The Start To Something More

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Chapter 8
The Start Of Something More




"Trenton please" a woman walked after him. "Just this once!" she clasped her hands together holding up one of her fingers.

"Arella my answer will always be the same each time you ask" he sat down at his desk. He sent all the maids away from his study so they could be alone.

"I know...I know that but this time I need the money." Arella pleaded into Trenton's eyes. "I... need it."

Trenton leaned back in his chair watching the woman across his desk. "For what?"

Arella went silent for a moment finally lowering her head. "Im sick..." she looked up with her eyes teared over. "Please help me" Trenton saw the desperation in her eyes.

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Raven woke to the sun shining into her eyes looking out of a window of a moving car. She turned around seeing Gar driving beside her and a blanket placed around her. "Did I fall asleep?" She thought, trying to remember how she got in the car.

Gar noticed her moving around, "You're awake?" he said softly. He smiled slightly so she wouldn't notice he was happy she was awake.

Raven nodded her head "I fell asleep? I don't remember getting into the car?" she looked over to him.

"You fell asleep last night during the movie" He explained. "I just let you sleep because you looked so comfortable." He smiled. "but you didn't wake up so I just carried you to the car so we could drive back."

Raven's eyes widened "You carried me" She felt embarrassed. "You could have just woke me up.

"Do you just fall asleep around anyone, or anywhere?" Gar questioned changing the subject. He wondered if the person she mentioned last night had seen her like that.

"No!" Raven said flustered. "Why?"

"No reason" Gar chuckled to himself. He really hoped she didn't. He hated the thought of other people seeing how cute and different she looked when she slept.

"Did you put this blanket around me?" Raven looked at the blanket she placed on her lap.

"Yes," Gar said plainly. "I didn't want you to catch a cold because you didn't cover yourself up Properly.

Raven's face turned pink "Why?" she said flustered. Why did he do that? It wasn't like it was his job to take care of her. It felt odd thinking someone had worried about her. Usually, the only person who ever worried about her was Kori. So why did it feel different from Kori? "Why...Why would you worry about whether or not I catch a cold?" Raven gripped onto the blanket.

"Isn't it normal for me to worry about those things?" He raised a brow. "I would feel too bad if you got sick while you were out with me." he glanced over at her. "When you're with me, you're my responsibility."

Raven turned to look out the window. "Thank you," she said lightly. "But im no one's responsibility."

Gar turned his head her way before directing his eyes back on the road. "Thank you for what?"

Raven shifted in her seat. "For last night, it wasn't bad...It was fun." she smiled to herself. "But Gar..." she looked over to him. "Don't mention anything I said last night. None of it meant anything. I was just talking about nonsense." She hung her head.

"It did not sound like it meant nothing to me," Gar said honestly. "But if that's what you want then I won't say anything." he smiled. "Im happy you opened up to me even if it was a little."

"Thank you" Raven sighed in relief.

Gar thought for a moment gripping the steering wheel. "Rae" he tilted his head as if he was uncomfortable catching her attention. "Can I ask ...that person..." he said slowly. "That person you mentioned last night...do you still talk to them?" he really didn't want to know the answer but he did at the same time.

Raven felt a rush of emotions go through her. "No," she forced out.

"Do you maybe, want to?" He asked further seeing her uneasiness from her eyes darting in all directions, and the saddened expression on her face.

"No" she turned to look out the window. "Why would I want to see someone who left me, they are probably living happily on their own," she said sourly.

"Someone left her?" Gar thought to himself. He took a deep breath. "I won't do that, ...I won't leave you." He wondered who was responsible for the heartbroken look she held on her face.

Raven felt her heart stop looking out the window. She turned to look at Gar's face as he drove and a feeling Raven never felt before swept over her body.

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"Sick?" Trenton repeated to see if he heard correctly.

Arella nodded, "Yes, I...I don't have any money for the treatments. You're the only one I have to ask. I will pay you back, every penny." tears flowed from her eyes. "I have a tumor. "She said hesitantly. "The doctors say it's getting worse. If I don't get treatment it could kill me."

"You think you will be able to pay back the amount of money you are asking for?" Trenton said honestly looking at the amount she had written down. "This is not something you can just come up with."

Arella walked around his desk and kneeled beside him on the floor pleading. "I will. If something happens to me what will become of Raven? Who will take care of her?"

Trenton crooked his head and a small smirk came out from the side of his lips. "I will." he grinned.

Arella's head darted up looking at the man "What?" she felt all the energy in her body drain.

"I will," he said again. "I will give you the money you ask for. You won't have to repay me. In fact, think of it as a thank you for keeping that mouth shut all these years." he turned in his chair to face the kneeling woman. "But in return for giving you money to save your life, Raven will live with me." he leaned forward clasping his hands together. "You just have to never show your face in front of her again."

Arella was no longer crying instead she looked at him breathing heavily. "No, I won't do that?" She shook her head "You can't expect me to just disappear!" She panicked. "She's my daughter!"

Trenton laughed. "It seems you don't have many options to choose from." he took a deep breath cracking his neck. "If you don't accept my offer, and my money to get better, you will end up getting worse until you cant support Raven anymore. In the end, you cost yourself your life, and left Raven alone" he stated plainly. "But if you accept my offer, and the money, you can get your treatments and live. Even if you won't be able to see Raven you will know she is healthy and well." he smiled. "Don't you think?"

Arella's mind went blank "Why? You kept her hidden so no one would know she existed until now. Why would you risk having her here in your home?" she thought out loud. "It doesn't make any sense!" she looked up at him. "And why would I not be able to see her. Questions that she needed answers to clouded her mind.

Trenton leaned back in his chair "That's true, I've kept her hidden." he let out a deep breath. "But don't you think keeping what your hiding right by your side makes it easier to hide? I won't have to worry about what's happening outside my eyesight. I'll be able to see everything before anything happens." he took a minute of silence watching Arella's rection. "As for why I want to raise her." he smiled. "At some point, I'll need someone to be my successor. An heir. But even if I have many loyal people working for me none of them are blood and because of that one fact, they can turn on me at any moment. That makes even the most loyal people I have the most untrustworthy."

Arella stood. "That's why you want her, That's why you want Raven?" she questioned, "She's a child not some bargain for you!"

"Yes," he breathed. "Raven is blood. No matter how much she might deny it in the future she will never be able to change that. That makes her loyal to me even if she might not want to be. Besides don't you think an heir that is blood is much better than one that is not?" He grinned. "But if you continue to stay in her life it will be harder for her to accept her new life and responsibilities."

"It seems you have thought this out for a while." Arella narrowed her brows. "How is she suppose to be your heir if no one is supposed to know you have a daughter?" Arella questioned in anger.

Trenton stood walking in front of the woman. "Don't worry about that, Don't you think I'll be able to give her a life of privileges that you can't? Arella stood breathing deeply in silence. "Do what you think is best for you and Raven. This way you get to live and she gets a better life." he manipulated. "What will it be? Will, you accept my offer?" he said softly into her ear.

Arella felt as if she was being controlled and the word "Yes" muttered lightly from her lips.


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Gar pulled into the school parking lot. "Here," he reached out his hand facing her.

Raven looked at his empty hand confused "What?" she looked at his hand then up to him.

"Your phone," he laughed. "I'll call you so you can have my contact, and I can have yours."

Raven shook her head "No, we can't call each other" It was too risky doing something like this already.

"Come on Rae" Gar crooked his head to the side leaning closer to her. "Please." Raven froze watching him. "How will we plan a time for our next getaway?" he smiled hearing her breathing speed up. "I promise I won't be careless about it. I'll even name the contact something other than your name." His voice turning into a whisper. "Unless...you want me to just pop up again out of nowhere."

Raven slowly shook her head "O-okay" she blinked. She reached into the back of the car grabbing her bag pulling out her phone. "Here" she handed it to him. Seconds later his phone was ringing and he held it up to her. "I finally have your number." he smiled as she grabbed her phone from his hand.

Raven placed her phone back in her bag "Don't be careless" she said softly opening the car door, getting out.

Gar rushed out to follow her "Wait" he leaned over the hood of his car. "I had fun too Rae, see you" he smiled.

Raven gripped the straps of her bag feeling her face get hot. "Bye," she said quietly turning around to head into her dorm. For some reason, the words "I won't leave you" he told her kept repeating in her head.

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A week passed since Raven had seen Gar. She stood behind the counter of her part-time job. Things had been pretty slow at the cafe so she had plenty of time for her mind to drift off and think of things. She looked at her phone placed on the counter in front of her watching it as if she was waiting for something.

"What ya doing Raven?" her manager came through the back doors. "Got a boyfriend, waiting for his text?"

Raven jumped out of her trance turning around placing her phone in the small pocket in the front of her apron. "N-no" she stammered.

Her Boss smiled. "Then perhaps you got a crush on someone?"

"No, that's not it." Raven tried to find something to direct her attention to. Her boss's name was Mary. Mary was a good person to Raven and helped her out when needed.

Raven didn't want to admit it but it was exciting knowing someone else besides Kori was hanging out with her. The only people Raven came in contact with were people she had to be around. Like the teachers at school and people who worked for her father. What seemed normal for most people was new and exciting for Raven.

"A-actually" Raven turned speaking up to her boss. "I...I got a new friend lately. She spoke hesitantly. "H-he seems like a good person, but at first, I didn't think that at all," Raven spoke as if she was talking to herself. "So I've been waiting for him to message me like he said he would," Raven admitted taking a deep breath. "It's been a while since I've had someone new in my life so it feels weird and different. I don't know how to react at all." she leaned back on the counter. "At first I didn't want him to message me at all, but now I keep wondering what will happen if he does."

Mary smiled, "So you're waiting for him to message you, that is why you have been looking at your phone non-stop for the past couple of days."

Raven darted her attention towards her boss, "i-it's not like im waiting for him" she turned pink feeling flustered. Raven thought this whole situation was weird even she felt weird. She didn't feel like she was acting like herself.

Mary walked over and grabbed one of Raven's hands in hers. Raven paused looking at both their hands. "Raven, it's okay to want to wait for someone." she smiled at the girl. "And it's alright for things to feel new and weird at first. It's normal. You seem happy"

Raven looked up into her boss's eyes. "I do?" she said softly.

Mary smiled lightly "yes, Im sure whoever this boy is, he's a wonderful person. Give him some time, he'll message you."

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Raven sat in her room that was filled with many new things. The large window that overlooked the back yard hung long white curtains. The walls painted light pink, and new furniture, a desk, toys, clothes filled the room that yesterday held only a small bag of what was hers. "Hello, Raven my name is Tony" A man kneeled down holding out his hand for the small girl to shake. "If you ever need anything you can tell me or the lady outside your door." he smiled turning to point to the maid standing by the door. "She will always be there to make sure you have everything you need,"

Raven played with her hands twisting back and forth, "okay" she said shyly.

Tony smiled, "Your father tells me you are 6 years old?" he tried to make her more comfortable with him. "And I see you hurt yourself" he looked at the bandages still placed around her.

Raven lifted her head to face him "Yes" she said quietly. "I broke something"

"Are you excited for school?" He smiled. Raven nodded. "Would you like to meet the teacher that will come and teach you?" he asked.

Raven lifted her head "Yes" she finally smiled.

Tony stood "Please bring in Raven's teacher." he said to the maid at the door.

"Yes sir" The maid bowed leaving.

Tony turned back to Raven. "Would you like to start some school work today?" he reached out his hand to the little girl.

Raven looked up at the man "Can I?" she asked not sure.

"Of course." he laughed. Let's go to your desk." he motioned his hand again towards her. This time she held it. They walked over to the desk that sat on the far side of the room. "Your teacher will be here shortly, stay here until she arrives."

Moments later Raven turned hearing her door open "Miss Raven, your teacher" the maid directed the lady into the room.

The woman walked towards Raven's desk where she sat and pulled up a chair to sit with her. "Hello Raven, I'll be your teacher. You can call me Mrs.Ryan" she smiled. "What subject do you think you'll like the most?" Mrs.Ryan had short brown hair and fair skin that reminded her of her mother. Her voice was calm and sweet like hers too.

Raven smiled "Reading" she turned in her seat to face the woman. "I like to read, My mommy and I do it all the time," she said excitedly.

"Reading? Can you read big kid books?" Mrs.Ryan asked.

Raven nodded getting up from her seat running over to her bed. "I have a book" She smiled. She crawled under her bed pulling out a book. "This one" she handed the book to her teacher.

"This book?" she looked at the book then back at Raven. "This is a book for really big kids. You must be really smart."

Raven nodded. "it's my mommy's favorite book, im keeping it for her until she comes back to get me" she smiled. "It's about a rabbit" she opened the book to the first page. "My mommy read me books like this all the time and taught me big words" she felt sad talking about her mother that she missed.

Mrs.Ryan turned to place the book on the desk "Shall we read this for our lesson today then?" she smiled.

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Raven sat in her room reading a book when her phone notification distracted her.


(xxx)-xxx-xxxx Unknown

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