Chương 4: Reya
Fiona's point of view"
"Someone should wake me up from this nightmare" Nadia said dramatically. "Is Fiona Anderson, really going to move out of her mansion and live like a middle class girl?".
I laughed at the absurdity of it all.
"Yes, baby girl. Yes, I am. This could be so much fun" I said, dropping my glass on the table with a slight clink.
Isabelle seemed to be the most excited.
"Oh, I'll come there everyday and I'd sleep over…" She kept ranting. "Ahh, it'd be so much fun" she squealed, shaking her head childishly.
Remind me why I was friends with crazy people again? Oh right, we shared the same personality.
"I'll look for a home tomorrow and move in as soon as possible" I said picking up my phone.
Reya reached out to pick a strawberry from the bowl of fruits
"Try Sunshine estate. It's really good" Nadia said, also reaching out to take a piece of fruit.
Of course, Nadia had the best advice when it came to housing, she was the best housing agent in the country after all.
I immediately looked it up online, it seemed nice enough. 2 bed room flat and it was up to my taste. It wasn't exquisite like what I was used to but it was average enough.
Average enough for a girl my age.
"I'll rent it out for a month and move in tomorrow" I said excitedly.
"We'll help you" Isabelle squealed.
I looked at her playfully.
"You seem even more excited than me" I teased.
She flung her hair back and grinned at me
"This is gonna be really fun! I can't wait to see how you cope. No one to serve you anymore, you'll cook, sweep, clean…" She kept ranting but I had stopped listening a while ago.
I'm sure I can take care of myself. Right? My heart was pounding in my chest and I had already began to imagine myself doing the laundry and flipping a pancake by myself. How hard could it be?.
"We should go home early tonight since our dearly beloved Fiona will be moving tomorrow" Reya said, raising her glass up at me.
I stood up and adjusted my gown
"Good night, sweethearts. You guys better be in my house in the morning to help me" I warned, wagging my finger at them.
Nadia waved her hand at me dismissively.
"Yes, Ma'am!" She teased
"By the way, you gonna tell your mum or dad?" Isabelle asked, her gaze suddenly turning serious.
They were the first thing I thought of when Reya brought that dare. Dad may not be against it but mum would throw a hissy fit.
"I'll just tell her that I'm crashing at Reya's place for some weeks" I said shrugging.
Reya sent me a side glance. Mum would let me stay with Reya, she trusted Reya so much maybe cos Reya always gave her a free complete makeover session whenever she visited.
Excusing myself, I strode out of the club and into the car that was already waiting for me outside.
"Back home" I said to the driver, resting my head on the comfy head rest of the car, my mind swirled with different thoughts as we went back home and retired for the night.
***
The early morning sun pierced through the luxurious drapes of my bedroom, I hadn't shut my window last night.
A dull ache throbbed in my head as I lifted off the sleep mask off my face.
I remembered the dare, my initial excitement of yesterday turned to apprehension as I sat up on my bed.
On this day, I would earn my freedom for a short while.
I grabbed my phone and called Edward and told him I wouldn't be in work that day and I slumped back down on the bed.
Excited chatter of the girls got me sitting up. They were quite early.
Bursting through my bedroom door were Reya, Nadia, and Isabelle, each armed with a bulging tote bag. Isabelle, bouncing on the balls of her feet, was practically buzzing with anticipation, her eyes wide with excitement
No, not the bag. I'm not packing everything out.
"Rise and shine, slugger!" Reya announced, throwing open the curtains. "We're here to witness the downfall of the glamorous Fiona Anderson!"
I groaned, swatting playfully at Reya, amused at her words "Don't be dramatic, it's just for a month. Not like I'm gone forever" I reminded
"I don't care, baby" Reya winked and I huffed.
The next few hours were a whirlwind of activity.
The usually silent mansion resembled a hurricane zone, overflowing with clothes, accessories, and personal belongings in my room. The maids scurried around, bewildered by the sudden frenzy.
I caught the disapproving glance of Samantha, her head maid, as she haphazardly tossed designer bags into a suitcase. She was probably wondering where I was heading to. She probably thought I was running away from home, trust me, it wouldn't be the first time I had attempted to run away from home.
"Samantha" I said with a forced smile, "I'm heading over to Reya's for a while. You wouldn't believe the amount of clutter I've accumulated!"
Samantha, raised a skeptical eyebrow. "But Miss Fiona, the clothes…"
"Reya needs help with a new project," I interrupted, my voice dripping with authority . "We'll be swamped for weeks"
Martha, ever loyal, simply pursed her lips and nodded in reluctant acceptance.
By noon, the chaos was finally under control. We'd managed to cram enough clothes, toiletries, and essentials to last a month into a single, rather unglamorous, sedan.
I was used to chauffeured limousines and sleek sports cars, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as I slid into the worn leather interior of the car Reya provided for me. She really planned this carefully
Sunshine Estate, Nadia's recommendation, was nestled on the outskirts of the city. A cluster of two-story, semi-detached houses lined the streets, their colorful paint jobs and well-maintained lawns presenting a stark contrast to the sprawling luxury estates I was accustomed to. My new place was a modest two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor.
Stepping inside, the first thing that struck me was the cozy, lived-in feel, this was how a house should feel like.
The walls were painted a warm cream, adorned with simple artwork. Light streamed in through the windows, illuminating a surprisingly spacious living room.
Leading off the living room was a small, functional kitchen equipped with basic appliances. Beyond that lay the bedrooms, each with a single bed and a dresser. The bathroom was compact but clean. Outside, a small patio overlooked a shared communal garden, where children's laughter mingled with the chirping of birds.
The initial charm quickly wore off as I was faced with the reality of unpacking and organizing everything on my own.
It took me several hours, and a few panicked calls to Reya for furniture recommendations. By the time the last box was emptied, exhaustion had settled in my bones.
The clock on the wall flickered to 9pm, casting an ironic glow on the unfinished state of the apartment.
I surveyed the scene, what I had done: half-assembled furniture, clothes draped over chairs, unpacked boxes overflowing with miscellaneous items.
A wry smile touched my lips. This was definitely not what I was used to, but a strange sense of satisfaction bubbled within me. I had done it. I had built my own nest, however imperfect it may be.
I strode out of the house in fluffy footwears to look round the neighborhood in the dark night with street bulbs illuminating the street.
Definitely not what my street was like.
The sound of footsteps behind me put me on alert and I whirled round to see someone jogging, we almost collided but I moved away just in time.
"I'm sorry" I said, my eyes trying to search for a face in the dark but I saw nothing, just a huge muscles and green orbs.
"Next time, watch where you're going" The man said huskily. I shivered at how deep his voice was.
Without waiting for a reply, he jogged away. I pouted, who ran around in the dead of the night? Weirdo.
Realizing I had seen enough for the night, I went back to my small apartment, no more mansion for me again.
I settled into the creaking bed and tried to get comfortable. Picking up my phone, I dialled Reya. She answered almost immediately.
"Yes, Fiona?" She said, her voice sounded tired and I knew she had had a rough day at work
"I just needed someone to talk to" I murmured.
She chuckled
"Tired of your new home already?" She asked playfully.
I scoffed slightly at her words. She wasn't completely wrong though but I wouldn't admit defeat when I just started.
"Of course not, I'm loving it. It's really spacious and…" that was it, it was really spacious, that was All it was, It was comfortable.
Just how exactly did I intend to survive here for one month? How did the middle class do it?
But come hay or snow, I wasn't leaving. I wanted to be free for once in my life and I wasn't going to let go of the opportunity.
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