Beyond A Scorned Heart

CHAPTER 6: Down that memory lane

"No friendship is an accident " - O. Henry, Heart of the West.
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Maria strolled the outskirts of the town, engrossed in her thoughts. She had thought wrong, they always follow, no matter where she goes, they are adamantine. Last night, they taunted her like all other nights, refusing her of a good sleep. She tried not to scream as not to erupt tension or concern to Mercedes and other neighbours. she pulled the scarf on her neck, around her head to cover her face, Mercedes as promised brought her fresh clothes, a black long simple and battered gown with a collar like the costume of a nun and a white scarf , the gown though not fitted was comfortable to her. Of course, she had breakfast with them, a simple one. A breakfast of two loaves and a cup of tea for each, Maria could recall the look on their faces, they looked satisfied and above all happy.

She knew Adam will be looking for her and would have already informed his Mistress of her disappearance, their scheme worked to bring her to this cursed town them. A smile soon shadowed her deep frown as she came across across a small lake surrounded by pretty bushes and flowers. The place was isolated, just like fifteen years ago. Yes, she had been here, it was the place she first met a friend and the first time, she ever had one.
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RECAP: 15 YEARS AGO
Annamaria strolled the outskirts of the town, there was no one at home and she dreaded to stay home alone, her father had travelled, her sister, Aubrey had gone to the playground, her step mother was out as usual and Ma Mercedes like she always call her was on an errand for her step mother. She wrapped the scarf around her head to cover her face like she always do whenever she sneaked out of the house. She didn't want to be recognize by the bystanders, pedestrians or town heralds, at the little age of eight, she knew how scary Westernfield could be, their faces can make one wished they didn't have eyes to see them.

She came across an isolated area, there was a lake at the front surrounded by green bushes, the view was beautiful and the atmosphere calm. She walked closer and saw a boy of barely twelve years sobbing, his hands on his face and his head bent low sitting on an old, dusty, eery-looking and stiffen bench near the lake . Curiously, she stride to the boy and sat close to him, the boy looked up and shot her a cold look, Annamaria simply shrugged her shoulder and looked at the view in front of her.

"Have you lost your way?". The boy said curtly,his eyes scrutinizing her appearance.

"No.. I heard someone crying, so i decided to check". Annamaria replied mildly.

The boy looked lugubrious, "Sorry, i didn't know i was loud. it's my first time here and it looked isolated, i didn't know people come here"

"It's my first time too". Annamaria said smiling as she sat down close to the boy.

The boy simply nodded and bowed his head like before, his hands rubbed together. A solemn pause hung in the room, both of them keeping mum, their unsteady breaths filling the silence.

"I am Annamaria". Annamaria said with a smile still plastered on her face, breaking the silence.

The boy raised his head and looked at her." Watson?". She nodded. The boy scrunched his face in confusion,"I didn't know the Marquis had another daughter, I thought it was only a rumor". She bent her head low, she was used to being unnoticed. Although a Marquess daughter, no one really acknowledged her unlike her sister, Annalise, whom everyone knew and worshiped. She was regarded as the mysterious daughter of the Marquess since her birth still mystery to them. She was left behind whenever her family went to parties or gatherings, her family nor the maids in her house acknowledged her. The only time, she was noticed was when she was whipped by her stepmother and recently her father who became more strict and malicious towards her.

"No one notices me". She replied sadly.

The boy breathed, "Sometimes, it's better to be unnoticed".

She turned to him and shook her head, "No, it's not. Being unnoticed is the same thing as being dead. Your whole existence forgotten, its not a good thing thing to pray for".

The boy seemed shocked at her words, the little girl spoke with high intelligence, one he has never seen before. he asked curiously,"Then, what should i pray for?"

"Happiness and to be loved, for those are the greatest".

"So, are you happy and loved?".

Her face fell, she didn't expect that kind of question to be thrown at her. At eight years, has she known happiness or love? She has known love through Ma Mercedes, the woman was the only one who cared for her. But what about happiness? Sure, she was always smiling but that's, what it was, 'a mere smile'. A smile that can be plastered as fake, feint and inauthentic, one she was used to, "How can you feel what you do not know". she blurted.

Once again, the boy seemed puzzled at her words, he couldn't help himself but smile. Him, who was tutored by the best professors in the states, couldn't come up with such words, 'You are learned. You even sound like a scholar".

She smiled at his compliment, "No,am not. i just read books, Ma Mercedes, the head maid taught me how to read".

"You don't go to school?"

She shook her head sadly. Her stepmother had convinced her father that it was superfluous and a waste of resources to send her to school. However, she had always been interested in learning and knowing more about the world, She had learnt how to read from Ma Mercedes and had become how fluent a year ago. When alone, she could sneak into the library in the mansion to read both educational and literary books especially Shakespeare plays, notable poems like the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, novels of Ancient and Modern eras which made her equipped with Knowledge.

"That's awful, You are being treated unfairly"

"I am an illegitimate child. I deserve it". Annamaria said looking down.

The boy frowned, "That's no excuse. Illegitimate children shouldn't be treated so unfairly".

Annamaria sighed and turned to look at the boy in curiosity. "So why  were you sobbing? Are you an illegitimate child?"

The boy chuckled. "No, i am not. I just remembered my mother, she died two years ago. She was the only one who understood me". He said looking down, not wanting to remember the tragic death of his mother.

"I also lost a brother two years ago, he was four". She murmured

The boy turned back to her, "I heard about it. Sorry for your loss".

She smiled sadly and continued,"He fell from the stairs, his eyes saw something that no one should see and he became terrified that he slipped and fell. I was blamed for it".

The boy held her hands in comfort, "It wasn't your fault. Your Family shouldn't treat you this way, it's not right besides you are very nice and pretty".

She beamed, it was her first compliment from an outsider,"Does this mean we are Friends?".

The boy smiled. "Definitely"

Annamaria stretched her hand out and the boy shook it smiling. "I am Nathaniel". He said holding her hand firmly.

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I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter because more drama is coming up.
Thanks a lot guys for the encouragement, I love you all. And a big thank you to @shila_love for the awesome book cover and to all those ho have supported me. Comment, vote and share and stray from being a ghost reader. xoxo