Chapter 2
ARLENE MARIELLA‘S POV
"Hey, baby! Come back here!" Stewart shouted at me as I ran away with his cellphone.
I saw my name in the gallery. He would have kept the case before I caught it right away so he is chasing me now. The two of us are here in their village park. I ran away from our house again without Riana and Mama knowing.
Stewart San Jose is my boyfriend from a rich family. Their parents are the owners of this village. I heard that he has an older brother in case he can't introduce him to me because he is busy studying. We are both in Grade 7, but we go to different schools. He would only pick me up once when Riana didn't want to take me home with her.
I also just excused myself to the driver and went down there with a Mcdonald's near here so that I could just walk and not have to tricycle into the village.
I stopped running away from Stewart. I immediately looked at the album with my name, I was surprised to see that almost all the content was my picture. The others are pictures of me when I was a child with Riana, we don't have a cover there yet! That was the time we took a shower in the garage!
The next picture was when we hugged and both laughed at the pool. That was the time we both urinated in their pool, our parents were very angry with us! I was even beaten in the ass!
The other picture is now my age. He must have seen all this on Facebook because I used to love posting a picture of me and Riana. I felt Stewart's arm curl around my waist. Instead of getting angry with him, I just laughed because of the past. We were very young then and there was no mother in the world.
"I love you, Arlene Mariella San Jose," he whispered to me. He buried his face in my neck, I put his phone in my pocket and caressed his arms that wrapped around my waist.
"I love you more," I closed my eyes and just enjoyed our moment now.
We were in that position for a few minutes before I let go of him and faced him with a raised eyebrow.
"Why do I have a picture here without a cover?" I waved at him, pretending to be serious to beat him again.
He walked with his head towards me again but I backed away. "I just saw it on Facebook,"
"So what?"
"It's just a picture-"
"I don't care, I don't have a cover there!"
"You were still young then--"
"Even! Pervert!" I turned my back on him and went straight to my bag leaning under the tree.
"Baby, again-" he chased but I avoided it immediately.
"I hate you!" I said that with my back to him. Just save the picture without the cover! Animals!
I looked at my watch for the time.
5:30 PM?!
Oh shit! Shit! They've been home before Mom! Oh, fuck! I walked away even faster, took my cell phone out of my pocket, and read a lot of texts from Mama and my driver!
I stared at Stewart who was now gasping for breath as he stood in front of me.
"I need to go home, Mama's already at home. I might get scolded," I said sadly, he slowly looked up at me. Panting from running.
"Okay, I'll take you." He took my bag and he was the one carrying it. He did take me to the side of Mcdonald's, which's always the meeting place and he would take me so that my driver wouldn't see us so he wouldn't report it.
"Baby. Go home right away ah? Don't go anywhere." I remind him. I could feel his sadness but he forced a smile to relieve it.
"Okay, see you tomorrow then? Take care huh? Eat, it's like you've gained weight! You're skinny oh, just text me later." he playfully winked at me. We both laughed at that. I approached him a little and squatted down to kiss him on the cheek.
"Bye baby." He just messed up my hair before I walked to our car. When the driver saw me, he quickly opened the backseat door for me before he entered the driver's seat. I lowered the window to simply bamboo Stewart who was now sadly staring at me.
Arriving outside our gate I saw that Mama was immediately waiting outside the door, she stood up straight when she saw me. One of her eyebrows rose, and her expression was a little angry now. I bent down and scratched my cheek as I walked closer to her.
"Where are you from, Arlene? You come home late every day, your class ends early, doesn't it?" her tone of voice was mixed with anger as I approached.
"Yeah, I'm doing something-" she didn't let me finish right away.
"Projects? Groupings? Practice? What? What else are you going to excuse me for?! Every time I ask Riana if there are groupings, or what about you, she doesn't say anything! What are you going to do?! And you don't mind answering the call and text we sent to you!" she said nervously.
"Every time your Dad and I come home, you're always gone! I also asked your professors about your performance at school, you know what they said to me?! You're not very active anymore! Every time you're supposed to be asked something you can't answer! Every time there's a project, you're supposed to be late to submit! What are you always saying?"
"You said you have group projects and then that's what your teachers will tell me?! What are you doing to yourself, Arlene?! Even when you're studying, you're neglecting your studies because of that!"
I could no longer speak out of fear, last year I was doing well even though Stewart and I were together. They don't preach to me because of that. I haven’t told them about the two of us yet because I’m scared. I knew we were young but I couldn’t help how I felt for him. Even though I tried to avoid him then nothing happened, my liking for him only got worse.
He didn't stop flirting with me when we were in 6th grade. Both elementary. We went to school then so he met me, I didn't tell Riana so even now she doesn't know what's happening to me.
"Arlene, what's wrong with you? Mama is here. Oh, if you have a problem, I can tell you not to repeat what you're doing because it's not good for your studies." my mother's voice was full of pleading. When I looked up at her my whole body seemed to weaken because I saw tears forming in her eyes.
Though pitying and hurt I still forced myself not to speak. This is not the right time for them to know, my Mom might not be able to handle the weight. I'm too much of a burden to them so I don't want to add to it. I bent down and took a deep breath. Before looking up at her again.
"I'll rest first, Mama," I said tiredly, even though she was hesitant to let me go she was also forced to nod.
When I got to my room I immediately threw myself on the bed. I’m so emotionally exhausted, I know Stewart is having a hard time right now with the status of our relationship. We are both struggling. Only his parents knew about the two of us, his parents believed in us because they thought my parents knew that. I just did it so they wouldn't talk to them again.
I’m not ready to say yet but I love Stewart so I was able to break my promises to them. They always tell me that there is the right age and time for love but I don't believe that.
Age and time are just numbers. They can't control what I am feeling right now. They can't stop me from loving Stewart so much.
The next day I was tired of getting out of bed, I hadn't been able to change or take a bath last night. I feel so exhausted, I need time and space to let myself rest for a while.
After getting dressed, I went downstairs, walking straight to the main door. I thought Mama was gone but I heard them call me.
"Arlene! Aren't you going to eat?" said Papa in a low voice.
I immediately faced them and looked at them wearily. "No, Pa. I'm already in," I didn't hesitate to approach them instead I just walked straight to our car.
I was just an idiot the whole trip, when it came to school I tried to focus and listen to the teacher. Another easy question I can answer immediately even if sluggish. Riana noticed that but she hasn't talked to me about it yet.
When I got home, I took out my cellphone to text Stewart that I was coming home and he wouldn't let me pick him up. Fortunately, he immediately read and replied to it.
Stewart:
Okay, see you on weekends baby. Call me later okay? Take care, I love you.