Chapter 25


    Belle''s POV


    "You got us all worried B!"


    "I''m sorry A. I miss you so much!"


    "I miss you B. Let''s go inside."


    We are inside Amy''s room. Dn hurriedly cooked dinner for us while Amy and I are on her bed


    cuddling each other.


    "You have lost too much weight. You look like you have not eaten for like forever. What happened to


    you B?"


    I remember everything that has happened to me. I asked the heavens what I have done wrong to


    deserve all these. I sob. Amy knows that I''m not ready to talk about what happened yet. I feel like my


    whole body has been mmed a hundred times to the wall. My eyes are tired and my heart is


    shattered into pieces.


    The following days Amy and Dn did their best to make sure I ate and regain my strength. My


    bestfriend looks exactly the same thest time I saw her. Her straight brte hair, skinny figure and


    those charming eyes did not change a bit. Amy''s dad is half Chinese, while Dn''s dad is American.


    One can never tell that these two are half-siblings.


    "B open your mouth."


    "I''m not hungry. I want to sleep."


    "You are going to sleep after you have eaten. Now open you pretty mouth."


    I tried to cover my mouth with my hand.


    "Okay then we are all going on a hunger strike. You won''t eat? We will all not eat."


    I can''t believe she''s using this trick again. Dn just looks at us in amusement.


    I slowly remove my hands from my mouth.


    "Good, because if that did not work, I will be forced to call your parents. We''ll see who''s ass is going to


    be dragged back home."


    I love Amy but she can be so hard on me sometimes.


    ~


    My eyes flickered from the ray of lighting from outside. My head still feels heavy, my legs feel like I


    ran a marathon, and my eyes don''t seem like opening at all.


    I slowly walk out of the room barefoot. Nobody is in the living room or in the kitchen. I decided to go


    outside to breathe some fresh air. I walk towards the main door, all the way out. I want to feel the grass


    on my feet so I took several steps towards thewn. I stood still and savored the feeling that I''m


    grounded to the earth. I can feel the cool breeze on my cheeks. I look at the skies above. The clouds


    are moving calmly.


    Suddenly I feel droplets of water touch my face. The sprinkler went on slowly soaking me wet.


    I see from the corner of my eye a familiar silhouette and the familiar ck car, but everything is a blur. I


    took a step forward but the water is getting in my eyes so I try to wipe it off.


    Secondster, I saw Dn park his bike on the street. He hurriedly ran towards my direction.


    "Belle! What are you doing outside?"


    Dn quickly grabbed me. He carried me in his arms back inside and back to bed. He wiped my face


    and body with a white towel.


    "Amy''sing. She just went to the hospital to file for a leave of absence so she can take care of you.


    Belle, you have to keep it together. It''s not the end of your world. There are a lot of people who loves


    you. There are people who protects you Belle."


    "Hey am I interrupting something here?" Amy is at the door. She''s carrying a grocery bag and she


    looks puzzled. "B, why are you soaked?" Amy paced towards the bed hurriedly.


    "I''ll just prepare our lunch." Dn quickly left the room.


    "B, tell me what happened to you." Amy said while changing my clothes.


    "Niki never loved me. He never loved me A."


    "B. I''m so sorry." Amy hugged me tight.


    "He told me himself. He just yed me."


    "Well, fuck him! It''s his loss B. You are the sexiest, coolest, kindest, smartest, most amazing woman in


    this whole damn world. Assholes like him don''t deserve you."


    "Apparently, I was not very smart A."


    "Good point, being smart goes down the drain when ites to love. All is fair in love and war B."


    "Have you been drinking? Why do you sound like a love guru all of a sudden?" She just brushes off my


    "Let me guess, he said he did not love you after getting what he wants from you am I right? The basic


    dickhead move. I have seen that many times, B."


    "We did not do it A."


    Amy gasped in surprise.


    "You mean, nothing happened between the two of you? B, it''s when the penis of a guy goes inside your


    vagina."


    I gave her a duh look.


    "I know how it works."


    "Wow..sure he said he yed you but normal assholes would have taken the ultimate price before


    screwing over. It''s weird and so gentlemanly of him.."


    "Whose side are you in again A?"


    "I''m just wondering. Anywho, you have no choice but to move forward with your life, B. You will go back


    to St. Mary''s and we will find a rebound for you. My brother...he likes you. What do you think?"


    She has a wicked look on her face.


    Dn likes me?


    "A! Shut up!"


    "What? I''d rather you end up with my brother, who by the way has changed a lot, than with any other


    guy I will find for you along the way."


    I just shook my head.


    "You will not intervene with my love-life. Remember that time you hook me up with George?"


    "In all fairness to me B, he really looked like a straight guy."


    "And Oswald. Marco. Jun. Joaquin. Benjamin. Ernesto. And oh, Louise." I count with my finger in each


    name.


    "They were all just fine and nice too. A banker, a basketball yer, a soldier, a pilot, and a politician.


    But no, they were all not good enough for you B."


    "That''s not true. Just no rebound for me A, no gay blind dates, no any other dates that you can think


    of." Amy ignores me and continues to walk out of the room.


    "Yadda yadda yadda, say what B?"


    "You heard me."


    Her head then quickly appeared on the door.


    "You have two options B, my brother or I find you a date."


    "What option am I in?" Dn appeared with a tray of food.


    I heard Amy let out her evilugh. I''m so gonna strangle that woman.


    "Uh, nothing Dy."


    ~


    I came back teaching at St. Mary''s. I really miss my kids. The smile on their faces when they saw me


    back is priceless. Stephanie, the one who would always pin flowers on my head was the one who


    greeted me first with glee. She''s an orphan with down syndrome. I just can''t imagine where these kids


    would go if donations would stoping at St. Mary''s.


    "Belle? Can I talk to you in my office?" It''s Dr. Riley Thomas.


    "Sure."


    I see a guy in his thirties in ck suit, he is wearing a distinctly designed ring in his middle finger, sitting


    across Dr. Thomas'' chair.


    "Belle, I would like you to meet Mr. Dardan Geci, his boss is one of the most generous donors of St


    Mary''s, Mr. Geci this is Belle, one of the best teachers in this school.


    Mr. Geci stood up and shook my hand. I shook it back.


    "Nice to meet you Belle."


    "Nice to meet you too Mr. Geci."


    "Please, call me Dardan."


    "Please take a seat Belle." Dr. Thomas instructed me.


    "Mr. Geci is here to offer you a job."


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Ms. Belle, my boss is looking for a personal tutor for his daughter. She''s a five year old girl. Her name


    is Aria. Her condition is quite delicate. You see, when her mother died two years ago, she just suddenly


    went silent. His father can''t be with him all the time that''s why we would like to hire your services. "


    "I hope you don''t mind me saying but I think what the girl needs is a child psychologist and not just a


    tutor."


    "We have done all possible avenues to help her, but nothing happened, in fact we think we might have


    worsened her condition. My boss decided to find her someone she can be with and home school her at


    the same time. Your qualification is ster and the rmendation of Dr. Riley Thomas makes you


    perfect for the job. You will bepensated well if you ept the offer."


    "Mr. Geci, I have work in the morning here at St. Mary''s. I won''t be able to spend the whole day with


    her if ever I decide to ept the offer."


    "We understand, that is why we have arranged that you will be homeschooling her the rest of the


    afternoon, after that, it''s up to you if you leave early orte at night until my Boss arrives. Either way,


    you will bepensated in proportion to the time you spend at my Boss''s house. Ms. Belle, we will


    give you until tomorrow to think about it. We do hope you ept the offer."


    ~


    Dn is in the garage, working on an old car. He doesn''t have shirt on, he''s wearing his usual rugged


    jeans.


    "Hey Dy, I made you sandwich and juice." I ce the food beside him.


    "Wow, thanks Belle. How''s work at St.Mary''s?" Dn is wiping his hands with a towel,


    "It was great, I had another job offer, and I think I am going to consider it."


    "That''s good news Belle. I''m happy for you."


    I came close to Dn and saw the pendant I gave him.


    "You''re still wearing this." I held the pendant with my fingers. Dn took a step closer enough for me to


    smell Dn''s breath. Dammit. Why does he still smell good with sweat and all?


    The veins on his hands show underneath his skin. He held my chin while his face tilts down. I can feel


    that he is waiting for my reaction. I did not move. I allowed him to slowly reach my lips.