Chapter 15

AUDREY

By the time I had got back to my apartment, dropping Sebastian and Marcus on the way, I was drop-dead exhausted. Now I know why Sleeping Beauty was stupid enough to prick her finger, who wouldn't want all those years of sleep?

I stumbled out of the elevator, phone in hand, and began checking social media. I slipped my keys into the lock when I felt someone's gaze on me. I looked to my left and sure enough, there was a guy ten feet away from me.

"Can you imagine trying to find this place drunk?" He joked, I took the time to notice the bag in his hand and the barely audible clinking sounds.

"Believe me, my older sister tried once. It didn't go well." I replied with a small smile.

He gave a small chuckle and held his free hand in front of me. "Hey, I'm Daniel. I just moved in."

"I'm Audrey. I guess I'll be your neighbour, but you moved halfway through the third term?" I asked, shaking his hand.

"Yeah. I just needed a change I guess." He finishes with a shrug.

"That's... cool, I guess. I'm gonna go in now so... " I hinted, turning the key.

" Ah, okay. I'll catch you later then, Audrey." He nods and proceeds to open his door when I close mine behind me.

I began my usual routine of rummaging through my bag and beginning to study, something I've grown accustomed to throughout the years. Well, I had planned to but the silence of my apartment was broken by the loud wails of my neighbour.

I try to ignore it and return to my notes, but the cries slice through the sound of nothingness to a point where I can't ignore it anymore. I rush to my door and throw it open, marching over to his. I begin to pound loudly.

"Hey Daniel, you in there?" My voice loud and clear. Seconds later, the door swings open, a red-eyed Daniel staring me down.

"Hey, Audrey, what's up? I told you I'd catch you later." His voice is hoarse but he smiles widely anyway.

"Daniel. These may be luxurious and expensive apartments, but, the walls aren't the thickest."

"Ah. Sorry. I'll quiet down, I thought I saw a mouse or something." He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck as his cheeks burn from embarrassment.

"Are you okay? You can tell me if something's bothering you, I might be able to help." My voice is soft but the concern is well hidden. He looks like a mess, I can smell the beer from where I am standing.

"Yeah, I'm, I'm good." He smiles brightly, then it suddenly drops. His eyes begin to well up with tears. "No, I'm not okay. I can't do this. I'm sorry I know I only just met you today and I was hoping to make a good first impression and. Look I'm sorry I won't bother you again."

I recognise this. I've seen it before so I know very well not to listen. I'm too stubborn to listen. I barge in beside him and walk over to the photo on the ground, surrounded by glass. The wooden frame lies in splinters and there are two empty beer bottles on the table.

"Audrey, I can explain." He rushes, looking nervously at me, at the photo between my fingers. My eyes are drawn to the happy couple in the picture, smiling brightly. You can see that they are truly happy, it's the same look I saw in the photos of my parents.

"What happened?" I didn't want to ask, I didn't want to step on a bomb in a minefield.

"I caught Jayden, with another guy." He murmured, avoiding my eye.

I took his hand and led him to his couch. I sat him down and made eye contact with him. "You sit here, I'm going to clean this up and then you're coming over to mine. We can get a takeout and watch a movie, how does that sound?"

An internal debate arose in him but he eventually lifted his head and nodded. I smiled and got to work.

When the movie ended we were both drained of energy.

"Thank you, Audrey, really." His voice cracked, whether it was from the lack of use or emotions, I couldn't tell.

"No, it's no problem. Really, If you need to talk," I hesitated, debating whether I should bother, "I'm...I'm here for you." I guess I'll find out later whether I'll regret this or not.

He smiled lazily and stretched, yawning loudly, "I'm gonna go, but, um, thank you. Really, it means a lot." He nodded and began to make his way towards the door.

"Like I said," I got up and followed, "it's no problem. I'm here if you need to talk, I'll lend an ear." I smiled and stopped at the door.

"Tha-"

"I swear to everything holy if you say thank you one more time I'm going to throw you out the window." I rolled my eyes jokingly, receiving a bright smile from Daniel.

"Goodnight, Audrey. I'll catch you another time." He nodded and began for his door.

I closed the door behind him and tidied up the plates and glasses before completing my nightly routine and going towards my chamber of dreams and nightmares.

SEBASTIAN

I replayed the memory over and over again in my mind, unable to stop the smile that crept on my face. I looked at the photo Marcus took today, the time displayed just above the both of us.

But then I frowned.

A feral growl ripped out of me, almost animalistic. I couldn't take what she'd gone through, that's not normal. Her life revolved around academics and success and she was drowning in it. Her childhood was ripped out of her hands before she could even get near it.

I could feel the slumbering rage in the pit of my stomach. She's too good, too perfect, and we didn't deserve her. Despite her cold mask and the wall, she has built around her, a garden of love and emotion lies behind it. She is a normal human being that is capable of extraordinary things. And she didn't deserve it.

I remembered waking up during the hours we slept at her apartment. I awoke to her sleeping face, and it wasn't at all peaceful. She looked in pain, she held her arms in front of herself, guarding herself against god knows what.

She repeated over and over again, like a mantra engraved in her mind:

"I am stupid, I am not worthy, I am useless, I am un-needed. I don't matter. I am a failure, I am a coward, I can't do anything right."

And then silence. I waited, hoping everything was alright, hoping it was just a nightmare. But then,

"I am nothing."

I looked up to the TV, my face contorted with anger, my rage directed towards the man on the screen.

Everything was perfect about him. He was handsome, looked young (despite being forty-seven years old), well dressed and I couldn't even spot a hair out of place.

"Parkinson hospitals and rehabilitation centres have been awarded the Best Health Care Organisation for its fifth consecutive year. The head of the Parkinson Group, George Parkinson, is said to be content with this and is apparently training his daughters to become the heir of Parkinson-Evans Corporation." I couldn't hear anything after that, it didn't matter to me. It was a lie, training? More like forcing. Audrey didn't have a say in this and she never will.

I stomped to the bathroom, ripping off my clothes and praying the cold water will calm me down with its icy touch. Audrey didn't have a childhood, not really, and despite what she says and where she lived for the past eighteen years, that's not a home, it's a workplace.

The water slides down my back like freezing knives. I shiver, my deep breaths echoing in the bathroom. I know, its suicide for a person with a cold but right now I couldn't care less. I just want Audrey to be happy and successful and not slaving away her days in her family's company.

Eventually, my body had had enough. With even my bones stiff and quivering from the cold, I step out and put on my pyjamas, wobbling a few times but I tug them on in the end. Savouring the warmth of my bed, I slip in, listening to the raindrops in the background until sleep sweeps me away.

I awoke to a loud, obnoxious high-pitched beeping, my eyelids were heavy as I pressed the button. I wandered into the kitchen and began preparing my breakfast.

I carried out my routine as usual, wake up, eat breakfast, get changed and leave. When I reached the door I let out an, "Oh shit!" as I ran for the Academy through the pouring rain. Not good, this is really not good.

I reached the Academy in record time, yes I was dripping wet and soaked to the core but nevertheless, I was proud of myself. But that pride was short lived. Glancing around me, I noticed posters on the walls and strange looks from my peers.

'Audrey Parkinson is a SLUT!'

'Audrey Parkinson is a FAILURE!'

'Audrey Parkinson the despicable human scum!'

'Audrey Parkinson doesn't care about anyone!'

'Their relationship is a sham!'

A few of many. My eyes roamed the walls where these posters hung, every single one about Audrey, every single one of her fears. This person picked out every single curse and flaw for everyone to see.

James, a student in my law class, walked over to me, a poster stretched between his hands. "Dude, isn't that your girlfriend?"

I nodded, looking at the poster, a picture of her at the banquet, insults in red marker scrawled around the border.

"Who did this? This is so not cool."

"Yeah, this isn't okay at all. I've met Audrey and have known her for a while, she's the nicest person I've ever met."

"Who would do this to her, she hasn't done wrong to anyone."

Murmurs of disagreement lined the hall. The quiet genius who only helped was suddenly more known than I thought. I felt a drop of jealousy at the back of my mind, but a wave of relief flooded through me.

This time, when my eyes skimmed over the posters, they were full of panic. Who did this? Why? What did she do to them?

"Um, Se-Sebastian?" I felt the light tap on my shoulder and I spun to meet the quiet voice. She flinched and backed away frightened.

"Sorry, I'm just a little panicked right now." I rushed, holding my hands in front of me.

"I was in early today to go to the library to study and I saw Rachel heart with her friends here. They had piles of paper with them and were sticking them to the walls." Her voice quavered as she pulled on her sleeves.

I smiled and placed my hands on her shoulders, "Thank you. Very much."

The bell had rung for lunch just as I'd walked off from the scene. I felt all eyes turn to me, but I ignored the strange looks and comments and marched straight toward the girl with the vibrant red hair.

She looked up at me as I thrust the poster in her face, flinching at the sudden movement. She looked at the poster, then at me, then back at the poster and then back at me. Her eyes were filled with false innocence and confusion as she asked, "Sebastian what is this? This is awful, who did this?"

"You tell me." I provoked.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Rachel, don't lie to me. You were seen putting these posters up, I'm just wondering why you did this. What did she do you to Rachel, what did she ever do to you?" I bellowed. I could feel the rain droplets falling onto my cheeks, my face so heated with anger that they were probably evaporating.

"She took you from me!" She yelled, finally breaking, she stood abruptly. "I spent my whole life loving you and she took you from me. Heck! I didn't even know she took you from me because you told me nothing. You didn't tell me anything!"

"That's nothing like the Sebastian I know, no, you wouldn't do that to me, I'm not buying her act even for a second. I said I wasn't going to give up and newsflash, I still haven't. I'll give you a choice if you love her so much then break up with her or I. Will. End. Her. I heard she hasn't been getting along with her daddy, imagine how he'd react if he heard what his little girl was getting up to." Her head was cocked to the side and her smile was daring me to object.

The tears welled up in my eyes and my voice dropped to a low growl, "I. Hate. You."

Her tempting glare became a petrified stare as she took me in, cracking before her and everyone else in the dining hall.

"I hate you so much!" I choked out, my voice trembling and full of anger. "So don't you ever, go near her again," I warned, turning on my heel and leaving.

Just as I had left, someone caught my arm. I quickly wiped the tears from my cheeks before they could see. I looked at my arms captor, my breath catching in my throat.

"We have to do the plan," it was Libby, she gazed up at me with worried eyes, "we have to do it tonight.