Painful Smiles

Michael was still panting from his race as he started his car and sped back to the main road. Claudia wanted to say something but she waited still he got out of that street.

“Chain and Blood. That gang. Mark’s dad owe them a debt” Claudia announced while he was still driving.

Michael halted his car knowing that the full gist was starting.

He could barely believe his ears when she was done. His motive for following Mark was to catch an evidence that would put him trouble.

Use it to blackmail him to stop hurting Claudia’s feelings. But with what it seem, it looked like Claudia’s already knew a lot of secrets against him.

But never used to cos she had a conscience. It made Michael wonder how long they’ve known each other.

Long story short. Mark’s father had once borrowed a huge deal of money from some loan sharks.

He delayed in laying and the loan sharks informed him that the money actually belonged to the gang leader of Blood and Chain.

This made Mark’s father very anxious and he attempted stealing.

The money he had borrowed was for Mark’s younger brother’s surgery as the boy had some growth in his head that would have claimed his life.

Well, Mark’s father had been caught by the police.

When the gang leader of Chain and Blood found out about it, they began bothering Mark’s mom to pay up despite the fact that she had divorced Mark’s father a long time ago.

They had demanded for Mark’s younger brother as ransom but then Mark had begged them to give him time to repay it.

Fortunately, one of the gang leader subordinate claimed that Mark’s father had helped his daughter out once when she got stuck under the rain.

He had given her some transport fare even though he had nothing. The man then pleaded that more time be given to the boy to repay his father’s death.

That was how Mark got into a whole load of debt since the last five years as he was told to pay by installment.

He hid it properly from the eyes of his prying female fans. Clara knew about it but one way or the other made Mark date her faithfully to keep it a secret.

Claudia just didn’t care much to publicize it. What would she gain from telling the whole school Mark’s father was a criminal who made Mark inherit his debts?

She rather lived knowing she once knew Mark. He had enough problems. She being one of his problems would do him no good.

Michael couldn’t understand why Mark would bully Claudia when she obviously knew so much about him and could embarrass him any day.

She was the type he should avoid the most. Well, with what he knew, he’d make sure he avoided her.

Causing frequent pains in her life was not allowed or he’d have to deal with the embarrassment of being a criminal’s son. Even if it wasn’t his fault.

And it was the exact way, Michael made it clear to Mark. Mark was surprised when he saw the clips and photos take of him.

He suspected Claudia to be involved but when he saw the map trail Michael’s tracker had made, he knew then that Michael must have followed him.

“To rephrase or repeat my instructions, avoid Claudia. Or you’ll be avoided at school when this fills our school group chat. I’m not much of a bully, don’t bring out that side” Michael emphasized.

Seeing Mark quiet assured him that his instructions have been passed. He nodded and left him.

Claudia was waiting at his car, her books were spread across the car seats. Her face was distorted with a frown.

“What how? I solve one problem for you and you rise with another?” he grunted.

“What!” she whined.

He patted her head and looked down at the books. Physics. One thing he was sure they both dreaded.

“Wright was good at this. I don’t know why he had to run to France all of a sudden. No one to explain now” she kept on whining.

“And Clara is at rehab” she folded her arms.

“So? Was she good at Physics?” Michael had to ask. Claudia nodded, it was one of the very few things her brain caught.

An idea came to Michael. To visit but she dismissed saying the first visit should be one of friendship not burdening her. Michael saw her point.

“Let’s go visit then” he offered still, “I bet Mega and Belle never visited after they fell out with her”.

Claudia affirmed. Belle and Mega could do as they pleased with no Clara to bully them around. But they did deserved the treatment she gave them.

They literally swore to stay by her side at middle school as long as she gave them protection, popularity and to her abilities, good grades.

Basically, they got all that but grew up to not needing anyone again. Not to want to be in anybody’s shadow.

Clara was only right to fight back they sold themselves by their free will and still their master says they are free, they weren’t supposed to leave.

As for Mark, he could date as many girls as he liked. Most girls might not be as expensive as Clara was. And he needed to save more than spend for his father’s debts.

Some of the girls at school had a sincere crush on him so he could still find another girlfriend since his basics of love was based on beauty and popularity. He was surely going to be very pathetic for long.

“I guess Clara was jealous of you” Michael broke her thoughts with a mental sledge hammer. She glared at him and he flinched.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Clara was jealous of everyone. When Paul was born, she wasn’t so glad cos dad’s attention was divided from her. Whenever I got a test and she failed, she got jealous. She just had anxiety and personality disorders”.

Michael agreed with her explanation. He hoped too that rehab would help Clara or it might be another monster borne from her.

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