CHAPTER 5

Days are waning off so fast now. We have had several talks with mom and she told me of her silly choices in campus and high school. She even asks me to invite Maritim over one day so he can meet my family. Well, this is a surprise and I tell her that we will plan. Maritim was known by many parents so was I since we are the ones that grabbed almost all of the prizes in school's awarding's. That was the best trait of him that made my parents so calm in us being 'friends' .for the next thirty days remaining I decided to hop in a challenge and make sure I did something I would remember or rather something that made me feel great. I'd let the days count by utilizing time and resources around me well. Today being the first day, I choose to weed and clean up the flower bed as I get one plant for myself that I will be keeping in my room. I will remember to water it every day so that it doesn't dry up. Teaching myself to be more responsible than I am.

On day two I choose to get a baking recipe from Maritim and make my family my first cake that didn't turn out so bad as I thought it would. I sent Maritim the picture of it and said that it wasn't that bad but I need to put up some more practice. He would teach me if I fix up a day.

On day three I decide to do some art. The meaning behind should be a story of love. How it feels to be loved and what it means to love someone. It has been a long since I did art but I know I can do it and even do it perfectly. I even decide to share it and got so many likes and comments. Art can have so many definitions depending on the eye of the one looking at it. I might have created it with meaning but once it's out there, people get to view it from many dimensions and the meaning is so diverse. I rarely put my art out there and this being the first day I go ahead and share another two. One of my greatest supporters is my boyfriend and he is really encouraging. For sure the world has revolved and I have been feeling so great in the last two months.

We planned with Maritim about him visiting and we agreed he would come on Saturday just when the week is ending. He was so nervous but then I told him he has nothing to worry about. We would bake a cake with him together with Elsa and Alasdair as well as prepare some lunch he was also a chef. He started baking when he was nine and hence his perfectionism in making cakes and bread and all bakeries. Alasdair now gets to at least like Maritim since from the first time he ghosted me Alasdair has always had tended to detest Maritim. He knows Maritim is quite big physically and also in age so he can't really survive when he wants to fight him. Maritim is so bright I think he can do so many things I even wonder what he can't do. Except drawing and singing since I have made him do it and he really made me breaks my ribs.

They are getting along with my dad as well as my mom but mostly it's dad. My dad even asks him to come often so that he can help him up with some stuff he isn't able to do by himself and Alasdair is not strong enough to last ten minutes. He will just be home for another four months after I am gone. That sums up to one semester and if need be I might also be coming home for a week before resuming. I had a strong belief that he will receive a letter from the same university as I. If not his other options were quite close. We made a beautiful cake with my best flavor, black forest. It also happened that my dad and Maritim's dad were friends.

And already Alasdair and Elsa's birthdays were already sorted. It would just be amongst us and maybe the people they wished to invite but just a few of them. Maritim was offered to bring along his sister to the party. Well, the day came to an end and we had all enjoyed his company. Those thoughts that you should have met someone earlier start kicking in. We have been in the same school since 9nth grade. I have to face reality and really appreciate that I met him and knew him at this level that we are in at the moment.

It is now hitting me, I am still on my challenge, and it's now 15 to go. My parents can afford just any university of my choice and I don't have to go that far. I have told my mom several times that I want to change my mind but she has told me to have faith and trust myself that I can make it through all this. Maritim is also there giving me so much consolation and I have cried so many times in our facetime as well as on his chest. I don't know how I will handle all this but I have to. I have never learned to be a strong person since I have never been in such a situation nor ever trained myself to be ready for it. What if our love runs out and what if we drift apart? How do I now get to be by myself after being used to be with someone? Will my heart ever recover its pieces? I don't know if I can be someone if I am not without him.

Each day that passes by I get a bit strong and hopeful that I will be able to handle it. It was now my twin's birthday week and my departure week. There is a possibility that I will meet great people in my new life. I will get to meet other people and get to have friends. My sister asks for permission since one of her friends wants to take her out and I am sure that is the prince boy. That prince boy always looks stunning his face is always smooth, his eyebrows tweezed I guess so and on top of that, they are extremely rich. But that doesn't make me like him. I haven't really interacted with him but I can just sense something in him. He is quite charming from the stories my sister told me about on their prom night.

My mom is so hesitant in giving her permission but my sister is so persuasive and eventually, she is let out. As she haves her fun I am left here doing the chores. Alasdair really has no friends. Poor soul chose to live my life. Well if it weren't for the prince boy too Elsa would be with us right now but we go ahead and let her have her fun. And enjoy her teenage.

It's already six o'clock and she isn't picking her phone neither is she at home. We give her some thirty minutes, maybe she will be back. Again no response nor isn't she home yet. We are now panicking and we are asked who she went out with. I am sure it's the prince boy since both Elsa and Alasdair have the same friends and none would invite one and leave the other. My mom is now sweating the moment she hears it's a boy who took her out and hasn't brought her back yet. It now gets worse when her phone goes off and it's already seven in the evening. Curfew is just in an hour's time now. Elsa is never this girl, there is something that has happened. If she is in danger out there at this time of the night then we really have to do something.

My dad grabs his jacket and they get into the car and go with mum. If they are to look for her in the prince boy's home then they have to go with Alasdair since he knows their home. Well, I can't be left alone especially that I am so scared and worried. I call Maritim and he chooses to come and keep me company and his dad offers to help too. They are now in search of Elsa whose phone is off and no one knows their whereabouts. Her phone location can't be tracked since it is off and if it is possible then finding someone to do it at this time was a hard stone to crack. Alasdair promised to be giving me feedback since staying in this state of not knowing anything would make me worse. Maritim arrived and we chill in the living room as we wait. Lauzon is also sitting beside us as a show plays on TV and no one is watching it. It just has to be on so that the room isn't quiet. Alasdair sends a text and says she isn't at the prince boy's home and neither is the boy himself. So now we know she is somewhere all alone with him. The boy's mum calls him and his phone is on and he picks up and says he is just on his way home. So they wait and in a matter of 15 minutes, he is home already. But my sister is nowhere to be seen in the car and he denies that he was with her. Elsa didn't say who she was with and maybe he told her not to. Maritim's dad brings Alasdair back home as he also comes to watch over us since we also need to have some protection. My parents had gone to report the matter to the police station since at this point they really needed help from them in searching for her before coming home.

Well, it is a long night indeed. My mom does not stop crying and it makes me sad. There are several thoughts of where she might be but I don't want to even think of it. Maritim and his dad go home and are to come in tomorrow morning. The prince boy had denied he was with her and we also had no evidence that he was with her and if he was true with her I will have to kill him myself.

This is the longest day ever no one slept or even blinked a bit. I have kept calling her phone hoping it might go through. Not of a bit of hunger kicked in and it wasn't even before dawn after the curfew ends my parents are out there I don't even know where they started. Information was spread out that if she was to be seen, they should give the report to the numbers indicated. Sitting there at home felt guilty so we waited for sunrise and I and Alasdair went to look for our sister.

We went to all her friends and asked if she had been with her and none was with her. Every 'No' we heard broke our hearts to more pieces. It was just a matter of time and dad called and said she has been found in a hospital after being rescued by a stranger. I arrived and my sister is on the hospital bed lying there. My mom is holding her hand and we thank God that she is alive since amongst all the fears her being dead was the greatest. She didn't seem to be hurt physically but she was asleep. The only way we could know what happened is if she is awake. Maritim was so concerned and I was constantly giving him the updates and he promised to come over once we are back home. In a matter of no time she awake and once she saw us she smiled and looked relieved and we didn't want to ask her so many questions until she felt much better. She was bought some fruits and after she ate she even started telling us herself.

"E-E-va-n-s," she said as if she didn't want to pronounce the name." We went on a date yesterday. He drove off after our lunch date and said we are going on a hike. Somewhat like a challenge. W-w e went to a deserted park, I don't remember the place clearly but he was nice until we were there. He tried forcing me into having sex with him but I didn't agree. Then he grabbed me by force." She has already started crying and my tears are running down my face. "I told him I wasn't ready and he didn't want to listen. No one was around to save me and it was quite far, it was just his car around. That's actually the time I was to be coming home and he knew it too but asked me to hang on a bit since it wouldn't take long. So the drive was about twenty minutes. I saw mom's call just at that moment and I wanted to pick so I would signal you that I am not safe. When I was reaching for it he grabbed it and I found the opportunity to kick him. My phone fell and he continued to smash it and I ran. It was already getting dark and hence somehow it favored me since I would camouflage and hide. He ran after me for some time and I kept hiding. After I heard that he has gone and his car drove off I now wondered what to do. Deserted in a place I don't know, a place I saw no one even on our way here. There is a curfew in an hour's time I guess since I haven't kept track of time. I am freezing cold since I had no jacket and no phone. I kept walking and the last time I was conscious I was somewhere close to a road. I was hungry, scared, and tired. I can't remember anything between then and now since I think that I collapsed."

"Which hotel did you guys go and are there people that can certify that they saw the both of you?" my dad tries to ask her so calmly.

"Uh I think it was the Grand Elsol's Hotel, yes that was the name, I can remember that. "There is a CCTV right at the gate and also around if I am not wrong." I know my dad will do all it takes till there is justice. We won't stress her much by Evan's guy story we have to focus on making her feel well and just being there for her. Her hand had a bruise majorly from the tight grip of that mannerless boy. Her knee was quite injured from running away from him. I really feel sorry for my sister, getting over this trauma will be a really tough task for her and as her big sister, I have to be here for her. It's now ten o'clock it has been a long morning and no one has rested since yesterday. We are all fatigued and we are told after the results of the tests that were run on her were out she might be cleared to go home. I hope she wasn't molested by anyone since this is just a lot to carry. There is some guilt creeping in and it's hard to take it.

We try to make her smile a bit and give her some stories. Mom has been taken outside by dad to get some coffee as she cools down and regains some energy since she has just been crying all night and morning. I had given Maritim the updates of course and he wasn't pleased with all, no one was pleased. Evans, I even came to know his name I never wanted to, he even denied being with her or seeing her. Many people saw her dance with him on the night of prom and I am sure several road cameras can attest to it. God was with Elsa since nothing happened to her at her time of unconsciousness. The nice stranger who brought her in didn't want to give his name. He did a great thing and he has to be gratified for this. Who knows what would have happened to our Elsa when they found her on the road. We went home after being cleared and my dad, later on, went to the police.

The police began the investigation and after even seeing the evidence they still weren't fast to act. This news made me angrier. Evans was from a rich family, they were really rich hence I gave him the 'prince boy name'. Also by his classy way of dressing and his popularity in school for retaining the junior school fashion awards. I don't care whether his reputation was ruined but he also had hurt my sister. He made her carry a heavy thing inside her chest, he made it hard for her to ever trust guys again. I don't really have to ask my sister that but I know it for sure. The police weren't doing their part as well as they should. We mightn't get justice but I will ensure that all this gets known to the public. I have resources and that is the media. Alasdair, Maritim, and I go ahead and carry a camera and a microphone. We go ahead and go to the hotel they were in and ask if they saw the girl and the boy come in. we get at least three who do say that they did see them. Alasdair had also recorded Elsa dancing with Evans on the prom night. I don't know how we could get the evidence of them on the road but we will work with what we have at the moment. We also took some photos of my sister's wrist and knees. This was an attempted rape and we had to push this story. We had something to use and had several people who gave the evidence that they saw them and the kid says he wasn't with her. A podcast, a blog and we also circulate this all around social media, this little guy played with the wrong ones. We edited everything and by evening it was all good to go. We didn't record the faces of the hotel attendants just the voice itself was enough.

Such cases have been happening some aren't really attempted but they were raped. A part of the society later blames the girl for dressing inappropriately or for accepting the date or invite without giving something in return. I wasn't just advocating for my sister but for all the females who have gone through this. If only we knew who the Good Samaritan was then we would have more backup in the story. The story began getting retweets, many comments and there was some hope. It is indeed circulating and I am happy that people are really against this and ready to help in whatever way. It also had captured a lot of attention because the kid was well known in school. Both males and females were supporting us in getting justice. No sooner than later, an anonymous guy came out and said that he was the one that rescued her and took her to the hospital. There didn't lack some negative comments but ten people over hundreds of them didn't make us less intrigued in any way.

He mightn't be arrested but he was also to carry the blame in his heart. I wanted to feel as heavy as my sister was feeling. We didn't see him get arrested since maybe they had enough money not to arrest him. But this story will be talked of for the rest of the week and I hope he feels miserable enough. Alasdair was so bitter and I had to beg him not to try and confront Evans. This would ruin our efforts since he might make it seem like we are threatening him. My brother always protects my sister at whatever cost and I am sure at the moment he feels so bad. I know he carries the guilt in him but it wasn't anyone's fault. No one saw it coming and as much as we were asking Elsa to take it easy on herself so were we to do it too.

Maritim had helped a lot he had brought us bread for breakfast and that's just the only thing we have taken today. My mother had no energy whatsoever to cook or do anything so I had to help out. My charming boyfriend of course went ahead and offered to help me out before he leaves. We do the dishes and prepare all the ingredients needed. We do joke a lot when doing everything and after preparing the meal he is now ready to go. We chill a bit in my room as he gives me options of series to watch and as we watch some trailers we get into a moment. We haven't really had our space in some time now and this was our moment.

I am talking and he isn't replying he is just staring at me. I try to avoid him and he is just there not giving up. I turn to his side and keep his staring game on. We bet on who was going to blink or break eye contact first. Of course, it would be me but I am going to try and not give up so early. We start our game, I am really trying my best and he leans and kisses me. Looks like I won, anyway the game was over. I had missed the taste of his lips. Our bodies are intertwined and some heat starts generating. He is already removing my t-shirt. I don't want him to stop so as fast as he does it the better. His scent is already in my skin. He runs his finger around my lower belly and I already have goosebumps all over. He goes lower and I feel like screaming but I am at home that would be a very bad idea. Whatever the cost I have to bite my tongue. He goes ahead and starts fingering me and I whisper into his ear that I am going to scream and he covers my mouth with his other hand. He pauses and my body is craving so much and he puts on some music. That will help in creating some noise and also in boosting the mood. He goes ahead and pulls my pants down and it's the first time he sees me naked. I am on the verge of being insecure before he starts kissing my boobs. He is now to my neck and now I am so weak. He removes his shirt and keeps pacing up. He goes ahead and his sweatpants are down on my bedroom floor. I am so heated up right now, he puts his hands in mine. He starts to rub me slowly and I don't even know what I am feeling. I feel so great and I keep wanting more. His hands are moving at a slow pace and I am whispering faster. He takes one hand and his boxers are down already. I can feel his whole nakedness on mine. He starts rubbing me with his dick. He is so tender and gentle and he starts putting it in slowly asking if am okay and I am unable to speak so I nod off as I bite my lip. He starts slowly and oh my word I really don't want this to stop. He creates a rhythm and he is concurrently pumping and he caresses my breast. I have never enjoyed it so much in my life. We wrap up things since we are needed down there before it gets suspicious. I was in a happy mood right now and he also seemed to be in one too. It somehow felt illegal to wear so big smiles when everyone down here is really not in a situation to be smiling. As we are just there now continuing watching to sample the trailers on my couch my mum comes in and asks to go have dinner. Well, we hadn't even closed the door. If mum came up here minutes ago she would literally kill us. I don't know what Maritim had done to my family that they loved him so much, of course not more than I do though. We were the chefs and didn't even bother telling people that the food was ready. We were choosing a perfect movie to cheer us up on the birthday eve of my twin siblings which was in a day's time now.

We join the others and my sister is a little refreshed and the rest of the part we will finish soon in bringing her back to her normal self soon enough. Soon after we were done having dinner, Maritim was picked up by his dad who stayed a while before they left. He would now come back on Friday morning early before the party with his family. He had a younger sister and it was time to interact. My siblings didn't even invite anyone else they didn't feel like having other people celebrating with them. It is also my last week here but no one has talked about that for a while now.