by Slash, Ana
I left my beautiful Bella after sharing my first time with her. I never dreamed I would meet someone like her that would consume my entire being but she arrived and everything seemed so magical. I guess I am falling for her.
Dad forbade me from seeing her and I cannot go back to the house. I clenched and unclenched my fist, thinking how the hell did I get myself into this mess.
I know dad or someone close to him had a hand in the Seth’s death.
The crazy part is I just heard the coroner claimed his death was an accident. I call it bullshit, the guy just got into the elite school, there’s no way in hell he’d want to off himself.
Dad thinks Bella is super smart right?
Well, he’s right.
She is freaking amazing. I know her step dad’s no good and I know he has some shady dealings. I do not want to be like my dad. I glanced down and noticed a car pull up in the driveway. Then I realized, It’s dad with his latest conquest or something.
I frowned and glanced once more at the girl standing next to him.
Why does she look so familiar?
I took another look, but couldn’t see her face because he ushered her into the home so fast, it made my head spin.
He looked up to notice me standing on my private balcony. He waved and walked into the home behind her.
I sighed and knew what that wave meant.
It wasn’t to say hello, no it was, whatever you do, do not fucking disturb us.
I shook my head; I felt like a prisoner in this home. I turned and glanced at my device I wanted to call Bella to tell her everything that’s going on.
I know she has questions about that night and how I left suddenly.
I know she wants to know why I refused to show her love once she realized I was still alive.
I know she wants to know what deep dark secrets I have hidden away from her, but I can’t tell her a thing.
My dad’s is a powerful billionaire and he can make things appear or disappear depending on his mood. I wouldn’t want anything to hurt her. I need her more than she understands.
I picked up my device and started typing a message to her:
Bella, I…
I wiped it clean then I started typing again; I am sorry Bella would you like to go out sometime? I sighed and deleted the message.
I was about to write another text when dad walked into my room.
I cursed underneath my breath. Where’s his date?
Shouldn’t he be spending time with her?
Probably some girl he found at a strip club or something. I know dad wouldn’t be stupid to go after a girl from Wexley even though it wouldn’t be the first time.
I swallowed thinking about the secrets in this mansion and why I swore never to rerun to this god-forsaken place. But hey, I can always choose what happens in life now can I? Well I am here now.
“You alright son?” He asked towering above me and trying his best to see what I was typing.
but I decided I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing what who I was sending a text to. I nodded, closed my device and stared straight ahead.
I refused to look him in the face. He sighed and sat on the bed next to me. Then he said, “Listen, I know you are probably mad at me or something, but you must know it's for the best. I have someone waiting for me out there and I just wanted to check on you. You know you are my son and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. But you must stay away from that Bella girl.”
I frowned and growled I turned to my dad and asked, “why dad? Why?”
“She’s spoken for son. You know what that means, hmm right?”
I flung my cell at the door and growled, “By who dad? Hmm because.”
Because what? Don’t you know you have a name to uphold? I wouldn’t stand by and watch my only son ruin his life. He stood up and pointed his finger at me.
He said, “listen you will not fuck up what I have going on. You are still a boy. You think you are. Man, you think you are bigger than me ugh?” He taunted me and I screamed,
“Fuck you dad I hate you.”
I rose ready to hit him. He shot a dark stare my way and then he said, “you seem to have forgotten your place, boy. I suggest you sit down if you don’t want to get hurt.”
I lunged at him, but Dad quickly moved out of the way and grabbed my arm. He said, “Don’t you ever try that nonsense again.”
His grip hurt, I yelped in pain. He let go of my arm causing me to stumble onto the floor. Then he turned and started walking towards the door.
I cried out, “I know you killed mom dad. I know what you did, but you got away with it. You wouldn’t get away with it forever.”
He paused gritted his teeth but didn’t say a word. Instead, he walked out the door letting it slam behind him. I stumbled back to the bed and sat on it nursing my arm.
I thought, how did I let this happen?
But then I realized, if my father’s life got ruined it would mean life as I know it will be over. I recalled me morning mom left on that fateful flight she was in high spirits; she mentioned she would divorce dad soon.
She also said while sliding her fingers into my locks, “We don’t have a prenup, so it’d be an even split.”
She said she wanted me to pursue my dreams and not Dad’s dreams of what or whom I ought to be.
Hours later my mom was dead, and she wasn’t the only one. Killian and Matteo also lost their moms in that unbelievable plane crash. I sob reminiscing on the past and the hurt. I refused to believe my father had a hand in what happened but I‘d be naïve to think he had nothing to do with this, father showed no emotion after mom died and now this?
Fuck what he has to say, fuck him.
I grabbed my phone and tossed it across the room in anger.
It shattered to bits, but do I care about it? No, I don’t. it meant nothing to me. I have to find a way out of this; I have to heal somehow and the only one who could make it happen is Bella. Forget what my father has to say about our relationship, I have to be with her. She needs to know the truth, but wouldn’t her knowing the truth put her in danger? That’s something I don’t want to happen. God what do I do now?
8
Bella
To be honest, between the exams and everything I had to deal with at home, I don’t know how I survived this far. Plus, I still have to worry about my losing out on my tuition money.
I’m nervous as hell because I’d be honest, I am behind on my studies. I figured I could wing this exam and act like it’s not a big deal. I turned and scanned the room staring at the other students. They all seemed a little nervous too.
So, I guess I’m not the only one dealing with the fear of failing. It didn’t help that I had this Albatross hanging around my neck; I kept thinking about my stepfather and all the things he said about cutting me off financially, if I didn’t play ball to his dirty evil games.
No one in the entire universe should have to go through this; I didn’t ask for this life. I wanted a simple life, but mom decided that she wanted me in this so-called elitist lifestyle. Yes, it looked perfect on the outside but deep down inside, those marble Mansion Walls’ secrets run deep.
My fingers trembled as I grasped the pencil.
I cursed underneath my breath, why is the exam on paper and not on a device?
The Proctor looked concerned he walked up to me and remarked, are you all right, Bella?
I feigned a smile and said, “Yes, hmm I just need water that’s all.”
Samantha chuckles from behind me.
She said," of course she’s not all right, I think she needs more than water. She might need something stronger than that, right Bella?"
Then she stared daggers at me.
“Fine,” I heard the proctor say. Then he added, “you can grab a glass but you must return soon or we’d not wait for you.”
I got out of my seat and hurried to my locker. I had just gotten my water cup out of my locker, when someone slammed my locker shut. I wince and t
urn to see Samantha. What did she want now?
“Listen, you might think you have everyone fooled and all, but really stop thinking you would have anything to do with Maxim, Killian and Matteo. The only thing you can be to them is a fucking toy. You do not have the right pedigree to join our team, and your mother who made all this possible knows it wouldn’t be forever. So why don’t you just do everyone here a favor and back off. I think you are wise enough to do so.”
I frowned.
“Excuse but we have an exam.”
I pushed her aside and walked past her. She stood still yelling back at me. She said, “you have not heard the last of this. You keep at it and you will be sorry.”
I ignored her and hurried back to class. I scanned the room and noticed Killian had returned from his stint in the hospital. I thought about Seth and how no one here seem to care he no longer exists. It's as if he never even existed.
I sigh and shake my head, sit down and bury my head in my test, determined to win. This school has a lot of damaged students, yet no one seems to notice which is worrying.
I mean they focused on our getting good grades because they needed to get into the prestigious universities!
Yet, the school refused to provide the mental health counseling we need. The test ends and still no sign of Maxim. I wonder what happened to him today. Things look really suspicious.
The only one who even comments on Seth’s death is Jessica the editor of the school paper. But then she mentioned his temperance would be a simple footnote. It was so bizarre if you’d ask me. I stay in class during our slight break between classes.
The elite school calls it recess which is laughable knowing no other school in the country that I know of still practices recess or ever did, but I guess that’s why everyone here pays the big bucks and the administration can’t do anything but support the students who keep them employed. I notice no one’s talking to me.
I guess I didn’t mind, being left alone has its perks, I guess. While the other students gossiped, I pulled out my book ready to study when his royal goodness, Matteo slid next to me. Then in the distance, I see Killian smiling back at me. I raised an eyebrow what did they have planned?
Matteo
The minute I saw her standing there before me, I got really intrigued by her presence. Then she avoided me I do not understand why, course I do, I should be nicer to her unlike my time in the hospital. Back then, Samantha was right next to me, and I couldn’t do anything with Bella.
I couldn’t even have a fucking conversation with her, because I didn’t want to ask Helen to leave, because in this town the fucking elites stick together, that’s the way it's always been.
This California town holds a lot of secrets, I don’t even like to talk about but if given the chance, I’d tell her everything.
I would tell her that my mother’s death was not a mistake. I’d also mention Maxim’s Mom and grandmother died due unforeseen circumstances that never got explained till this day.
There’s something deeper going on, something even I can’t explain even if I wanted.
Back to my reality, I stand at a close distance watching her; she turns and looked my way then she looked away again. I take in a deep breath and exhale. I guess there’s nothing I can do about it is the way she feels.
But deep down inside, I can tell the Bella really likes me. I wave at her, but she stays staring directly at the instructor. I think to myself,” boy I guess he’s really mad at me. And that’s the moment, Killian walks up to her. I want to say something, but I decided it’s probably best to hold back until I see her one and one.
That’s the moment Helen walked up to me she said," it’s so good to have you back, darling. You must be exhausted."
I shook my head and thought God, will she ever change? I’m more than just tired I am mentally drained, plus I carry the guilt that someone died while I lived. No one wants to talk about the accident it’s like it doesn’t exist.
I guess that’s what happens when you attend a warped-up school. Everyone here just cares about one thing, that is, keeping up the facade. They act like everything is perfect here when the actual truth is the whole place is messed up. I tell Helen, I just want to be alone.
Why can’t you see that whatever she thinks we have does not exist, and that it was in the past? Why can’t you just be understanding when a man said he wants to be alone a man knows what he wants?
But she’s tone-deaf, so she acts like she’s the only one that cares. I turned back I noticed Matteo still talking to Bella. Maxim’s nowhere to be found, at this rate I doubt he will even graduate.
His father can keep him away forever. Matteo exchanges looked with me and smiles. I smile back. Then he turns his attention back to Bella. I try my best to focus on the task ahead but it’s fucking hard. My cock lurches in my pants just staring at her. The same way it did the first time she walked the school hallways.
Max and got her first but he wouldn’t be the last. I wonder if things were different, would she choose me over him?
I shouldn’t be jealous of my best friend after all we’ve been through a lot together, but I can’t help it. I can’t help the sinking feeling that she wants only him. The only thing that she has no idea what we are about we do everything as a unit and she was so find that out.
Before right now it seems like she is so fixated on what happened to Seth her ex. If you ask me, I’ll say Seth was just collateral damage in a crazy town that thrives on ruining anyone who dare cross them.
That is a question that comes to my mind every day and every evening. Once again bad girl distracts me infuriates me to the core, I slammed my fist on the desk and tell her, “Listen, whatever you think is going on between us right now you need to stop.”
Stunned by my reaction to her she winces and said, “I am sorry, but I thought, you know dad’s having a party this week and...”
I growled at her and said, "I don’t fucking care about any party. I want to be fucking left alone. Is that so hard to ask?"
She palmed her face, sobbed and hurried away.
I didn’t fucking care. She’s just one of many, who thanks to our elitist status, had to be broken in by me.
I turned my attention back at Bella. She noticed but then she’s distracted by Killian.
I smiled and whispered underneath my breath, "well she’d be mine soon. Yes she’d be mine.”
It’s all a game, life is just a fucking game and once she finds out then she’d understand.
9
Bella
“Hey, this might sound crazy, but why don’t we head over to Ibiza? Hmm, what do you say? We can stay on my yacht and maybe take in the sights?”
He said these words, and honestly, it intrigues me. I know there’s no way my mother will let me go off on some trip to Ibiza, especially with exams looming. I had something else to worry about I had to worry about paying my tuition of listening to my stepfather followed through on the promise.
“Sorry, I can’t. We have a lot of exams to do. I’m sure you’re aware of that, how did you do in today’s test?”
I smirked and pulled back, I thought, oh no, he probably didn’t even study for it. But then he surprises me by saying, "I think I did well, considering all that’s happened. I’ll have you know that I think I will get a perfect score, and I am sure you got one too.”
He leaned closer as though trying to kiss me, but of course, I reasoned he wouldn’t do that right in front of everyone, would he? He slid his hand under my chin and tilted my head.
A voice within me said, “you can’t do this you going to jeopardize everything, what if Max sees you doing this?”
“Okay, so everybody keeping secrets, why is this happening?” I asked Matteo. He shook his head and said, quotes you don’t want to know. But I think you have an idea. I raised an eyebrow and stared at him with widened eyes and said, “how do you mean?” he said to me, “you heard me,
You know your fathers into this. I looked at him and said, "he�
��s not my father. He’s my stepfather, as you already know."
Well then, forget that I said it.
But you know that he’s part of the main establishment here, just like my Dad, Maxim’s and Killian father, it’s all a game.
A Dark Twisted game that I think you should not get yourself involved in all this. I swallowed, and then suddenly, his mood changed. He ran his fingers through his hair and furrowed his brow.
I could tell he was hiding something, yet he wouldn’t say what it was.
He continued asking if I wanted to be taking on the fun ride.
I reminded him of what happened the last time I attended the party.
I reminded him about the videos that went around. He laughed it off and said, so what does that mean that just me you are famous. Isn’t that a good place to be? I laughed. I guess if you can put it that way, yeah. She chuckled and said, “Look, it would only be this one time.”
I promise I will protect you this time nothing would happen. I nodded and folded my arms. I figured okay, so maybe nothing would happen, and perhaps it’s just what I need to get my mind off things.
I still had to deal with my stepfather’s demands.
Matteo sensed something was wrong.
he said to me, “Are you all right?”
I laughed it off and played it off by saying, “Of course I’m all right there’s nothing wrong with me. I guess I’m just tired. I have had a hard time with the exams, that’s all.”
“Join the club. Say you know I will be great having you tutor three of us.” I laughed, raised an eyebrow, and said, “really??”
He laughed and said," yeah, I mean it. I think you’ll be great. You’re smart, and we are all trying to get into the ivies right.”
I chuckled and said, “yeah sure, just as some of us have a legacy, some of us need to work to achieve what we desire in life. Then they are others whose parents refuse to pay the tuition."
The words came out of my mouth before I could stop it.
He looked at me and said, “What did you say about your tuition, Bella? isn’t your stepfather paying for it?”