The Fallen Star

Chapter 6

Haedum

I mentally curse myself for coming here. Is this a school or warzone for amateurs?

I realize why she needs to put up that look. Things have changed since I was in school or maybe I never paid much attention.

The scene unfolding infront of me takes me by surprise as I see two girls around 14 year old smooching a guy standing right infront of the kids play ground. I groan imagining just what does my sister see everyday and rush inside ignoring the fights and turmoil going on in the playground.

We directly head towards the principals office ignoring the riots ending at the end of hall too probably over some girl. I literally roll my eyes at the number of students waiting outside principals office, all of them probably delinquents. With one or two good kids faces sitting anxiously waiting for punishment?

I knock before entering and politely greet her.
She allows us to sit while politely offering condolences for our parent's death.

Sarah instantly saddens over the mention of it so I offer her a smile and squeeze her hand letting her know that I'm always with her.

She recovers from it and I start talking about her absences.

"It's alright Mr. Haedum, her mental health comes first and as I've come to know it, she is already smart enough."

Sarah beams at this and we walk out of the office after letting her know she will be joining from next week.

We stopped at Austin's famous chicken place to grab an unhealthy bite.

Getting back home I knew I had the meeting with the new baby sitter. The meetings are a hassle especially when you have so much on your head already.

Once we reach home, I ask Sarah to change her clothes. I start heading towards the study room when bell rings. Walking to the door barefoot, I open the door to a girl turning around but halts .

Not only does she stop, I feel as if time stops and everything comes to a halt as I find myself deeply immersed in her black eyes with gold specks. I'm glad she doesn't wear lenses to hide those gorgeous eyes.

I smile lovingly at her but end up smirking, realizing how much fun I'll be having from now on. I motion her to step inside and feel the soft coldness radiating off her. I see her pulling her jacket closer as she steps in and I follow her inside. It takes everything in me to pull her closer to me and absorb that coldness.

We walk to the room and I motion her to sit while I stand some distance away thinking about how to bring up last conversation without sounding desperate.

I throw the bait, hoping she would acknowledge our past meeting but as expected she disagrees. Thinking it futile to insist on it, I make an excuse and sigh in relief as Sarah comes in helping me evade the awkwardness in room. After a brief introduction I decide to leave them alone. I don't have doubts about Anastasia but the vibe I get from Sarah tell me things might go downhill and into hell maybe. But I still leave the room.

20 minutes have passed since I've entered the room, I was hoping to get some work done but the scene that unfolds in-front of me is too amusing to ignore it. I chuckle loudly before finally deciding to step up between them.

As soon as I take a step into the room, the reality is much worse than it seemed on screen. The curtains are pulled as if someone has been hanging on to them for their dear life. The crystals in the vase are scattered all around the room and Sarah is crying in Anastasia's lap. They seem to be having a bonding moment and I feel embarrassed on walking on them. It feels like I'm intruding on them.

The scene I walked in was different than what I saw on screen. They seemed to be fighting like wild cats and now this. For a minute, I think about walking back in to see what the fuss is about and why Sarah is crying but my intuition tells me to leave them alone. I trust my guts and hope that Sarah will come to me if things go for worse.

I decide to call in pizza for tonight as I don't feel like cooking and I don't think Anastasia can cook, not that I expect her to.

I settle back in my study and open up my work documents. Planning about the next fiscal year policies that need to be implemented on an urgent basis so I do not want to  lose control over the one last thing left in my hands by my dad. He did a lot to bring it where it is. I know this by the fact that he would always say, 'I had to pay a really big price for the life I chose and created, I just hope that when you have to make similar choice you will choose what contends your heart and brings peace to your soul.'

He always talked about that nobody could enforce anything on me and that I should live the life I want to live, I don't have to bear the burden of unnecessary responsibilities and I never understood it but I think he was talking about this time after his death that I'd get laid with business and Sarah. To be honest, I don't have a single regret about either of the responsibilities. I'd take them any time.

But I feel there is more to what he said, more than just these responsibilities and it has something to do with my family history.

I walk over to the tapestry and push in the wall, shifting the wall and walking into the library and allowing the wall to step back into the place. I discovered this place the night after my parents funeral. I was here trying to feel him because I felt his presence was everywhere where as this was the place he spent most of his time.
I remember on the night of their death, I entered a the library sitting by the wall crying all night. It was sometime after dawn when the sun was out and shining brightly on my face. I hated the light and wanted it to be gone so I stood up holding the wall for support as my legs quivered but instead of finding support I fell on my side taking tapestry along with me and it was then I realized there is more to my dad than I know or I'd ever know.

I wanted to look around but my emotions were too raw to understand so I didn't step in. I closed the curtain and slumped into the leather sofa next to the chestnut table and wept to sleep. Relieved when my exhaustion took over taking me into a much needed slumber.

Shaking away the memories, I concentrate on task in hand. The proof that there is one place hidden from me in this home where I spent my entire life means there are others too. First I need to search through this place to know why this was hidden in first place. I need clues. As many as I can gather and as I quick as I can.

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Hello readers.
If you are still reading this I'm thankful to you and if you are reading this, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

For anyone going through hard times, I pray God would make things easier for you and you aren't alone. We are all struggling with something or other at our places and we all share the pain, some more than others and viceversa.

Love from Pakistan. ❤️