"A bit humiliating tone"
"Hello ma'am and....."
The hostess was perhaps new, those confused expressions were confessing to her innocence.
"Employee"
"Husband"
The couple said in unison. The latter term was proposed by Ed.
The hostess chuckled and with naughty expressions which caused Camilla to smirk mockingly.
"Hehe well the both are synonyms, I guess !"
"So what's on the menu...UuMm....Cheryl. "
Camilla questioned by seeing her badge , clearly by facing Ed gaving him 'victorious' expressions by raising both brows. And then sat down asking the girl about food.
"Blah blah blah...."
She stated a long list of varieties reading through a pad.
"Okey get some XXXXX "
She ordered accordingly her taste. With a rougish smile she faced Ed by tucking her elbow on his shoulder.
"So what you're gonna order my dear
So called-husband ?"
Ed was still processing his first defeat when Camilla' voice stuck his ears. Blankly he stared at her.
"No-nothing. I'm fine."
Giving a weak smile to the hostess he came back to senses.
"Now stay quiet the whole way okey."
She spat the harsh words at him as a victory reward.
"Mmm"
And he tucked his head backwards in a deep thought.
"FLASHBACK"
"I-I like you."
The girl confessed in the middle of the corridor.
"Wwhat ?"
The boy said in a
Mocking tone.
"You like me ? Am I not mistaken you said you like me, right ?
Hehe every girl here likes me, kiddo !"
"But I really like you. Don't you understand."
The girl tried to show him the true meaning behind the words.
"Get away you kid. Every girl in the school like my brother. He's famous, nay !"
The friend standing on the right scolded.
"I know indeed he's famous but I'm not like those cheesy girls playing around. I really like him."
She tried again.
"Yeah yeah we know you like him as his other fan-girls do. Now give us way."
The one in his left barged in with a cold tone.
"No until you don't understand I won't give you a way. Ed-Eduardo I.....I love you."
She finally blurted out with closing her eyes & clenching her fists. The students standing in the corridor witnessing the show went silent for a moment.
The creepy silence gave way to a wild roar of laughter. A laughter that made her ridiculous___a fool.
"What you love me ?"
Eduardo spoke in between his laugh holding his tummy.
"YES I LOVE YOU."
Camilla encouraged herself as she stressed every single word out.
"She loves our boy. How amusing."
A boy spoke.
"Have she ever seen herself into mirror. How baggy she wears. And her black hair, so much dark as night. Even making her seem gloomy. And those rimmed old fashioned glasses. A nerd like her how dare she say something like that."
A girl aided throwing spades of hatred at her.
"Hehe I guess she's drunk."
Another presented his view.
"Listen kid I know you're in love like every other girl here is. It's common and natural to love me as I'm famous here & also girls watch me playing basketball out of love. And..."
Camilla was listening to everything with lowering her head. She stood there silent listening all that humiliation only for the boy she loved swallowing her pride she was waiting for him to accept.
"I want to be your girlfriend."
And again the crowd burst out in humorous laughter.
"Whoa ! she want to become his girlfriend."
A boy burst out in laugh.
"She's insane I guess. Our Eduardo won't stand a girl like her besides him."
A girl said in disgust.
"She thinks she can buy anything with money. But she can't buy looks and love. Right guys ?"
Another girl chuckled.
Though she wasn't that bad looking but yes being a nerd cost her too much. Buried in books she wasn't popular at school.
But Camilla only payed heed to Eduardo' reply who was looking at her with a cold expression.
"Enough guys."
He raised his voice to make the crowd quiet.
"Listen Caramel or Camilla whatever your name is I want you to get rid of these extreme feelings. I'm not into making girlfriends and if I ever do I won't chose a girl like you. You're.....you're quite nerdy & you won't even stand close to my ideal."
He came close to her and patted on her shoulder.
"Count it as a heartbreak or whatsoever you want. But stay away from me."
Camilla couldn't stand that hatred. So ran away towards restroom.
Shut the door behind her and slipped her body towards the ground. Warm stream of tears blurred her vision.
"He rejected me just.....just because of my looks, I ain't pretty. Even if he had to do that...he__he could've stop others from making fun of me, he's gentle with girls but why not with me ? Why I'm not able to knock them.
Why he didn't do that ?
Even he doesn't love me...why ? He loves beauty ! OH he loves beauty. And.....and I'm not a beauty !"
Her inner self cried & eventually died that day.
The most feared business-woman Camilla Hudson in the future is the product of that heartbreak. The sensitive, nerdy little Camilla started to study more hard from that day. Keeping her distance from Eduardo and others she stood there in the same school facing those disgusting comments daily. Still in love with that guy she peeked at him. Stalked him on media accounts. She was happy within her own dream world where Eduardo loved him. But that didn't last for long and that image shattered too. When a girl proposed Eduardo and he accepted.
The hope died that day. Little sensitive Camilla Hudson died that day too. She graduated with flying colors. Took a break from everything, did a world tour and molded her appearance. In the process of being everyone's fear she became confident, ruthless, cold, heartless.
Took over her father's business, labelled as the only heiress of the Hudson group. She took the company towards heights but she lost herself !
--------------
"She's not gonna forgive me ever. I know somehow I believe I'm the reason for her current state. That's why she refused to marry me. If she wasn't broken she would've accepted my proposal. But no..."
Ed was deep into his past , despondent.
"But no.....she rejected my proposal right after listening to my name. She hates me this much. The girl once loved me dearly now hates me to the fullest and it's all my fault. No-no she just...she loves me I know."
Ed gazed at Camilla who was sitting besides him sipping her juice.
"Even if her eyes are cold & the barrier is high I believe there's still a soft spot in her heart for me. I've to make her feel that love. I've to gain her trust again. This time I'd protect you Camilla I promise. I'll win over you."
He encouraged himself.
"What are you staring at ?"
Camilla' gaze stopped at his face while Ed was drenched into his thoughts.
"Oh.....I was just wondering how beautiful my boss is."
He caressed her cheek. While Camilla slapped his hand away.
"By the way what's with these scars ?"
He lifted her wrist and gently traced the lines.
Camilla snapped at him and threw a glare at him with fear in eyes. As some heinous memory played in her mind.
"It's noth-nothing. Just a memory."
But in addition to the coldness there was something else___pain.
"It seems like you've tried to suci..."
Before Ed could speak Camilla rushed towards the rest room.
--------------
"You can see Eduardo Diego.....if you'd see this that how much I love you."
She wiped the hot stream from her cheeks.
"FLASHBACK"
"You again !"
Eduardo snapped at her holding her shoulders angrily.
"Do you really-really love Daisy ? So you chose her ?"
She stuttered confronting him in the school ground.
"Yes I love her. Why don't you understand that I can't stand your appearance. Why don't you just vanish !"
He burst out.
"Mm...Ooo-okey"
She mumbled and rushed towards the car with a muffled cry.