The Crush

While Maevie was going through her contact list trying to find the person…. A person whom she can receive some comfort from, Sienne who was sitting at the riverbank watching the firework show with her twin brothers looked at the constantly ringing phone.

"Second Brother. Third Brother. Is it really okay to ignore her call like this? She had called us a lot of time. What if she got in trouble?"

"What trouble could she get into? I'd beg her to not create trouble herself." The second young master of the Cacia family, Llyod said.

"Exactly. I saw that she'd seen our moments. She must be calling us to whine at us for leaving her out. Hasn't she learned her lesson from getting locked up for three days? There really is no cure for shamelessness." Abel, the younger twin adjected while mumbling the last two sentences under his breath.

"If anything did happen, she'd call Big Brother instead. Besides, she has her agent and assistant in case of emergency. No need for you to worry." Llyod comforted is baby sister endearingly.

Only if they knew that in the private room of the club, the little girl was curling herself up. As if she was holding herself form breaking down there and then. It was as if the world had come to an end. As though Maevie had given up to her faith.

But she was yet to give up. There was a little hope holding her… binding her from crumbling down to pieces, when she called Tyler.

The first call went by unanswered.

But she dialed the number again.

Once again unanswered.

She thought she would give up if the next one was unanswered.

But on the third ring, the call was picked up.

"Hello. Elder brother. I…" The little girl who was yet to mature fully was shaking. From happiness. From relief. From the fulfilment of the last hope.

"I'm so lonely now. Could you talk with me for a few minutes?... I…. I promise I won't take much time."

She was hoping that the usually cold tone of her Tyler brother would soften when he hears her pitiful voice. Like how he gently talked when he was speaking to Sienne or this fiancé.

But she was greeted by another voice.

"Hello. Miss Oz, Mr. Cacia is currently in a meeting now. If you have anything you want to inform him, please wait for the meeting to end, or inform me instead."

It was as if ice cold water had been poured onto her. She froze.

"…"

It was the voice of her brother's assistant. Disappointment filled her heart that she did not even utter a word for a few second.

"Miss Oz. Can you hear me?"

"Ah… Yes. Sorry for disturbing."

Maevie did not give the assistant a second to reply as she hung up the call.

'What was I even expecting? Who would want me when even my biological father abandoned me?'

And that was how the final string of hope on which she held onto snapped. She was like a little child… mesmerized by the colorful reflections of the bubbles. Whole throughout her life, she thought the love and attention she received from her people would be inexhaustible. That they would always love her no matter how unreasonable she was.

She forgot that the beautiful bubbles were also fragile.

She didn't know that with each stupid and irrational action she took due to her jealousy, she was popping one more bubble that she had.

Looks like she had finally popped the very last bubble she had.

But what she did not see was the shocked face of the assistant. The overbearing princess who was adopted into the Cacia family just apologized to him. He couldn't help but feel concerned. Considering how slurry her words were, it was evident that the young lady was drunk.

He looked at his boss through the glass wall of the conference room. The Vice President was breaking down a very important negotiation. He did not dare to enter and interrupt the conversation the two leaders were having.

'It should be okay to wait for at least half an hour, right?'

Only if he knew….

.

.

.

After the call with the assistant ended, Maevie stared into the thin air as she chunked down her drink. She had never been this doubtful of her life. She had gone through all the contacts saved in her phone. Why did it take so long for her to realize that there was no one who would genuinely care for her? Or did she push away those who really did?

"Mama… Why did you have to die so soon? Why?... Nana…." She cries out for her mother who had left her and her grandma.

She remembers the warm hands of her Nana… In these past few years, her Nana was becoming weaker and weaker. Her thin and wrinkled hands that gave her the new year money just a few days ago…

Even if she wanted to bawl out her eyes in front of her Nana, she did not want to trouble her grandma. Not anymore….

But she could in this lonely and dark private room of the night club. The never stopping loud beats of the club gave cover to her sobbing. Nobody would hear her sobs. Nobody would see her miserable state…

She had never cried out like this ever since she had lost her mother.

For minutes her tears kept on falling, until her breathes were quivering. She sipped another cold yet burning drink. Her mind was fuzzy… yet cleared again.

Then she heard. The song the club was playing. A voice she would never mistake for anyone else. A voice she listens to everyday before she goes to bed. And as soon as she wakes up. A voice that sings for her while she gets ready for her day or makes a mess in the kitchen. On the car while she's driving. A voice that whispers into her ears in her dreams.

Yes… Only in her dreams….

Maevie, once again, he looked down at her phone. A saved contact stood out.

Luther.

The name had three red hearts on both sides.

It was the number of her crush of 12 years.