Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs- 16

Waking up early today, I was able to finish all the cleaning and setting up processes alone.

After making sure Challenges is all impeccable and ready to face the day, I open the front door and breathe in the summer air. It's been eight months since Mag offered me to stay with them. Seven months since I saw the news of William and Lillian. Four since Trevor left.

I've submitted all my assignments and taken all my exams. Mia, the girl I was helping with the choreography has finally passed the assessment. She offered to treat me to dinner yesterday but I had to decline as Trevor was coming home.

I close my eyes and feel the warm breeze. I've been feeling stressed with exams and assignments that I've forgotten how to stay relaxed. The murals glare right at me as the morning sun shines on it. I glare back at it.

Trevor drew this for his girlfriend who is dead. I remind myself.

I feel nothing but anger towards this Natalie girl. Why did she have to leave Trev who is kind and perfect in all ways?

But thinking it in a different light, I realise that Trevor leaving his family in a way allows him to fully comprehend his purpose in life. This is the type of self-discovery no one but oneself can help identify.

Another warm breeze blows, fluttering my messy mane of brown hair. I gather all of it and place it on my left shoulder. I take in a deep breath again, raise my hands over my head and stretch lazily.

In my peripheral sight I spot a piece of white embossed envelope sticking out under the mat. I bend down and pick it up.

Instantly, Lillian's familiar handwriting greets me. She has written my name on the envelope in an elegant cursive font.
Reluctantly, I reach out to open the flap of the envelope.

With my hands shaking, I bring out the piece of invitation card, which is decorated in her signature glittery designs, and a piece of letter folded in half.

Don't read it. My subconciousness screams at me but I decide not to listen to it.

I scan the letter. It is hand written and Lillian's cursive words glare right through it.

Dear Cary,

I got your address from your brothers. They were very easy to torment and I was able to get it without doing much.

You can't begin to understand how uncomfortable I'm about this and I know that you're probably fuming at whatever it is you are furious at. But despite everything, I love Will and he loves me.

You have walked out of his life and I stayed by him and took care of him. You still love him; I know that because you still cannot show yourself in our society.

I'm sending this invitation to you to give you a chance to show yourself back in the environment you grew up in and to show you how inseparable Will and I are.

I want you to gain closure and to lead your life as happily as we are now. I don't want you to think that Will will be getting back his memories of the times lost. Don't even think of him going back to your side because it's never happening.

We do hope to see you at the event. Feel free to bring a plus one. Good luck with that. I know how you are hopeless around men.

Love,

Lillian Welte.

Love? There is no love but torment in this letter.

I suck in my breath after reading it. Even though I just want to drop it on the group, step on it and burn it afterwards, I control my mind and grip the letter hard instead.

I look at the scented invitation card. It's a black tie event for Lillian's fashion show. Hosted by Lillian and William. Even their names rhyme. I give out a menacing chuckle.

Face your fears, Trevor's voice echo in my head.

I sigh. I don't know what to do of it honestly. I don't want to see their faces and have my past slammed right into me.

I grit my teeth and walk back inside.

Despite the strong urge to destroy the entire contents of the envelope and pretend that it never arrived, I ignore it and storm straight into Mag's room. After knocking loudly, that is.

When I get inside, she is sitting up on her bed with her laptop playing a movie on Netflix.

She closes it and pats the area beside her to indicate me to sit.

"What's wrong Rina?" She asks.

She might have noticed my solemn face.

I show her the letter.

"You probably don't know much about me and I'm sorry that I've not been able to open up about myself but I'm desperately in need of help," I tell her quickly.

She takes the letter from my grip, reads it and gasps.

"Rina. Don't tell me you are Carina Rhodes!" She exclaims.

I nod. "You didn't know?" I ask her, feeling surprised myself.

"How could I've missed? Carina. It's a very unusual name. I should have figured it out." Meg exclaims.

It seems that Dave hasn't told her about me after all. I'm thankful that he respects my privacy.

"Well," Mag says after she's calmed down a bit. "this Lillian person is a complete meanie."

"She wasn't like that before actually. I don't know what happened to her."

"Don't defend her, Rina! She's a bad person. You can't deny that. Anyways, I'm very glad you came to me for help. You've got to go," She says. Her eyes light up in desire to make me attend the show.

"I don't know," I tell her truthfully.

"Well, now you know! You cannot miss this opportunity. Take Trev with you. I'm sure he won't deny it and he can protect you from any possible threat!" She exclaims excitedly and jumps down from her bed.

"I don't have anything to wear," I reason her.

"Don't worry. I can ask someone to bring in some bewitching gowns for you," she determinedly says as she punches some numbers into her phone.

The dresses arrive no longer than half an hour after she "pulled some strings".

Mag immediately contacted Trevor on the circumstances just as I am trying on the flurry of gowns she had asked to bring in.

Despite Mag's undying enthusiasm to what she called "to crush the meanie" I'm feeling very insecure and an unconfident. But just as Trev asked me to do, I've to face my fears and not shy away from them.

A/N: It's been a while since I posted but hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

It'd be awesome to vote for this story if you liked it.

Tell me how Carina's gown should look like. I'm in desperate need of inspiration.