked for help.

“Thanks,” I sighed, showing my gratitude. “Have a good day.”

One man pipped in. “You can ask for her number. She might be busy but she always answers her phone,” he paused, noticing that he was gathering some stares, “at least, that is what I am told.”

“Can I ask…”

“Oh, we don’t have her number,” the man with the blonde hair answered, ushering them to the door behind them. “Ryli has her number, but she’s not present. You can ask Sadie.”

Sadie Mauve.

She’s part of the trio that my sister has on campus. I offer them a soft thank you, as they walked away from me. Eyes following around the room, I spot a familiar brunette. I wasn’t sure why they mentioned that Ryli isn’t in the room when I could see her back clearly from here.

Are they just f*****g with me?

The second that the woman stood up, I realized how wrong I was. The person I thought was my sister, is Sadie Mauve. She used to have long black hair, but now it seemed like she dyed it in the same shade as my sister… and apparently, even has her signature bangs.

Even the way she dressed looked exactly like how Ryli would style it.

That’s… f*****g creepy.

I do admit that my friends copy my sister—but to an extent. From what it looks like, they are mostly giving off an inspiration vibe rather than copying. Sadie, to how it looks like, is obviously a living photocopy of my sister’s style and hair.

“S…Sadie,” I called, gathering her attention. The second she spots me, I feel slightly weirded out by how even the lines of her face mimicked how Ryli offers a smile. I never realized this before, but I don’t think my sister is in the right group of people.

“Hi, Ross. It’s new to see you in our building. Are you looking for Ryli?” She asked.

I shook my head, pushing away just how f*****g creepy it is standing so close to her. While I knew that my sister has many who copies her style, it was f*****g weird to see them in person.

“Clara, actually,” I answered, fighting the need to flinch away from her. “I am looking for Clara. I have something that I needed to talk about with her, so I was hoping to have her number.”

Sadie beamed. What used to be gloomy and downcasted eyes were now looking at me straight. The bangs covered a fraction of her eyebrows, and if you weren’t paying attention so openly—I could see how many would think she was Ryli for a second.

Then again, would easily spot that it’s a different person.

“Oh, I can do that,” she says, offering her phone in my direction. I saw how Ryli’s picture was her lock screen wallpaper. There was a second of terror that I had in the back of my mind. While I had seen others use her as their screensavers, this was the first that I felt off seeing all of these.

How can Ryli stay sane in this situation?

I would never have been fine seeing my friend blatantly copying everything I’m doing.

“Here you are,” Sadie offered her phone, letting me copy the number flashed on the screen. The second that I did, I offered her a small thanks. “You’re welcome, Little Ross.”

…what?

Clearly dismissing her words, I excused myself. Little Ross is a nickname that Ryli used when we were young. I hardly never heard those words from her ever since we drifted apart. Hearing her say the words, while she looked like my sister spooked me so bad.

Why do I feel like the situation I’ve walked myself into is nothing but a nightmare fuel?

“Hello?” Clara answered the phone, her calm voice vibrating on the other side of the phone.

“Hi, this is Ross. I asked your number from Sadie.”

There was a pause from her, followed by her excusing herself from a possible group of people that she was currently with. “Ross Monstine? That’s new. Is there something wrong that you needed to contact me?”

“I didn’t sign anything that finalized everything with the competition, right? I don’t think that I could—”

“That’s slightly selfish of you, don’t you think?” My body flinched at the words, confused by how she was phrasing everything. The words felt like venom, piercing through my chest. I normally hear her professional voice, so I don’t think being surprised when hearing such things wouldn’t be a problem. “Are you possibly declining the offer after the weeks you’ve played the role? Did you find your inspiration, and don’t see the need to give me the end of the bargain?”

“Clara, I’m sorry but—”

“I don’t think I can work with that, Ross.”

A sigh escaped my lips. It was true that at the end of the day, I did get something from this. Suddenly dropping everything, even one that doesn’t involve someone in what I wanted to achieve doesn’t particularly feel fair Clara.

“I’ll still enter the competition, Clara. The only thing that I wanted to end is the lessons with Matthias, maybe he could work it out in another schedule?” I compromised. Even if I didn’t want my art to be judged and scored by whoever the f**k was appointed, I had no other choice but to do so.

After all, I did make a promise.

“And what am I supposed to do with Matthias? He has the lessons in his timetable for until the next three months, Ross.”

All the kindness that she had offered before is now simply out of the window. I didn’t know if she was really using that small lever of vulnerability that I have so she could have someone replace the person they have for the competition—or she was just f*****g stressed.

Either way, I could not believe these were Ryli’s friends. Maybe I had only received good things from my friends because they were being accommodated to me—but I f*****g doubt that I would hear such things from my friends, or even saw them as f*****g creepy as whatever the f**k Sadie was doing.

Ryli must f*****g hate being near these people.

Why is she even friends with them?

“I apologize, but I could—”

“Ross, I advise that you think about this through for the weekend. You’re all heading back to your folks tomorrow, right? Please be careful about your decision. I am glad you wanted to continue the competition, but I don’t think I can do anything about Matthias.”

By then, I couldn’t even say anything.

Clara shut the phone without giving me a second to say anything. I knew that the problem with Matthias is a hard conversation to follow. It is the reason why I wanted to talk to Clara, as I needed to check if there is something he could do about it. As much as it is hard to admit, I knew that Matthias would let me leave the second I told him I didn’t want to continue the lesson.

However, I would hate to make things complicated for him.

“Ah,” I paused, looking at the person who made the noise. Standing before me is someone I am not familiar with. Dressed in a uniform I had not seen before, she was looking at me expectantly. With a bright smile, she greeted me. “You must be Ryli’s little sister. It’s good to finally meet you! You’re really pretty!”

…who?

I tilted my head to the side, confused about how she knew of me. I wasn’t aware that other people outside my course—or my sister’s would know me. She couldn’t probably be an Engineering student as I am sure that’s not their uniform. Before she could say anything, someone else caught her attention from the back.

“Joaquin, you—” she paused, looking behind him. “Where’s Ryli?”

He paused, eyes catching mine. There seemed to be a second of hesitation from him, as if not wanting me to be aware of the answer. “The usual place,” he uttered. I don’t know what it meant, or where that place is. I do notice how the woman standing before me seemed to flinch.

I was confused about what was happening.

Ryli never mentioned anyone in her circle other than Clara and Sadie. To see new faces seemed new, and two who seemed to know me well enough. The woman might have noticed that I was still there, as she sighed.

“Sorry for keeping you, Ross.” She mentioned, before walking past me.

The man, who she had paused to ask offered me the same look before walking toward the woman. I don’t really understand what was going on—but I just knew how weird it was to step into the world that my sister always does.

Seriously.

What kind of f*****g world does she live in?

Then again, I have always been aware that lawyers are usually one who likes to hide sensitive information. The woman might not be studying to become a lawyer, but I could very much see that the man—Joaquin—is.

What’s happening to you, Ryli?

She mentioned that she had people following her around one time, but her tone felt like it was in a joking manner. Of course, Ryder followed her every night after that but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Seeing new people get involved with her is not particularly new. I had seen many who displayed the same exact actions from before.

However, those two people seemed genuinely worried about her.

Do I need to inform Ryder about this?