The Essential Bride

The Essential Bride (5)

I woke up the next morning and groaned. I couldn't believe it was only Thursday. The sun was shining through but school was the last place I wanted to be. My phone went off, and I answered it on the second ring.

"You have called your best friend, what can I do for you?" I answered with a smile on my face. I wonder if she would be interested in ditching, drinking Starbucks coffee all day and catching up. Leon last night tossed down a thousand dollars in hundreds, I could get that car, and get a real job... I didn't want to be giving him what he wanted but how could I deny that?

"I think I have what you had." Stephanie moaned into the phone and instantly my heart plummeted. I sighed.

"I'm sorry baby; I wish I could make you feel better."

"Not your fault, I just thought I'd call you just in case you needed a ride to school

"Yeah, I understand. Feel better?"

"I'll try." And with that she clicked off.

I kicked the covers off my legs and made my way to the bathroom. Now even if I did want to go to school I wouldn't be able to anyways. My bathroom window overlooked my driveway, and out into the woods. We lived in the middle of nowhere, the trip to the high school on a good day was twenty five minutes away, and it was annoying. I was glad I had a best friend that was willing to help me out, so I didn't have to wait for the bus every day.

 It took me a second to notice a car sitting in my driveway that I knew didn't belong to my Mom. I slowly made my way downstairs, and opened the door. It didn't matter to me that I was in shorts and a tank top; I embraced the cold as I rushed to the dark green Jetta sitting in my driveway with an envelope stuck between the windshield and the wiper.

I opened it, and felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. It was the car title, entirely filled out in my name, this car was mine. A smaller piece of paper fell to the ground and I snatched it up.

"Take what I said into consideration. I want nothing from you but your happiness. with care, Leon xxxx"

I was amazed. My head was reeling. He really was insane!

This title was real, this car was mine, this 6,000 dollar car was mine and I didn't put a cent towards it and the same guy gave me a thousand dollars for yelling at him.

I didn't know what to do, do I accept this car? How could I not accept this car? It was the one I've been saving up for for months? How could I even return the car? I didn't know the guy, if he felt the need to give me a car who was I to say no?

What if he wants me to become his hoe? What if he's a pimp and that's why he has so much money... I couldn't accept this car. I had the money to pay for it myself; I would make the man give Leon his money back, and pay for it myself.

The keys were in the ignition. I took everything in the house with me, got ready and drove down to the car dealership. There was one man in charge of this entire place, and he was sitting behind the desk with a big smile on his face.

"I saw the green Jetta pull into my lot. I'm assuming you are Demetria Jade." The big man greeted me and I nodded meekly.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty confused. I've been eyeing your car for a while now, and I've been saving up for it... and it just kind of showed up in my driveway." The man laughed.

"Your boyfriend said you would react like this. He wanted to do something nice for you, so he very generously bought you the car you've wanted." I just stared at him. "He also said you would try to get me to reimburse him, so you could pay for it because you're a thick headed independent woman but he also made me promise not to let you and paid me a good sum to ensure I wouldn't cave." 

"But ...I don't have a boyf-"

"You should drive to him and thank him. That car is all yours." I huffed at him, staring at him with fiery eyes and after another ten minute long argument, he ended up kicking me out.

My next decision was to drive to the school and hunt Leon down. I didn't know who this kid was, what this kid wanted from me, but all I wanted to do was punch him in the mouth. How dare he give me anything when I didn't ask for it. I didn't want or need anything from this guy and that wouldn't be changing anytime soon. I couldn't accept anything from him, he would want something in return and I wanted nothing to do with him. I wanted this man to disappear. I wanted it to be as if he had never entered my life.

I made it to the school in record time and didn't waste any time going to my class. I walked into the office and was caught off guard by Mr. West, my principal. I know it shouldn't bother me that I almost threw up on his shoes, but I felt my cheeks turn red with embarrassment. 

"Demi, I'm glad to see you're feeling better! I heard you were not feeling well Monday, there was the bug going around. Don't worry about any missed time." He smiled widely at me and I just stared at him. Mr. West was acting like I should be relieved to have the time off, like he didn't witness me throw up my breakfast Monday.

"Mr. West, you watched me throw up. So did the new kid." Mr. West suddenly looked very confused.

"I did?" He asked.

  "Yeah, it was practically on your shoes." I pointed out to him, only to try to jog him memory. I kind of wished he wouldn't remember something like that. I didn't want him thinking it would be something funny to bring up at a school dance, or in the middle of a classroom to other kids. Bad enough Leon watched it happen. 

"I think I would remember that, I would also remember a new student, which we don't have." My heart hit the ground.

"What?" I demanded, staring at him. My train of thought coming to a quickly derailing. 

 "We haven't gotten a new kid since the beginning of the school year, no one new is going here that didn't start here at the first day of school." He said, and I thought my jaw hit the ground.

"That can't be right..." I whispered to myself, and started walking away from Mr. West. I pulled out my phone and called my best friend.

"Yes?" She groaned into the phone, she sounded awful. "This better be SO important Demi, I was nearly dead asleep. I already feel dead." I frowned, "what's going on?" I could tell that she had been sleeping, she didn't have to say anything to me about it and I instantly felt bad for waking her up. I was also scared to even ask her.

"Hey, have you seen that new kid around much?" I asked, praying silently that she knew what I was talking about. I remembered Leon being here, I almost threw up on his shoes, he had to of gone here, even if just for a day.

"There's a new kid?! I had to fall ill the random day a new kid starts? Is it a boy? Is he hot?" Stephanie started firing off questions, suddenly sounding more revived. I would have rolled my eyes if I didn't feel like I was going to throw up.

"No. Never mind, stay in bed and get better, I will call you later okay?" I hung up before she had the opportunity to say anything. He had been here, he was. I threw up at his feet, he had been here. You can't just imagine someone there when they really aren't.

I made my way out quickly to the Jetta, but didn't trust myself enough to drive. I was dizzy and confused. I was sitting in a car that was completely purchased by a stranger. This stranger was a new student that no one seemed to remember but this car was proof that I was not really going insane.

Thoughts?