Bella entered the cab she had hailed, her mind still spinning and reeling from the rejection that had taken place. She pushed the glasses that hung off the bridge of her nose higher. After she had rather haughtily told the taxi driver where she was going, she finally released a long and heavy breath.
Inside, she could still feel the turmoil that sought to drain out every single dose of peace from her system. Their earlier argument continued to fester in her mind, adding to the list of things that had already put her in a horrible mood. A hammer tapped at the apex of her skull as if wanting it to dip, to bend into itself with the brute force that the ache came with it. She suddenly started to feel the pain of the sleepless night that she had passed.
Covered by sheets that were not up to par with the supima covers that she was used to, on a bed that wasn't quite as soft as the way she would have liked and most importantly with the information that had seized her brain for more seconds than she could count.
He killed my son.
That squeezed her chest. It felt like a weight that she could not possibly put into words. The idea was preposterous. Her father would never do that, but even then, the sadness that unfolded before her eyes seemed real enough. Her throat became more tight as she rubbed her hand over her face. She'd never seen her brother look that angry in... Ever.
Get out!
The blaze that overtook his usually blank eyes had startled her even before his shout did. And for the first time, she wondered what had happened while he was still living with their father? Bella cupped her face with her hands. She didn't like the questions that had disturbed her mind ever since she got here. She didn't like the truths that she had found out, each time life seemingly opening up a new bitter punch for her.
By the time they got to the hotel and she had walked up to her hotel room, she realized now that all that was left was sadness, anger, resentment and confusion. She sat on her bed and sighed. She had no idea what to do, neither did she know what to believe. Now, that she was alone without her brother spurring her on to defend her father, she now allowed her reservations to be aired once again.
What if he really did do it?
What if he wasn't the man he once was?
What if he really had changed?
With each thought, another lump formed in her throat and as she tried to swallow it down. Even thinking about it felt so unreal, this still felt like a nightmare that she so desperately wanted to wake up from. That her father, the one that had been there for her was now not only dead but was a murderer. A whole array of thoughts bugged her mind that she could barely decide what action would be best to take.
She eyed the phone that lay beside her on the bed before sighing again. She grabbed it and switched it on. She opened Instagram before typing her mother's username on the search bar, trying to look for a way to distract herself. She tapped on the first recent post which was a day ago. The image of her mother sitting in a talk show, of course she wasn't sure which one exactly, sprouted up.
She turned up the volume to listen as the woman who she identified as Kelly Wes, a very popular influencer and reporter, began to speak.
"So what exactly does Essenza Elixirs intend to accomplish for the remainder of the year?"
Her mother smiled brightly, "Well, same old, same old, to be the best brand that we want to be. And of course, we all know the year is drawing to a close and there's been a sudden increase in the laying off of more people recently. So, we're looking to employ 200 people and sponsor 500 people through whatever degree they're looking to get."
"Wow, that is indeed wonderful. It's fantastic that you want to help out people in this time, it's not everyday you see a company looking out for society."
Her mother merely nodded with a well articulated smile that made Bella almost grit her teeth in annoyance at how well she deceived people.
"With us, we not only awaken the essence within everyone, but we also make a better society, one whiff at a time." They both smiled at that, then Kelly asked.
"What exactly is going on with Bella though? There haven't been updates about her and Blake's status for a while now and there have been rumors of her running away....."
"Nonsense, I can assure that she simply went for a retreat. You know sometimes kids these days just want to stay off social media, which is quite healthy by the way. So I can say for free that she will be back very, very soon."
"For all the Blella fans, that would be wonderful news. We're all so excited to see the couple start off, I for one, can't wait for them to get married. They're such a wonderful match."
The reel suddenly stopped and Bella felt the heat wash over her at the statement. Her hands shook and the nasty need to hurl her phone at the wall jumped on her but she held herself enough to be able to allow it to roll onto the bed.
Wonderful, her foot!
Bella sighed before she lay flat on the bed and could only imagine the plans that her mother was already making concerning the wedding and her schemes to bring her back. The thought of having Blake as a husband sent shudders down her spine, her fists clenching involuntarily.
Bella knew that if her mother found her way she would somehow get her to marry him whether willingly or unwillingly, her say would never matter.
If only she could.....
Now once again as the gloomy silence followed around her, all she could mull was that there was no point of her returning in the first place. Everything had changed. Including her father. The thought her father caused her heart to skip a beat again and all she could hear was the cries of the woman that had cried over her child.
Why daddy? Why?
In her heart of hearts, she wished she could just easily say he did not kill him for nothing. Maybe he was trying to protect himself or it was an accident or something. But, every time she tried to make excuses she still came face to face with the reality that the boy had left this earth as a result of her father's hands. Her hands shook and suddenly she felt sick, her stomach roiling with bile and other undigested particles that remained in her body.
Now, putting that in mind she realized she had nothing to keep her here in this city. Nothing at all. Her father was dead and a potential criminal, while her mother whom she had tried to run away from would by now be plotting to send a horde of people her way to bring her back to Acacia whether she agreed or not. Her mind spiralled back to her brother for just a moment, a fraction of a second but she dismissed it as soon as it came. After all, he obviously didn't want her anywhere near him.
She tried to ignore the clench in her chest at the thought as his words resurfaced in her mind again. With all of the things happening and the news that still continued to remain a deadweight making the load on her shoulders seem heavier, she decided that she needed to travel somewhere else. To run away from all of the things bothering her even if it was just for a moment, especially now that she really was alone.
Bella felt that same trickle of fear prick her, fear that she wouldn't make it, fear that she would fail. Once again she almost felt that instinct to call her mother, gesturing wildly towards the phone so that she could allow her to carry all the burdens that suffocated her chest. To lessen the load that pinned her down but she shook out of it.
Miles was doing it, he was living his own life, so could she.
For a second, she sensed the distrust but she quickly pulled away from it.
Even without her father or her controlling mother, her throat constricted, she was going to live her life, her way.