The Nerd Duchess

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

It had been a week since Anya's breakdown. Charles' prediction on Anya's willingness to go to a professional seemed to be completely wrong considering that Anya's stubbornness against seeking a professional had doubled. Moreover, that stubbornness had earned them a fight.

It had been three days. They haven't spoken to each other since. Well, it was more like Anya was the one extending it for two more days, Charles had started reaching out to her after the first day after falling sick with guilt with the way he had spoken to her. Well, more like screamed at her.

"How is she?" Charles asked when Ryan walked out of the room. The hallway was empty save for the two bodyguards stationed at the entrance of the hall.

"Still no progress, you and I both know how stubborn that girl is," Ryan groaned as he leaned against the door.

"So?" Charles asked completely confused as what they are going to do.

"I really have no idea no how to go about this Charles, to be honest," Ryan said. "I'm not gonna pretend to know how to deal with her. My sister has always been stubbornly independent. I guess, she just as lost to this as we are of her. She always had been rather emotionally detached to a bunch of things. Only a few number of things tick her off. Her welfare and reputation being not one of them."

"I knew about the bullying," Ryan said. "I also knew about her reason. Well, she didn't really out right said it to me. But, I kinda deduced it on my own. To say that I don't understand the logic behind it does not mean I didn't try to understand it. But man, I still didn't even now. I respected it."

" I offered to help her with it," Charles said remembering his conversation with her. "She refused."

"Why are you letting people do this to you?" Charles asked one afternoon after caught up with the brunette at her locker. The brunette was busy tossing out scrap paper from her locker.

"It's not like its harming anyone." Victoria had replied them with a smile.

"It's harming you." Charles replied.

"It's all high school fun, Charles." Victoria replied. "it's not like I would do anything about it."

"But I would," Charles replied as he helped her clear her locker.

Charles failed to see her stiffened for a moment before she said. "Well, you shouldn't."

"Why?" Charles replied.

"Because I said so." She replied.

"But this is wro—" he didn't get to finish his sentence before Victori cut him off.

"Don't force yourself on people's business, Charles." Victoria said as she slammed the locker shut once she deemed it clean. "So butt out will you?"

She didn't speak to him for a couple of days. She only did after Elizabeth had forced them to speak during lunch and Victoria apologized for her insulting behavior.

"My sister," Ryan started. He paused as a nurse started coming their way. "I think we need to move this conversation somewhere else."

Charles nodded as he stood up from the bench and followed Ryan out the hallway.

They made their way out of the hospital and towards a cozy looking café just a block away from the hospital. The place was empty except for the single barista at the counter and an elderly couple seated at one of the tables by the window.

The duo gave their order before settling down on the farthest table making sure that no one could interrupt them.

"Anya," Ryan said. It was easy to say that he has having trouble on how to start the conversation. His face was scrunched up in confusion and frustration.

Charles remained silent as he waits for Ryan to organize his thoughts. The table was silent for a couple more minutes until the barista served them of their orders. Ryan was having an espresso while Charles went to have a cappuccino.

"Thank you," Charles thanked the barista flashing a smile at her in which the girl returned.

"Where do I start?" Ryan released a chuckle, even when his face showed otherwise.

"The beginning, I supposed," Charles said.

"And what is the beginning?" Ryan asked. "My sister is a walking paradox."

"Self-contradicting and what nots?" Charles commented.

"Exactly." Ryan agreed, before taking a sip off his espresso. "My sister has problems with depending on people. She thinks it would make her look weak."

"But, she isn't." Charles contradicted.

"I know," Ryan said. "But my sister is stubborn like that. From her perspective, I can see why she really hates having to go see someone. I mean, who wants to be vulnerable in front of some complete stranger."

"But I want her to be better." Charles said.

"Who doesn't, Charles?" Ryan said. "This is my sister we are talking about. I know about the torture you are feeling right now because I am feeling ten times worse. I mean, aren't I suppose to protect her? Now, I can't even..." he trailed off. "My parents are also distraught about this. My mother's cries herself to sleep at night. My father's—don't get started on him. They're probably guilty about letting this go on for so long."

"Ryan had always been a touchy subject for the family." Ryan said. "Second to Anya's independent tendencies."

"Why didn't she?" Charles asked.

"Why didn't she what?" Ryan asked confused.

"Why didn't she say who she really was? Why hide?" Charles asked. It had always bugged him why she chose to hide her identity to the entire school. Every time he asked her, he merely received a sad smile in reply while Elizabeth gave a shrug.

Nobody has given him answer to the question. And judging by the look in Ryan's face, the answer he has for him isn't going to satisfy him either.

"I don't think it would be my story to tell." Ryan said. "You have to ask my sister. However, I can tell you that she had befriended someone that cemented the idea that she needed to hide it."

"What happened?" Charles asked.

"What else?" Ryan retorted. "As cliché as it sounds, my sister was betrayed. And as much as my sister can be seen as strong she is just as fragile as the rest of us."

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