Deadlock

XX

“So Vaughn’s sissy is here?” Nate asked. The guy that was called Vaughn stopped and he looked at the three of them.

“Yeah.” Vaughn answered annoyingly. The three chuckled. “Shut up okay? She’s annoying.” Vaughn snapped.

“Violet would be unhappy if she’d hear you, you know.” Jake smiled.

“Don’t you think your sister is cool? I mean she organized this huge event and I mean huge Vaughn.” Nate said. 

Nikki and I were still outside of the door eavesdropping. “Em, what are we still doing here?” She whispered.

“Shhh, let’s just listen for a bit.” I told her.

Then the blonde guy, Vaughn, sat beside Jake. Vaughn looked really annoyed. “How come Violet hasn’t married yet?” Asked Jake.

“Yeah, she’s already twenty-five right?” Rob, the jerk, added.

“Maybe she’s just too busy with art and her littler brother’s personal life.” Nate grinned. Vaughn glared at him.

“Oh come on Vaughn. You still hate her for interfering with you and your first girlfriend when we were twelve?” Jake asked.

W-what? When they were twelve? I was shocked and I was sure Nikki was shocked too. Since when did they exactly become friends? It was as if I was looking at a different Jake Martin right now. Had he been lying to us all along? But why would he do that?

“Shut up Jake” I heard the blonde guy said.

And then I heard the jerk uttered something like, “I’ll be there,” to his cellphone. And so he started getting up and headed to the door.

I grabbed Nikki’s hand and walked as far as we could. We were still quiet and no one wanted to talk. I was sure she was feeling what I was feeling. It was shocked and… I felt betrayed. How could Jake do that to us? I actually… loved him. I had tears in my eyes and I knew Nikki saw it because she hugged me tight and comforted me.

“I cant believe that Jake was a friend of those bullies.” She whispered.

“And so did I.” I whimpered. “Let’s get out of here.” I decided.

“B-but, how about your grandpa?” She asked.

“I’m going to explain to him later.” I told her.

Nikki and I went out of the gallery and headed home. I couldn’t still believe it. I didn’t know why Jake did it. Maybe he was just really as bad as the jerk Rob Van Garrette. I hated him. I hated him as much as I hated Rob Van Garrette. He was a traitor and I shouldn’t have trusted him. I shouldn’t have believed in him. I shouldn’t have liked him the way I did. I shouldn’t have loved Jake Martin.

Third Person POV

Rob answered his phone when Secretary Han called him. The secretary said he had to meet his fiancée already so he stood up and headed for the door.

“W-where are you going?” Jake asked.

“I need to do my job. It’s the reason why I’m here.” Rob stated. The other three didn’t ask anymore. They knew that even as a young kid, Rob was already working for his family. He was trained hard by his father. But they didn’t know that Rob was working on another job right now and they didn’t even have a clue on what it was.

Rob went out of the room straight to where Chairman Van Tassel was. He knew he would be meeting his fiancée right now so he composed himself well. He was still pissed after what his fiancée had done to him two months ago. She ditched him and no one had ever dared doing something like that to him. But he had to be at his best behaviour because he’d also be meeting the chairman of the Van Tassel Corporation. 

But as Rob saw the old man, he was not with anyone but a middle aged guy. But even so, he approached them with a great smile. “Chairman Van Tassel, it’s an honor meeting you. It’s Rob Van Garrette.” Rob started. The old man smiled; he was glad to meet again the all grown up Rob Van Garrette.

“And you’ve become a young man.” He said with his genuine smile. But he suddenly changed his mood. “But I’d have to apologize to you, Rob. My ill-mannered granddaughter has left already and I didn’t even know why.” He said downheartedly.

“No worries Chairman…”

“I’d be really delighted if you would just call me grandpa just like how my Emilia calls me.” The old man said.

Rob had a shift of mood at the mention of the name of the person who made a fool out of him, not  only once but twice. But he had to keep his composure because he was in front of one of the wealthiest and one of the most respected person in the world of business.

“Oh yes, it’d be an honor to call… you grandpa.” He said and smiled.

The two continued talking to each other and the old man already took a liking to his future grandson-in-law. He knew at once that Rob Van Garrette would do a great job managing his corporation. He knew that he wasn’t wrong to his judgment of this young man. And he really hoped that he too would do a great job of taking care of his reckless and hard headed granddaughter.

End of Third Person POV

Nikki and I went inside of the house and went straight to our own rooms. I took a shower and wore my pajamas and tried to sleep. I tried to sleep fast because I didn’t want to think about the betrayal Jake did to us. I didn’t want to think the betrayal Jake did to me. If he was a friend of Rob Van Garrette then he knew I was being bullied and he must had been, just like the other three, having fun about it. And he was still keeping those false faces of him in front of us. How could he? I trusted him and I even liked him so much.

I heard knocking at my door late at night. I knew that Aunt Sally would be sleeping at this hour of the night; I could only guess it was Nikki. I went up and opened the door myself and there I saw my best friend hugging her pillow.

“Why are you still up at this hour of the night?” I asked her.

I didn’t receive an answer. She went straight to my bed and turned the lampshade on. She lied in there and I just lied beside her. “Can't sleep because of the traitor Jake?” I started.

“There’s actually two reasons and that’s one of them.” She answered.

“What’ the other one?”

“Next week is your eighteenth birthday.” She stated. I looked at her. I didn’t even realize my birthday was already very near.

“Yeah.” Was all I said. And then the deal with my grandfather flashed into my memory. Now I’d have to go back to the mansion when my birthday comes. It meant that I got only a week before I leave the house.

“I’m going to miss you Em.” Nikki muttered and then she sniffed. I looked at her and tears were rolling down her eyes.

I was trying to hold back my tears but it was too late. The tears already flowed down my face. I hugged Nikki for minutes. Sure it was just a change of house but I knew things would be different. I knew that I would miss Aunt Sally and Nikki and the house.

“You could always visit me there.” I whispered.

“Or the other way around?” She asked.

“Of course, I’d visit you as often as I can.” I looked at her and I smiled.