All for the Love of a Girl

Chapter Two

Chapter Two: And it's all for the love of a dear little girl...

Ten years ago...

Everyone in Sherwood knows that Natalia spends most of her time either alone or with her friends. Her parents are always focusing on their business and they rarely spend a day let alone time with their daughter, but since last February, Natalia found a new solace in someone.

Natalia respected Damien's decision to always meet in secret. After school, they usually hang out in that secluded area of the library and during weekends they go meet in the forgotten bridge where usually no one goes to because of the urban legend circling the town. If it's just her, she won't even go to that place, but then in a short period, Damien taught her how to be brave and to speak her mind, not to care what other people say about her.

Her friends start wondering, asking questions, and bickering about why she is always on the run after school and even missing out on weekends. They only get to spend time with her before the classes start and at lunchtime.

"Hey Natalia, what's going on with you?" Zia catches up with the frantic Natalia. "You're all riled up and stressed."

Of course, she is stressed, she just found out that it's Damien's birthday through the bulletin board despite their four-month friendship, she knew little about him and when she tried to reach out to his sister Danielle, she was hesitant to give Natalia their address but at the end of the day, she eventually sends it to her. Now she is on her way out to buy him a cake before Zia stops her.

"I'm fine, Zia. I just need to go somewhere important. But I'll see you tomorrow before class okay?" she said trying to leave as fast as she can.

Zia was left dumbfounded when her friend Natalia just bolted out after she hugged her. "What the hell is going on with you?"

Despite the uncertainty, if there's going to be a small party or will they even be there. Natalia still bought Damien and Danielle a medium-sized cake with a dedication. Then she took a cab heading to the address Danielle gave her. She messaged Damien during lunchtime that she won't be able to meet him at the library and lied about her parents being home. Though he didn't respond, she knew he has seen it.

On the other hand, Damien drives back early to his house where he found his parents inside arguing again and Danielle sitting on the porch.

"Happy Birthday to us" Danielle murmurs sarcastically when Damien sat beside her snorting.

He extends his fist to his twin sister and she enthusiastically bumps her fist with his. "What time did they start?" he asks before reaching out to his back pocket for his pack of cigarettes and lighter.

Danielle shrugs "No idea, I came here 30 minutes ago, and they were already in each other's throat."

He lit up a cigarette and inhale a huge amount of nicotine before letting it out in the open air when they heard a glass breaking followed by silence. The siblings remained seated on the porch, where one is looking down at her shoes and the other smoking his life out. That's when they both heard a vehicle stopping in front of their house and the front door is unlocked at the same time.

He saw her even before she got out of the cab. He's not mad, though he is curious about how she knew his address. She was still wearing that yellow long sleeve dress and black sneakers while holding her black tote bag and a box.

Natalia slowly walks towards the porch where Damien and his sister are but even before she reaches the siblings Damien called her out.

"What are you doing here, I thought your parents are home?" he took the last remains of his cigarette before tossing it away on the pavement.