You look quite dressed up, did something big happen?" Kelvin asked the moment he stepped out of his class. Since it was Friday, he didn't bother coming with a lunchbox and instead ate from the canteen during lunch break.
Alina held two shopping bags, one filled with food restock and the other was a winter set for Kelvin. She didn't want him catching a cold at school. Although she wanted to purchase for herself, there wasn't sufficient money needed to. "Yes. Can you believe that your big sister got a job at a real, high-end place? I'm officially corporate now, baby!" Alina said happily as they headed home together.
"Seriously?" Kelvin asked, looking less interested as they walked towards where they would wait for the bus. "And the offer to stay at your husband's mansion? Are we still doing that?" He asked, looking at her as though already figuring what the answer would be.
Alina gritted her teeth at his response. If it wasn't for the bags she was holding, she would have smacked him on the head. "Stop calling him my husband as though we're fully married–"
"You are sister," Kelvin interrupted, his eyes narrowed in mock wisdom. "I've begun thinking if you weren't into men since you never brought any man home as your boyfriend. Mom's going to be happy," Kelvin grinned, already imagining the smile on his mother's face.
Since Alina was always busy at VXN Apparel, Kelvin and their mother love gossiping about Alina.
"Why do I feel I was being gossipped about Kelvin?" Alina questioned. "I haven't really dated a guy before," she added as they stepped out of the school's gate. Just then, Alina's eyes fell on Emma and Calvin's mother who were also heading towards the bus stop.
Upon noticing them, Kelvin's body stiffened. For some reasons unknown to them, their neighbors were wealthy but didn't change the location of their residence. It was questionable yet Kelvin was the one always mocked about his home. Laughed at because his father was an alcoholic by those two brats even when they live in the same crappy neighborhood.
Realizing Kelvin's hesitation, Alina switched the second shopping bag to her right hand and grabbed her brother's hand. Those people were making school harder for Kelvin, in addition to the absence of their mother and father, one day, it will surely get to him despite ignoring them. Before that would happen, she knew what to do.
"What are you doing?" Kelvin asked, wide eyed as Alina pulled him towards the annoying, eye-service neighbor.
"We're going to the bus stop, aren't we?" Alina asked, her smiling face gone in the blink of an eye. She wasn't going to allow her brother to face social stigma and judgement from people who know nothing about them.
Just as the siblings reached where their neighbor was standing, waiting for the next bus, Alina stopped dead center at their front. Emma and Calvin's mother immediately scorned at them, having no idea what was coming for her. On the other hand, Calvin whispered something to his sister, Emma and they both giggled.
Alina felt the sudden shift of anxiety from Kelvin to anger as his body shook with great control. She knew he was holding himself back from pouncing on the rotten brats who always made his day at school a living hell.
"You're in my way," the begrudgingly voice of their lip service neighbor reached Alina's ears and a smile stretched on her lips.
She turned towards the woman who was frowning so hard that all the lines of her face multiplied. Her blond hair like sunlight and a pretty face didn't match her personality, not even one bit.
"Your way? Honey, I'm your roadblock," Alina asked curtly and looked away, acting as though nothing happened.
The woman felt as though she had been slapped on the face. Her voice was a sharp screech. "Excuse me, what did you just say?" She asked, her hands reaching for Alina's shoulder.
Quickly turning, Alina slapped her hands off her.
"Don't touch me, you greasy hypocrite." She seethed, glaring at the woman with all the anger in her. Then she looked to the kids who immediately hid behind their mother. They had never seen Alina lose her temper. She was always the calm person no matter what happened to her.
The woman didn't back down. "Tell that to yourself, skinny bitch. Aren't you ashamed of your poor family?"
"Who would be ashamed of their family? Unlike you, I've dignity as a human. Not some unsympathetic bitch with two spoiled brats called children," Alina threw back, her anger rising in octaves. The evening cold was slowly sinking into her flesh but it only hyped her up.
"How dare you involve my sweet kids?!" The woman yelled, eyes red in anger and pain. She couldn't stand anyone insulting her children.
"Ohhh? So you're in pain? Your kids love belittling my brother in school, telling almost everyone who cared to listen that he's the son of a drunk and poor as a church rat. People like you who condemn others and protect their own like golden eggs should definitely rot in hell," Alina growled back.
The woman was losing her cool, yelling, as a small crowd was already forming. She reached for Alina, slapping her but Alina was faster. She caught the woman's hand and threw them back.
"I agree we're poor dear neighbor. Keep condemning us whenever you get the chance to but don't also forget that you live in the same dirty, forsaken and poverty-stricken neighborhood as us."
The woman paused wide-eyed, everyone gasped in surprise. Even most people in the crowd were classmates of Kelvin and their parents were there.
"Don't say that here," she lowered her voice. Her eyes falling on some parents she knows. She never thought this would backfire on her after she went around gossiping about the Grays who fell from grace to grass.
"Why? Ashamed? Scared that they would find out of your petty lies? People who get stigmatized every time will eventually be old news compared to others who have a clean slate. They fall faster. For the last time, if you or your damn kids ever mock or tell people about our private lives, you're going to regret it."
Alina smirked and was about to leave when she thought of something else. "Oh, stop lying to your brats about their father being rich. We know your parents are the one taking care of you and them while your 'husband' has another family in a different state. Have a nice night, neighbor." Then walked off.
At the mention of this, the woman stumbled backwards. How did Alina find out about it? It was a secret she never told anyone else.
"Mom, is that true?" Emma asked as she stared at her mother with a horrified look on her face.
"You liar," Calvin gritted his teeth as he drew back. "You lied to us," disbelief clouded his face as murmurings filled the air.
"Wait, I can explain, please listen to mommy."
**
Alina sighed in relief, feeling proud after her little show. Lesson learned, people who don't talk know a lot. They're just not interested in telling others. She thought and walked into a familiar body. His scent filled her nose in just one sniff.
"I never knew you were this fierce, dear wife," Damian grinned as Alina looked up to him, her eyes almost falling off their sockets. When did he get here? Now that she noticed, Kelvin was sitting inside the passenger seat which was still open. And she didn't notice?
A blush crept on her face as few people started looking at the surprisingly handsome man who had come out of nowhere.
"Get in the car! Now!" Alina whispered as she strained her neck to glare at him. He was always showing up at unexpected times.
"What? Don't want them to admire your hot husband?" He asked, leaning further towards her. Some young moms were already taking notice of him. Although he won't even look at them, he loved the expression that was plastered on Alina's face as she stared at him in wonderment.
A soft knowing chuckle left her lips as she shook her head. "Who said you were hot? Big oaf," she laughed and walked past him, heading for the car.
"Uhmm, hi, can I have your number?" A young brown haired girl asked. Her eyes brimming with expectations as she stared at Damian.
Alina froze on her feet. She hadn't even gone anywhere and they were already flocking towards him. What was so special about him? She questioned herself and turned back.
"Of course," Damian replied, reaching for the phone the girl was handing to him, not once looking at her. As if on cue, Alina appeared in his front.
"He's married."
Her voice was curt and straight. No beating around the bush as the girl glared at her. How dare she ask for a man's number when a woman was clearly around him.
"But he's reaching out to me," she defended.
"I was just checking the time," Damian replied, deeply concentrating on staring at his Rolex wristwatch.
The girl's face reddened in embarrassment and quickly scurried off, eliciting a sigh from Alina's lips. She had never done this before. Feeling Damian's breath on her neck, she moved away. Being around him was like playing with fire.
"I knew you would come to my rescue, I'm blushing," he teased her with a small smile. "It seems you do care, Alina."
Unable to control herself, Alina removed his glasses, her face turning redder as he smiled cheekily. It wasn't gold rimmed today but silver. Then she got the message. With a smug smile, she looked up at him. "Look who's into fashion, huh. Did you finally ditch the gold for good taste?"
Damian's ears pinked. He gently pulled her towards the car. "Will you compliment me for once wife?"
"I don't compliment idiots," Alina replied as she placed the last shopping bag inside the car. Kelvin was busy playing a tactical shooting game on Damian's iPad. She glared at him. He had slipped away while she was confronting their petty neighbor just to play games.
"Get in the car Alina. We're going out," Damian said as he took his place in the driver's seat.
Lucas was absent. Alina noticed. "Where? And why no Lucas?" She questioned in suspicion.
"You'll find out soon."