Chapter Forty-three

School that day was as sour as anything could be and everything seemed to move on a slow pace. She was worried obviously as she hoped Jay was safe. She kept telling herself that all was well but then she felt something was amiss. The day's activities dragged along at a snail's pace. All she wanted was to go home. Nothing seemed to appeal to her, even Anita and her crew threw occasional glances at her side. The worst of all was music class, she kept getting lost in thought and her shaky fingers did their worst. The music teacher, ever so intolerant did not spare her, she lashed out and put Bella out of class. This was followed by giggles and she clearly heard Anita whisper 'Good for her' to one of her cronies. It was a relief at first to be alone in her thoughts but then, she was alone. The people she had seen yesterday were definitely cutthroats and scary. She could not wait to talk to someone, and she could not wait for dismissal time. 

The sound of the bell brought up a glow on her face, she packed up hurriedly and stepped outside. Mikey had texted back that he was going to try to be there but then, she was disappointed when she did not see him outside. Her driver was already there waiting for her, she approached the car and greeted him. He looked worried, "Is everything alright with Mr Jay? ", she asked him searching for answers on his face. He was trying to avoid her piercing gaze obviously, "Oh miss Bella, everything is just fine. Mr Jay would certainly be back after his business trip but now, let's get you home ", he said trying his best to look sincere. Something had definitely happened and she knew it but her worry was that she was at the center of it all. She got into the car after taking another glance to see if Mikey was coming. When she saw no sign of him around, she got in. 

They had not yet gone quite far when her phone started ringing, it was Mikey, she picked up and he was saying something. He had gone to get her ice-cream from her favorite ice-cream parlour. There was a little queue and he would be done soon, she asked him exactly where he was and decided she would go to him. "Um..  Mr Jake, could we stop by somewhere, I need to see my brother? ",she pleaded. The old man thought for a while and said, "If Mr Jay finds out I diverted, he would kill me most certainly ", he looked scared obviously. "Mr Jay is not here, and I'm taking full time blame for whatever happens ", she said in a pleading voice, when she saw that was not working, she added, "I really need someone to talk to Jake. I'm so burdened right now ", she added. That seemed to get him as he said, "Thiry minutes and we're done ", she began to glow. He put the car on gear and took the nearest diversion, he hoped no one was watching but knowing Jay Martins, someone definitely would be watching. 

Jake knew the danger he would be facing the if he took a detour but then he admired Bella. She was like a daughter to him. In all his years of working for Jay, carrying his lady friends, she was the only one who treated him with respect and it bruised his heart to see her in pain. She knew nothing about Jay Martins and he wondered  how she would react when she found out. She was just a little girl and knew nothing about the vices of the world and Jay, he was the head of all vices. The girl needed some time out, and he would be really selfish should he take her home directly to that lonely place where she had no one but the maids to talk to. So, he was going to take her to her brother.