Chapter 13- Behind Closed Doors
"I saved my number, give me a call when you're less busy." Lincoln winked at Treasure, ignoring Ray's curiosity and possessiveness.
"Bye, take care of yourself please...thanks again for everything." Treasure waved at Lincoln and he gave her his enchanting smile, exposing his white shiny teeth. Ray was already boiling in anger, only a day and Treasure forgot about him.
Lincoln started the car and winked at Ray seductively before giving Treasure a knowing look and signal.
Treasure's eyes widened and she clasped her mouth in surprise. Lincoln chuckled and swerved his car onto the road then he drove off with speed.
"What was that all about Tress? Why are you friends with him?..."
"My God! Ray? You're so lucky." Treasure squealed in excitement and pulled Ray by the arm confusing him.
"What's going on...."
"You'll know very soon." Treasure quickly responded. She pulled him all the way to her porch and unlocked the door.
"Were you hiding? Why didn't we see you when we arrived, until after." Ray looked away and his ears turned red in embarrassment. Treasure laughed heartily. When they got in she shut the door, dragged him to the living room and made him sit on a comfy sofa.
"Guess what Ray?"
Ray had a curious and cautious look as he stared back at the elated Treasure.
"Just say it Treasure....I also have something to tell you." Treasure's smile disappeared at what he said. Her excited heart dropped in fear, she didn't know why she felt this way all of a sudden.
"Say what you wanted to say, am all ears." Treasure turned reluctant and she shook her head.
"You first, yours might be more important."
"No....am sure what you wanted to tell me is more important, please don't hold back...am your friend." Treasure sighed and pouted her lips in deep thought.
"Lincoln opened up to me, he showed me who he really is without hiding anything....there's this deep connection I feel when we're together....like we've known each other for long, I could even understand him when he looks at me. Its like he's talking to me through the eyes."
Lincoln's heart broke, this wasn't what he expected. Why would Treasure move on so fast to another guy just like that! What about him...his efforts.
"Oh...so you like him now." Lincoln never wanted to say that but it just slipped out of his lips. Treasure suddenly realized what she said affected him.
"No, no, no....don't get me wrong Ray....what I meant was that there's this deep connection like brother and sister...."
"How is that even possible Tress, you've never spoken to each other before neither were you guys even greeting each other....then all of a sudden you guys met today and became best of friends? Are you trying to say its coincidence?"
Treasure kept quiet and bit the inside of her mouth. Lincoln sighed, he didn't like the outcome of things.
"Treasure, I know you wanna make friends....but please choose wisely and carefully...not everyone deserves to be a friend." Treasure didn't say a word for a minute. She wanted to explain to him why she felt that way but instead she kept quiet.
"Ehm....you also wanted telling me something." She changed the topic.
"I'll be home schooling from now on." He didn't even hesitate, he just blurted it out. Treasure blinked at him for a moment, her mind was slow in processing what he said.
"But why?!"
"They want to watch me closely and make sure I become serious in my studies." Treasure nodded in understanding.
"Will i be seeing you?" She had a sad look as she gazed into his eyes.
"Not everytime....but yes...you will." Her face brightened at his reassuring words.
"With time you'll get to know Lincoln more....he's not a bad guy as you think he is....he's a sweet person with a caring heart." Ray rolled his eyes, not hiding how he felt about everything and Treasure chuckled.
-----***-----
"Is she still that angel of yours?!"
An elderly woman who was sipping coffee from a mug and scanning some pictures just kept quiet, not giving a reply to the furious young lady in front of her.
After giving it a proper look, the woman handed them back to the lady calmly without being disturbed.
"Did you view these pictures carefully? If you did you wouldn't have acted rashly." The young lady froze, her anger dissipated due to shock and surprise at how the woman was able to figure everything out.
"If you seriously were in a relationship with that guy you should have let Treasure know, afterall she's your best friend...."
"Not anymore mom!"
Clauda's hands holding the mug froze midair. She was completely mystified.
"WHAT! Pamela what did you do? Hope you didn't do anything stupid to that innocent child...."
"That's always your problem mom! You care too much about her more than me...you're always worried about her and am so fed up of that...Treasure this, Treasure that...its suffocating!" Pamela yelled at her mom with so much pain and anger.
"That's not it Pam....I love you....you know I..."
"You don't know anything! Am sure dad left you because you didn't show him the love he yearned for!" The mug left Clauda's grip and landed on the tiled floor in shock. She gasped loudly and clutched her chest in pain with her eyes shut tightly. Pamela didn't bother aiding her mother.
"You always correct Treasure with love but when it comes to me you humiliate me....Neil gave me all the love I wanted from you...and yet Treasure stole him from me....why does she always have to be lucky!" Clauda tried taking deep steady breath but it was difficult, she gripped the table hard to vent out the burning pain in her chest.
"Pam....Pamela...pl-please...st...stop!"
"I WILL MOTHER! I will stop caring for you from this day onward, go call your Treasure to do all your nasty work for you!" After she made that statement she stormed out of the dinning room in fury.
Clauda battled painfully and even wept bitterly in the dinning room all alone....her drugs weren't even closeby.
"G-God....please...n-not today...please." Clauda cried out to God with difficulty and fell to the floor heavily in tears.
The things Pamela said to her were the most painful to bear...how she wished her Neil was still alive.
She did nothing wrong to Pamela, she always gave her everything she wanted. She even spent most of her time with her, asking her how she felt or if she was alright. What she said were not true, deep down Clauda knew Pamela was doing all these out of jealousy and envy to Treasure.
It seemed like she let jealousy and envy eat all the good part in her heart, and let it rule her.
Clauda silently prayed for her dear daughter. Behind closed doors this was what she passed through with Pamela. But today's story was different and scary.
Everyone thought she had a good and happy life, if only they knew what she was facing they won't envy rich people.
She worked so hard to make ends meet but that wasn't enough....there were times she wished for a simple life.
She struggled back up and sat carefully on the chair before taking her phone from the table and dialed a number.