Guardian, Not Parents
Until they finished their class two hours later, there has been no news from Mandy. Runa half hoped that Mandy would fail to get the information because she didn't want to go to the bonfire party. If her father finds out, she's dead meat. But if Mandy fails, Runa will have to find other ways to find Arden's weaknesses and even though she's good friends with almost all the students in Sunbrillo, there's no way she's running around asking everyone for help.
"I found it!" Mandy exclaimed as soon as they left the classroom. Mandy smiled ear to ear while looking at the phone. "Even though this sounds unconvincing, there's no harm in trying."
"What is it?" Runa craned her neck to see what was on Mandy's phone, but Mandy already turned off her cell phone.
"So, I got information that Arden doesn't want to have much contact with his guardian."
"Guardian? Not parents?" Runa frowned. Is Arden an orphan?
Mandy nodded. "I've confirmed it with my source. Yes, guardian, not parents. But I didn't ask any further about it. I'm just asking why he's so sure that Arden doesn't want anything to do with his guardian."
"And?"
"And… wait for it," Mandy imitated the sound of a drum roll before she said, "My source has heard Arden say that he would rather go to hell than deal with his guardian too much." Mandy raises both eyebrows and shakes her head a little. "How? It's a piece of very important information, isn't it?"
"That's it?" Runa tilted her head. She wished Mandy will say something else, but nothing.
"Yes!" Mandy reached out to take Runa's bag from her shoulder and carried it.
They walked to the locker without saying anything. While Mandy was busy with her cell phone, Runa racked her brain trying to figure out how she could make use of the information. Even the smallest information can be very useful if we know how to use it. Then, as if someone had turned on a small light in her brain, Runa snapped her fingers and said, "I'm going to the administration department."
"Want me to accompany you?"
"No need."
Mandy pouted. "Sometimes I want to join in on the fun of whatever you're doing. But… I know my boundary."
Runa feels guilty whenever Mandy talks like that. Because even though they have been friends for a long time, there are still many things that Runa is hiding from her. Runa hopes that one day she can be more open and tell Mandy everything, including her secret place and what kind of father Christopher Crown is.
"Thank you." That's all Runa can say right now.
Runa took her cell phone and a bunch of keys from her bag then put her bag in the locker and locked it. After bidding farewell to Mandy, she walked towards the administration section, which was in another building.
"Good afternoon," said Runa to one employee behind the administration desk. The employee, a woman who was about five years older than her, looked up and stood up from the chair as soon as she saw Runa.
"Ms. Crown!" she said, can't hold the excitement in her voice. "How can I help you?"
"Ms. Clare," said Runa, nodding and smiling. "There's something I need. Student data. He and I will take part in a scientific papers competition, and there are several forms that we have to fill out."
"Oh, sure! But—" Ms. Clare stopped to adjust her glasses, "first, you must submit a letter stating that you and this student entered the competition and need data."
"Ooh," Runa moved her left shoulder, where her crutch was stuck in her armpit. Still, with her small smile, she said, "Should I submit it now? Because, you know—" Runa gestured by glancing at the crutch.
"Oh my God! What happened to your leg?!" Ms. Clare exclaimed as she leaned across the table so she could see Runa's legs.
"Just a sprain," replied Runa.
"You know what? You can submit it at any time." Ms. Clare waved her hand in front of her face. "Besides, we all know you will turn in all the requirements on time."
Runa tucked her hair behind her ear. "Of course. You know me."
"Yeah, I do." Ms. Clare blinked one of her eyes. "I wish all the students in Sunbrillo were like you!" Then Ms. Clare sat down and shifted her chair closer to the computer. "What is the student's name?"
Runa smirked inwardly as she said, "Arden Whitlock."
---
Runa looked at her phone screen. Her brow furrowed as she read the name and number written on it. This wasn't the number from the country she lived in, and this name… Runa felt like she had heard it somewhere.
Roderick Finn.
Runa read the name one more time before turning off the phone and putting it in the blazer pocket. She had asked Mandy for help to find out where Arden was now, and now Runa was heading there.
Arden and his friends are gathering on an unused basketball court next to the old campus building. The building is now used as archive storage and rarely anyone comes there.
As Runa crossed the hall of the archive building, she heard people laughing and the bounce of the ball. Runa stopped at the end of the hall and looked down at the basketball court, and found Arden playing basketball with some of his friends, while the others were sitting on the edge of the court smoking and boozing.
Runa headed to the stairs at the edge of the benches. At each step she took, silence slowly followed. Until when Runa arrived at the bottom of the stairs and walked to the edge of the court, people stopped laughing and even stopped smoking their cigarettes. Likewise, with basketball. Apart from Arden, who is now throwing the ball and scoring three points, no one else is moving.
When Runa met Arden's gaze, the sound of the ball bouncing and rolling to the other side of the court became the only noise in this place.
Runa knew what was on their mind. Why is she here now, breathing the same air as these delinquents? Something Runa had never done before.
"Arden Whitlock," called Runa. "We need to talk."
Arden walked over. Each step seemed light and exuded arrogance. He ran his fingers through his hair before stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. When he arrived in front of Runa, he tilted his head and said, "Speak."
"Not here."
Runa maintained eye contact with Arden, although there was something intimidating about the way Arden was looking at her now. He felt different when he was with his friends than when they were alone.
"I'm not going anywhere." Arden lifted his chin a little.
Runa's grip on the crutch tightened. Her eyes moved to observe Arden's beautiful but cold face.
"It's about Roderick." She pulled out her trump card.
Bingo.
The name could make Arden's arrogance fade, even if only for a moment. Arden cocked his chin toward the stairs and said, "Come with me."
He walked first up the stairs, and Runa followed him. She could hear the crowd in the benches whispering and staring at her back. They would definitely interrogate Arden after this.
Runa and Arden stood opposite each other in one hall of the archive building. Arden leaned his back against the wall and bent one leg, affixed his shoe against the wall. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his ripped jeans.
He didn't say anything and just watched Runa adjust her position so that she could stand up comfortably.
"So," Runa began to speak. "It's about the competition."
"Am I not clear enough to tell you? I will not participate."
"Then I will call him. Your guardian."
"No, you're not."
Runa reached into her blazer pocket to take out her cell phone and turn it on. Then she pointed the phone screen at Arden. "See? I have his number."
Arden's jaw seemed to tighten. "Are you threatening me?"
"No. I'm just trying to negotiate with you." Runa shrugged while pouting, then put her phone back in her pocket. "So, let's negotiate." Before Arden could speak, Runa hastily added, "And just so you know, students who refuse to take part in the competition will be penalized with a reduction in grades."
Which is great, because then Arden wouldn't be in the first place, Runa thought. But Runa needed him, because she didn't want to be paired with Owen.
Arden looked away, to the other side of the dim hallway. Runa could see the veins on his neck clearly imprinted as he clenched his teeth.
"Why don't you want to do it?" asked Runa then. "Do you feel it is something a brat should do? Act up and look cool?"
Arden frowned his eyebrows when he looked back at Runa. "A brat? Did you just call me a brat?"
"You do, no? Tattoos, cigarettes, alcohol, motorbike, that's a brat's starter pack, isn't it?"
Unexpectedly, Runa's statement made Arden chuckle. "A brat's starter pack?" he parroted. "I don't know where you get that words, but I can say the same thing to you."
"What??"
"Cigarettes and alcohol. You already have two out of four."
"I do it for another reason."
"I don't care."
It felt like an electric current collided between them as they kept their gazes on each other.
"Fine." Runa broke the tension. "Looks like you don't mind if I call this person, Roderick Finn, and you get a deductible."
Runa grabbed her crutch and started to move from her place when suddenly Arden broke free from the wall and grabbed her by the arm. "Wait."
The distance that disappeared between them in the blink of an eye made Runa gasp. The scent of Arden's perfume wafted into her lungs, giving off a masculine and calm feeling that Runa had never felt before. There was something in his scent that made Runa want to inhale more.
But she will not do that. She is a girl who knows how to control herself. Runa kept her gaze forward for a while before glancing at Arden's fingers wrapped around her arm. Then she looked up to meet his eyes, which looked darker today. "What?"
"Okay, I'll do it."
Runa nodded, desperately holding the muscles of her lips from moving into a smile. "Great." Then she said, "Tomorrow, at one o'clock, come to the major library. Mrs. Fonard asked us to meet her there."
"Don't call him," Arden muttered, ignoring Runa's words.
"Why?" Runa asked, out of the blue.
And of course, Arden wouldn't give her the answer.
Arden released his grip and said, "None of your business." Then turn around to return to the basketball court.
"Don't forget, tomorrow at one!" shouted Runa, to which Arden responded by raising his hand up and waving it once, without turning to look at her.