You done?" a teenage boy asked, sliding onto the brown sports bench beside Hina. "I was looking for you everywhere," he said, watching her closely as her gaze remained fixed on the cheerleaders practicing.
"I've always wondered why you love watching them but never join them," he continued. "Mozela would be glad to have you on the team, you know."
Hina nearly sneered but held herself back.
Someone who hated her so deeply.
Though Mozela wasn't the reason Hina didn't join the cheer squad, it was still a terrible idea to talk to her.
"By the way, I didn't see you at school yesterday. Why?" Jacob asked. "I looked for you everywhere, but you didn't show up."
"I was ill," she lied.
She wasn't about to tell him about her problems at home. Rich girl at school, slave at home. It wasn't good to lie, but she simply didn't have the energy to care.
"Ill? Are you okay now?" he asked, concern written all over his face.
She nodded.
Jacob continued, "So, have you thought about which university you'll choose? I picked Hallwads English University. Their entrance exams will be starting soon."
"Really? That's good. I haven't thought about mine yet," Hina replied.
Truthfully, she hadn't. She was too scared to think about it. Heck, she didn't even know if she had a future because she wasn't sure they would even let her go to university. Her future rested in the hands of her stepmother and that family. Family? The word felt strange. Thanks to her mother, her life had never been anything close to normal.
Going to university? It was something she hadn't dared to think about because she didn't have a plan for herself... at least, not yet.
"Umm..." He scratched the back of his head. "Can I ask you something? Do you have a prom date, Hina?"
"Hmm... no."
He grinned.
"I want to show you something. Can you stay here and not move? I promise I'll be back soon. I hope you won't leave."
She nodded, sighing as she prayed he would make it quick since it was almost closing time. After all, she wouldn't have come today if not for her exams.
**
"Is that Miss Slutty I see?"
"Well, well. What do we have here? Is Miss Slutty in need of a dick too? Like mother, like daughter."
Golda and Clarissa burst into laughter.
"If it isn't the one and only Hina Jonathan," the sneer came again.
Hina didn't bother turning around.
Mozela.
Of course.
Cheer captain.
Professional headache.
Clarissa and Golda too.
The girl could never breathe without her two pet monkeys following behind.
Not today, bitch.
This is the person Jacob wanted to convince to recruit me into the cheer squad?
What a stupid idea.
She almost laughed.
"Go bother someone else. I'm not in the mood."
Moments later...
Mozela stepped closer, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
"Daughter of the biggest whore in town."
Hina blinked once.
Still talking about her?
Find a new hobby.
Her mother had already ruined enough of her life.
She wasn't about to waste her energy defending someone who had never defended her.
"No sharp mouth today?" Mozela taunted. "Come on, little Hina. Say something. You're boring me."
Same insults.
Different day.
If only she knew I hated that woman more than she ever could.
Hina stood up from the bench and walked away from Mozela and her clique.
Jacob was on his way back when he saw Hina getting up, so he quickened his pace.
"Hina!" he called.
She turned around at the sound of her name.
"Hey, Mozela," he said, waving at her.
Then he looked back at Hina.
"Come on."
"Let's go, girls," she said as Clarissa and Jackie followed behind her.
.
"Jacob, this place is too far... I'm tired of walking. Where are you even taking me?" Hina panted, sighing as she regretted her decision to follow him. Heck, she didn't even know this bushy part existed. For such an expensive school.
"Relax, pumpkin," Jacob said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Pumpkin? Since when? Hina thought, startled. No one had ever called her pumpkin before. She didn't even want anyone calling her that. Gosh, I hope it's not what I think... I don't need a boyfriend. He's just a friend. I can't break a heart.
Soon, they stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned bungalow.
She was definitely regretting following him. Honestly, she bit the inside of her cheek to suppress her irritation as she sighed.
"Can I blindfold you, Hina?" Jacob asked, holding out a soft scarf.
"Sure," she replied, her voice catching slightly as an awkward smile tugged at her lips.
"Take my hand," he said.
Her heart skipped a beat, she wasn't sure of what to make of the situation
He guided her inside. Step after step, they walked in silence.
Oh gosh, bitch, I'm tired, she complained inwardly.
Finally, they stopped.
Jacob gently removed the ribbon from her eyes.
For the first time that afternoon...
She was speechless.
Her eyes slowly took in the decorations.
Balloons.
Ribbons everywhere.
Fresh flower bouquets.
Money bouquets.
Hermès Birkin bags.
Chanel bags and shoes.
Cakes.
Champagne.
Candles flickering softly.
In the middle of it all, large decorative letters spelled out:
Can you be my prom date?
Her eyes widened.
She didn't know what to make of all of it.
What the fuck...
She was genuinely shocked.
My God.
She wished she could decline. She didn't even know if she would be able to attend prom. But seeing the hopeful look on Jacob's face...
She found herself saying yes.
He pulled her into a hug.
Hina sighed awkwardly, wondering if she should have refused. But then again, all these gifts would have gone to waste.
Bruh.
He had obviously spent a lot of time putting everything together.
Sadly.
---
They sat together, talking, laughing, eating, and drinking.
They had always been close, but today she realized Jacob was actually kind of sweet.
She popped another piece of meat into her mouth while staring at him absentmindedly. Her phone buzzed again.
Probably for the hundredth time.
She sighed.
She already knew who it was, after all they had been gone for hours.
Still...
It wasn't too late to enjoy herself. She would deal with the punishment later.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
She wasn't going to get another chance to relive it. She might as well enjoy the good things he had prepared for her.
The punishment could come later.
She knew it was getting late.
But she was no Cinderella and in no hurry.
She stood up, adjusting her uniform, which had ridden up to her thighs because of the way she had been sitting.
"Jacob, it's late. I need to leave. Thank you... I had a wonderful time," she said with a smile.
"I'm glad you did," he replied, his eyes lingering on her.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
He kept rubbing the back of his neck, looking at her in that strange, hesitant way.
Was he going to kiss her?
She had seen this exact scene in enough movies to recognize it.
It's getting late. What do you want? she thought.
Normally, she would have told him to hurry up since it was getting late. But the champagne she had drunk seemed to be making her feel a little strange. Instead of rushing him, she found herself staring at him curiously.
Finally, he spoke, voicing what had clearly been on his mind.
"C-ca... can I hug you?"
Oh... a hug.
Hmm. Okay!.
"Sure," she replied.
He smiled before wrapping his arms around her.
They stayed like that for what felt like a few minutes before finally pulling away.
"The cake isn't finished yet, though," he said with a sheepish smile.
She sighed.
She couldn't let the cake go to waste.
Besides, Zarina liked cake. She could give the leftovers to her.
But...
How was she supposed to sneak the cake and all these gifts inside?
Her gaze drifted to the Birkin and Kelly bags.
Gosh... they're so fine, she thought.
"Let's clear everything up first. I'll call my chauffeur to come over. He'll help us pack everything, then we'll drop the gifts off at your gate," Jacob said.
She nodded in agreement, though her heart skipped a beat.
She knew just how dangerous it was for her to accept.
But...
Nah.
She didn't care.
She would hide everything at Grace Lace. Later that night, she and Zarina could come back and collect them.
That's actually a brilliant idea, she thought to herself.
Grace Lace was an impoverished mainland area the government had long abandoned. It was also where Zari's boyfriend sold drugs.
Hina watched as Jacob walked over to a spot not too far away. He seemed to be making a phone call.
She could hear bits of his conversation.
"I'm at Dexter Car Park. Come meet us here. We'll be waiting downstairs for you," he said to his chauffeur before ending the call and walking back toward her.
The moment she saw him approaching, she quickly looked away, pretending to admire the decorations so it wouldn't seem like she'd been eavesdropping.
"Hey," she heard him say as he walked over. "I just finished talking to my chauffeur, Morrison. He said he'll be here in a minute."
"Okay," she replied.
She bent down to pick up some of the decorations scattered across the floor.
"Did you arrange all of this by yourself?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity. There was so much. It must have taken hours for one person to decorate everything.
Jacob scratched the back of his head sheepishly again.
He really loves doing that, she thought to herself.
"No, actually. Kai and Kal helped me decorate everything," he replied as he knelt on the floor, gathering the decorations into boxes.
"We planned to pack everything up once we were done."
He glanced at her before continuing.
"But since we ended up spending the whole day together, I couldn't call them. Or... should I call them if you don't want to help me pack?"
She sighed.
"No."
"I'll be right back," she said, carrying some of the gifts downstairs.
"And... thank you for today!" she called out, her voice echoing through the lonely building.
"You're welcome," he replied with a smile as he blew out the candles, wrapped them carefully, and placed them inside a bag.
A few minutes later, she returned.
"Jacob, how about this? You keep putting everything back into the boxes while I carry them downstairs. It'll be much faster that way. What do you think?"
She glanced at the time.
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied with a grin.
Looking at the time again, she knew Seleya had probably been looking for her.
And definitely not for a good reason.
She unlocked her phone.
Fifteen missed calls from Zari.
And a voice note.
"Excuse me," she said with a small smile before walking into another room to listen to it.
"Bro, where the fuck are you?" Zari's voice blasted through the speaker the moment she opened the chat.
She tapped another voice note.
"Your stepwitch came looking for you about three times. She got angrier every single time she realized you still weren't back from school. Seleya wasn't even happy you went to school in the first place, and now it's late and you're still not home. Bro, what the fuck?"
Another voice note followed.
"I'm seriously scared for you. Where are you?"
Then another.
"Are you okay? Seleya said she'll deal with you when you get back from wherever you went... though she traveled today."
Hearing that, Hina sighed and bit the inside of her cheek.
She quickly walked back to where Jacob was before he came looking for her himself.
"You okay?" he asked when he noticed the flustered expression she was trying so hard to hide.
"Yeah," she replied. "Just tired."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jacob said. "I think it'd be better if I called Kai and Kal to finish packing while I ask Morrison to take you home with the gifts first since you're exhausted. We'll just take your things downstairs, and Kai and Kal can help me pack the props and everything else tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Yes."
Perfect.
She picked up some of her things and carried them downstairs while Jacob followed behind with the remaining ones.