I’M A BRAT AND I’M IN LOVE
(Starting life in another world)
Chapter 14.
Levi watched Rika bawl her eyes out on the ground. He didn’t interfere, he just let her cry to her heart’s content. When she finally began to round up her crying, he stretched out a handkerchief towards her. She smiled at him. Her face had looked so gloomy when she had first arrived, but now, after a good fit of tears, she looked refreshed.
She collected the handkerchief from him, chuckling. “Did you predict that I would need this?” She asked teasingly, as she wiped her face and blew her nose.
“Probably,” Levi replied, and she chuckled again.
There was a short silence between them. Rika sniffed.
“Thank you Levi. I……needed to do that more than I knew.”
Levi stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
“I….know that you must have a lot of questions, but I really….can’t tell you…..” She began again weakly but Levi cut her off.
“Hey brat, I’m not asking you to tell me anything. I’m telling you that I will protect you no matter what.”
Rika bit her lip and stared him in the eye.
“Those are big promises Mr Akabane. You think you can keep them?”
He stepped closer to her, till their faces were just inches apart.
“Maybe you should have more faith in me, Miss Sato.”
Rika felt a blush creep up her cheeks and she quickly averted her eyes from Levi’s stare. She heard him scoff, and then check his watch.
“Well, it’s midnight. You should probably get going back home now.” He stated cooly and Rika bit her lip. She didn’t want to go home yet. She wanted to stay with him some more.
She sighed. “Thank you again Levi. For everything.”
Levi nodded at her, then opened the door of the store and walked her home.
?????
Rika and Hunter sat in Hunter’s family mansion. Rika was getting her nails done and Hunter was having his hair cut. Both of them were getting dolled up as they were officially graduating from high school the very next day.
It had been about three weeks since the n@ked pictures incident, and just as her father had said, the pictures were erased from everyone’s phones the next day.
Although Hunter and Joy had tried deleting the pictures beforehand, the pop up message had just kept on appearing, until it finally disappeared on it’s own.
People had talked about it for awhile, but as the college admissions season drew nearer, they soon began to forget about it. Rika had spent the past three weeks shopping and talking to Levi, and now here she was, as Hunter had convinced her to come over to his house to prepare for tomorrow.
Hunter’s mom, Mrs Slaving, had been very nice to her and had treated her kindly. Rika had slowly come to realize that she had really been blind most of her life, as she couldn’t see that there were people around her who truly cared for her.
Hunter had been taking selfies of himself to send to Joy, much to the annoyance of his stylist as he was moving around too much. The stylist had already whacked him on the head almost two times. Rika looked up from her magazine.
“You and Joy are acting like a married couple.” She said and Hunter laughed.
“Oh that’s right. Are you coming to church with us on Sunday for Thanksgiving?” He added quickly.
Rika turned the page on her magazine. “No.” She replied.
Hunter frowned. “Why not? You have a lot to give thanks for. God helped you pass your exam and get a scholarship.”
Rika closed the magazine angrily. “But at what cost? He did something good for me but the bad things that followed superseded the good. He never does anything good for me without repercussions and me regretting it later on. I don’t have anything to say to Him. I don’t know why He hates me.” She reolied stubbornly and opened the magazine back up.
Hunter was silent for awhile.
“You said He never does anything good for you without repercussions, but what about Him letting you meet that guy you’re always talking to? That lawyer.”
Rika looked up at him, eyes blazing. He continued,
“Even with all this chaos, I noticed that you were happy Rika. This lawyer guy made you happy. And you obviously care about him alot. I’m sure you know meeting him wasn’t a coincidence. It was God’s doing. So where’s the repercussion in that? In what way have you regretted meeting him?”
Rika stared at her friend helplessly, her mind racing and her mouth empty of words.
The next day the high school was bustling. Rika strutted elegantly through the hallways to the gymnasium where their graduation ceremony would be held. Some of her classmates whispered about her and the pictures, as expected from teenagers who had nothing better to do, but she ignored them, ans even went as far as flashing them sultry smiles.
She had been elected as valedictorian, and she would be the one giving the closing speech on behalf of the entire set.
She stepped into the gym which had been converted to a hall, chairs were arranged and a podium was made at the front, with several balloons and decorations on the ceiling.
She took her seat at the front beside Hunter and Joy, who smiled at her gaily.
Principal Hakura gave an opening speech, then they all took their turns collecting their diplomas, after which she was called up to give her speech.
As she walked onto the podium, everyone in the hall waited with baited breaths. The hall was silent, with parents and classmates alike eyeing her suspiciously.
Her eyes caught some movement at the entrance of the gym, where Levi had silently walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers. Rika gave a big smile and began,
“It’s been an amazing year for all of us. We’ve all been through a lot, we’ve lost some classmates, and we’ve gained true friends. We’ve smiled, we’ve cried, we’ve yelled, we’ve failed, and we’ve passed. But most importantly we did it together and we had fun. Now we’re moving on into the world ready to take down the new life that awaits us with the knowledge we’ve gotten from our teachers and mentors. We go into our futures with bright hearts and strong resolve, because we are the best and we shall win!” Rika took of her cap and threw it in the air.
“Happy graduation Class of 2020!!!!!!”
“Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!” Hunter screamed as he and Joy took off their caps, throwing it in the air, gingering the other students who quickly followed suit, as the entire hall erupted in shouts and cheers.
Later on outside, Rika, Hunter, and Joy took several pictures with their parents, although Rika took pictures with Greta as neither of her parents were present. Her mother was still angry about the pictures and refused to attend, while her dad had just skipped it because of work.
Greta burst into happy tears, taking as may pictures of her baby girl as possible.
Levi walked up to them and handed Rika the flowers.
“Happy graduation.” He said.
Rika smiled and sniffed the bouquet. “I didn’t think you’d come.” She said.
He shrugged. “I had some free time.” He answered and she smiled.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Ayyy mis bèbes (my babies)!!! Come and have your picture taken together!!!” Greta squealed at both of them.
Levi rose up his hand. “I don’t do pictures.”
Rika gaped at him. “Seriously? Don’t you want to capture the moment?”
He stared at her. “Do I have to?”
She pouted and pulled him in front of the camera. “Do it for me.” She whispered and levi sighed in defeat.
“Say cheese!” Greta squealed as Rika linked her arms in Levi’s and smiled brightly.
“Cheese!” She said happily.
“Cheese.” Levi muttered, frowning into the camera as it flashed.
Rika took a look at the picture and smiled.
In just six and a half months, her life had changed drastically. True she was still going through a lot, but she had realized that she wasn’t alone anymore. She had people who cared about her, people she had adamantly refused to let into her life or share her pain.
Greta, Hunter, Hunter’s mom, Joy, and Levi.
Rika smiled at them.
A new life awaited her.
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