Chapter 48

I woke up with a start. Light was shining so bright somewhere amd was permeating the room I was in. A ray of light that illuminated one third of the dark, cold room. I had to shield my face from the bright light or my sight could be affected. It was awfully quiet inside. I slowly opened my eyes and before raising my head, I called "Robin"

It was the first name of my lips. I didn't remember what happened the night before, or what happened the hour before. Or where I was. All I knew was I had been asleep and i was just waking, unsure of where exactly I was.

"Robin, are you there?" I called again. This time, I got up from the bed and as I sat up, it creaked loudly. It was not too strong to carry my weight. I was probably heavier than the bed was. I opened my eyes clearly now and looked around the room I was in. I was alone. For the first five minutes, I could not decipher where I was , or what I was doing here. I felt lightheaded. I've never experienced drunkenness, I mean, I've never taken alcohol in my life, (I was only eight), but you know that feeling when you've had so much alcohol the previous night that you feel so pale, nauseous and uncertain of your environment? Yeah, that hangover feeling. I did read about it in books. That was exactly how I felt. I tried to yawn and I almost threw up all over the floor. I had to cover my mouth.

Just then, my phone rang. I knew it was my phone because it was lying on the bed beside me. I picked it up hesitantly and mumbled, "Hello"

"Hey Ariana, how are you?"

"Fine I guess" I said even though I wasn't. I had to throw up in a bathroom the next minute or I'd not be able to control myself, but I dared not stand up because the room was spinning around me. The floor was moving, and the door was also going back and forth. My hands were shivering around the phone. I had to drop it on my bed, after turning the loudspeaker on.

"You good?" The caller asked me. It took me a while to realize it was my mom. I was almost screaming, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm good mom"

"You sound tired. Did anyone overwork you there?"

"No, it's probably my wakey voice. How is Jack?"

"He is fine. I've got some news for you but I'll tell you later, I don't know but you sound so off it's making me anxious. Please get some rest. LOVE YOU. Bye" And she hung up. I wanted to call her back shouting, "Come get me mom! Quick! I don't know where I am" but I just lay helplessly on the bed, watching my phone also lay helplessly beside me. My head was banging so painfully. I wanted to hold my head and scream but I didn't want anything short of silence. Yet, the silence was overwhelmingly annoying.

"Robin" i called. "God, where am I?" The room was cold, not too cold but the temperature was chilly. So, it was definitely not the cabins at Meteors Contention Camp. It was so hot in there. Besides, it was summer. I looked up and saw the air conditioner. Yeah, it was definitely hot but the air conditioner was doing Its job.

I tried to get up after everything stopped spinning, and slowly I walked towards the window to take a look at my environment. I was too scared to go to the door first. What if the door led me into danger? What if I was in a trance and opening the door would disturb it or take me deeper into it?

I held on to the buglary and looked outside. I could feel the buglary. It was cold. So I was not dreaming. But where was I. I slightly stretched my shivering hand onto the glass and opened one of them. Hot air rushed in. No it was not that hot. It was lukewarm , as opposed to the chilly air inside. I looked outside. There was a beautiful grassland outside. Everywhere was eerily quiet but surprisingly relaxing if I didn't look inside. I tried to smile but I couldn't. I didn't remember anything, except that I knew a man called Robin. A superhuman. Oh, and Miranda too.

"Miranda" I thought. "Miranda!" I called now. I strutted to my bed to grab my phone. I had to call her. I had to call someone. They might be looking for me now. Even me did not know where I was. But whoever the kidnapper was must have either been insensitive or foolish. Why would he leave my phone with me? Perhaps he didn't mean to kidnap me though. Maybe I was sedated. I touched my body. None of my parts hurt, except for my head, and eyes, and stomach-- the consequence of a bad hangover. I held my mouth again. It was coming. But I didn't want to throw up on this fine tiled floor, or maybe I was scared I'd vomit my intestines as well.

Just then, the door moved. Like someone was pulling the handle. Someone was at the door, and whoever it was, was definitely unlocking the door from outside. I sincerely hoped it'd be a saviour. And if it was my abductor, I'd plead with him to take me to the bathroom at least to puke, or if he was rude, I'd puke in his face. The door slowly opened and I watched. I saw the person's hand before I saw his face. He walked in slowly. By now, the bright light that was permeating the room had vanished. So, I could barely see him but in the dark, I recognized his walking steps. It was definitely someone I knew. It was definitely him. The room started to spin again and the effect was worse on me because it was dark. I shut the window and held on to the buglary. That moment, I felt his hands on my shoulder. It was him.

And the lights came on immediately he touched me. Or maybe he switched it on with the other hand. "Robin" I cried. "I want to ...I..." I coughed. He held me on my shoulders and peered into my face. "It will be fine. You need to throw up" he said.

"It'll be fine" he said again

He carefully lifted my whole body and ran out of the room. That was the last I remembered. When I opened my eyes again, I was on the bed, still in the same room, but with proper illumination. I felt better and more energetic. I saw a mirror at the end of the room and went to stand in front of it. My hair was rough and I had eyebags but other than that, I looked pretty fine. I felt fine even. I saw his reflection in the mirror and turned back. He was there with me in the room. Sitting on a chair near the door.

"You feel better now?" He asked.

"Yes" I said. He nodded. I was very happy that he stayed with me. I sat beside him on the bed and questioned him. "Where are we?"

He stared into my eyeballs and rubbed my hair affectionately. He looked very serious. "Your hair is a little rough. Shall I get you a brush?" He said and walked out the door before I could respond. I was still very confused and he had a lot of explaining to do.

He came back and started to brush my hair himself. "But where are we? What are we doing here?" I kept asking. "Huh?"

"Be quiet and let me brush your hair" he said, looking more serious than ever. He was dressed normally in a t-shirt and a pair of trousers.

"But I am confused!" I insisted. "What happened to me? I wanted to faint just now, and I can't remember a thing about what happened to me? Why can't I remember a thing? How did I get here?"

After brushing my hair quite smoothly, he took me to the mirror and let me stare at myself. "It looks nice now, doesn't it?" I was angry. Why would he act like everything is okay? I don't even remember where I was, I couldn't remember anything except that I came on an excursion to the States and I made a friend called Miranda.

"You would need a glass of water. Excuse me" he said and left again. I tried to call Miranda again, but her number was not going through. I tried thrice all to no avail, so I angrily smashed my phone on the bed.

Robin soon returned with a glass of water in a tray. He handed it to me but I looked away. I was not interested.

"Drink this water while I explain things to you"

"Promise?" I asked. I didn't trust him now.

"Sure". So I took the glass of water and emptied it at a go. "Now please tell me what's going on" I pleaded, cupping my chin in my hands. I was dying to know.

"I purged you" he said. "This is the effect of the purging, but since you've thrown up, you're going to be all right" he said and rubbed the middle of my head.

"Huh?"

"Tell me, what do you remember?" He bore his eyes into mine and waited.

I rubbed my head for a while and then said, "My school is Enchanting Promises High School. We all came for an excursion in the States. Are we back home now?"

"No. The excursion is still on. Ends tomorrow" he smiled now and I wanted to punch him. It seemed to me that he was mocking me.

"What else do you remember?"

"Miranda. She's not taking my calls. I mean, there's no signal here. Miranda is my friend...she.." I trailed off. What's going on?

"What else?" He asked.

"My mom has twin babies. Her husband, my father, is called Cameron. I am eight years old. I live in Kangaroo Estate. I...i visited a very fine library in a castle... i..I doubt I can remember anything else" I finally said. I really couldn't. It was strange. "What did you do to me?" I yelled, grabbing his neck. He merely laughed and gently pushed my hand away. His laughter looked forced.

"I deleted some memories from your head so that you'd not go crazy. You don't like the idea of meeting with a psychiatrist, do you?"

"What? A psychiatrist? No!"

"Good. Now, don't try remembering stuff because you won't. Not in five years. Maybe in ten or fifteen but at least not in five years" he sighed. I wondered what he was worried about.

"What do you mean?"

"The memories will come back themselves in ten years. I'm afraid they'll come to stay" he sighed again and hugged my upper back.

"Are they that bad?"

"Too bad for you. They are really bad memories but they won't trouble you for now. So, live your life quietly and peacefully" he said, patting my back.

"Are they that bad?" I asked again. His response was not satisfactory. I wondered what kind of experiences I've had. Could it be so bad? It must be really sad, since he had to delete them from my head. It really worked. I couldn't remember any bad thing that happened. Was this for good??

"Yes, very sad. Brutal." He said. "But I'm here now, okay?. I'll protect you I promise" he kept patting my back and it was so soothing.

I just listened to him because I didn't know what to say, or maybe I had too much to say.

"They are coming back? The memories are coming back?" I asked. I was going to cry not because I was sad, but because I was emotional.

"Not now" he said. "Don't worry about a thing. Only live in the moment"

"Even if they come back, I'll be there with you, okay?" He said and rubbed my hair. I nodded satisfactorily. He looked very worried. No wonder he had been wearing a serious look, and whenever he smiled, it didn't reach his eyes.

"I was so worried for you" he confessed. "I thought you would not survive it" he said and embraced me tighter. I felt a splash on my bare back. It was his tears. He was crying. I knew because he sniffed many times as well

"What do you mean?"

"You've been asleep for much longer than expected. I thought it killed you. I thought I killed you. I mean, I thought the wine was too strong for you" he said. The fermented wine. He had made me drink that thing. It was as intoxicating as alcohol and that was why I felt lightheaded. It indeed made me feel very weak but I had survived it.

"The fermented wine?" I asked him.

"Yes"

"But you drink over concentrated alcohol at dinner and you haven't died?" I asked innocently. They did drink alcohol in the Were-castle. It didn't look anything like what I've ever seen though.

"I am immortal. You are not" he said. "I'm glad you are fine"

"Me too" I said. He stopped sniffing. So, Monsters indeed had emotions. He did tell me that he could feel, work, sleep and eat. He did say he was a human, but with a difference. I started to doze off on his shoulder because the way he rocked me and whispered into my ears, coupled with the temperature of the room made everything soporific.

"There are some people you also have to stay away from, as from now, because they are your enemies"

"I will protect you but you have to stay away from me most times, especially during the war. I don't want you to see me at work but whenever you call me, I'll come for you" I heard him but I thought I was dreaming.

********************************†***†************************************************

The next morning, as early as 5am, I was already set for the journey back home. In fact, everyone was.

Camp was over but Robin did not take me back to the cabin the previous night. So, I did not know the rest of the activities that happened there without me

Finally, camp was over. It was time to return home to my family. I missed my room! My bed! Life at Kangaroo Estate. I missed Mike Tony! I missed my loved ones. I couldn't wait to see them again. Mom called me that morning as Robin walked me to the airport. She couldn't contain her excitement.

I saw Miranda and every other students. Everyone had packed their bags and we're waiting for our flight to be ready. But I was going with Robin. Only He and i. We were flying back home. At last!

Seven days felt like a thousand years but it had been fun, at least that's what I remembered. In seven days, I had found a teacher who loved me and promised to protect me. I found a friend who didn't think I was abnormal or ugly or fat--Miranda.

I experienced the thrills of being in a different country. It was fun! It had been so much fun! I thought..

And for some reason, I didn't want to go home yet. I wanted to bring my family down there instead, but I had to go home. I missed home so bad too!

Robin and I took a different flight. After the plane arrived and our luggages have been checked, he led me in to the business class. I sat there beside him, tugging at the hem of my two-piece $700 crazy denim shorts. I wished he'd let me go with the other students or at least let me talk to Miranda who kept waving to me, but he had pulled me away quickly. "It's time to focus" he had said.

Whatever that meant.

I decided there and then that I'd text Miranda as soon as I got home. Like I said, Before I got on board, Mom had called me. For the umpteenth time. I had not been able to take her calls because Robin was talking to me for a long time. He was either talking to me or walking me around.

"I'll be waiting at the airport for you. I can't wait to have you back. We've got great news!" She seemed so excited on phone. I wonder what news it was mom's got for me. I was super excited to know, but I ignored the temptation to assume.

I hoped it'd be something indeed great.

While waiting for our flight to arrive, I mean the flight for Robin and me, many people passed by and most of them peered into my eyes, walked away and then walked back to me. Most of them walked up to me respectfully. "Hi pretty, are you the model, Peyton's daughter? You look so much like him!" they yelled, and I wondered what was so interesting about being a celebrity's daughter.

Others said, "You look like a celebrity. I am sure I have seen you somewhere before" I wanted to scream,

"You're just tripping. I rarely go out of the house, and when I do, I'm mostly in my mom's car"

A larger percentage of them kept going like, "Oh my goodness, you're so pretty. I love your eyes", and Robin nodded and smiled at them, while I just looked on, like I didn't understand English. "Yes, she is the model's daughter. I am her personal bodyguard. Please be organized, she'd attend to you all" , he finally bailed me out when he saw that I was starting to get really tense. More and more people started to come to me, requesting for my autograph.

I was just there, staring at them, confused. It was new to me. Thanks Goodness I understood the word 'autograph'.

People have never approached me like that since I was born because I didn't go out with Cameron. Never.

For a long time, I even doubted if anyone, except for our neighbors and my schoolmates knew that I was his child, but they proved me wrong that day. They knew! But how? I didn't think Cameron and I had any picture together, or walked together ever. He was always busy with work and stuff.

Someone must have leaked my identity to the public because there's no way they knew. I didn't look like him. I didn't look like the ideal model. It was all a lie. I only had his nose anyway. Well, maybe his hair too but I didn't even have his complexion. He was black and toned, but I wasn't.

I designed an autograph for many of them and they were so excited. Just a style that came to my head on the spot. Even women and men my mom's age were begging to have at least a picture with me. I said it was fine, so I took many pictures with them. I mean, why not?

Maybe they knew me through my mom. My mom was of course a celebrity who appeared in the news, just because she got married to a celebrity.

In the news, it was always, "Billionaire Model Cameron Peyton has chosen to keep many things about him private, especially his wife's and daughter's identities. He has insisted that both he and his wife loved each other very much, but they had separate careers, and he'd not force her to go his own way, therefore, they are on different paths of life but still intertwined as one. Therefore, he'd not like too private questions about his family"

They knew he had a wife and daughter, but they've never seen us. Maybe one or two times but not anything bogus. Why is it now they started to surface?

I started to think to myself, Was this a new era? Did the camp signify a significant change in my life as from then? It was very strange yet interesting.

After they left, I nudged Robin. "Did you tell them about me? How did they know I was related to him?" I questioned him. I was so angry but the anger was short-lived. If he did it, what could be the reason? Did he purposely do it to make me happy or to protect me?

"I did not. Why would I?" He said and pulled me into a seat. "Maybe your luck's starting to shine. Make good use of it. Own your powers too, don't forget"

I sighed. Changes were happening indeed. Maybe the purging was the best thing for me after all. Maybe my luck was starting to show.

Maybe going to the camp was the best thing that'd ever happen to me. Maybe life would be more worthwhile now.