THE RAVENS

eight

- aliyah - 

DINNER 

The table was long, every person sitting on the table was either a pompous kid or a rich relative. I found Xavier's family quite pretentious, and although I know they are successful and are extremely wealthy, does it really mean they are superior to not just me, but society itself? Because they sure act as if they do. 

As we all ate, I could sense Mr.Smith's eyes lingering on me as he chewed his steak. 
"Aliyah, just ignore him. He's being an ass, he's always like this." Xavier said, his voice barely below a whisper. I nodded and continued eating my fancy salad.

"So, Ms.Jones, how do you like your food so far?" Ms.Smith asked me. I looked at her and smiled, "It's delightful." I replied, delightful? Who says that? I heard Xavier lightly chuckle as he took a big bite of his salad, I could hear him laugh as he quietly mimicked me saying, delightful. What an ass. 

"Ms.Jones, I heard you are an excellent student at Vixton High, which is the main reason why you are still attending at such a prestigious school. I must say, I'm quite impressed. In fact, the grade point average to even be accepted in such a school is a high 4.0 GPA, you, fortunately, have a 5.0 GPA. I'm quite stunned." Mr.Smith complimented, okay, he wasn't being a total ass. 

"Thank you, Mr.Smith. I try my best at excelling in my academics." I replied. I glanced over at Xavier, he was quietly laughing to himself. 

"You remind me of your Father," Mr.Smith said, my Father?  I shot Mr.Smith a stern look, how does he know my Father? I glanced over at Xavier, he wasn't laughing anymore. 

"Dad..." Xavier said slyly, staring at his Father.  

"Xavier, I'm just saying that Christoper Jones is similar to his daughter, who coincidentally is your date for tonight. It's a compliment too, you should know that." Mr.Smith informed Xavier, but his eyes say otherwise.

"If you don't mind me asking, Mr.Smith, how did you even know my Father? He was a rather introverted individual, and unfortunately, he has never spoken about you." I said. My body tensed up as the nervousness kicked in. Perhaps I should've kept my mouth shut because I didn't like what I was going to hear next. 

"Ms.Jones, your Father and I were once business partners. But when he died, I couldn't know how to go on with the business. He was an intelligent man. A shame that he didn't get to live out to his fullest, not being able to know what a smart daughter he has! Heh, who knows, perhaps, it's a good thing that he passed on because then he wouldn't have to suffer the horrible things that society takes upon humanity. Don't you agree?" Mr.Smith asked, a smirk plastered across his face. I stared at him in disbelief. A good thing that my father died? A tear slipped down my cheek, and I wanted to burst down in tears crying, but I couldn't, at least not in front of these people. 

"Excuse me." 

I stood up and quickly walked out of the dining room and out of the big mansion, footsteps from behind followed me and I knew it was Xavier. As I walked out and onto the driveway, I burst into tears crying, it all made sense now. 

- flashback -

"Christopher, what about Allan? He's going to take all of your hard work, you can't just let him steal it! Can you?" 

"Of course not, Elizabeth! But...but Allan is too powerful, he has money and a reputation, he could destroy me." My Father said, his voice on the verge of breaking.

My Mom slammed the door, I ran back upstairs to my room, as a 10-year-old girl, I was curious to know who Allan was and what business my Mom and Dad were talking about.

But as time grew on, as well as my Father's passing, the questions remained unanswered, but all I knew was that I was alone now, even if my mother was still alive, her soul wasn't. She was just a person who continued to live because she had too, for me, even if she didn't want too. And that broke me. 

- present - 

"Aliyah?" 

I didn't want to turn around, I didn't want Xavier to see me like this; broken. 

"Aliyah....are you okay?" He asked, his footsteps coming closer. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and turned around. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed some air, it was so crowded in there. Sorry I left so abruptly...I-" 

"Aliyah...just stop," Xavier said as he sat down against the hood of his black Porsche parked on the driveway. I walked toward him and sat next to him, I was confused and I didn't know what he meant. 

"Aliyah, I saw you. You were crying..." He said, his eyes trailing off into the distance.

"Xavier...I'm okay, I really am. I mean, look at my eyes.." I lightly laughed as Xavier's hazel eyes were infixed on mine. "My eyes, they aren't puffy are they?" I asked as I laughed once more. I was good at hiding my emotions, especially if I cried. I made myself believe that everything is okay, even if it wasn't, I acted as if it was. Because if you show your emotions to a person, you'll be attached, you would assume that the person would understand, but in truth, they wouldn't. And when they do, you'll be left alone, back at square one, with your overwhelming emotions, too afraid to tell anyone because you know deep down, that if you do, they really don't give a fuck. 

"Tell your parents that I had a stomachache or flu, I..I just really need to get home," I said to Xavier, he nodded his head before entering into his car. 

- 7:30 pm - 

I leaned my head against the cold window, I counted the stars from above, too many to count. 

"Are you tired?" Xavier asked I glanced over at him, his eyes steady on the road, his jaw clenched, he looked super serious, which made him even more attractive. I turned back out to the window, my mind endless in thoughts. 

"Aliyah, I'm sorry about tonight. I really shouldn't have let him talk about your Father like that. He was just straight up, disrespectful." Xavier said. 

We stopped at a red light, "No, it's okay. I just have a question." I looked at Xavier, his focus was still steady on the road ahead of us and as I sighed, I asked him, 

"Why me? You could've chosen any other girl tonight, and I know, I know, I'm not your crazy fangirls. But wouldn't it have been much easier if I was? I mean, your father wouldn't give a shit, and tonight wouldn't have been so bad, for the both of us." I stated, Xavier remained silent. He didn't give me an answer, he didn't want to talk. He's back at square 1 again. 

It's funny actually because, at the party, he was not the guy I ever imagined him to be. Caring. Sweet. Nice. But then, out of the blue, he closes that door of himself and opens the door to which he is a player, a disappointment to his Father. Does he realize this? Does he ever realize that he acts out as 2 different people around certain people? Two-faced? But in a good way? 

I found myself amused by Xavier, he was a person you knew deep down was a good person. 

But what was he hiding? 

_________

a/n: 

hope you guys liked this chapter!