Wilbur
I smiled as I watched Mari open a candy and put it in her mouth. She must be waiting for someone because she leaned over on her car and crossed her arms.
I could see her face clearly and I couldn’t help but smile at her face. She’s so beautiful.
“I miss you” I muttered and brought out my phone. I took pictures of her through my windscreen. I began to look through them and when I lifted my face, I saw that she had already stood straight and was looking towards the bank. A man was walking out and he walked straight to her and held her hand. I didn’t hear what they were saying but with their expressions she was upset and he was apologizing. Who is he? I don’t remember Mari having male friends or relations.
I watched as she took whatever was in his hand and entered her car. She drove away leaving the guy who now stood akimbo. He shook his head and called a taxi which took him away.
I don’t think he has anything to do with her. From what I’ve seen, she doesn’t like him.
I felt relieved at that. I wouldn’t want to imagine her already being with someone else.
I smiled again and left the roadside into the road. I was headed for a photoshoot then I got a text message from a hidden number. I refused to read it because I suspected it was from those guys.
When I got to the venue of the photoshoot on the beach, everyone was looking at me. I wondered why and I decided to ask my manager. He saw me and quickly ran to me
“why is everybody looking at me?” I immediately asked
“that’s why I came to you to clarify what we are hearing” he said and pulled me aside
“what is it? Tell me already” I said
“is it true you broke up with Mari?” he asked and I was taken aback. How did they know?
“is it true you broke up with Mari two weeks ago and you already have a new lover who you had dinner with yesterday?” he asked again and I didn’t answer because I was dumbfounded
“oh my goodness! You did. It’s true. You broke up with her!” he said aloud and unfortunately everyone heard. I glared at him and walked away from him. He ran after me
“Will why did you do it? You loved that girl” he said and I stopped in my tracks. I looked back at him and gave him a hard look
“we’ll talk about this later” he whispered. I exhaled and went to change so the photoshoot would begin.
Throughout the shoot, everyone’s eyes kept asking me questions their mouths couldn’t ask. My face wasn’t smiling so those who could have mustered up courage didn’t. When the shoot was over, I gently slipped away and entered my car. I took my phone and read the message I ignored earlier
📩seen the post yet? Just in case you haven’t, here it is. We figured out your fans should know about the new development in your life
I tapped the link and it took me to a blog post that said : The famous actor and model known as Wilbur Sanders, is well known because of his romance movies, good looks and striking resemblance with his identical sister #WiniRed (although science proved it almost impossible for opposite gender twins to be identical, he and his sister proved science wrong). Months ago he had opened up about being in love and in a serious relationship with #Marigold_Cruz which got lots of people talking about how befitting they both are to each other. However, Sanders has broken the hearts of WilGold shippers as he puts an end to their relationship. Eye witnesses at a five star restaurant where he broke up with her have provided us with pictures and a recording of what he said the night he broke up with her.
“oh my God” I exclaimed as I went through the pictures. Truly it was that night. The pictures of her palming her face and crying were all there, how I walked out on her too. Even the recording of what I said to her. Why would they do this to me? Did they add a recorder to the table? I think so. That’s definitely what they did.
“God” I muttered and rested my head on the steering wheel, I didn’t want to read the remaining part of the post. I closed my eyes and wondered how I was going to get out of the mess I had put myself into. Someone tapped on my window and I looked up. My manager. I exhaled and opened the door
“what is it?” I asked him
“I didn’t know there were lots of supporters of WilGold” he said
“what do you mean?” I asked
“uhm, maybe you should go online. Especially Twitter and Instagram” he said. I stared at him as if to understand what he just said
“come on, check it” he said. I exhaled again and brought my phone up I went online and the first thing I noticed was the drastic fall in my followers on Instagram
“what the!”
Then posts about fans venting their anger on me, calling me a player and all that.
📱Wilbur Sanders is such a player. I hate him for those mean words he said to her
📱I never believed Wilbur Sanders could hurt a fly, but he made Marigold Cruz cry. Guys did you see how weak she was? She really loved him
📱if I was Marigold Cruz, I’d knead his balls for breaking my heart
📱I don’t think I can be his fan anymore. I loved him because of his chemistry with her.
📱I hate you Wilbur Sanders! Because of you, my boyfriend broke up with me. It’s because I used to tell him to be like you and love me like you love Mari. He broke up with me because you broke up with her.
📱he already replaced her? So soon? Is he a player?
📱guys I heard he has had five exes over the last two years and he has been the one breaking up with them. He can’t keep a woman. He’s the opposite of the characters he always portrays in his movies and dramas
📱he might be gay. Come to think of it, he acts too much like a girl
“you should definitely stop reading further” my manager said and collected my phone
“if this keeps trending, you might completely loose your reputation” he said
“Wilbur are you okay?” he asked when I didn’t reply him
“yeah” I managed to reply. I wasn’t okay actually, I was thinking of what next they’d do to bring me down. What if they release what they have against me. I’d be completely finished!
_____
Mari
At school the next two days, I found myself sitting beside Fred, again. I totally snubbed him. Because of him, Eliza and I had a big fight.
(flashback)
I opened the door and walked inside the house. I was so tired I had to fall on the couch immediately.
“hey you’re back. So how did it go?” Eliza asked. She was coming from upstairs. I refused to answer her, I was so mad at her for making plans for me to eat with Fred.
“hey Mari” she called again and sat beside me
I completely snubbed her and stood up from the couch. She took the takeaways and began opening them
“Fred gave these to you right?” she asked. I opened the fridge, the one in the dining room and took out a water bottle. I entered the kitchen and took a glass, filled it and drank it all. Eliza entered the kitchen
“are you angry with me? Come on don’t be a sissy. I know you actually enjoyed it” she said and gave me a wink. If only she knows how irritated I am right now
“enjoyed it? I wanted to kill him and kill you for betraying me” I blurted out and her expression changed
“betraying you?” she asked
“how dare you hook me up with him knowing that I wouldn’t like that! You even made stupid plans with him! What sort of rubbish is that? Do you even know him? Why are you so stupid!” I yelled.
“I… I was… just trying to help” she blabbered
“oh just shut up! You’re just becoming useless Eliza! The last time you helped me with a guy it ended in tears! Hold your help, I don’t need it. Or better still help yourself, you’ve been single for years!” I said and dropped the bottle
“don’t you dare insult me because I was trying to help you. I just didn’t like the way you were slowly crawling into a shell. Exams are around the corner yet you can’t stay up at night without crying. I just wanted you to forget about Wilbur even if it was for a second!” she yelled and I flared up and smashed the glass cup on the floor in front of her. She screamed and shifted back
“leave me alone! I don’t want your help! You’re trying to turn me into the flirt that you are! Leave me alone. Or better still, leave my life. You got me into this pain in the first place. I don’t even know of what use you are to me! Just leave me and leave my house!” I screamed and walked past her. I ran outside through the back door and went under the stairs leading to the balcony. I opened the door to the aquarium, the one Will had taken me to on my birthday. I come here to cry anyday I feel like.
After two hours of hiding there, I came up and didn’t see Eliza but the takeaways were still on the couch. I decided that I still wouldn’t talk to her. I entered my room and locked the door then went to sleep because my head was pounding. When I woke up and came downstairs I still didn’t see any sign of her. That was when I noticed the note on the breakfast bar, it was neatly folded and placed in the middle. I picked it and it was Eliza’s handwriting, It read I’M SORRY. I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP
It had three water stains, like drops of water
“was she crying when she wrote this?” I mentally asked myself, She must be in her room. I have to apologize to her for yelling at her. I shouldn’t have. I went to her room and knocked but she didn’t answer. I just opened it instead and entered. She wasn’t in
“Eliza?” I called out and walked to the bathroom door. I knocked on it
“Eliza?” I called out again. I opened it and she wasn’t in. I walked to her bed and from there I looked over at her reading table, all her text books and notebooks were gone
“oh my God” I exclaimed when I remembered that I had angrily sent her out
***
“hey Mari” Fred said to me after the c l a s s
I snubbed him and packed my books into my bag
“Mari” he said and tapped me
I exhaled and stood up to leave. He didn’t follow me and I was glad. As I was going home in my car, I realized that I didn’t close my bag. I glanced through hoping non of my books fell but unfortunately I didn’t see my text book on physics. I needed that text book for a review tomorrow
I quickly stopped my car and opened the bag. It truly wasn’t there
“oh my God. Where did it drop? Will I be able to find it?” I asked myself and heaved a sigh. I was going to turn back before my phone began to ring. I picked it up and turned off the ignition
📲hello, Ms Cruz speaking
📲I have your textbook
📲Fred?
📲you don’t know how happy I am that you recognize my voice
📲where’s my book? How did you get it?
📲do you want it or not?
I sighed while rolling my eyes
📲where are you? I’ll come get it
📲meet me in front of the Cyber building close to the taxi stand
📲okay I’m coming there now
📲not now. I’m about to sleep. Come by 4pm
📲ugh! Okay fine.
I hung up and checked the time. It was 2pm.
“I can wait two hours I guess” I said with a shrug and drove home.
The house was quiet and clean, no Eliza to squeal and litter the living room with packs of cookies. I didn’t see her at school and she won’t answer her calls. I texted her but she didn’t reply.
I went straight to my room and slept off. I woke up with an empty stomach and went to eat leftover rice in the kitchen. Just two days and I already feel the impact of Eliza’s absence.
After eating, I showered and wore a pink dress with a pink hat. I went to stand in front of the building and waited for Fred. I arrived two minutes after 4pm and I had to wait for ten minutes before I got bored. I looked around and no sign of Fred
“is he always late?” I asked myself
“ugh! I’m getting tired” I wined and brought out a candy bar from my pocket. I opened it and put it in my mouth then began to read the writings on the pack
“hey”
I looked up to see Fred with my textbook
“late comer! I’ve been standing in the sun for more than ten minutes you moron!” I yelled
“I’m sorry. I was busy. Hey don’t give me that face” he said and I glared at him, I snatched the book and walked to my car door.
“hey! You’re walking out on me? No thank you for giving you your book?” he said as I sat in. I closed my door and started my car. I looked back and saw him standing akimbo, I scoffed and drove out.
I had arrived home when I saw the news of my breakup all over the internet. I felt bad for Will and bad for myself too, if we were together we’d both be happy.
______
Eliza
I was sitting under a tree behind our house and going through my phone. I told my mom I missed her and came to receive blessings for my exams.
I then saw the reigning news online, about Mari’s breakup.
“what would she do to herself if she sees the post supporting their breakup? She’ll cry throughout the night” I said aloud
“breakup? Who broke up with who?” my mom asked from behind me
“just going through something online mom” I said
“aren’t you supposed to be reading? Why are you going through your phone?” she asked with a stern face
I cracked a smile “mom, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”
“when I’m I coming to stay in that big house of yours? At least even for a week. The pictures you’ve shown me are lovely”
“it’s not my house mom. It’s Mari’s”
“you and Mari are best friends. I’m equally her mom you know”
I laughed
“I’ll tell her about it” I said
“be quick. I know she’ll let me. She’s like my daughter”
“mom I’m hungry” I stated and dropped my phone
“you should go back today because I have already made Mari’s rice cakes. She loves it. You can eat out of it here” she replied and stood up.
I sighed and looked through the posts again. I better get going, she needs to not go online.
___
Mari
“what?” I muttered as I saw a post describing me as worthless and not helping Wilbur’s career in any way, so he’s better off without me.
“that’s not true“ I said to myself. I went through the comments and I wish I hadn’t because I felt depressed at the end of it. I curled up in a ball-like form and laid on the cold floor, though I was wearing a sweater.
____
Eliza
I arrived at the house and walked into the living room with the bag containing rice cakes that my mom made for Mari. The house was awfully quiet like she wasn’t around though the security guard had told me she was back and her car’s even outside.
“why didn’t she turn on the TV? Or is she sleeping?” I asked myself
I heard Goldie wining and sniffing beside the couch, she only does that when she’s anxious or in pain
“Goldie?” I called out and walked to the couch only for me to see Mari lying on the floor with her skin grey
“Oh my goodness! Oh my God Mari!” I screamed and knelt beside her immediately
“Mari! Mari wake up” I said while shaking her
“hospital. I need to take her to the hospital” I said and shifted back. I mistakenly kicked the table with my left leg and a tumbler sitting at the edge of the table fell on my ankle
I screamed and held my leg that was stinging with pain. It began to swell immediately. I ignored it and took Mari’s car keys from the table. I tried to stand without adding pressure to the hurt ankle. I pulled Mari but she was heavy. I couldn’t do it without a strong stamina.
“the guard” I said and limped to the door. I opened it and that Fred guy was standing there about to knock
“uhh hi Mari’s friend. Is Mari in? I wanted to give her her note. I think it’s important because she wrote a —”
“—how did you know here?” I asked cutting him short
“I checked her address from school” he replied
“I know Mari would be so mad at me for this but you have to help me take her to the hospital” I said and pulled him in
“holy moly!” he exclaimed. He quickly pulled her on his shoulder and ran out of the house. I grabbed her phone and my purse and tried to run after them, forgetting my ankle. The pain hit me up in my head and I screamed and fell down. The spot had turned red and my eyes turned teary too. I still stood up, ignored the pain and limped as fast as I could to Fred who had laid her in his car
“quick! Get in” he said to me and I exhaled and fastened my limping to reach the car. It’s Mari who needs the help now, not me.
.
.
To Be Continued