chapter 1 ( his lies)
" Class!!" Cindy clasped, trying to shut the noisy class.
Everyone quickly went mute and her shoulders fell in settlement as she looked at one of them.
" I'm glad you listened now. Assemble yourself together so that I can complete telling you the story before my time runs out" She said and the children happily gathered at once.
She picked up the fairy tale genre and was about resuming from where she stopped when she noticed one of the student was sitting apart from the class.
" Baby rexa?" She called. It was little ponytail-haired girl with round beautiful eyes.
When she walked to her, baby rexa hid her face on her kneels.
" Hey girl" She smiled, touching her gently.
" I'm fine, just go away!" She spat.
Cindy was shocked. Rexa was one of her closest student, she never expected her to shut her off like that.
" What's the problem, Baby rexa?" She asked, while trying not to piss off.
" Everyone is going to listen me, I don't want to say it here" She said.
" Fine, can we go out the door?" She asked and she raised herself from the floor before leaving, then Cindy faced her class.
" I'll be back twinkles. Give me few minutes" She said and left the class.
As soon as Cindy closed up the door, she faced rexa who was folding her hand on her chest.
" So tell me.."
" My big sister has been very sad lately and she's refused to talk to me, my parent or anyone. I feel very sad for her" Rexa said.
" Oh. So she didn't tell you what was going on with her?"
" The last time, I saw her crying in her room, I think she sustained a bruise at highschool. I think someone is hurting her, but, I don't really know. She's never been like this" She said in a cold whisper.
Cindy gave a sigh.
" I'll see how I can help okay. But first, let's return to class and continue the lesson" She said and rexa pressed her lip tight.
" Miss Cindy, can you come to our home and talk to my sister?" She asked.
" I'll try"
" This Saturday?" Her eyes got lit.
" I-i..don't wanna make it a promise" Cindy squinted nervously.
" Please, Pretty please!" Rexa palmed her hands and Cindy couldn't just resist that sweet look from her.
That's why she's probably her favourite student cos she had a way to manipulate her just by her looks.
" Fine. I'll definitely come" She agreed, And with that rexa squeezed her tightly in a hug.
Cindy returned her back to class and the student accustomed themselves around her again.
She smiled, admiring each one of them again before reading out from the book.
" Once upon a time, little twinkles...."
°°°°°°°
[ 3pm; Orton Middle school]
Rexa was with a lollipop while she marched out of the school with Cindy,hands to hands.
" Your mom is here to pick you!" Cindy gushed, pointing at the car she identified nearby.
" I can't wait to see you on Saturday, Miss Cindy. Bye!" Rexa waved.
" Can't wait too, baby rexa!, See You!" Cindy waved back as she watched her run off playfully.
Rexa got into the car and as usual, her big sister was there too, staring at the window, ignoring her presence.
" How was your day, Rexa?" Her mom asked.
" Cool, Mommy!" Rexa smiled.
She turned to look at her sister, Autumn.
" Hey, Autumn" She called but she got snubbed.
She tipped her dress gently.
" You don't want us to talk today?. I have goodnews" She said and Autumn flared up.
" Can't you just f**king stay your own lane!. I'm not in the mood for your shit and I can't bare your presence!. It's either you keep shut or one of us has to leave this car!" She yelled before turning away quickly.
Rexa bit her lip and looked away, and her mom just ignored them totally.
°°°°°°°
[ JOAN'S CAR ]
Cindy got into the passenger seat next to juan, before letting out a loud sigh.
" Finally, another day dusted" She sighed, with her hair tied in a messy bun.
" I thought you love your job" Juan smirked, applying gloss to her lip.
" My life has suddenly become a routine. I've never had time to do other things. I wish I can just step out of the box, I'm sure there's something more to life than being normal everyday" She spat, resting her hand on her cheeks.
" I know how you feel, friend. Maybe we should take the time out today?"
" Like go out?" Cindy looked at her, bashing her lashes.
" Yea, to a coffee bar or something" Juan said.
" Oh geez, but my mom already texted me to come home for dinner, I also have to help my grandma for her knit making. It's almost winter."
" Are you gonna snap out of being mother's pet and just behave like a twenty three year old for once?" Juan spat.
" But I can't just ignore all that for today?"
" You always give this excuse..., like everyday, Cindy" She said and that's when Cindy realised it herself. Perhaps, she's the cause of her own problems of not being able to do other stuffs.
" Okay, probably, I'll just be naughty for one day" She sighed.
" Now that's the girl I raised" She said and cindy chuckled.
Juan turned to the driver, a young cute guy of about her age too.
" Frodd. Drive us to the coffee shop" She told him and he adjusted the mirror glass so that he could see her reflection from there.
" Your favourite one?" He asked.
" Definitely" She nodded and he smiled before hitting the road.
◇◇◇◇
Cindy's phone vibrated and she picked it out only to realise it was a call from her mom. It was the third time that day.
I'm not a mummy's pet. Give me some break, she thought to herself and cut the call before facing Juan.
" Hey, I wanna ask. Is that your new driver?. I've never seen him before" Cindy pointed towards frodd who was leaning by the car outside.
He's really fine...Cindy wondered, looking at him.
" Yeah, my dad thinks I might get into an accident by my recklessness so he got me a driver by the way" She said irritatingly.
" Well I'm glad he did. You definitely needed one. The other time we almost crashed into an elderly lady"
" Snap it off!. It's not like you're better at driving than me!" She spat and she incidentally used her hand to hit the waiter behind her.
Her tray fell and the drink poured on her shoes, but luckily the cup was plastic.
" Shit!" Juan cursed.
" I'm sorry!" The waiter pleaded.
" Sorry can't dry my shoes, Miss. Don't you know what to do, my shoes cost more than your peanut salary, or do you want me to chase your customer off!"
" Juan lower your voice, everyone is watching" Cindy whispered, but it was only a counterfeit.
" Get some rags and stop screening me like an xray, dumbass." She hissed and the lady quickly brought the rag over.
She cleaned off the stain which went away in a wipe.
" Next time I come here, I ain't paying a dime for what you did" She said and the waiter bowed before walking away.
" That was quite harsh" Cindy stated.
" This life is about give and take, Ion give a dime." She hissed.
Cindy took a sip from her drink and looked at Juan who was now busy with her phone, smiling sheepishly to her screen.
" Who's that?"
" One guy I met online. He's my one month boyfriend, he's super cute" She laughed, texting as her buttons clicked loudly.
" You do online dating. Is that even a thing?" Cindy scoffed.
" You're so old, lady. Of course online dating is a thing. My dad literally met my mom online before they became a couple" She hushed.
" My mom would never" Cindy spat.
" Hey, Maybe you should try it out. Girls literally book guys who'd date them for weeks, even month. There are lot of guys from the high-class, world handsome. Who knows you might be lucky to find your soul mate."
" Ew, I thought you wanted me to stay out of boys reach"
" That was three years ago, when we were still young and knew nothing. And whereas, I thought you said you've always wanted to step out of the box and try something new, why not try this"
" Well I didn't mention I wanted to risk my life for anything" She said.
" Forget it" Juan said and took her phone before doing something on it, retuning it to her.
" If you change your mind, you can log in to Meet-ink. It's a dating site."
" Ugh. Why are you like this?" Cindy breathed.
" Shouldn't you be proud, I'm finally making your dreams come true" She smiled, and Cindy was left jaw dropped.
They switched conversations and discussed about something else, and after that, they went back into the car, driving home.
•••••• ••••••
( J.C LONGUE)
Asher was sitting by the desk while scrolling through his phone.
His blonde hair was messy and a part of his chest was open due to it unbuttoned.
" Hey, have you guys seen the new video in the school blog?" Asher asked the other boys.
Felix took off the earphones from his ear as he turned to him on the floor. He's wearing a red socks that matched his head warmer.
" What did I miss?" He asked.
" Riri and Hailey bullied the new girl again. This time at the school toilet. Geez, she was badly bruised" He said.
" I don't get the point of all this, bruh" Scar said, flipping his book randomly while on the bunk.
" Riri and Hailey both have a crush on Ivan. They're upset cos Ivan kinda giving Autumn more attention" Asher said.
" Geez, the overhyping of Ivan is so annoying. I mean....he isn't even the most gorgeous person here" Felix added.
" Maybe cos he's Japanese, a foreigner. Pst, so annoying" Scar hissed.
The door opened and Ivan walked in, back from his usual basketball practice.
" Hey guys" He greeted, taking off his shoes.
Asher returned back to the screen and Felix wore back his earphones. There was sudden silence.
Ivan turned to Scar and he quickly looked away towards the book he was flipping earlier.
Ivan took in a slight gulp.
" I'll be...upstairs, if you need me" He said before walking away from there.
°°°°°° °°°°
Cindy got back home, it was already late in the night and she was scared of getting queried by her mom.
" Mom?" She called, turning on the light to the small living room.
No one was around so she quickly went up the stairs quickly and on getting to her room, she met her mom on her bed, staring at some of the books she hid below her pillow.
Some of them were smut-filled and it caught her off guard.
" Mom!" She gasped.
Her mom looked up to find her there and instead of greeting her with a tight face, her looks bloomed instantly.
She quickly came to embrace her.
" You're finally home. My intuition was wrong afterall!" She said and Cindy looked at her guiltily.
" I'm very sorry mom. I know I had put you under pressure cos I failed to pick your call and tell you where I was." She said, pouting cutely.
" It doesn't matter anymore as far as you're home, and intact"
" Really?" She asked, taking off her brown jacket before hanging it on the cabinet.
" Well, I thought you'd have decided to stay back at school or maybe you got caught in traffic so I didn't really worry much" She said.
" Well, I actually went to a coffee shop with Juan. I'm sorry I failed to inform you"
" I am not stopping you from doing what you want. As far as it makes you happy and safe, okay?" She asked.
Cindy quickly embraced her warmly.
" I'm glad I have someone like you. You are the best mom ever!" She said and threw big kisses all over her face before leaning away.
" Have your bath and come down for dinner, I'll be at the kitchen. By the way, your grandma and I will be visiting the orphanage on Saturday while joining them to watch their presentation and gift them winter coat, we want you to come along" She said.
" Definitely" Cindy agreed and her mom left.
She took off her dress and stared in the mirror, but that's when it crosser her that she was supposed to visit baby Rexa's family.
She sighed and sat on the bed, taking up her phone. There was a text from Juan.
💬 Have you checked out the meet-ink?
She sighed and kept her phone aside before going into the bathroom to take a bath.
After dressing up in her stripped nightie, she laid back on the bed, leg spread.
She kept scrolling through the media and when she got bored, she ended up in the meet-ink site.
" Lemme see what's in here anyways" She spoke a loud, logging in to the site quickly.
Strangely, she had received a text from someone already even before she could log in.
It made her heart drum, as she slowly sat up in bed, wondering who it was. Was this likely to happen?.
Wasn't she the one who have to start up the conversation?.
" Hi, Would you like to go on a casual date?. It's nothing romantic. I await your reply in few minutes, or I might not be here later"
Cindy held her breath after reading it. The next question on her mind was?.
" W-who's this?"