PEARL
"What? That's absolutely insane, impossible, and ridiculous. $200 for just to clean a jean jacket," I shrieked, almost dying from the price the laundry man gave me.
"That's the regular price young lady, I'm afraid,"My mouth was wide open as I stared at him in surprise, confusion, and curiosity about how Lucas Anderson was going to successfully bury me alive. I didn't wait for the last bell to ring before I left school to sort out the laundry. I could practically feel his eyes at my back every second throughout the school period and I swear, that every time I looked back, he either wasn't looking at me or he wasn't even in the vicinity at all.
I swear to God that I'll kill Jerry before he turns 18 for putting me in such a dilemma.
"Can't you do it for me at $50? It's just one jacket, not a truckload full of jackets," I insisted, almost crying in the process.
The man sighed. "No, that's because the cloth has to be hand washed and ironed manually. If we try to use a machine, it might spoil it,""Why? Every other clothes in the world are cleaned with a washing machine, why is this stupid jacket different?"
"It's a hand-stitched Jacket. Just ten of them can be found worldwide. Washing it with a machine will destroy its pattern, I'm sorry I can't help you,"The man dropped the jacket in my hand and walked away. I almost crumbled to the floor in despair. How did I get so unlucky?
Once I realized people were watching me, I quickly stood up and dragged myself out of the place. I hailed down a cab and went home with the twenty dollars I was planning to use for the laundry.
By the time I got home, my parents were already in which was unusual, they usually arrive home late from work every night.
"What's wrong? Why are you back so early?" I asked as fear gripped me. Did Lucas Anderson inform his father about the incident and his father in turn informed mine?
Will I die this night?My father and Lucas's dad are currently working together on a multimillionaire project which my dad thinks will change our lives and financial status forever. He said and I quote "After this contract is successfully completed, we'll be amongst the richest families in California"
It's not like we were poor or wretched, we are just a middle, the average family who could definitely afford the necessary good things of life but I guess my father wasn't satisfied with that.
"Did something happen?" I asked again when I realized my mother was ignoring me.
"Pearl, please go upstairs and get changed. I'm preparing dinner and I'll be expecting you downstairs in ten minutes," She replied without even looking back at me."Mom, did something happen?" I asked the third time. "Did someone die?"
"What? Why will someone die before I make dinner or ask you to go wash up?" She shrieked as she turned to me."Because it's unusual, we usually eat out every night,"
She scrutinized me."Have you done something wrong at school? Were you asked to invite your parents?"What!
I know I'm the problem child but seriously."No, absolutely not. I was a perfectly good girl in school today,"
I half lied. Well, if I'm to remove Lucas's part from it, I can say I was a good girl.She rolled her eyes. "Go get changed,"
"Okay, mother,"I walked up the stairs and breathe a sigh of relief. At least, I was still safe and lucky that day. No one would actually kill me after finding out I almost spoiled dad's business plans.
Aurora entered my room immediately I entered and shut the door behind me.
"So, what happened?" She asked.
"$200 to get this shitty thing cleaned," I told her."What? Why is it that expensive?"
"Stupid story about how expensive the jacket is and blah blah blah. I'm so dead, Aurora," I dropped to the bed, crying."If I had such a huge amount of money, I would've borrowed you but I have like 30 dollars," She explained.
"He will bury me alive, Rory," I cried out again."That's just an exaggeration. He probably can't bury you alive,"
"Have you forgotten how he beat up the guy that smashed his car's side mirror to a pulp? That guy missed a whole school year because of it. He nursed broken bones for that whole year""You're a girl, he shouldn't hurt a girl. It's not right,"
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Sis, weren't you in the cafeteria last year when he pushed bitchy Caroline into the drinks machine breaking her hand in the process just because she said hi to him?"Aurora was frozen. "Okay, I think we're in deep shit," She finally agreed.
"What am I supposed to do?""Beg him on your knees," She suddenly suggested, her eyes changing.
"What?""Either you beg him on your knees or get killed, which one would you prefer?" She asked.
"How about I write a letter first? Then beg him if the letter doesn't work out because I don't see myself talking to him. What if he breaks my arm too?"I was afraid and confused as well.
"GIRLS. IT'S TIME FOR DINNER"
My mom screamed from the kitchen."Write the letter first and I'll find a way to sneak it into his locker. Okay?" I nodded.
I quickly changed my outfit to something casual and together we walked into the dining area.
It was in between dinner that dad told us the project with Anderson was almost successful and he promised a vacation after he concluded the project.
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual to write a detailed apology letter. Starting from how I made a terrible mistake and how my effort at cleaning his cloth was in vain. I asked for forgiveness and told him I could go on my knees if he wanted me to but asked if I could do it in the Janitor's room and not in front of everyone because I could die from disgrace and embarrassment.
Aurora and Lyla helped me to get the letter to his locker as promised and they were able to do that successfully because his locker was broken.
I didn't see Lucas Anderson throughout the first half of the day and suddenly during lunch, in the cafeteria, Aurora grabbed my hand tightly.
"Don't look back, Pearl. He's coming here,"
"Lucas?" I whispered and she nodded."Does he look angry? Is he holding the letter?"
"I'm afraid so,"Fear ran its course through my body and with each step that I imagined he took, I also imagined myself walking closer to my grave.
"Where's my jacket?" He yelled from behind me, gaining the whole cafeteria's attention.
I swallowed hard as I jumped from my seat.I brought out the jacket from the bag and he snatched it out of my hand."I'm sorry," I apologized.
He stared at me for a second and I could feel warm on the inside as our eyes met for that second."Apology doesn't fix shit," He spat and turned, walking away.I almost dropped in relief, thinking it was over.
"Meet me at the gates after school," "What?""You owe me two hundred dollars, Augustus. You don't have the fucking right to question what I say,"
With that he marched off, leaving me in my inner turmoil of death.PEARL“I quit,” I announced as soon as Luke walked into the receptionist’s office on the second floor.“Are you playing with words?” He asked, changing his direction and stopping right in front of me. He was close, too close that I could smell his after-shaving cream.“No, Lucas. I quit,”Lucas placed his hand below my chin.“It’s Mr. Anderson for you, you work under me now. Have some respect,”I gritted my teeth. “Are you deaf? Because if you’re not, you would’ve heard what I just said. I quit, I don’t want to work here or anywhere that have you attached to it,”Lucas nodded, staring into my eyes. “Very well, Miss Pearl Augustus. You can leave as you want,”I picked up my bag from the chair behind me and began walking away. I wouldn’t make the mistake of getting involved
PearlIf my father ever finds out that I’m outside of school waiting for the school’s bad boy, I might get killed or sent to an asylum. Maybe if I tell him he was Anderson’s only son, I would be punished and grounded till my grandchildren graduate college, right?“Right?” I asked Lyla who was beside me. I knew I was thinking out loud with the dreadful look on her face.“You need to calm down Pearl. I can’t calm down if you don’t calm down and the way you’ve been imagining all sort of horrible things is scaring me, alright?” Lyla asked, her voice shaking already.I nodded, swallowing hard.&ldquo
PEARL “You didn’t pick up your phone when I called you last night, Pearl,” Lyla complained as she sat opposite me in the cafeteria. It was lunchtime and I arrived earlier than any of us. I wanted to avoid meeting Lucas in the hallways. “I was too tired to do anything, I practically slept like a log of wood after I got home last night,” I yawned, placed my head on the desk, and groaned, “I still feel sleepy,” I told her. “Why? What happened with Lucas?” At the mention of Lucas’s name by Lyla, I lifted up my head, brought out my phone, and show her the text I received from the unknown number yesterday. “Do you know this number? Can you check on your phone if it’s for Lucas?” I requested. I had that on my mind throughout this morning and I made the conclusion that it was Lucas because of the initial he used. Lyla wiggled her eyebrow. “Why are you acting surprised? You know I know you both know someone mutual called Henry and from the way you both acted yesterday, it is crystal clear
Author's Note: I'll be giving little reminders at every switch in time and period so you readers won't get confused. Please, ask questions if this book gets confusing at any point. Reminder: This chapter picks up from the last scene where Pearl had her first day at work. Pearl's POV My day was not only dramatic but also hectic. I had to do all Charlotte wanted because the boss wanted it as well, which were all according to her. I feel she has something deep against me and the best part was, I didn’t see Lucas again for the rest of the day. I was a few feet away from my father’s mansion, staring at it as I sat on the road’s placement, my bag in between my legs. The lights were still on, meaning the workers were still up and so were my parents. When I was able to finally pick up my phone and check the time was when I discovered how dead I might actually be. My phone suddenly began ringing once more, I removed it from my bag and panicked as I realized it was my father. Quickly, I pi
Pearl's POV “Good morning, Mother,” I greeted as I walked past her into the kitchen, the walk was at a quick pace as I was getting late for work. I needed to get to work by seven-thirty instead of eight which was the normal resumption time because bitchy charlotte said so. I picked up an apple from the bowl of fruits sitting on the kitchen table, I took a bite as I saw my mother glaring at me. I swear, I almost choked. “Good morning, Miss” She quoted and I rolled my eyes. I dropped the apple back into the bowl and that earned me a smack on the back of my head. “What the heck, mother? Why did you do that?” I yelled. Instead of responding she ignored me, removed the apple from the bowl, and tossed it into the dustbin. She turned to look at me while a hand was against her waist. “Why are you up so early? Is your work related to slavery?” I shook my head, not as a response to her answer but as a way of saying I was tired of listening to her constant sarcastic way of speaking. “Not
Pearl's POV “Do you want me to repeat myself, Pearl?” He demanded. I was still standing fixated at a spot. I tried finding words to say but I couldn’t. All I could think of was how he laid claim on me just as he did years back. “Yes,” I swallowed hard. He stood close to his desk, leaning a little bit against it for support as he stared at me. We both kept on looking at each other for what appeared to be a few seconds. “We have a meeting to attend, get ready,” He finally repeated and I heaved a deep sign of relief. I stood my ground and I won this time. “Yes sir,” I answered. “Meet me outside in five minutes,”“Okay, sir,” He suddenly glared at me and instead of wondering about what I’d done wrong, I walked out of the office, closing the door firmly. As I walked into my office, bitchy Charlotte was sitting on my desk, hands folded against her chest. “How was your little charade of disgrace?” She grinned widely. I cocked an eyebrow, trying to understand what she mean, and then
Reminder: This chapter picks up from where Lucas attacked Jeremy because he found out what exactly happened.PEARL'S POV“Jeremy is mad at you, you know,” Aurora whispered to my ear during physics class. I turned to look at her strangely.“Why? I have done anything,” I whispered back.She lifted up her textbook before she brought out her phone to text me. I watched as the words she was secretly typing formed into something. “He’s been mad at you since yesterday. You saw how he ignored you this morning, I asked him and he told me it’s because you told Lucas Anderson about what he did,” My eyes went wide as everything made sense to me. Still, I was confused.I took her phone from her and typed. “I didn’t tell Lucas anything, I swear,”“Then, how did he know it was Jeremy who pushed you?” I was
Pearl's POV The next morning, I went to school alone for the first time without my twin sister. I’d insisted on staying back with her at home but my mom successfully chased me out of the house with a mop stick. Aurora had woken up with a bad fever and she was throwing up, I had to reluctantly leave her side to take my bath. My mom decided to stay back and take her to the hospital for a checkup. Aurora while on her sickbed promised to meet me in school after if she gets better and I made her give me a pinky swear on that. As I got off the bus and the school building came into sight, I sighed and tears threatened to spill but I held it in as I held on to the strap of my school bag and walked in. all eyes were on me and as I walked past them, they were saying something with their eyes and their lips were moving as well. I didn’t care because they were probably saying something about Aurora being absent and suddenly, I got really angry. I got to my locker and opened it, dropping some