CHAPTER ONE
RUN THROUGH THE ILLUSION
I lay in bed after a long bath, wearing a bathrobe that absorbs all the wetness on my naked body. I pick up my phone, lying next to the new book I bought a few days ago. I see the message from Irin and my father. I raise my eyebrow and press to see.
Father: 'Hi, sweetie. I know I haven't replied to you for a couple of days. It's busy around here. How's school lately? I know you've been working hard, so I think you have this under control. I know college is coming up, but I hope you just put down your books and have fun because you still have plenty of time ahead to read in college. Have you gone out partying? I hope you haven't, but I hope you have, too, haha. I want you to have fun, sweetie, but I also want you to be safe. Della told me that you only have breakfast. You can't do that, sweetie. What about Dinner? Did you go out to have dinner with your friends? I miss you so much. If everything is under control, I'll be home next month, sweetie. Please take care of yourself, eat, and rest well. I mean it. Love, your handsome father.'
"God…Is he trying to write a book?" I talk to myself and can't help laughing it out.
Della, the Serafinne's maid, was hired by my mother to care for the house and me since I was ten. She is getting older, not just because of her appearance but also because of her age—every time my father has to go to work, out of town, city, or even country. He would do it if the headquarters ordered him to leave the earth. I don't know much about his work because I don't want to interfere with his business. If he wants to talk or let me get involved, he will. So Della is the one who takes care of me when my father's gone nowhere. He hasn't come home for two months. And every time he puts his foot on the floor, the next second, he gets a call to the next mission. It's been like this since I was ten, so my mother hired Della. My mother couldn't take care of this big grand house by herself.
There used to be a lot of maids and butlers, but now there are only three maids and two gardeners, and Della's like a head maid. She might be the one who controls all the servants, but she listens to me very well. She asks for my permission to do or fix anything in general. If a special occasion happens that involves me or a concerned situation, she will inform my father, such as if I haven't had any dinner for the past two months. Actually, I have, but not in the house. I've been jogging around the town almost every night, and I eat out. But most of the time I eat at Irin's. I understand Della's perspective; she's worried. We've been here together, only two of us, in a lonely house, but she tries her best not to cross my boundaries.
I turn my back to the mattress and face the ceiling. Then I hear the sound of the motorcycle from far away outside the street, and it stops. I sprint by myself, walk to the window, and sit on the comfy velvet couch attached to the wall next to the window. I put both my knees on it and lean my face to look outside. It's dark outside, and the streetlight is not that bright anymore.
That's strange. I hear the sound coming this way, but there's nothing there on the street side of my house.
"Hmm." I make a sound and open the window.
The cool breeze blows to my face. It's getting colder again. I turn my face to look to the left and right; there's nothing, only the sound of the wind and the branches against the leaves. While I support myself in leaning toward the bathrobe, almost falling out, and my skin catches a cold, I get some goosebumps. I quickly close the window and the curtain.
The Apollon Academy is the high school I attended in my sophomore year. I can't say it's for elite families' kids because there are different ranges here in Apollon. I should say Apollon is for old family names who have lived in this Apollon town for generations. There are a few newcomers from time to time. I used to be one, but people know my name because of my father. He has lived here his whole life, but not my mother and I. We moved in eight years ago and were back and forth to her hometown. I stayed here permanently after the most impactful event occurred when I was 16, two years ago. People must have their sweet sixteen times, but not me. It wasn't sweet; it was bitter. The significant, unexpected events, not one but two, impacted me and made me live a new way of life as a teenager.
I tried to think of having other perspectives. What happened to me that year might not compare with others' lives and what they've been through. People have their own dramas, right? But it doesn't make my drama less pitiful.
However, It's not pitiful. It's not.
Today is quite dull; there's not much going on. I'm trying to find an extra class or an interesting club, but all I see are sports and outside activities that drain my energy more than my muscles.
I walk past the counselor's room. Suddenly, the door opens before me. I see the tall, elegant lady with ginger hair and blue eyes. Her short, curly hair gracefully accompanies her pretty face. It's Tytas's mother.
"Oh…" Then Miss Quinn follows her and sees me. "Miss Serafinne."
"Yes," I reply and glance at the royalty Mrs. Oskar. "Hello, Mrs. Oskar." I greet her.
"Hello, Letizia. I haven't seen you for so long." She says with a smile after her hectic motion.
"Have you seen Mr. Oskar? Miss Serafinne?" Miss Quinn asks.
"No, Miss," I reply.
"Unbelievable. I call him several times, but he won't pick up." Mrs. Oskar looks very upset.
"He might be training in the field, Mrs. Oskar." I assume.
"Can you call him for me?" She asks. Then, she touches my wrist gently. "He might answer,"
Why does she assume I have his number?
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Oskar, I don't have his number," I say
"What?" She seems surprised. "Then, Can you find him for me? We have to discuss something with Miss Quinn." She explains.
"Can you? Miss Serafinne, you know where he is, right?" Miss Quinn looks prettified.
I guess I know because he trains in the field every day after school. I look at grown women before me who both look a bit serious.
"Yes," I surrender. Then, I turn my back to the same way before and head to the back of the school.
"Miss Serafinne is not that talkative, Mrs. Oskar, but she can be relied on." I hear Miss Quinn defend me.
"I know." Mrs. Oskar.
What a surprise.
My Mary Jane shoes don't suit the green glass with a bit of dirt under it. I walk on the curved pathway down the hill to the field, where all the beautiful horses are, their stables, the polo team members, and their private cabin house.
I sigh because there's going to be Vik.
My pencil skirt is not that tight but not flowy enough to lift my leg that high. It's going to take forever.
Finally, I am on the steady ground, the subtle sand ground. I see few horses on the field and few riders. They might recognize me or maybe not, but it doesn't make them stop looking at me.
I turn to the left side of the rest zone, where an open space has a roof on top. Then suddenly, someone with golden hair turns his face as I enter.
Of course, it's him.
"Oh, wow, wow, Letizia Serefinne. Is this a dream? You come down here to the field?" Vik gets up, and his face lights up immediately like a boy sees his lost toy.
I ignore his reaction to my entrance and try to look for a tall person with copper hair. I can quickly notice him because he's very tall.
"Who are you looking for?" Vik asks with a sly face. Hey, if you keep ignoring me, I can't help here." He says with a bit of a smirk and walks closer to me. His sweat is louder and clearer to my nose.
"I'm looking for your Captain," I say,
"Heh," He makes a sound under his throat. "Why are you looking for him?" He asks. I say nothing and try to search for the target. "You know, boys don't like girls who jump on them like this… straightly come to their places. It looks desperate." He keeps on babbling.
"Have you ever seen me approach a boy before?" I ask. He's in silence. "Where is he?"
"Why do you look for him?" he keeps bothering me. "Are you Tytas? If not, it's not your business," I say, about to move away from him and head straight to the room.
He grabs my wrist. "You're not allowed back there. It's a man changing room." He tells me with a bit of an upsetting face. "I'll tell him for you…What is it?" Vik looks serious, but his eyes are always devious to me.
"Can you let me go?" I ask calmly. "Why? You don't like to be touched?" He speaks softly, but there's a harsh sound.
This asshole is getting on my nerves. "Seriously, Vik?" I tuck my eyebrows and look at him.
"Hehe, I like when you're about to get upset…" He smiles like a clown. "Are you more into balls than horses?"
"What?" I'm confused.
"I saw you leave with James…I never seen you ride the man's car before." He says.
"What's your problem?" I ask.
"Answer me, then I'll let you go."
For heaven's sake, what's wrong with him?
"Then, ask me the real question," I tell him, but it seems to challenge him. He pauses his tongue.
"Are you—" Vik is about to open his mouth.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Tytas stops Vik and grabs his arm. "Your fucking hand," Tytas repeats with his firm, intimidating voice. I've never seen him this way before.
Vik lets his hand go as Tytas commands, grabs his jacket, glances at me, clenches his jaw angrily, and heads to the locker room.
"Are you alright? I'm really sorry." Tytas changes to be calm and gentle immediately after seeing me flick my hand and move my wrist.
"It's okay." I say, "How come you are here?" He asks. "It surprised me…also to him. That's why he acts like a—" He pauses.
Douchebag?
"I'm looking for you." I break the long pause. "Miss Quinn, she asks for you to come see her."
"Why did she ask you to tell me?" he looks a bit upset. "I'll go back to the hall anyway…you don't have to waste your time going down here, " he says as his sweat is sweating.
"Are you upset because I'm here?" I ask.
"No, no, shit…I mean, I don't want you to walk all the way here. It's far, and you have to walk back again." He explains.
"I can tell Vik to tell you, but…I better tell you myself." I say. He's waiting for me patiently. "Your mother is waiting for you with Miss Quinn, and your mother is asking me to tell you."
He looks stunned; he's actually stunned.
"I'll go," I tell him and turn around.
Suddenly, his footsteps are closer to me.
"Letizia," Tytas calls me. "I'll go with you." I look at him while he's holding the horse leash inside his palm. I nod.
During the long walk back to the hall, he keeps his pace the same as mine. I see his sweat drips and drops on the way. He must be in a rush; he does not even clean or change his clothes. He glances at me, and then I quickly hide away.
"I'm sorry if I'm smell." He says, "No, you're not." I say.
"I'm sorry that my mum made you do this." He tries to take a shorter step. I look at him. Then, he glances his eyes on my wrist. "Are you sure you're not hurt? Vik is quite strong. I'm sorry on his behalf." He looks concerned but in a calmer way.
He behaves maturely like an adult—his words and actions are polished and calm, even when he's upset.
"You need to stop saying sorry." I chuckle a little. "It's not your fault…Is it a habit of you? Saying sorry for someone else?" I ask.
"Perhaps." He chuckles.
That shows how he has been raised.
"But that means you care for them, right?" I say.
He licks his bottom lip and glances at me. "I care for you." He says.
My eyes widen a bit, but my legs are still moving.
"I say sorry because you feel uncomfortable or hurt by someone close to me." He explains more to me.
"Thank you, but you don't have to say sorry…it doesn't make me feel better towards that person."
"I didn't say sorry for you to feel better towards others." He says, "I think you know what I mean." He locks my eyes and then takes another step.
Does it mean he wants me to feel better about him?
He swipes his right hand and shows me his palm. I am a little shocked by that. He patiently waits for me. I put my left hand inside his palm. Tytas supports me all the way up to the hill.
Tytas is very different from Vik, and it's hard to believe they are best friends. It's also hard to believe that Tytas hasn't changed his personality to be like Vik. I guess Vik isn't the influential person, or Tytas knows himself best and knows what morality looks like, but Vik should. He obeys whatever Tytas says to him.
I don't know their friendship; it might be more than it seems, and I don't want to get involved. But why? Why is Vik so obsessed with joking and teasing me whenever we see each other? I'm always patient and try so hard not to respond to anything back. It works sometimes but mostly doesn't. I just don't understand him at all.
Finally, we're in the hall.
"We have games this Saturday," Tytas says. I look at him, waiting. "It must be nice if you come to watch me."
I smile in my head. It's not a question or forcing me to say yes or no. He gives me a choice and an open answer.
"I know you enjoy watching horses." He adds with a light smile on his face.
All of a sudden, the door opens up.
"Here you are, we're waiting for you…I know I heard your voice." His mother says, "And…Why are you here with all the sweat and mud?"
He glances at me a bit. "I don't want you to wait." He replies to his mother.
"I see." His mother smiles sneakily. "So, it's a good thing that I asked Letizia to ask for you…" He glares at his mother. "I called you. You didn't pick up." His mother explains.
"I'm training," Tytas answers. "But she—" his mother tries to talk over.
"Mother, please," he corners her to get back in the room.
"I'll get going, Mrs. Oskar, Tytas," I say goodbye.