Marilyn placed the last dish on the dining table and took off the frilly apron. The clock struck five as Bernie set up the cutlery on the table, aligning all spoons and forks at the same height and distance by merely eyeballing it.
"The food's done, I should leave now," Marilyn said, tone a hushed whisper as she glanced at Ryker's sleeping head hanging off the backrest of the sofa.
"Why so soon? Ms. Paisely might be home any moment! You've done so much, at least meet her. She'd love you," Bernie suggested, momentarily looking up from perfecting the forks and spoons.
"No, no, no," Marilyn shook her head, "I-I'll just meet her next time, yeah, I have an appointment with my mum," Marilyn hastened through the words, "Where did you keep my bag again?" She asked Bernie.
"If you say so," Bernie sighed, "It's behind the centre table in the living room," Bernie pointed a spoon towards the living room, "I'll make sure to give you credit."
"Ha, ha," Marilyn laughed dryly as she sped towards the living room, "You don't have to. Just say you did it, I don't mind," Marilyn shot a thumbs - up in the air as she picked up her bag. Her eyes fell on Nadia curled up on the sofa with her head laying in Ryker's lap. Marilyn rushed to Nadia's room, picked up her comforter and brought it back to cover Nadia up.
Bernie witnessed Marilyn gently tucking Nadia under the comforter and leaving Ryker cold and open to the nature's whims. He snorted as Marilyn stood up straight and smiled at her work.
"See you then!" She waved and rushed out of the house. Marilyn was in such haste that she did not even bother with Bernie's:
"Let me walk you out!"
The poor brunette locked the door and strolled into the hallway, clearly bored. He would have to ask someone for today's homework and make extra notes for Nadia and Ryker. If it wasn't for the special notes he had been making for Ryker since fifth grade, the boy would have flunked at least three subjects.
Bernie was not all the way into the living room when the doorbell rang. He rushed back and peeped through the eyehole. It was Ms. Paisely. He quickly unbolted the door and let her enter.
"Good evening Ms. Paisely! Have you been well? Nadia is doing a lot better now. We gave her food and medicine. Her fever did not come back. She's asleep now," Bernie reported diligently.
Ms. Paisely patted his head and passed him a kind smile as she took off her shoes. "We?" She asked, an eyebrow raised with curiosity.
"Yes, it was Ryker, Marilyn and I," Bernie informed.
Ms. Paisely hung her overcoat on the hanger and entered the hallway, "Marilyn?" She wondered out loud.
"The new friend Nadia made. Let me take your bag, please, did you eat? There's food on the table. Should I bring you a glass of water? Tea?" Bernie buzzed around Ms. Paisely, took her bag from her hand and gestured towards the dining table laden with utensils.
"You know how to cook?" Ms. Paisely asked, eyes widened.
"It was, um, Marilyn. She had to leave early because of something. I made sure nothing was poisoned, of course," Bernie grinned, clutching Ms. Paisely's bag.
Ms. Paisely whacked his head and laughed, "Give me a glass of water please, thank you. You stay at my home for half a day and suddenly you're the host," she laughed.
"At your service, ma'am!" Bernie mocked a salute and marched into the kitchen.
She walked inside the living room and rolled her eyes at Ryker's hanging head with his mouth slightly open. She walked towards Nadia's room and opened the door, only to find it empty.
Eyebrows raised, Ms. Paisely walked back into the living room and spotted Nadia's comforter on the sofa. She scoffed as she slightly raised the comforter and found Nadia curled up underneath. She tsked as she crouched down and placed a hand on Nadia's forehead. Thankfully, Bernie's words still remained true.
She sighed as she got up and walked back to the dining table. She took a seat at the head of the table, shoulders slouched and hands folded over her chest. "My daughter is growing up," Ms. Paisely sniffled as Bernie came back with a glass of water. She craned her neck to look up at him, "You're all growing up," she said.
"You'd rather we stay tiny and helpless forever?" Bernie laughed and took the middle seat on the left side of the table.
"I would rather my daughter not sleep with her head on a boy's lap," Ms. Paisely groaned. "What's for dinner?" She asked as she uncovered the dishes and noticed the glaring lack of meat.
"Oh please, Ryker's hardly a boy, don't you worry about him. I assure you, Nadia is more in love with Arabella than anyone else, Ms. Paisely," Bernie said and helped uncover more dishes on the farther end of the table. "There's rice, stir-fried vegetables, roasted eggplant, bean and carrot soup, cucumber and lettuce salad, your pickles and bitterguard fried flatbread," Bernie pointed and introduced each item on the table.
"Woah," Ms. Paisely huffed, "I mean, wow," she enunciated with forced excitement, "I am greatful, obviously, but what's with the glaring amount of greens?"
"Marilyn is strictly a vegan," Bernie smiled.
"Who is this Marilyn..." Ms. Paisely mumbled under her breath.
Marilyn Keynes sneezed as she got out of her car. Her chauffeur instantly held out a lace handkerchief in her face. Marilyn took the handkerchief with a word of gratefulness and elegantly dabbed her nose with it. She flicked the handkerchief away after use and the chauffeur caught it behind her back.
The door guards held the door open for her as Marilyn walked inside. Polished tiles and a train of curtseying maids awaited her presence, helping her in taking off her bag and shoes. Marilyn stepped on the cold floor and entered the lap of luxury that was her home.
"Lady Mary, your mother awaits your presence in the study."
Marilyn nodded as she headed towards the Grand Study and knocked on the mahagony doors. "Come in," a voice ordered and the door was pushed open for her.
The study was well-lit with modern chandeliers and flourescent ceiling lights. The floor to ceiling glass windows on the right were covered with creme embroidered curtains and remaining three walls were regal bookshelf hoarding more than four libraries worth of books. In front of the centre wall was a huge oakwood table behind which, on a rocking chair, sat Vincent Keynes, his piercing blue gaze set on a thick book.
In front of the table stood Harriet Keynes with her arched brows joined in a disapproving frown. Her dark gaze settled on Marilyn as she entered, wearing her down. "Where have you been? For you certainly weren't at school," She said, tone as chilly as her husband's glare.
"I—Mother, I was, I skipped school."
Harriet stormed towards her daughter and struck her face. The sound of the slap resonated off the hardcover books, yet another secret buried amidst them for ever.
"Do you not have the common sense to inform your parents about it?! Do you wish we die of worry?" Harriet snapped, tone harsh.
Marilyn stood straight with her shoulders squared and head hung low. Her hands rested uselessly by her side, fists clenched around her uniform skirt.
"I—" Marilyn's voice broke, momentarily, she sucked in a breath before continuing, "I was at Nadia's," she exhaled in a go, evading tears by a hair.
"We are aware. There is a tracker installed in your phone. This isn't about where you were, Mary, it is about why you were roaming around without permission. Do you not remember what happened the last time you did it?!" Harriet seethed through her teeth.
Marilyn burst into tears, sniffling and hiccuping as she answered, "Na-na-nadia was s-sick. I-I just w-went to t-t-take care of h-h-her. Ginn-y was at s-school s-s-so I tho-o-ught she w-w-would be ho-me al-l-lone."
"Don't leave your school unprompted," Vincent said as he closed the book and eyed his shivering daughter. Her posture did not falter all the while her entire being shook with fear and remorse.
"Y-y-yes father."
"You spoil her," Harriet snapped at her husband.
Vincent scoffed at the implication. "We'll assign you a butler if you repeat this, even in your thoughts, okay Mary?" He warned.
Marilyn nodded.
"You may leave now. A change of staff will be done around you and they will be slightly stricter. You can have a day off your tuition because I will change the teachers," Vincent said and dismissed the girl.
Marilyn nodded and retreated out of the room.
"We should not have come," Harriet grumbled, shrugging her husband's hand off her shoulders.
"It was an order, you know it, also I still believe this is a good opportunity," Vincent insisted and his hands wrapped around his wife's waist instead.
"Nothing good will come out of this," Harriet huffed and begrudgingly leaned into her husband's stiff chest.
"Our daughter is already friends with her. I'm sure it'll go well," Vincent said, placating his wife by pressing kisses over her nape.
Marilyn walked back to her room, a train of maids in tow. The guards in front of her door pushed it open for her and she entered, shoulders slouched and sat herself on her bed. She picked up one of the many plushies littered on her bed and hugged it, breathing hard. Her chest heaved slower with every passing moment and her deathly grip on the toy loosened with time.
She gulped as the window by her bed blazed orange with the setting sun. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out. Nadia's text popped up on the screen.
Nadieeeeee : Thank u for today!!! 💗 I love you sfm!!
Marieeeeeeee : sush, i know you would do the same for me :3
Nadieeeeee : totes. i liked the food. mum liked it as well. she was scandalised, initiallly kekekekeke
Marieeeeeeee : too many greens? XD
Nadieeeeee : Too many indeed :P
Marieeeeeeee : Are you feeling better now?
Nadieeeeee : mhm, loads. Heard you squabbled with Ryker?
Marieeeeeeee : I don't get how you're friends with him. I see no common ground.
Nadieeeeee : oh it is so funny !! Do you wanna know ??? I haven't told this to anyone (not even berns)
Marieeeeeeee : my oh my, let me in !!!!!!!
Marilyn's face remained stiff as a stone while she spammed the exclamation key on her phone. She leaned into her bed, trespassing into plushie territory and settled amidst them like an invader. As Nadia narrated the tale of her meeting with Ryker, a small smile began to curve up on Marilyn's lips. By dinner time, Marilyn was laughing out loud over Nadia's texts in her empty room.
It was only the third day of knowing Nadia, second proper, yet Marilyn's heart thumped over each new notification like she was talking to a long lost lover. Somehow, conversation came easy with Nadia, like most things. Life was just easier around Nadia.
Though that was a thought of past, Marilyn realised, as she stood beside Nadia, two days later, in the Student Council Office, holding their club application form with a big bold 'REJECTED' stamped over it.
"What do you mean you rejected it because you do not like me?!" Nadia snapped, glaring at the Student Council Assistant for Extracurricular Affairs.
"And your idea, I do not like both," the man chided, "Also, you need at least 5 members before applying. You barely have three," he tsked in Nadia's face.
Nadia heaved a sigh, breathed in, pushed a wide smile on her face and proposed, "If I get five members, will you let us re-apply without paying the fees?"
"No," the man scoffed, appalled by the audacity of the suggestion. He stood up from his chair and his name badge caught light. Calen Kelo, the name glistened under the afternoon sun.
"Come on, ease up!" Nadia exclaimed, eyes widened to the point she could feel the air go in.
Caleb shook his head.
"Would it work if I was the president?" Marilyn asked, coyly.
Caleb gave her a once over, brows raised as if he just noticed her glaringly obvious presence.
"I'll give it a thought," he shrugged, "You still need five members though, one of whom should be on the council."
"Join us then!" Nadia exclaimed, "You'll love it, I promise!!"
The man made a disgusted face. "Which part of me not liking your dumb idea do you not understand? The concept is indesicive in itself and holds no weightage for college programs. Clearly, it is a waste of time and effort. So, you should stick to your studies instead."
Nadia huffed and the scrunched the paper into a ball. "I'm doing mighty fine with my studies, ha ha," She snapped at him, "let's go Mariee," Nadia grabbed Marilyn by her wrist and stomped out of the Student Council Office.
"Now what?" Marilyn asked as the stood outside the office, in an empty hallway.
"Now we go to the President," Nadia huffed, "Let's write a new application and get more members. I'll report his ridiculousness to the Student Council President!"
"Do you know the President?" Marilyn asked, unsure if the plan would work.
"No," Nadia snapped, "But give me ten minutes and I shall!"