I Am The Queen 24 Chapter 22

RUMBLE!

It was also like this.

Gloomy atmosphere. Dark sky. Thunderous clouds.

It was like this day that she found out that her so-called friends were talking behind her back.

It was just an accident that she found out. She was minding her own business in the toilet cubicle when her cla.s.smates walk in. At first, she didn't know who was their topic until she heard her name.

"Evangeline is a dope, huh. Just one word from us and she will obediently obey. She even gave me her favorite hairpin."

"Yeah. It is exactly as you said. If we befriend her, we will get all sorts of gifts for free."

"I can't believe that she thinks of us as friends though. Can't she sense it that we don't want to play with her?"

"I pity her. She thinks that all the students like her. But in truth, they are just sucking up to her so they can get free stuffs. Even the teacher talked about her behind her back."

"I mean even Jennifer that she thought is her best friend sold her out. Thank you very much, Jennifer. Without you telling us how gullible and pushover she is, we would not have found out."

Ahahahaha!

Jennifer smirked as she dubbed powder on her nose. "What friends are for? In fact, that Evangeline should be honored that I befriended her. Can't you see how happy she is when I talk to her or that I pretended to play with her? With just one word from me, she will instantly follow and give me all sorts of gifts every day. I think she's secretly in love with me."

Ahahahaha!

Evangeline bit her lips. She didn't know that her tears were already falling on her face mixed with the blood that came from her chopped bitten lips.

Who would have thought?

The girl she thought was her best friend for four years since primary school, who she thought was a sister to her would harbor these nasty thoughts about her.

Since Evangeline was like a porcelain doll, pretty even young, she attracted a lot of people. But at the time, attracted a lot of hate and envious from her peers.

She was so moved when Jennifer approached her when others stayed away. She was so moved when the girl started talking to her when others pretended that she didn't exist. She was so moved that the girl played with her when others isolated her.

But because of this event, because of this sudden revelation. Her heart would never be able to trust again completely.

Her innocent young heart that treated everyone so kindly was played in turn.

Her innocent young heart who gave it all of her feelings was betrayed.

What was more, if that event didn't cause enough damage already, another secret was revealed before her eyes and what little trust she had was utterly shattered by the wind at that one stormy night.

It was also raining hard that night.

The mansion was so dark and eerily quiet with just the rain and thunder causing the rackets.

She was sleeping with her mother when she felt thirsty.

Grunting, she stood up and sauntered down the stairs towards the kitchen with half eyes opened.

But just as she was about to take that first step going down from the flight of stairs, she heard a ruckus in that lightly opened door of the library.

As her curiosity got the better of her, her young eyes took a peek and what she saw would forever engraved in her heart.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

Evangeline's eyes slowly opened. She didn't know when she fell asleep.

She always despised the rain. Hated the gloomy and dark atmosphere.

It kept reminding her of the unpleasant past.

I hate it…

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and the first thing she saw were soaked shoes.

But why is it….

Her eyes gradually traveled upwards and stared at those silvery orbs.

When I see your eyes…. the past became…... irrelevant…

Evangeline's body slightly shook as her purple irises focused on the man's face in front of her.

How is it that you can turn something unpleasant…

"Eve…. Are you alright….?"

Into a memorable one….

Evangeline's lips slowly curved upwards. It was not her usual practiced perfect smile nor smirked that gave people the chills. It was a smile like a dying flower that was quenched by the rain and bloomed by the radiance of the sun.

It was not exaggerated. It was just a slight tugged of the lips. It was simply her smile – her genuine smile.

It maybe because of those eyes, always true and unbending or maybe because of the concerned in his voice that Evangeline found her guard being destroyed bit by bit.

"h.e.l.lo, Eric. Fancy meeting you here. Have you been locked in here too?"

Evangeline chortled when her gaze darted towards the opened door before she sized the man up and down.

Eric was soaking wet, to say the least. He was drenched from head to toe while panting. The gauze and band-aids on his face were peeling off.

Eric sighed in relief. He brushed his hand through his wet hair before he removed his foggy, wet eyegla.s.ses to wiped it dry.

"How did you know I'm here?" Evangeline reverted to her usual haughty self as she questioned the man.

When he made sure his gla.s.ses were wiped clean, Eric put it on before answering simply.

"It was pure coincidence. I was doing my usual job of emptying the trash when I saw your belongings dumped inside the bin, so I thought that something must have happened… Thus, I searched for you."

A flashed of something like warmth appeared in Evangeline's eyes before it completely turned cold again.

Though Eric didn't say it, just based from his panting breathes, and soaked clothes were enough indication that he had searched for her in the entire campus.

"Why…?" Why help me?

The question left Evangeline's mouth before she could even hold it in.

Eric turned towards her. His face had this usual calmness before he turned back and walked towards the door.

Evangeline closed her eyes before she opened it. She stood up and was about to walked towards the exit when her legs stopped at hearing Eric's detached yet somewhat warm voice.

"You don't deserve it…"

"….."

It was low.

It was soft.

It was barely a whisper.

But to Evangeline, it shook her soul that her ice cold eyes that reflected the dark grey skies cracked and moistened. The first time since her mother died.

With just that simple words alone, the heartaches and pain she felt in the past came bursting in waves she could no longer contain, ravaging her emotions like violent storms.

She didn't deserve to be deceived by her peers. She only wanted a friend.

She didn't deserve a man like that. She only wanted a father.

She didn't deserve to be betrayed by Daniel. She was only true to him.

She didn't deserve the rumors. She only did what she wanted.

She didn't deserve to be ridiculed. She only wanted to live her life. Her own life.

Was it so wrong to ask for this? Was it so wrong to act like this?

She slightly bent her body as she lowered her head while her hands rubbed herself as silent tears fell from her cheeks. She tried to bit her lower lip to held her sobs, yet the soft shaking of her shoulders destroyed her cold facade.

It was like the memory of the past came cras.h.i.+ng in waves after waves. She couldn't contain it as it came, drowning her.

The pain that she held on for so long, couldn't let go… And yet… with just that sentence… those simple words… it was slowly being emptied from her heart.

Eric didn't say anything as he watched the sky, pouring soundless water. Even he felt his back was slightly being pressed, he didn't back away nor utter a word. He stood there, straight and still, though soaked and cold.

To Evangeline, his back was the st.u.r.diest like a mountain and warmest like the sun.

The two stood in silence.

The man, watching the sky while the woman, pressing her forehead on the man's back as she held herself.

The memories were washed away and being replaced by a new.

Whenever it rained, Evangeline would forever think of this scene. A bittersweet memory under the rain that she and Eric shared.