I don't know anymore.

"Paul likes Oriel. If they are to take this further, then it is going to help our company a lot. We can go back to the way we were," Roger kept on venturing the idea.

It went dark in front of Collin's eyes. "But... Paul is a trash of a guy, he is the biggest troublemaker of the school. Do you how many students had to transfer because of him?" Collin uttered in a single breath.

Roger set his eyes on him, he could hear his aggressively beating heart. "But that doesn't mean that he will treat our Oriel like that?"

"But it is wrong. Oriel doesn't like him. And he has misbehaved with her so many times," said Collin.

Roger was not willing to listen any of his reasons and he kept on insisting Oriel to agree to date Paul. "I was right about you having feelings for her. But I was wrong to tell you about this. I should've asked Oriel first. She would have never looked down on my request."

Collin was disappointed to see this side of Roger. He didn't try to understand the heart of either Collin or Oriel. He could only see the investment that Paul's father had offered him.

"I won't let it happen! no matter what I lose," he stood firm.

Roger and Collin clashed as to where Oriel's happiness lies. "I don't want to talk about this with you. We will see which side Oriel goes."

Collin stayed in that room no more and came outside, furious. He couldn't sleep that night, worrying about Oriel's compulsion to obey Roger. "No Oriel, you can never agree to this."

________________

Oriel sat calmly on her desk inside her room. Her iris was focused on a poster in her hands: it was a flyer for an art competition. She had a postage letter stamped and placed on her one side and a ticket to Paris on the other. "I hope I can get in this time." She treasured every penny that was left in her wallet and saved it to buy that ticket, and now she was ready to flap her wings and fly away.

She had always dreamed of going to Paris, the 'City Of Art', where she wanted learn the and practice her ambition. She had posted several letters along with her work for years now. But this time, her hopes and expectations soared more than ever, and she was confident that she would make it.

She closed her eyes and pressing the letter between her two hands, she prayed earnestly for a better luck and kissed the letter before putting it inside her drawer. She switched off the lamp on her desk and darkness filled the room as she went to bed having a soothing sleep.

Collin stood outside her room after the lights went off. He was treading back and forth in the small corridor, unable to muster up the courage and reluctant to place a knock on the door. He wanted to tell her the scheme that Roger had prepared, "How do I tell you that the person you call your father has made his mind to sell your happiness," his words couldn't go through the closed door of her room.

.....

Dazzling sunlight fell in their backyard at the arrival of morning hours. Collin woke up after going to bed only two hours ago. He caught an instant sight of the clock and rose from his bed, got dressed in his school uniform. He put on his shirt and he noticed that it had went smaller in size as he was growing bigger and wider everyday. "I will have to save to buy a new shirt."

He casually brushed his hair looking inside the mirror, in which appeared a charming young man. He picked up his school bag and slung it on his shoulder with both the straps on the same side. He rushed downstairs, calling for Oriel the entire time, "Oriel! come out, we are getting late... Oriel."

Every call for her name went unheard and no reply came from the direction it was headed to. "Oriel! where are you?" he called again.

He became worried when silence surrounded the entire house. He swiftly came downstairs to peek outside the main door, both the bicycles belonging to him and Oriel were standing in their places just as they had been parked last night.

"She has left for school already," he heard, in Roger's voice.

He was also coming down the stairs, steadily talking to him. "Paul had come to pick her up in his car, and just as I had assumed, my daughter didn't deny and left with her new friend. You can take the bicycle and go on your own," he told.

Collin didn't even stay to respond to Roger; he ran toward the direction of the door. He quickly grabbed the handles of his bicycle and pedaled till his breathing got faster. He overexerted himself to follow Oriel sitting in Paul's car.

______________

Paul whistled while riding his car while Oriels sat as his company in the back. He was triumphantly gawking at her, at which she constantly felt offended. She rolled her eyes in disbelief and sighed in helplessness. 'Endure Oriel! you will have to tolerate this,' she clenched her hand and gritted her teeth in anger. "This is the only way I can help dad a bit, he will be very disappointed if I couldn't even do this... Endure!"

She refrained herself from punching Paul, whose offensive gaze irked her. "Stop staring at me like that. You look like a creep." she blurted.

"Did you apply tint on your lips? How are they so red and plump?" he asked, smacking his lips lustfully.

"Why are you looking at my lips, you pervert?" retorted Oriel.

Paul suddenly caught his driver laughing at him. He immediately glowered at him and the driver veered his eyes to the front.

"Take a right from here," he instructed his driver.

A sudden vigilance covered her face. "But we have to take a left to get to school," she interrupted.

"You just enjoy the view outside, my girl! Leave the destination on me."

The driver had no choice but to do as Paul had told him. "Stop the car! I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Relax, you can bunk school just fine. You did with that Collin yesterday. Now, you should also go on a date with your boyfriend."

"You're not my boyfriend," she revoked.

"Well, I say I am."

All of a sudden, when Oriel used her hands to rummage on the door to unlock it, Collin's bicycle appeared in the car's mirror. "Collin's here."