What She Concealed

by Jannat Bhat

  When they arrived at the farmhouse, Julian couldn’t stop staring at how divine Eliana looked in her elegant off-shoulder maroon gown with her hair in an updo, a few rogue strands kissing her bare neck and shoulders. She hadn’t forgotten his favorite color. Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off Naomi in her flowing black dress. Her fiery red hair that contrasted perfectly with the darkness of her dress made her look like an avenging angel. Carter was busy eating and waiting for the newly married couple to arrive. The guys had cleaned themselves well and were looking striking in their black suits. It hadn’t escaped Eliana and Naomi’s notice that Julian and Ethan were by far the most handsome men present at the reception.

  Once the function had begun and was in full swing with Nicole’s brother giving out a heartfelt speech, Julian stole Eliana to have a moment alone with his girl.

  “You look perfect tonight, Elly.” He said as the voices and music faded behind him.

  “I’m far from perfect, Julian. You know that.” She said, her hand in his. “I have as many flaws as a person can have.”

  “It’s your imperfections that make you perfect for me.” He said, sliding the fallen silky strand of hair behind her ear. “God knows how lucky I am. I also have something for you.”

  “Yeah?” She asked, delighted. “What is it?”

  Julian removed a small square box from inside his dinner jacket and gave it to her. Opening it, she saw an antique-looking bracelet with tiny rubies studded in it. Eliana gasped at how elegant it was. “Julian, this is . . .”

  “Do you like it?” He asked, wanting to please her.

  “I love it! It looks . . .”

  “Old?”

  “Antique.” She said gliding her fingers over the stones.

  “It’s a family heirloom. My mother had passed it to me before, you know, she left.” He said taking the bracelet from the box and slid it around Eliana’s slender wrist. “She asked me to give it to the woman who would own me. Mind, body and soul.” He took her hand and laid a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist. “Even after my mother left and my dad gave up on me, I’ve never been lonely. Not before you came into my life, Elly. Now all I want is you around me, all the damn time.” Eliana’s throat was tight with emotion and she couldn’t say anything in return. “I, Julian Rivera am going to spend the rest of my life with you, Eliana Bennett.” He gave her a kiss across the cheek.

  “Thank you, Julian.” She said, finding her voice.

  “Let’s go. You owe me a dance.” He said.

  “It would be my pleasure dancing with you.” Eliana’s love for him made her glow brighter than the stars. They shared a tender moment more before making their way back to the reception.

  A month flew by in a blur along with friendly bonds and romance in the air. On Valentine’s Day, Eliana was alone at her locker and Julian came straight to her. “Hey, what’s that behind you?” He asked.

  “What?” Eliana turned to her locker but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, except one thing which she had bought and gift wrapped for Julian.

  “Ah, I see. It’s all the stuff that you need before we elope together.” Julian nods. “Because Daddy Bennett would never approve of us.”

  “Wouldn’t he?” She arched an eyebrow.

  “It would be quite understanding if we just dump it on him too soon.” He said.

  “Can you stop and listen to me for a second,” Eliana said getting the gift she had for him out of her locker. “Here, it’s your Valentine's present.” She smiled at him.

  “Would you look at that? Eliana Bennett got something for me.” He said dramatically but gave her a wide grin. “Aren’t I so blessed?” He opened it to see a plush dark emerald sweater resting in his hands. “This is perfect. Thank you, Elly.” He said, running his hand over the material. A look passed his face but was gone before she could decipher it.

  “If we’re ever apart from each other, just promise to remember me with this. At least you can wear that and feel close to me.” She said.

  “I just hope to never be apart from you, Elly.” He moved forward and kissed her gently.

  Eliana blushed prettily and then started looking around and tapping his jacket and jeans pocket. Then he went to look inside his locker. “What are you looking for?” He asked, with a glint in his eyes.

  “Where’s my gift?” She asked.

  “Oh, was I supposed to get you one too?” He asked innocently. Eliana folded her arms and turned away, pouting.

  Julian grinned and removed a piece of jewelry from his pocket. It was a stunning silver anklet with a tiny bell. Closing their lockers, he took Eliana’s hand and made way to the backside entry, making her sit on the stairs. “How could I forget your gift when I’ve been waiting to give this to you for days?” He took her right foot and gently hooked the chain around her ankle. Eliana’s face broke into a loving smile which she directed at her beloved’s face.

  “Why an anklet?” She was curious.

  “So I can find you whenever you need me.” Julian said.

  “It’s so pretty.” She said touching the little bell that made a tinkling sound on the slightest movement.

  “Pretty things for a pretty girl.” He kissed her ankle before standing back up. They went back inside and Naomi and Ethan chose that moment to appear.

  “How many times have I told you not to show me your stupid unlucky face in the morning?” Naomi huffed. “If I end up dying, it’s on you.” Julian and Eliana opened their lockers to get the books for their first period.

  “It wasn’t my face you saw, Clark. It was the mirror. You’d understand the difference if you were educated.” Ethan retorted back. “Maybe stick my picture on the mirror next time. You’ll have a great day. I promise.”

  Things were going perfectly for the two new lovers until then, it was the time Julian found Naomi crying alone in the library that started a whirlwind of disaster. At least for him. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, sitting next to her. She kept crying her eyes out. “Naomi, what’s going on?” He nudged her.

  “I’m in trouble, Julian.” She hiccupped, trying to explain.

  “Trouble? What kind of trouble?” He asked looking at her in concern. She was a blubbering mess with her long curly hair going in all directions.

  “It’s my parents!” She wailed aloud. Julian was thankful that they were at a far corner or people would have rushed to them in alarm hearing Naomi make sounds of a dying whale.

  “Uh, okay? What’s the problem with them? Why are you freaking out?” He asked.

  “You don’t understand, Julian,” Naomi said.

  “Then make me. Are your parents mobsters?” He joked lightheartedly.

  “They didn’t know I was at Imperial High. Being from the south side, you how things are, Julian. My parents hate everything on the north. They found out that I’ve been coming here instead of Fortuna High in the south.” She hiccupped. “They think I’ll go off and marry a northsider and now they want to me to drop everything and stop coming here or they’ll cut me off. I make just enough money to pay my rent and scrape by! We have just one more semester left, dropping out now would be a disaster!” She cried harder. “My life is at stake here.”

  “Can they do that?” Julian frowned. Why are parents so cold hearted? He thought.

  “My parents can!” She started to become hysterical.

  “Okay, okay, calm down. We’ll think of a solution.” Julian said. “Does anyone else know about this?”

  “Not yet. My parents are coming to my flat to celebrate my birthday the day after. You guys need to be there, you know for moral support at least.” Naomi said with her head in her hands. Her hair was such a mess that Julian couldn’t even see her face properly.

  “Maybe we can ask someone from the south to pretend to be your boyfriend? We could tell them that he goes to Imperial High too. It could make your parents back off and leave you alone for a while.” Julian suggested. “At least until you finish the year. What do you think?”

&n
bsp; Naomi whipped her head towards him. “You’re right! It could work. But who?” She asked.

  “I have a friend. Let me talk to him and I’ll get back to you.” Julian told her.

  “Thank you so much, Julian. You’re the best!” She grabbed him in a grateful hug.

  Julian patted her. Naomi was like a little sister he never wanted. He’ll do anything he can to help her out of this mess. So he called Gabriel, a friend from his neighborhood and explained the situation to him. Gabriel agreed to meet up with him and Naomi the next afternoon at Naomi’s place. But when he didn’t show due to unforeseen circumstances, Naomi freaked because her parents had called and said they’re coming to see her a day early. “He’s still not answering! I’ve already told them that my boyfriend will be around!” Naomi shook Julian in frustration.

  Julian explained to her about Gabriel’s schedule change at work. “We could tell them that he’s busy and that he’ll meet them tomorrow at the party.”

  “You don’t know my parents. They’ll know something is up. They always do!” She was jumping in place from trepidation and was looking out the window at an older couple and a teenage girl, also a redhead, making their way out of the car and towards the building. “I’m sorry Julian, but you’re my only option now.”

  “What?” Julian asked but she was already moving forward to buzz her parents and younger sister inside.

  “Mom. Dad. Nicole.” Naomi said greeting her family and pointed at her friend. “This is Julian, my boyfriend. He’s from the south side too.” Julian jerked his face towards Naomi as her parents took him in an overly friendly hug while she looked at him apologetically and joined her hands begging him to cooperate. “Julian, these are my parents and sister.” Her family was giving Julian an approving look.

  “Uh, Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” He said, unwillingly. When he had a minute alone with her in the small kitchen, he whispered furiously, “What the hell, Naomi? This is not what we agreed on.”

  “I know, Julian. But I had no choice since your friend was a no show. And it’s not like you have a girlfriend who would mind.” She whispered back.

  “Not the point, Naomi. I’m not for hire.” Julian was furious. Eliana’s face came to mind and he knew she could never find out about this. She was a sensitive girl and this would destroy the gentle balance of their relationship. “Tell them the truth right now or I will.”

  “Please Julian. Please help me out with this. It’s just for a couple of days. They’ll be gone by tomorrow night.” Naomi’s eyes blurred with tears. “You would be saving my life future. I’ll owe you for life!” Julian wanted to refuse her with every bone in his body. He remembered how tortured he’d been when Eliana had been mad and he didn’t want to hurt her or go through that hell again. “Please, Julian.” Naomi wiped her tears before they could fall, aware of her parent’s eyes on them.

  “Fine. But no one finds out about this, Naomi.” He warned. “I mean it, no one.”

  “I swear. This will remain between us.” She promised, nodding her head vigorously.

  That evening, Julian had to spend time having dinner with Naomi and her family, concocting lies about how he and Naomi fell in love and started dating as the night went by. He felt uneasy about this whole thing as if a dark cloud had resided over his head. When Eliana called him, he detested that he had to lie about where he was and what he was doing. All he told her was that he was helping a friend and hung up in a hurry. It was better than making up more lies.

  Naomi was having the party at her apartment to celebrate her birthday but she was less than enthusiastic about it after she found that her parents would be around. She was still thankful to have all her friends from school with her. So much that she even appreciated Ethan being there. But when Naomi’s parents were talking to Ethan about Julian, it seemed like the worst idea to have invited him.

  “How do you know Julian?” Ethan asked her parents, warily. Naomi’s mom talking about Julian was the last thing he had expected.

  “We met him yesterday.” Mrs. Clark said. “A lovely boy, and handsome too. Such impeccable manners.”

  “I’m sure you’ve heard about him. He’s in the same year as you and Naomi. Imperial High, is it? That is where they said they met and fell in love.” Mr. Clark said.

  “Fell in love?” Ethan choked on his drink. An unfamiliar feeling of jealousy crept upon him and he wanted to break the glass he held. Preferably on Julian’s face. What, when and how did that happen? He wondered. What the hell is this?

  “Yes.” Mrs. Clark continued. “Isn’t it romantic? And the best part is what they told us at dinner last night, that they’re planning a future together. I couldn’t be happier for my girl. She’s all grown up” Mrs. Clark looked gleefully at her husband. Both their daughters had taken after their mother in appearance.

  “Future?” Ethan couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “Yes. He’s a sensible man snatching away our Naomi before anyone one. You seem like a good boy too, Ethan and I’m sure I’ve seen you around in the south, but it looked like she was wooed away before you had a chance.” Mr. Clark slapped Ethan on the back.

  “Um, excuse me, I have to go, uh, give Julian my good wishes.” Ethan said and wandered the apartment looking for Julian. He found him in the kitchen looking at Eliana with a lover’s gaze. Ethan had his suspicions that his nemesis and Eliana had feelings for one another but then what the hell was Julian doing having dinner with Naomi’s parents? And what was that shit about future planning?

  “Julian.” He said roughly. Julian turned his face to find Ethan looking heatedly at him.

  “Ethan, what do you want?” He drawled.

  “What’s going on between you and Naomi?” He asked.

  Julian quickly looked at Eliana who was immersed in a conversation with Carter a few feet away. He took Ethan’s arm and led him away where she wouldn’t hear them. “What do you mean?” He asked Ethan.

  “I know her parents’ think you’re in love and future planning which I know isn’t true seeing the way you keep looking at Eliana. So tell me what the hell is happening?”

  Julian’s clenched his teeth. “Answer me, Julian, why do her parents think you’re her boyfriend? Why did you go to meet them here? Why were you having dinner with them last night?” Ethan fired his questions relentlessly. He had to know. “Are you actually dating Naomi?”

  Julian looked at Naomi who was talking to her sister Nicole. He couldn’t tell Ethan the truth and betray Naomi. He couldn’t risk telling him either way if there was a chance word might reach Eliana.

  “I swear to God, Julian if you hurt Naomi . . .” Ethan threatened.

  “You need to learn to mind your own business, Bailey. If Naomi wanted you to know, you’d know.” Julian said before going back to the party. Ethan wasn’t having it so he decided to talk to Naomi next, but before he could, the party attendees decided to start dancing with partners. It was a mystery style with dimmed lights where every few minutes you changed your partner so you get to know a lot more people than usual. It was Naomi’s way of socializing. Ethan could barely see who he was dancing within the shadows, so he asked every partner if it was Naomi.

  “Geez, Ethan, I’m surprised to see you on the dance floor,” Naomi said when she had finally reached his arms.

  “I’m not here to dance. I need to talk to you about Julian.” He said immediately.

  “And here I thought that you knew how to have fun.” She said, trying not to step on him. “My bad.”

  “You need to stay away from him,” Ethan warned ignoring her comments.

  “And why would I do that?” Naomi was surprised at Ethan’s topic of discussion. What did he know? Had Julian said something to him? She thought.

  “He’s not good for you.” He said swaying her to the music.

  “And you are?” She challenged.

  “I’m serious, Clark.” Could she not see that Julian wasn’t right for her? She needed someone more mature to handle a f
ree spirit like her. ‘Someone like me,’ said a distant voice in his head.

  “So am I. Now keep quiet and concentrate on not stepping all over my feet.” She said as the partners twirled apart and Naomi went to the next one with Eliana coming to Ethan. She was having a good time slow dancing and Julian whispering words of love in her ear. It was soon time to change partners and she went to Ethan whom she recognized when he started speaking. And what he said to her shook her world. Ethan had completely forgotten about the rules of the game and thought that it was Naomi back in his arms and that was the only reason he continued talking.

  “Be careful who you go around with.” He said. “Julian is not who you think he is. I don’t know what’s between the two of you but I do know for a fact that he’ll use and discard you at his convenience. He’s done it to countless women before you.” Eliana was instantly maddened at hearing Ethan assassinating Julian’s character. “No one knows him better than I do and it’s because I respect you as a peer, Clark, that I felt the need to warn you about him. He’s not someone you can trust nor is he the loyal kind. You can’t expect anything from him. He met your family telling them that he’s your boyfriend is because he must see some benefit out of it. That’s why he had the dinner with you and your family. He’s not in love with you and he’s not the kind who would do well for someone just for the sake of it.” When the music ended and lights were on Ethan jerked back when he saw Eliana’s shocked face. “Eliana!” He said appalled.