Under Her Shadow – Episode 7

Under Her Shadow – Episode 7

© Bunmi B. Gabriel

#Sardonyx’ POV

‘SK what are you doing here?’ He asked quizzically, I gulped

‘This is my sister’s house, what are you doing here?’ I shot back shakily

‘You never told me you had a sister’ he said frowningly

‘Because it didn’t matter’ I said coldly

‘Talking about your sister doesn’t matter? How ironical’ he said coldly. ‘You must be the Sandy’

‘Older’ I said lowly. ‘Is she your g…..’

‘Lucien you’re here!’ Ammy exclaimed childishly. ‘How do I look? Too much or too less?’

‘No you look amazing’ he said absent mindedly

‘I knew it! How could I look great in pink’ she said panicky and turned to leave

‘No, you look really amazing, honestly’ he said quickly. ‘Beautiful’ I rolled my eyes, I could have said something but her happiness was radiating, she was glowing with glee

‘What about the hat?’

‘Okay that have got to go but if you like it you can keep it’ he told her, I sniffed back my tears

‘Sis are you okay? You look pale’ she said worriedly, I shook my head negatively

‘I’m fine, just in shock, he’s my boss’ I smiled

‘Oh! This is a….’

‘No please, it’s okay’ I lied. ‘Everything is okay’

‘Oh! Okay, so can we leave now?’ She asked cheerfully, he smiled still absent minded. ‘Pink roses? Did you guys plan this for me?’ She asked frowningly

‘This is just a coincidence and yes, can we go now’

‘You kids go have fun’ I said with fake enthusiasm, they smiled, immediately they left I closed the door and slides down the door, I lied t the tears flow down freely, why do I have to face so much pain all the time

#Lucien ‘s POV

I remained quiet as AJ blabbed, what she was blabbing about, I don’t know, my mind was somewhere else, Sardonyx. I’m not stupid, I know she’s in love with me, she have been through too many heartbreaks to fave another from me, I’ve tried to love her but I couldn’t, no matter how much I tried, I font want to hurt her.

‘Lucien, you aren’t listening’ she cried, I smiled and held her hand. ‘Is everything okay with you? Why don’t I feel any enthusiasm from you, am I on my own here?’ She asked poutingly. ‘If you are not in a good mood, we can do it another time’ she added

‘No, I still want to do it, just had a stressful day, files and all’ I lied

‘But today is Sunday’ she pointed out

‘She won’t understand’ I sighed

‘Is it about my sister? Should I be worried? Please tell me now so I’ll know what to do’

‘No, was are just friends’ I assured her, she smiled but she I knew she wasn’t buying it. ‘Your lips really look teasing today’ I said changing the topic, she giggled and blushed

‘We are here’ David announced

‘Here where?’ She asked curiously stretching her head out of the window

‘Relax and please don’t move’ I warned her but she bolted to the door, I held her down in time. ‘I said hold still’ I commanded, I opened the door and walked out, I turned to the other side and opened her door. Where’d she go?

‘This place is awesome!’ She squealed, I looked around for her and found her on a rock looking over at the forest. ‘Where is this place? A forest yes but why?’

‘I told you to hold still but you moved’

‘You took too long’ she smiled

‘I didn’t even take a minute’ I said grumpily

‘I was curious’ show whined. ‘No what’s this place?’

‘My dad bought this forest for me when I was six, it was my birthday gift’ I explained walking to her, I gave her my hand and she took it, I carried her down and took her by the hand to the waterfall. ‘It was my comfort zone when my dad sent me here to study like I wished to, my mom would come every week and help me revive the dead plants, we planted everything here, almost everything tho she had green thumbs, really strong ones, this place is why I can’t leave New York no matter what, when I’m here I can feel my mom’s presence around me, it’s all I’ve got left of her’ I explained sadly

‘Your mom is dead? Since when?’

‘Hmmm fifteen years ago after giving birth to my little brother only that he’s not so little anymore’ I smiled at the memory of my stubborn brother, we got to the waterfall, she sat down gently at the edge with me

‘It smells really nice here, really nice and peaceful’ she smiled. ‘It’s quiet, the hooting and chirping is strangely satisfying’ she added, I smiled

‘My mom always said that’

‘You seem very close to your family, tell me about them, I really wanna know, I’m not close to mine, both my real and adopted, it sucks’

‘Well, I have two elder brothers, an older sister, two younger sister and a younger brother, the first one is Leonard, is my best friend along with the youngest Lawrence, I’m not close to Louis the second child, God he’s annoying and bossy, always concern about his royal life and “fanciness” Liliane is mom this second, she really takes the role of the first daughter seriously, very caring and motherly, perfect for a sweet hug, then there’s me and then Lydia, the adviser and rude know it all, you already know Lucy’

‘Family of L’s’ she said jokingly, I smiled

‘Yea I know, my dad’s name is Lucian and my mom’s name is Lucienne, super big coincidence’

‘Really, your family is cool, most be fun, very fun, with loving and caring parents and loving siblings’ years rolled down her cheeks. ‘My parents don’t even know if I’m still alive, they don’t care about Sandy and they treat Idris like trash, isn’t that unlucky?’

‘Softie….’ I called softly, I understand her, SK have cried like this a lot of times over this issue

‘I’m not crying, AJ don’t cry, she’s ever happy and cheerful, immune to pain and sadness, why should I cry?’ She mused cynically wiping her years off furiously, I watched her quietly. ‘Tears please stop falling’ she yelled at her tears, I held her hands and looked into her eyes which was glistening with tears, I knew it, she was in great pain.

__

I racked my head for something to say to her, she was crying seriously and my head was blank, what kind of person am I? Oh yes, it’s not my fault I went blank, her glasses were off and her eyes glistened like a thousand stars, at the same time it looked like comets and firework, it was stunning and to add to my brain seize, she was sucking her bottom lip as she cried

She looked like a very irresistible puppy

come on Lucien you are not this dumb, you aren’t dumb at all so stop being an idiot and console her

I pulled her into my arms and hugged her, that was the only thing my brain could think of that moment, my mom always said a hug is a magic healer so I hope it helps. I don’t know if this sounds selfish but no one have ever felt so right in my arms and no one deserves to hold her like this except me

‘Everything will be okay’ my lips moved and uttered gentle words, she shook her head negatively

‘It won’t, all my life have been me living as an item to people, a must keep, right from when I was born ‘let me carry her please, maybe her luck will rub off on me, maybe if I’m nice to her, good things will come my way, Amethyst kiss this, Amethyst do this, Amethyst do that’ it’s not my wish to be born with seven lucks, sometimes I wonder if I’m human or even belong to my parents, they are like the most unfortunate people on earth so I don’t understand me at all

Everyone sees me as this beautiful goddess, one that can never get hurts, if they don’t want me in their bed, they want me to boast about, they want me to help them financially or something else, no one really cares about my happiness, sadly not even Sandy, she loves me but this luck of mine have driven her away from me because she feels intimidated by it, even my adopted parents stopped caring when they realized how lucky I was and they got used to making me do things for them for their own benefits, it hurts, it hurts that no matter how hard I’ve tried to make people see who I really am on the inside, I fail, they only end up getting lost on the outside view’ she cried

I stroked her head gently

‘My dad had a mistress who found out about me and wanted me for herself like everyone else so she married my dad to her possession of me but mom also wanted me for something too so that led to a court war which also led to my calls running away, my adopted sisters are like mountain size jealous of me because of me

I have to remain excited and happy all the time because it’s the only thing I have left, everything and everyone scares me, my only friend right now is my PA and my brother but I’m also scared of them, my sadness keeps growing higher everyday and it’s overshadowing my luck which I’m quite happy about, maybe if I don’t have any luck, I will finally find true happiness’

How can someone who is filled with so much enthusiasm be so deep in sorrow? She’s in greater pain than I thought

‘There are people who truly cares about you Softie, you just need to look around and find them’ I whispered softly, she mock scoffed

‘Trust me I have, I distance myself from my family because I’m afraid that when I lean to close to them, they will later toss me away or let me fall, I’ve spent years building up my walls and being an emotional person, I will easily let my guard down’ she was still crying seriously, my shirt was drenched in tears, her next words shocked me. ‘What about you Lucien? What do you want from me? Sex? Please be honest with me, tell me the truth, what do you really want from me?’ She asked removing her head from my chest to get a closer look at my face, did I forget to mention her eyes were like fireworks? Those fireworks were not just in her eyes but in my heart

The palpitation of my heart wasn’t because of her question but how close our lips were, how her apple and grape scent was kissing my nose, how her eyes were watching me, glistering, glistening, every single f****ng words to describe a sparkly eyes like hers, her small hands were holding my chest tightly like she was preparing herself for the next words I would say, either hurtful or good

I forgot she asked me a question

‘Lucien’ she whispered staring at my lips, I swallowed, what do I really want from her? Honestly since I met her, never have sex crossed my mind, those words or thoughts never flashed in my head so I don’t want her for that, I didn’t know she was lucky before, neither did I know who her father is, I’m attracted to her not because of her beauty, I’m hundred percent sure of that, is it her body statue? Delicate and small?

Nay! I never noticed it till I held her in the copter so I don’t want her for the wrong reason, I like her and that’s that

‘I don’t know, I just find myself wanting to be with you since I met you, the sparks are there, the electricity from when ever I touch you, the joy I get from seeing you smile and the selfish need to always have you beside me, away from anyone else, away from anything that will hurt you, to keep you as my most priceless treasure, never to let go’ I paused and scratched the back of my head nervously. ‘I know it sounds cheesy knowing we haven’t known each for long but I don’t know, I just really like you, sorry if I’m being too honest and telling you what you aren’t prepared to hear yet’ her grip on my shirt tighten and her eyes were glittering with so much excitement, real excitement, hope and love? Pfft, nay

‘What is the first thing that comes into your head when you think of me?’

‘Crazy’ I blunted out and bit my lip, that’s bad

‘The second’

‘Lovely and cute’ I replied honestly. ‘You are nor crazy don’t get me wrong, it erm… You…you…well are beautifully crazy and weird…I didn’t say say that in the wrong way! You are just strong….’ God what am I saying! Come on Lucien, act as your princely self and don’t insult her compliment her

‘Didn’t she just say she want someone honest to her, tell her the truth in everything and you will win her heart’ my subconscious advised, so I want her heart? I don’t even know, where’s mom when you need one! She burst into laughter

‘And you say I’m crazy?’ She asked shifting away from me

‘See what you have caused Lucien, she moved away’ my inner voice whined, I call that voice my middle name Anloine because it acts more mature and prince like than Lucien, I don’t know if you understand me but who will will

‘It’s not my fault, I forgot where I was, couldn’t you see how close we were? Our proximity was alarming, and her eyes, and her lips and her breath….’

‘Define crazy’ she said laughingly

‘Whaaaat?’ I asked confusedly

‘You do realized that you are talking out loud to yourself, I can hear everything you have been discussing with “Anloine” and for the record, he shares the same voice with you’. What! I was talking out loud! Anloine why? ‘I can still hear you’ sue said smilingly, I looked away sheepishly, this is so humiliating. ‘You wanna win what? I didn’t hear that part very well’ the look on her face made me know that she was telling the truth

‘Trust, I want you to trust me, I promise you I won’t care for the wring reason’ I didn’t lie, I just told he something else that is true, she wiped her tears and stood up

‘I’m starving, where’s dinner’ she asked rubbing her tummy childishly

‘This way’ I stood up and led her to the spot I was old David to set up. ‘You know, I also deserve to know why you want to be here with me, many people always want me because of what I can give, the family I was born into and my good looks and charms, are you one of them?’

‘Why will I want that? I’m rich, I don’t even use my money most time, I have my own good looks and I’m okay with that, do I look like someone who cares about material things’ she asked buoyantly rolling her eyes, I know you are not that kind of person, it shows. ‘What family are you born into?’

‘I don’t want to tell’

‘Come on tell me’

‘My full name is Lucien Anloine Weiner Alexandre the third’ I tell he nervously, here comes the squeal, she stopped on her track and eyes me from head to toe

‘My future business partner, the one that is so dreamy is you?’ She asked frowningly, I was too shock by her reaction to responds to reply, she hissed. ‘And I thought you were from the President’s son, rubbish’ she scoffed and walked ahead, oh I am so not losing this girl, she squealed when she saw a the shocking picnic rug

I never asked him to set that, I said a candle light ta me dinner, what is this? The candles surrounded the rug forming a heart, different type of rose petals were everywhere, what’s with this heart shaped lantern and heart flower bush? Luciana!!!!!!

‘Teddy!!!!!’ She shrieked and took the white teddy bear with love shaped eyes and a note on it chest, she removed the note and hugged the teddy bear tightly before reading the note out loud. ‘Words can’t describe what you mean to me, you are my new addiction, my priceless jewel, even tho I don’t know you much, I will always be there when you call, to hold your hands and prevent you from falling, I will be beside all time to watch your steps, protect you, to love you, I might not be good with words but I am sure of everything I’ve said, you will always be my special flower, love Lucien’

I didn’t write that! I will never write a note when I have a mouth, she stared at me weirdly before facing the foods

‘Chocolate!’ She squealed, what will she think of me now! Arch! Lucy you have ruined everything, you have destroyed it ‘how did you know all my favourites?’ She asked quizzically

‘Will you believe me if I told you I guessed?’

‘I will because I can also guess that you like tortilla, pizza and jambalaya, you also like pie and brownies, am I right?’

‘Yes, you are’ I said fascinated, she winked at me and faced the food

‘Cookies always make my day so I’ll stop with you, make you’re up first’ she mused and started eating, she was eating so fast and yet so fastidious, all I did was smile and stared but then my mind flashed to Sardonyx, the joy all washed away what will I do about her?

#AJ ‘s POV

After eating to my satisfaction, I noticed how cold and Lucien was suddenly acting, is it because of the way I ate? The look in his eyes were of that making a tough decision

What could it be?

To be continued

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