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Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 11:50am On Dec 22, 2014 |
*continues* She ignored me, distracted by a parking space on the edge of the road. Granted, it didn't look large enough to even fit one of those tiny cars they drove over there in France, but it was a space nonetheless. Luckily, Venice's car was pretty tiny too, and by some miracle (or lack thereof, in my opinion), she managed to ease into the spot. "Yes!" Venice beamed triumphantly. "Bow down to my driving skills, ye mere mortals." "I'm bowing, I'm bowing." I stared nervously at the giant black Hummer in front of us. "Ok, let's go." "Now you want to go in faster." "I'm just getting claustrophobic." I stepped out of the car and was instantly bombarded with the smell of alcohol. I blinked, staring at the chaotic scene in front of me. Take all the noise and people and alcohol from every party I've ever been to, multiply it by ten, and that's what it looked like right now. It's like a teenage movie party scene on steroids. All the lights were on in Stan's huge house, and I could see the shadows of drunk, Hot teenagers in every one of them. In fact, there were so many people they spilled onto the vast lawn. As I watched, a barely- clad girl in teeny-tiny shorts and an even teenier top raced past me, shrieking with laughter, with a shirtless guy in hot pursuit. A bunch of people were doing body shots on the hood of a car, of all places, while couples made out furiously everywhere. I gulped. If this was what the party's like outside, I can't even begin to imagine what's happening inside. Or rather, I didn't even want to imagine what's happening in there. I was in way over my head. Venice, apparently, didn't think so. "Oh, thank god we managed to beat the worst of the crowds," she breathed, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the house. "We did?" I asked skeptically. It sure didn't look like it, but hey, what did I know? I was a Stan Hoffman party virgin. We managed to make our way through the crush in the living room and outside again to the pool area, which was slightly less congested. Probably because someone had already thrown up in the pool. I stood in the corner for a moment, surveying the scene. Not a single person looked sober, or even semi-sober. I discreetly checked my watch: barely 11. Great. That meant we wouldn't be leaving for a good two hours, if I was lucky. I don't usually drink that much, but I had a feeling there's no way I could get through this night completely sober without tearing my hair out. "Hey, V, why don't we go get some drinks?" I suggested. "That's the spirit!" She beamed. Then, gazing over my shoulder, a mischievous smile crept over her face. "Actually, why don't I go get the drinks? It'll be easier that way. You just stay right here." With that, she hightailed it back inside. I stared after her, puzzled. "Don't get drunk and pregnant!" I yelled, rather belatedly. "A valid concern at Stan's parties," an amused voice noted from behind me. Whipping around, I found myself facing a very cute, sandy-haired guy I didn't recognize. Ah. No wonder Venice was so quick to leave. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. God, I must have sounded like someone's mom just now. "Oh…hi," I said awkwardly. "Hi." His smile widened. "I'm James." "Maya." "I know." When I shot him a quizzical look, he shrugged. "I asked a couple of my friends if they knew you," he explained. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 11:53am On Dec 22, 2014 |
*continues* "Who are your friends?" I asked curiously. He gestured to a group of guys working on a keg on the other side of the pool. I have absolutely no freaking idea who any of them were. "Apparently, everyone knows who you are," James explained. My face fell. "They do?" I asked nervously. Either James was lying or I've been completely delusional for the past year. Sadly, I suspected it might be the latter. James laughed. "Cheer up, it's not the end of the world. I've never seen anyone look so sad about other people knowing her." Ha! He knew nothing, I tell you, nothing. Besides, "sad" is not exactly the word I would use to describe what I'm feeling right now, which is…well, I'm not even really sure. Suddenly, I just realized something. "Do you go to Valesca?" I asked. "Nope, and damn proud of it. No offense," he added quickly. "Believe me, none taken," I said dryly. "So where do you go?" "La Terra," he answered, naming a high school in the next town. "My family used to live here but they moved when I was little, which is just as well. Valesca isn't really my type of scene." "A guy after my own heart," I joked. He smiled. "I certainly hope so." While I blushed and racked my suddenly- frozen brain for a witty response, a commotion inside the house thankfully interrupted me, and both James and I turned to see what all the fuss was about. I was surprised to see the procession of Scions, and Adriana; the former rarely ever attended open parties like this one and preferred to fly to New York to go clubbing at the latest hotspot. I was even more surprised to see Roman and Carlo were conspicuously absent. "Ah, the famous Scions," James commented. "You know who they are?" I asked as I took a step to the side, partially shielding myself with a giant potted plant. "I think everyone in the tri-state area knows who they are," he remarked wryly. A brief shadow passed over his face, but it disappeared so quickly I wondered if it had ever been there in the first place. "Wonderful." My week just keeps getting better and better. At that moment, Venice ran up, beer sloshing over the sides of the two red plastic cups she held in her hands. She didn't seem to notice. "Maya! Guess who's here?" she cried, her desire to gossip apparently outweighing her desire to give me and a total stranger (to her) some alone time. "Big Foot?" She shot me a you're- so-weird-sometimes look. "No. The Scions! Well, half of them anyway." She handed me one cup and gave James the other one. "I'm Venice, by the way," she said, beaming. "Hey, I'm James," he said easily. "Why don't you have this drink?" He held out his cup. "Oh, no thanks. I'm not really a beer person," she explained. She gave me a sly smile. "I see you've met Maya." He shot me an amused look. "Yes, I have." "Don't you just love her? She's my best friend. She's amazing! She's so smart, and she's really pretty too, don't you think?" Venice may not be a beer girl, but she had definitely imbibed some alcohol before she came back. "Venice! What are you doing?" I hissed under my breath, mortified. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 11:56am On Dec 22, 2014 |
*continues* "Yeah, she's beautiful," James replied, giving me another smile. I coughed nervously, unsure what to say. "Haha…um, well… actually, I just remembered I have to go somewhere…well, it was nice meeting you!" Before he could say another word, I'd already grabbed Venice and hightailed it inside the house, losing myself in the fortunately large crowd. Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry I didn't notice I had also hightailed into someone. The unexpected force caused my cup to tilt over, and I watched in slow-motion horror as the sticky brown liquid splashed all over a very expensive-looking shirt. I slowly lifted my eyes from the stain, up, up, and straight into the face of none other than Parker Remington. Oh shit. ******************** * "Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" Adriana watched impassively as a slightly heavyweight guy in a too-small Abercrombie polo finished off the last of the giant keg in the Hoffmans' backyard, cheered on by his equally drunk and rowdy friends. "You know, that's actually pretty impressive," Zack remarked, finishing off his own drink, which a simpering sycophant had brought over just a few minutes earlier. "Yeah, if this were the Frat Olympics 2010," Adriana said, rolling her eyes. On any other night, this party would be pretty fun—great music, free-flowing liquor, and tons of people, which meant tons of cute guys. The only problem was, she wasn't here to find a guy right now, she was here to find a girl. For Roman. "Where did Parker disappear off to?" she wondered aloud, scanning the yard. They had been mobbed by a frightening pack of drunk, Hot girls the moment they arrived, and Parker had somehow gotten 'lost' in the midst. Zack shrugged. "He's probably—" "Ohmygod! Someone just spilled beer all over Parker Remington!" someone screamed. Everyone froze for one second, before they abandoned what they were doing to cram themselves into the living room, eager to witness the drama that was about to go down, and curious as to who was unlucky enough to offend a Scion so early in the year. "Well, there's your answer," Zack said, chuckling. "This, I gotta see." Despite the crowds, he and Adriana had no trouble making it to the edge of the circle, where Parker and a girl who had her back to them stood. The renowned playboy did, indeed, have a huge dark stain on his shirt, and surprisingly, he didn't look particularly upset. When the girl turned, Adriana immediately saw why. It was the girl she'd met in the bathroom a few days ago, Maya. She didn't know why she remembered her so clearly, but there was something about her that stuck out from Valesca's preening socialites-in-training. Despite Maya's delicate appearance, she seemed to emanate a vibe that indicated she wasn't one to let herself be pushed around, which Adriana, who herself was no shy wallflower, appreciated. Besides, it was clear Parker wouldn't be so quick to impose any sort of social pariah- dom on the poor girl-- she was gorgeous. Even Zack, who was normally pretty laid- back when it came to expressing his opinions about the opposite sex, let out a low whistle. Parker, not looking terribly upset, was saying something, but it was hard to hear, since everyone had formed the circle at a respectable distance from the two. Adriana decided to take matters into her own hands, but before she could, she was surprised to see her brother step forward. "There's nothing to see here," he said firmly. And with those five words, the crowd reluctantly dispersed, though more than few cast surreptitious looks in their direction. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Plaitex(f): 7:26pm On Dec 22, 2014 |
shaxee cum nd update |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by amiablejudy(f): 12:31am On Dec 23, 2014 |
Shaxee,you are doing great,I just had time to read ur update now.. Wonderful |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 7:54am On Dec 23, 2014 |
amiablejudy:thanks dear |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 8:21am On Dec 23, 2014 |
Wow, the story rocks! |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:09am On Dec 24, 2014 |
*continues* Zack was about to make his way over to Parker and Maya when Adriana laid a hand on his arm. "Wait," she said, tilting her head towards a tiny redhead who was barreling towards the duo at an alarming speed. "Maya!" the girl cried, her gray eyes the size of saucers as they darted between her friend and the huge stain on Parker's shirt. "Wh-what happened? Are you okay? You're— you're not going to be expelled, are you?" "Not if I have anything to say about it." Adriana watched, intrigued, as a good- looking, sandy-haired guy stepped up behind Venice, staring directly at Parker. Then, as if the scene couldn't get more dramatic, the front door opened and who should come in but Roman and Carlo? Well, Adrianaa thought. This will be interesting. ******************** *** "Um…uh…" I was speechless as I just stood there, taking in the damage I'd done to a shirt that probably cost more than an average person's monthly rent. A shirt that belonged to Parker Remington, no less. I was painfully aware that the rest of the party had stopped and everyone was pointing and whispering, but I couldn't focus on anything except for the fact my life was pretty much over. "I'm sorry," I finally managed, desperately searching for a place to set down the offending and now empty cup. Unfortunately, the nearest table was about twenty feet away. "I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to spill it—it's just—I'm a bit—well, I was in a bit of a hurry so I just rushed in here and I didn't see you and there's so many people that it just accidentally spilled—" I knew I was rambling incoherently and embarrassing myself even more than I already had, but I couldn't help it. In my mind, I could see my chances of getting into Stanford, or any other good school, disappear in a puff of smoke. The whole time, Parker just watched me with an inscrutable expression on his face. When I finally fell into silence, awaiting his next words with a Texas-sized pit of dread in my stomach, I somehow felt even more humiliated that I was basically groveling in front of someone for something as minor as spilling beer over him. I mean, yeah, if it had been anyone else, I still would have apologized and tried to help him clean up, but the situation was only exacerbated by the fact Parker's a Scion. This time, I felt my cheeks heat up with shame and anger at myself for being too much of a coward to stand up to the Scions' dictatorial rule. "Well, this wasn't part of my plans for tonight," Parker commented, lifting his sticky shirt away from his defined torso, which was clearly outlined through the soaked material. I braced myself, wondering how to tell my mom my chances of getting into a top 10 school were non- existent now. "But it certainly isn't the end of the world." Oh god. I was going to end up working at McDonald's for the rest of my life, subsisting on welfare—wait, what? "What?" I blurted. I heard someone say something in the background, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the crowd that had been watching us miraculously break up, but I was so overwhelmed by the hope that was coursing through my veins I couldn't quite focus on anything else. Parker laughed, flashing me his signature charming smile and the accompanying dimples. His green eyes sparkled mischievously. "It's just beer," he explained. "I won't die." "But I ruined your shirt," I protested. I couldn't believe I was actually encouraging him to be mad, but this didn't feel right. I mean, last year, I'd seen someone get kicked out of school for stepping on the back of Carlo's shoe. Besides, I was still convinced there was a catch here somewhere. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:12am On Dec 24, 2014 |
*continues* Parker shrugged. "It's just a shirt, I have plenty." "So…you're not mad?" I asked cautiously. "Of course not. How can I be mad at such a beautiful girl?" Coming from anyone else, the line would be corny as hell, but there was something about Parker that made everything he said sound smooth and charming. "Maya! Wh-what happened? Are you okay? You're—you're not expelled, are you?" I turned to see Venice rushing toward me, wide-eyed and panicked. I was about to tell her that yes, everything was fine, but before I could get a word out of my mouth, James suddenly materialized. He looked decidedly less laid-back than before, and in fact, his mouth was set in a grim line as he stared Parker down. "Not if I have anything to do about it," he said quietly. "Really? And what are you going to do about it?" The blood ran cold in my veins. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Venice gently tugged on my arm, and I robotically took a step back so that James was facing Parker and Roman by himself. I saw Carlo move over to stand next to Zack and Adriana. I don't remember seeing them arrive on the scene, but I shouldn't be surprised. They always moved in a pack. "I'm not going to stand here and let you push Maya around just because she accidentally spilled beer on you," James declared, even though he was looking straight at Roman now. Roman's eyes narrowed and his gaze moved slowly, methodically from Parker's shirt, to me and Venice, and back to James. "I don't think you're aware who you're talking to," Roman said. His tone of voice had changed. It was casual, almost cavalier, which frightened me more than if he'd been screaming and raging. "Oh, wait, I forgot, I'm talking to the mighty Scions," James said sarcastically. "How stupid of me. I should be bowing and scraping before you right now, shouldn't I?" I exchanged a horrified glance with Venice. What are you doing? I wanted to scream at him. I didn't know James that well, but he was a nice guy, and I couldn't even bear to think what's going to happen to him after tonight. "Maybe if you did that right now, I might be inclined to show some mercy in dealing with you," Roman declared. I felt myself bristle at his choice of awards. He really did sound like some medieval king talking down to his servants. Apparently, James felt the same way, because he didn't back down. "I don't think I need mercy from the likes of you," he responded, clenching his hands into fists. "You and your friends think you can do anything just because you're rich, but let me tell you something, money can't buy you dignity, or respect." "I wouldn't be too sure about that." Roman's lips curved up into a cruel smile. "Especially when you wake up one morning to find out your parents just lost their job." James' nostrils flared. "Don't you dare pretend you know anything about my family!" he roared, raising his fist. Venice let out a small yelp next to me, but I'd had enough. I quickly grabbed James' wrist and forced it down. I'd noticed Carlo had gotten ready to defend his friend and knew James would not be the winner. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Plaitex(f): 10:16am On Dec 24, 2014 |
what is parker up to? thanks for d update shaxee |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:16am On Dec 24, 2014 |
*continues* That's enough!" I cried, stepping in front of James. "Maya, what are you doing?" Venice whispered urgently from the sideline. I ignored her, and lifted my chin, gazing into Roman's stormy orbs. For the first time, he looked taken aback. "Now you listen, and you listen good," I began fiercely, fueled by over a year of suppressed anger that was bursting to be let out. "I don't care that your family founded this stupid town and this stupid school, I don't care how much money you have in your trust fund, or how everyone else worships you just because you happen to be lucky enough to be born with good genes and into a rich family. I am sick and tired of you bossing everyone around like they're your servants! They're not, and even if they were, you should at least treat other people with some respect! You have done absolutely nothing by yourself to earn anything you have!" "Maya," Venice squeaked, her face whiter than white. I knew I should stop, but I couldn't. I'd already dug myself in too deep, and I was on a roll. The words came out so easily I was barely aware I was even saying them. "Nothing gives you the right to threaten other peoples' lives and futures the way you do!" I continued. "Who are you to determine who gets expelled or whose parents will lose their jobs? You're just a teenager, for Christ's sake! Stop acting like you're god, because you're not! As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but a spoiled, tyrannical brat who throws a temper tantrum anytime something doesn't go your way!" I was panting by the time I finished, and it was the only sound in the room. The rest was dead silence. Everyone—Venice, James, the Scions, the people at the party— just stared at me in shock. I swallowed hard, hit by the urge to bolt. Though I'd felt free and relieved when I was reaming Roman out, I now felt suffocated. Without waiting for a response, I pushed my way through my mass of frozen classmates and sprinted through the door, not stopping until I'd reached Venice's car. I leaned against the driver's side, where no one could see me, and closed my eyes, breathing deeply. The fresh night air felt soothing against my heated skin, but I still felt like I was about to throw up. I couldn't believe I just did that. A year of forcing myself into anonymity, all down the drain in one night. But still, at least I had my dignity intact. I knew if I'd just let it go on the way it had back there without saying anything, I'd regret it for the rest of my life. It was about time someone stood up to the Scions, and if colleges wanted some lemming with no backbone, well, I guess they weren't the right ones for me. "Maya!" I looked up to see a distressed Venice. "Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry," she cried, throwing her arms around my neck. "This is all my fault! If I hadn't —if I hadn't made you come tonight, none of this would've happened!" "No, it's fine," I croaked, patting her awkwardly on her back. "It's not your fault. This was bound to happen anyway. I've held my tongue too long." I inhaled deeply and stood up. "Besides, it'll be ok," I said with forced cheer. "I'm not some prissy little thing. I can handle whatever they throw at me." She just stared at me worriedly. I bit my lip. "Is it that bad?" "Well, I don't really know," she admitted. "I mean, I ran out here after you as fast as I can, but the party's definitely over, that's for sure." We both looked at the house, and sure enough, people were starting to stream through the doors. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:21am On Dec 24, 2014 |
*continues* Get in the car, I'll drive you home," Venice said. I quickly made my way around the car and slammed the door shut. I had barely put on my seatbelt before we were already halfway down the road. "Thanks, V," I said gratefully, leaning my head on the headrest. "You're the best." "Hey, what are friends for?" When we pulled up in front of my house, she gave me another hug. "Listen, just know I'll always have your back, ok?" she whispered. "Whatever happens Monday, I won't give up on you." I smiled for real this time, feeling unbearably touched. As I got out, she added, "And Maya?" "Yeah?" "I'm really proud of you tonight. I wish had as much courage." As I lay in my bed that night, her words still echoed through my mind, and I resolved not to bow down to Roman or any of the other Scions. To hell with what they'll do to me— whatever that may be. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced I'd done the right thing. My parents had always raised me to stand up for what I believe in and to not let others push me around; it was about time I made them proud. Besides, I comforted myself with the thought Roman Fiori and his ilk would get what they deserved sooner or later. I drifted off into a light, fitful sleep. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:23am On Dec 24, 2014 |
Plaitex:thanks dear! Stay update! I might update tomorrow |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by almacherish(f): 11:25am On Dec 24, 2014 |
Nice one shaxee..... I could just keep reading..... #StillIRead 1 Like |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 4:47pm On Dec 24, 2014 |
almacherish:thanks dear |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Crowny1(f): 4:52pm On Dec 24, 2014 |
Update pls oh! 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 1:07am On Dec 25, 2014 |
CHAPTER FOUR I'm a survivor, I'm not gonna give up I'm not gon' stop, I'm gonna work harder I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it I will survive, keep on survivin' ~"Survivor" Destiny's Child "That's four games in a row!" Zack crowed, raising his arms triumphantly in the air and nearly jabbing Parker in the eye with the pool stick he was still holding in his hand. "Who's the man?" "Whatever, Perry," Parker said, tossing his golden brown hair out of his eyes. "I guess you're paying me back for the what? Six thousand times I've beaten you before?" "Yeah, right," Zack retorted, his spirits not seeming the least bit dampened by Parker's reminder that he usually was not the Michael Jordan of pool, to say the least. "You're just mad because you owe me your custom Rolex." Parker laughed. "Dude, I don't care about the Rolex. I have a dozen of those things. My grandparents send me one every Christmas." "Still." Zack set his pool stick on the ground and leaned his weight against it, glancing at the opposite end of the lounge. Carlo was lounging on the couch, deeply engrossed in Grapes of Wrath, his favorite book. Roman was standing in front of the dartboard, where a cluster of darts neatly punctuated the center. There were so many they spilled out of the bull's eye and into the surrounding ring. Zack couldn't see Roman's face, but he was pretty sure there was an angry scowl on it. Like anything else is new. "Hey, Rome, you wanna play? We can do doubles," he called out hopefully. The four of them had been hanging out in Roman's game room (one of the dozen or so rooms that made up his wing of the Fiori mansion) all day. They had started off hashing and rehashing last night's shocking events, with Roman getting progressively redder and angrier each time, until Zack, Carlo, and Parker all threatened to jump off the balcony if they didn't talk about something else. From that point on, Roman had basically just either sulked in the corner, no doubt planning the demise of that poor girl, or venting his anger at the dartboard. The other three had amused themselves with the endless entertainment the game room provided, but it was hard to enjoy themselves when their friend was being such an obvious downer. Roman didn't answer; instead, he ferociously hurled yet another dart at the board. It went whizzing through the air and precisely pierced the tiny area between two other darts. Parker and Zack exchanged glances. "Maybe we should start drinking," Parker half- joked, even though it was barely four in the afternoon. "I'll get the vodka," Zack, taking the joke literally, offered helpfully, starting to make his way over to the fully stocked bar in the corner. Before he could take two steps, Roman turned and stormed over. As the others had predicted, he was scowling. "Who does that girl think she is?" he demanded to no one in particular. "To have the nerve to talk to me like that? Doesn't she know who I fucking am?" Parker yawned, bored. He'd already heard this rant at least thirty times by now. "She's hot," he commented, completely ignoring Roman's previous statement. Zack nodded enthusiastically in agreement. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 1:10am On Dec 25, 2014 |
*continues* "I mean, she can't possibly fucking think she'll get away with that," Roman continued. "I need to teach her a fucking lesson." "I'm kind of surprised I haven't noticed her before, though," Parker mused thoughtfully, obviously a little put out that a girl had slipped past his radar like that. "Maybe you're losing your touch," Zack offered innocently. "When I'm done with her, she'll regret the day she ever stepped foot in this town!" Roman rambled on. His monologue seemed to be making him feel better, since his face was no longer a fire- engine shade of red, but his eyebrows were still drawn together so fiercely he could probably re-kill an army of vampires with just one look. "That'll never happen," Parker stated confidently. "I think I've found myself a new goal." "You mean conquest." Parker looked offended. "I do not have conquests, I have… fleeting girlfriends." "Euphemisms," Zack scoffed. Neither noticed that Roman was now glaring directly at them. "ARE YOU EVEN FUCKING LISTENING TO ME?" he roared so loud Zack swore he saw the glasses at the bar rattle a bit. There was silence as his friends stared blankly at him. "No, not really," Zack finally answered earnestly. Before Roman could fly off the handle again, Carlo spoke up for the first time. "Why are you getting so worked up?" he asked, not even looking up from his book. He was leaning leisurely against one arm of the couch while his feet were crossed on top of the other arm. "Just do what you usually do." "But he doesn't usually do anything," Zack pointed out. "Exactly." The meaning behind Carlo's words had obviously already registered with Roman, and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You're right. Why would I trouble myself dealing with her when I can let everyone else do it?" In previous cases, of course, the other Valesca students had taken it upon themselves to get rid of anyone who offended the Scions. There was no reason this time would be any different. Roman's lips curved up into a small, triumphant smirk. "She won't last a week." ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ******** Well, D-Day was here. Surprisingly, I didn't feel particularly different than any other school day as I trudged toward school, basking in the warmth of the sun against my skin and letting it comfort me. But then again, that could be because I dreaded going to school every day anyway. As I neared the school, however, my calmness left me little by little. I could feel about 10,000 butterflies fluttering away in my stomach, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, and I might even possibly throw up. It didn't make it any better that Venice had contracted the flu over the weekend and wouldn't be able to come to school today. Although, now that I think about it, it might be better if she wasn't here for the carnage that was about to ensue. When I arrived at school, the parking lot was empty. This might be due to the fact I've arrived a full hour and a half early. Ok, fine. I'm a bit of a coward, but what else can I do? I've used up all my courage for the month Saturday night, and now, I wanted nothing more than to hide away in a place where no Valesca student would ever, ever go to: the library. I stepped cautiously into the building, relieved but unsurprised to find the halls empty save for a lone janitor. It was the earliest I'd ever come in here, and I was suddenly struck by how beautiful the interior really is when uncluttered by the masses of students. 1 Like |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:28am On Dec 25, 2014 |
*continues* The floors were pure, unveined Italian marble, decorated with a giant forest green-and gold falcon school crest. The "lockers" were built into the walls and looked more like high-tech cabinets; instead of clunky, ugly combination locks, they were secured by a small biometric pad where you press your thumb, thereby eliminating any need to memorize anything to get into the precious space (considering the extravagance of the items some kids threw in their lockers, 'precious' takes on a whole new meaning). Above them hung oil portraits of the school's many illustrious alumni, and enormous, glittering crystal chandeliers replaced fluorescent lights. Suddenly realizing I was in a bit of a stupor, I shook my head and mentally kicked myself for buying into Valesca's superficial perfection, even if it was only for a second. I made my way into one of the wood- paneled elevators and pressed '3', staring at myself in the mirror. I was wearing the female version of Valesca's uniform: a short-sleeve, white button-down shirt under a fitted green blazer with the gold falcon on the upper left side, a green and gold plaid skirt, and my own black ballet flats. The school's handbook never specified a specific shoe for the uniform, except that it had to be black, brown, and 'appropriate,' whatever the hell that meant. The guys' uniform was the same, except with more masculine tops and green slacks instead of skirts. They also had to wear green- and-gold striped ties. All the uniforms were custom-made by Dolce & Gabbana, but I hated them. They made me feel constricted, conformed, and the last thing I wanted was to look anything like my classmates. Of course, the only students exempt from the uniform rule were the Scions. And Adriana, I added silently, thinking about the gorgeous dress she'd worn yesterday. I still hadn't quite made up my mind about her yet: she was obviously cut from the same mold as her brother and his friends, and indulged in the same ridiculous privileges, but she also seemed…different, somehow. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though, and it was driving me insane. The elevator let out a low, musical ping, announcing the arrival at my destination. As the doors slid open silently, I took a deep breath and pushed all thoughts of the Scions out of my mind. It didn't really matter if Adriana was different or not. It's not like we'll ever be friends. We just didn't come from the same world. Since the library, which contained practically every book you could ever think of, dominated the entire third floor, I could enter it directly from the elevator. I stepped into the giant, hushed,bookworm's paradise, the silence enveloping me like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. I breathed in the comforting smell of leather-bound books, and managed to muster up a smile to flash at the elderly librarian. Passing by the checkout counter and the bank of computers, I made a beeline towards my favorite nook in the western back corner, which consisted of a simple armchair and small table but had a picture window that provided the best view of the school's undeniably gorgeous, landscaped grounds. I settled comfortably into the chair and pulled out my favorite book, Grapes of Wrath. I've literally read it at least a hundred times but I never got tired of it. The next hour and a half flew by, and all too soon, the bell signaling the start of class rang shrilly, rudely jolting me from my book. A tight, familiar knot instantly formed in my stomach, and I felt myself freeze in my chair. I knew I should get moving, but my muscles wouldn't listen to me. It was like I'd been spontaneously paralyzed. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 10:31am On Dec 25, 2014 |
*continues* Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the librarian cast a half-curious, half- disapproving glance in my direction, but I was so immersed in my panic I didn't care. I know everyone who hadn't witnessed mine and Roman's showdown Saturday night—and that number was small—would've definitely heard about it by now, and I wasn't looking forward to their harassment, which, judging from past cases, was inevitable. Slowly, I placed my book into my backpack and reluctantly trudged toward the elevator. My finger hesitated over the down button, until I pressed it firmly, quickly, before I could change my mind. The doors immediately opened, looking suddenly like the gates of hell. By the time I reached the second floor hallway, it was fairly empty, and I was relieved to find that despite the frequent dirty looks and whispering, no one outright confronted me. When I burst into my English class a few minutes later, the teacher, Mrs. Lavinsky, was in the middle of instructions for her end- of-the-term paper. "—minimum of twelve pages, double-spaced —" She broke off when she saw me. "Miss Lindberg, you're late," she said pointedly. "I'm sorry," I apologized, blushing. "It won't happen again." "I certainly hope not." She signed and waved me towards my seat. "I'll let it slide this time, but next time I'll have to give you a written warning." I nodded meekly, embarrassed. I've never gotten a written warning before, and Mrs. Lavinsky is actually my favorite teacher. I knew she did not have an easy job. The rest of my classmates could care less about the class and were always giving her attitude. I hated having to disappoint her, too. I slid into my seat and instantly felt something cold and slightly wet on the back of my skirt. What the—I stood up hastily, and everyone behind me burst into laughter. Bewildered, I looked down at my seat and saw, to my horror, smudged blood- red paint, which had been drawn roughly in the shape of a circle on my chair. "What's going on?" Mrs. Lavinsky asked sharply. The rest of the class continued laughing, and I felt a red flush slowly creep up on my cheeks, no doubt matching the stain on my skirt, which for all the world looked like a period stain. Their intention, no doubt. I was furious, but I refused to let them see it. Is this the best they can do? I fumed silently. How immature could they possibly be? "Class! Settle down right now, or each and every one of you will be serving a week's worth of detention," Mrs. Lavinsky snapped. The laughter died down a little, but there was still the occasional snicker. Everyone's eyes were still trained on me: hard, mocking, relentless. I set my jaw and straightened up a bit. No way would I let them see me sweat. No way in hell. "Miss Lindberg, turn around," Mrs. Lavinsky. I slowly obeyed, glaring at my classmates, who were staring at me with malicious amusement. "My goodness!" Mrs. Lavinsky pursed her perfectly rouged lips in consternation. She took out a pad of paper and quickly scribbled something on it. "Here, go to the student affairs' office and change," she instructed, handing me the note. I accepted it wordlessly, and she shot me a sympathetic look. With a jolt, I realized she knew exactly what was going on here, but couldn't do anything about It because this was Valesca and it sucked ass. Story of my life. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by emmadiva(f): 1:14pm On Dec 25, 2014 |
Nice story...but try and space ur work well |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 1:34pm On Dec 25, 2014 |
Eiyah, poor gurl |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 7:50am On Dec 26, 2014 |
*continues* Make it quick, because we're going over some important material today," she added. "Ok," I mumbled. Instead of going to the student affairs' office, however, I headed toward my locker, where I always kept an emergency backup uniform. I'd never had much use for it until now. When I reached my locker, I pressed my thumb on the biometric pad, and the door unhinged with a soft click, the loudest sound in the deserted hallway. When I swung it completely open, however, a shrill scream pierced through the silence. It took me a moment to realize the scream had come from my own mouth, as I stared, horrified, into the cold eyes of the coiled-up snake in my locker. ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ****** Adriana sat cross- legged in an overstuffed armchair in the library, Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment lying open in front of her. She'd decided to grab sushi for lunch and had come back sooner than expected, so she'd decided to get some reading in. She'd read Crime and Punishment before, of course, at boarding school, but she'd enjoyed it and didn't mind paging through the long novel again. Usually, she would've hung out in the lounge with Zack and the rest of them, but she was too disgusted right now. A small crease formed on her smooth brow as she thought about this morning's events. She'd heard about the paint, the snake, the shredded gym clothes, and the tossing of Maya's math notes into the toilet, among countless other 'pranks'. Other than the snake— which had been deemed the non-poisonous kind, thank God—they were all relatively harmless, childish tricks, but that didn't make them right, nor did it make them any less distressing. Adriana was kind of pissed none of the guys had said anything yet. Of course, she knew they rarely—no, scratch that, they never interfered with Roman's power trips, but still. She knew Parker had at least some interest in the girl, so wasn't that some incentive to at least attempt playing knight in shining armor? Frowning slightly, Adriana uncrossed her legs and slipped her feet back into her flat, jeweled Giuseppe Zanotti sandals, a personal gift from the designer himself. Of course, Parker wasn't exactly the knightly type. Knights didn't exactly go around seducing innocent—or not-so-innocent, in some cases—girls. They certainly didn't sleep around so much they had to go into surrounding towns to avoid the possibility of a second-night stand, which might be construed as—God forbid—a "relationship" in Parker world. Adriana let out a small huff, slightly disgruntled. Come on, Adri, get back to the task at hand, she ordered herself. She tapped one foot thoughtfully on the ground, the sound muffled by the plush Persian rug, and resumed analyzing the situation at hand. Adriana knew she could always do something to diffuse the situation a little though granted, no one except Roman could stop the abuse completely. In fact, she was already trying to come up with a way to make life a little easier for Maya. She liked the girl, for some reason. Adriana definitely admired her for standing up to Roman like that; it had proven Maya was no shy wallflower, that she actually had some sense in her head, unlike most of the preening, air-headed socialites Adriana was constantly in the company of. More than everything else, though, Adriana sensed a kindred spirit in the other girl. As she was scrolling through ways she could help, however, a sudden thought occurred to her, and she sat up straighter, wondering why it hadn't occurred to her before. God, it was so obvious! With a little triumphant laugh, Adriana decided to not do anything. Yet. While it may help in the short run, in the long run… |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 7:56am On Dec 26, 2014 |
*continues* Just as ideas scrawled themselves across her mind so quickly she barely had time to comprehend any of them, the elevator doors pinged open, and Adriana looked up, surprised. She'd thought she was the only one who ever came into the library. Her perfectly shaped brows rose in interest when Maya burst in. Well, wasn't this an intriguing coincidence. Maya was dressed in an egg-yolk-stained uniform. Actually, her top definitely had more than egg yolk stains— there was some red stain that was probably tomato, and some darker blotches. Her glossy dark hair was disheveled and she looked absolutely furious, but underneath the anger Adriana sensed the slightest bit of weariness. When she saw Adriana, though, she froze. There was a beat of silence. Finally, Maya spoke up. "So, what are you going to do?" she asked, her jaw set. "I'm going to continue reading my book," Adriana replied matter- of-factly, without batting an eye. She didn't let so much as a hint of her interest show. "If you're going to throw anything else at me, you might as well do it now," Maya spit out. "The lemmings are on a roll." Hmm. Feisty. "Did you just call me a lemming?" Adriana asked rather interestedly. Now, that was a first. She tried her hardest not to laugh. "As far as I know, anyone who's at Roman Fiori's beck and call would be classified as such," Maya replied coolly, with far more dignity than anyone else who had just been socially crucified would have. Now Adriana was slightly offended, though you could never tell from looking at her. "I'm Roman's friend, but hardly at his 'beck and call,' as you call it." Her eyes swept over Maya. "Besides, even if I did choose to join in this little…game everyone else is so actively engaged in, I would be far more subtle." Her tone was wry but truthful. "So are you?" Adriana cocked an eyebrow. "Part of the 'game,'" Maya clarified sarcastically, placing air quotes around the last word. Adriana smiled slightly, returning to her book. "You would know if I was," she said, not looking up again. A moment later, she felt Maya take the seat across from her. The two stayed there in a simultaneously comfortable and awkward silence until the bell rang a little later. Adriana leisurely stood up and gathered her belongings. Maya was already halfway to the elevator, though Adriana didn't know why she was in such a rush. She certainly didn't have anything to look forward to. "Don't let them get to you," Adriana advised almost off-handedly as she slung her purple Miu Miu tote over one shoulder. "I know you're strong enough to get through this." She almost winced at the cheesiness of it. Good going, Dr. Phil, she thought, but she was much too confident to be embarrassed. Besides, it was true. Her instinct was almost never wrong. Maya stopped, her back still facing the blonde. "You don't know me at all." "Maybe not," Adriana agreed lightly. "Nevertheless, it's about time someone stood up to Roman." This time, Maya spun around. "I thought he was your friend," she pointed out almost accusingly. "He is." Adriana gave a carelessly elegant shrug. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to see him taken down a peg or two." Or ten. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Plaitex(f): 11:02am On Dec 26, 2014 |
hmm. Looking forward to what this duo are upto. Shaxee, thanks for the update |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by amiablejudy(f): 6:39pm On Dec 26, 2014 |
Shaxee, compliments of the season,this piece is still electrifying.All the way dear |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 9:36pm On Dec 26, 2014 |
amiablejudy:thanks dear |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 9:42pm On Dec 26, 2014 |
*continues* Well, that makes two of us." Adriana's delicate, bell- like laugh tinkled through the library. "I'll be honest. I like you Maya, and I can tell you if you can withstand what those…lemmings —" Here, she let a smile escape. "—are dishing out right now, you'll find it'll be worth it in the end." Maya smiled grimly. "I doubt there'll be a prize waiting for me." Adriana's smile was suddenly imbued with mischief, matching the sparkle that lit up her aqua eyes. "That depends on how you define prize." ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ****** Roman was very, very pleased. Things were going exactly according to plan. That girl didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the rest of the week. And that bit with the snake, that had been genius, especially as it turned out Maria or Martha or whatever the Bleep her name was is deathly afraid of snakes. He twirled a glass of whiskey absentmindedly around his finger as a self- satisfied smile tugged at his lips. One of the best things about being a Fiori was you got everything you wanted without having to do any of the dirty work. "What are you so happy about?" Parker asked, leaning back in one of the lounges plush couches and propping his feet up on the slate coffee table, which had been imported from Barcelona just in time for the start of school. The hottest of-the- moment interior designer was hired to completely overhaul the Scions' school sanctuary every summer; this year's had gone for rustic but sophisticated chic. Roman himself didn't give a shit whether the fireplace should be marble or brick, or whether or not the throws were Ralph Lauren, of even if there should be any throws in the first place. Parker was the only one out of the four who seemed to give a shit, so he was usually the one who handled all the arrangements. "Nothing," Roman responded automatically. Parker didn't say anything; he just waited. As predicted, Roman elaborated a moment later. "Just thinking about how that girl's faring," he admitted smugly. "The snake was genius." "You, my friend, have a serious case of schaudenfreude." Parker motioned to the bartender, who immediately hurried over with an ice-cold soda. Unlike Roman, he didn't believe in drinking in the (early) afternoon. Roman was so delighted that Marisa (Maria?) would be out of his sight and sufficiently punished that Parker's wry tones didn't even dampen his unusually high spirits. "So?" He downed the rest of his whiskey. "You say it like it's a bad thing." He looked around the room, finally noticing the conspicuous absence of his other friends. "Where's Carlo and Zack?" Parker shrugged. "I'm not their babysitter, but if I had to guess, I would say Adriana's giving them an earful right now." Roman smirked. He'd known all about Adriana's plan to scope out a suitable candidate for the challenge Saturday night; unfortunately for her, he'd already heard about the party and only pretended not to. Besides, Carlo had been oddly distracted that night and didn't put up much resistance when Roman decided to go to Stan's house. He settled comfortably into his seat, secure in the knowledge that he was, after all, Roman Fiori, and nothing significant happened in his town without his knowledge or consent. ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ******************** ********** A week had passed, the longest, most miserable, most paranoid week I had ever endured. By the third day, I had developed an almost masochistic attitude towards the other students' abuse. I no longer went to school early, nor did I hide out in the library. I refused to take the pity of the few teachers who tried to discreetly help me. |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 9:46pm On Dec 26, 2014 |
*continues* Instead, I went about my business as best I could, even though there was never more than a five-minute break between the harassment. It happened everywhere and at any time: in the classroom, the DC, the halls, the bathroom, during school assemblies and morning announcements and even while taking tests. Just the other day, I had been accused of cheating and had gotten my math test taken away. That had been hard to swallow. I had always prided myself on my grades, but my concentration was slipping. That wouldn't do. I suffered the abuse because it actually made me feel better for the cowardliness I'd been cocooned in the past year, but I'd be damned if I let Valesca ruin my future, which was why I'd refused to surrender to the Scions. I could tell my resistance was baffling to the others, who had never had much trouble driving everyone else away. Still, at least it was Friday afternoon, which meant there would be two days worth of reprieve until it all started again. I bowed my head, letting the warmth of the sun wash over me even as a slight chill signaling the near arrival of fall floated through the air, gentle but crisp. It was getting hard, hiding this from my parents. I hadn't told them what happened, of course—I didn't want them to worry. Despite my best efforts to clean myself up before I went home, they were getting suspicious, and my excuses were growing flimsier and less believable by the day. Suddenly, I felt a vibration in my bag, and with a small frown, I pulled out my cell phone. An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. I was confused. No one ever called me except for my family and Venice. I communicated with my old friends solely through emails, Facebook, and text messages, though those had become few and far in between. "Hello?" I asked warily. "Hi, is this Maya?" a rather familiar voice asked. I hesitated. "Yes?" It came out more like a question than I would've liked. "Hey, this is James." My eyes widened in surprise. James? The same James I'd met all that time ago? Actually, now that I thought about it, it had barely been a week. God, it definitely felt like forever, though. "Oh, hi," I said, even more confused. Why was he calling me now? "Um…how did you get my number?" I immediately wanted to take back that stupid question. Though it was a perfectly reasonable one, it also sounded kind of rude. James, though, apparently didn't think so. "I got it from my friend who knew Venice," he admitted sheepishly. "I hope that wasn't too forward." "No…no, it's ok." I cleared her throat. "So…" I trailed off, hoping he would indicate why, exactly, he had called. Luckily, he did. "Listen, I just wanted to apologize," James said quickly. "For Saturday night. I let my temper get the best of me and…well, I kind of feel like you're only in this predicament because you wanted to— protect me?" His voice lowered a bit at the end of the sentence, uncertain. I pondered this a bit. I was surprised to find his conclusion was, in fact, right. I had wanted to protect him, because he'd been so nice and down-to-earth, which was ironic because I felt like he had wanted to help me by going toe-to-toe with Parker. At the same time, though, I had been motivated by other factors to ream Roman out. "You don't have to apologize," I assured him. "Trust me, it's not your fault |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 11:33pm On Dec 26, 2014 |
Guys dont forqet to read my other stories on nairaland www.nairaland.com/2049910/numinous-book-1-novella#29231262 |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 8:19am On Dec 27, 2014 |
***CONTINUES*** I stopped. Something he'd just said finally registered. "Wait, what do you mean by my 'predicament.'?" James took such a long time to answer I thought he'd hung up. Finally, reluctantly, he said, "Well, what's happening to you in school right now would be considered a predicament…" His voice trailed off. "How did you know about what's happening?" I didn't bother trying to deny it. What was the point? "Some of my friends told me." Yeah, and they've probably participated, I thought, feeling bad right after. It wasn't James' fault Valescans were such assholes. "Yeah, well, I'll survive." I shrugged, even though I realized he couldn't see me. "I mean, it's not—" I broke off when I noticed a distinct black- and-electric-blue Ferrari pulling up beside me. I was so shocked I didn't even notice when my phone slipped out of my hands and crashed on the sidewalk, the back cover and battery promptly spilling out. I just stood there, stunned and paralyzed, as the window rolled down and Roman Fiori's irritated face, half- hidden by dark designer shades, emerged. "Get in," he ordered gruffly. I just stood there, mouth agape, wondering what the hell is going on. Noticing my lack of response, the irritation on his face grew. "Get in!" he repeated, more forcefully. This time, I had recovered enough to muster up a fairly strong and defiant, "No way in hell!" Before I could say anything else, Roman, obviously exasperated, got out of the car, gripped my arm, and dragged me into the passenger seat. The residual traces of shock were still in my system, slowing me down, and everything happened so fast I barely had time to think before Roman peeled away from the curb. "What the Bleep do you think you're doing?" I demanded angrily, having finally found my voice. "Let me out right now!" He didn't even look at me, that bastard. "Or what?" "Or…or…or I'll call the police!" He snorted, making a sharp right turn. I let out a small shriek as I slammed into the passenger side door. Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, I immediately buckled my seatbelt. "You and what phone?" he asked, casting a pointed glance at my empty hands. "Besides, it sure looks like you're making yourself comfortable in here." "I am not making myself comfortable, I merely do not want to die," I snapped. "Now stop this car this instant! I don't want to be here!" "Too bad," came the detached reply. It was followed by pounding rock music that drowned the car and nearly deafened me, and I noted with resentment that Roman controlled the sound system through buttons on the steering wheel. No way would I be trying to manipulate those, not unless I wanted us both to die. As we sped through town at breakneck speed, however, it finally dawned on me that I was essentially being kidnapped by the heir to the most powerful family in the world, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it. Did I mention I really, really, really hate my life? ------------------------------ -------------------READ ME--------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Haha, I'm evil for stopping there, I know =p Well, what do you think? Why did Roman 'kidnap' Maya? |
Re: All I've Never Wanted... A Novella by Nobody: 8:21am On Dec 27, 2014 |
Anyway, thanks to everyone who read/ commented on the previous chapters! You guys are awesome! =D. |
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