Chapter 9: Beginning Of A Misery
Ten Years Ago
Thwack!
Raven's head swung backward due to the impact of the slap, and Lara's five fingers were imprinted on her face.
"I thought I was pretty clear when I told you not to show your face here again... wasn't I?" Lara snapped, glaring at her as she folded her arms.
Raven glared back at her but didn't retaliate... what could she do... she made to sidestep her and leave but Lara caught her by the collar and slammed her against the wall, a welp escaping her mouth as she winced in pain.
They were at the secluded corner of the school where no one could see them. It was still Raven's first week at school, and she's been hiding from Lara all week. Eating elsewhere other than the school cafeteria, dashing away when Lara comes into sight, dropping classes she loved because Lara attended them.
But it was all futile.
Lara was still on her back.
She still hasn't made any friends, but friends weren't what she needed at the moment; she needed a savior to save her from her predicament. She just wanted Lara to leave her the heck alone.
"This is my last warning." Lara snarled through gritted teeth, "Peasants like you aren't worthy of being a student here. Got it?"
"What did I ever do to you?" Raven trembled, clenching her fist. Enough was enough. She wasn't going to let this spoilt bitch treat her like dirt. " I have done absolutely nothing to you... so why? Why do you find it fun to make my life here miserable? Is your life so boring to the extent that you treat people like dirtbags? Huh? Have you ever considered why you don't have a single friend or even a boyfriend despite all the filthy money your father has?"
"What?" Lara echoed, "How dare you..."
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"It's because you need to work on your stinky personality first, then maybe a guy can see who you are behind that ugly face of yours!"
"You bitch!" Lara spat, fiercely raising her hand to strike again but Raven caught it midway.
"Enough!" Raven deadpanned. "I get that your life is so life is so boring because you're so ugly, no one wants you, and that your mom abandoned you and your family and left with another man, but that shouldn't be enough reason to treat people anyhow you seem fit!"
Now she shouldn't have said that!
It was no secret that the family of Hopkins was peaceless. At a very young age, Lara and her brother, Larry, were abandoned by their mother and left with another man, leaving them to suffer at the hands of their unempathic father.
Ever since that day, an inferiority complex sowed a seed inside of Lara, and it grew day by day; she felt she wasn't enough and unimportant. She gradually developed a deep aversion for people she saw as beneath her, especially those who tried to rise to her level.
People like Raven.
The fact that Raven, a poor peasant was admitted into this school only meant for the aristocrats made her develop a strong distaste for her.
People like Raven had utterly no business here at Gomez University!
The livid rage that flashed across Lara's eyes was murderous and terrifying. No one has dared use her mother's absence in her life against her.
"Consider yourself a dead meat Raven" She uttered slowly, enunciating each word, her gaze murderous. "I'll make you regret bringing my mother into this. Mark my words."
Then she snatched her hand away and then angrily walked away.
As Raven stared at Lara's back as she walked away, she had this sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that things were going to take a really bad turn.
She regretted saying that.
She walked home, still thinking about Lara, her terrifying eyes, her threats, and the way she walked away.
She tried to shake it off but the feeling kept creeping in.
By the time she reached home, it was late and her mom was already making dinner.
"Hey, mom." She said, dropping her backpack on the couch, and then, making sure her hair was covering the imprinted mark on her face; she went into the kitchen to help her mom prepare dinner.
It wasn't long till dinner was done and served, and everyone was seated around the table enjoying their chicken spaghetti when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Raven said, swallowing the mouthful she had before getting up.
She moved to the door and opened it, but was surprised to see a delivery man standing there with a package.
"Uh... May I help you?" She asked.
"Is this the house of Raven Moon?" The delivery guy asked.
"Well yes..." Raven answered with a puzzled expression, "You're speaking to her."
"Oh! Great then." The delivery guy said and then gave a a paper to sign. "I need you to sign this please."
Still confused, she signed and took the package he handed her.
"Have a great night." The delivery guy said and then made to leave.
"Um, excuse me?" Raven said, stopping the man in his tracks, "Who sent this?"
"I don't know." He answered simply, raising his shoulders, and then left.
Still baffled, Raven shut the door and then headed back inside to the dining table.
"Who was that?" Her mom asked, scooping a spoonful of spaghetti into her mouth.
"A delivery guy," Raven answered simply, settling down in her seat. "He gave me this."
Everyone paused and watched as she tore open the package.
"Ahhhh!" Raven let out a shrill scream, springing to her feet as insects, both flying and crawling, oozed out of the package.
"Ahhh!" Layla screamed.
"What the ..." Kacey, Raven's mom hollered.
"Holy fuck!" James cursed as they all sprang to their feet.
The whole house was in complete chaos as they ran around the house, looking for a safe spot.
At the moment, Raven didn't need another confirmation about who sent the package. No one other than Lara had the intention of doing something like this.
And deep down she premonitively knew that this was just the beginning of a misery.
And it damn well was.
------
Present Day
As Raven headed inside, Mandy trailed behind her like an eagle-eyed puppy seeking its master's attention.
She was now scared of Raven, as she knew a word from her to the police could send her to prison for keeps.
"Is your name even Lily?" Mandy asked all of a sudden. "Is that dirty blonde hair on your head even yours? Do you even look like this in real life?"
"Took you long enough to realize that," Raven said and then walked into the house with Mandy behind her.
The exterminators were already here and were working their asses off while the maids were cleaning up the mess that was made.
Raven smiled satisfyingly.
Felipe was talking to one of the exterminators at one corner while Lara, on the other hand, was at one side of the room, speaking to two men in plain clothing.
"Look, those two men look like police officers," Mandy whispered worriedly to Raven. "I'm scared, what if they recognize me?"
With one glance at the two men, Raven could immediately tell they were no police officers. They were thugs, Lara's thugs, disguised as police officers to deceive Felipe.
Ha! Raven scoffed, she's already making plans!
"They're not." She told Mandy
"What? How could you tell?" Mandy asked in a whispering voice. "Even Mr Brant thinks they are."
"Let's just say..." Raven paused and turned to Mandy. "Because I'm me."
At that moment, Felipe happened to turn, he caught sight of Raven standing there, and then he paused, turning his attention to her.
"Mr Brant is staring at you," Mandy whispered to Raven.
Raven turned and then met his eyes.
This man was in love!
"I'll go get changed," Raven said and then walked to the maid's quarters.
As she changed into her maid's clothes, her mind was reeling with plans.
This was just the beginning of Lara's misery. More are to come.