Dying in silence

Darrel•|

I knocked on the metal gate for the fifth time.

Finally, the door sprawled open and the gate man stuck his head out.

When he saw, he scoffed and frowned.

“What are you doing here again, j thought…”

“Please, just tell me, what’s up with Fontana, huh?”I interrupted him.

“How many times do I have to tell you, you can’t see her at the moment, she’s very…”

“Bullshit!, bullshit man, just tell me, okay?”I ranted angrily.

This had always been his reply everytime I came here asking for Fontana.

She hasn’t been in school for a week now and I can’t even reach here.

I was damn worried that something might have happened.

Damn worried.

And, it’s not possible that she cut me off line, it’s impossible.

Minutes later, a deep voice sounded from the inside.

“Who’s there”the voice asked.

He came into view and I recognized him to be one of the guards that always followed her.

He seems to be the head.

“This guy has been coming here for some days now asking for miss Fontana and I told him he can’t see her now”the gate man told him.

The guard sighed and signalled the man to leave and which he did.

“I’m only going to tell you this because you seem close to her. They’ve moved to Florida”he said.

What?

“What are your talking about, it quite not possible”I chuckled ruefully hoping it was not the truth.

“Then, I have to go”he said coldly and closed the gate.

What the…

I turned around slowly fighting back the urge to cry.

Could that be the reason why I couldn’t reach her?

Oh my God.

**

Fontana’s POV

“Oh my God, Fred. What are you doing here”I asked as he stood in front of me.

“I should be asking you that. It’s really a surprise that I saw you here”he replied.

“I moved here with my family last week”I said.

“Really?, you left Houston?, why?”he asked and I shrugged.

“Family thing..”I chuckled and he nodded.

“Anyway, technically, this is where my family based in and I decided to come finish my high school here”he explained.

“Oh, really, that’s nice”I smiled.

“Are you taking a stroll?”he asked.

“Yeah”I nodded.

“Okay, let’s stroll together”he chuckled and I nodded.

We began walking by the waving water chatting about the place and city.

*

Two weeks later

…

Surprisingly, the new school that my dad got me registered to was also the school Fred was attending.

I found myself talking to him alone since I haven’t made any friend and we’ve become best of friends from the past weeks.

And, I had to admit, he’s really cool when I’m with him.

Sometimes, I forget all about Darrel when I’m with him.

I think he has already dump me just as I feared.

From the past weeks, no calls, no texts, nothing from him.

Though I’m angry at his behavior, but, I still find myself still staring at my phone screen waiting for his call.

|•Darrel•|

I was at my parents house watching some comedy on my phone that weekend.

I decided to come and spend some days with them maybe I will feel more better.

I don’t know what’s happening.

If it was Fontana who cut me off or her dad.

Mom came downstairs and picked the remote control from the center table and turned the TV on.

*Fontana Longworth was spotted on the beach in Florida with her friends. See pictures which was taken there..*the lady reporting the news on TV said and I quickly turned to it.

They were showing pictures of Fontana with Fred holding hands.

Gosh.

What’s Fred doing there.

“She doesn’t even know that’s she’s holding hands with the person that tried to kill her..”I said painfully.

Mom turned to me and sighed.

I already informed her and dad about what happened between us.

While dad showed no remorse, he feels that’s the best, i guess. Mom has been trying to make me feel better from all this days.

“What is meant to be will surely be, Darrel. You don’t have to be so hard on yourself.”she cajoled.

“God, she’s stupid. Why can’t she see through him, huh?, why does she thinks he’s in Florida with her, it’s obvious he is plotting something again..”I muffled a cry.

Geez. Why I’m I being lachrymose this days.

“I think I know who might be behind this.”Dad’s voice sounded from the stairs.

|•Darrel•|

Mom and I turned look at him.

Huh?

Is he being serious?.

“You do?”I asked and he nodded.

“Do you actually think there will only be an enemy for a man like Longworth.”he chuckled as he decend the remaining stairs.

“Then tell me whoever is behind this, dad, I can’t wait to….”

“Do you really care about her that much?”he interrupted with a scoff.

“Anyway, it isn’t something you can handle alone, infact, you shouldn’t get involve in it. Leave the matter in my hand, I know exactly what to do”he added.

I relaxed back on the couch and sighed in relief.

“Thank you Dad”

**

Fontana’s POV

I got out of the bathroom to my room to pick up my ringing phone.

“Hey, Fred”I said as I picked the call up.

“Font”he called.

I could feel his smile from the other line.

“Hello?, why is someone so happy…”I teased.

“C’mon, so, I want to ask you out, no, I mean, I want us to go to the shopping mall together tonight, I hope you’re chance”he laughed.

“Tonight…..”I repeated as I fiddled with the hem of my towel.

“Thank God my parents are not coming home.. tonight it is then”I smiled.

“Awnn, thanks Font. It felt good having you around”he said.

I nodded as if he could see me.

“Sure, okay then.”I replied and hang up the call.

Hmm..

I drop my phone back on the bed and went back to the bathroom to continue with my shower.

**

In the night…

I applied lip gloss on my lips and packed my hair into a ponytail.

I stared at myself infront of the vanity mirror and smiled.

“Perfect”I mumbled.

Which shoe do I go with?

I placed my hand under my jaw as I paced around my shoe rack.

Oh.

I’ve got one.

I picked out the black sandal and put it on.

Then, I grab my purse and walked out of the room.

I went out to the garage and went for my ride.

My personal body guard came to me and bowed.

“Miss, are your going somewhere”he asked politely.

“Yeah”I nodded.

“Okay”he muttered and bowed again.

The new driver came by and bowed then opened the door for me before moving inside the car.

I also got in and watched as the guard got in the passenger seat beside the driver.

The driver ignited the engine and drove out.

“Where to?”he asked.

“To the mall… the new one”I replied.

**

The driver drove past many beautiful houses and towers.

A warm breeze blew my hair and I closed my eyes before tucking the loose strands behind my ear.

I closed the window just as we arrive at the mall.

Different people were moving in and out.

The guard came to open the door for me and i step out.

I searched my eyes around for Fred but didn’t get any whiff of him.

I enjoyed the cool air that surrounded the area for a while before moving inside with my guard.

“Fontana”I sighted Fred from afar.

He smiled at me and gestured for me to come over.

“Hey… I thought you will be outside..”I said when I got to him.

“Right?, I have somethings to take care of in here urgently and I was on my way to come find you”he replied.

“So, we are here now. Are you the one doing the shopping or…”

“Both of us”he said.

“Oh, sure then”I shrugged.

We started moving around l, checking out the clothes and my guard tailed behind us.

I picked out an hanger from where it was hung and admired the dress.

“You like it?”Fred asked as he turned to me.

“Uhm… it’s nice, but, I don’t like it”o replied and he smiled.

“I love your bracelet by the way”he commented as his eyes moved to my wrist.

“This was mom’s birthday gift to me last year..”I chuckled softly.

“Really?, you’re really lucky, I’m jealous of you”he said.

“Jealous?”I laughed and pulled out another hanger.

“You didn’t bring your purse?”Fred suddenly asked and I turned to him.

“Hmm?”

“Oh, I mean, this is actually the first time that I will see a lady going out without her purse…”he quickly explained.

“Well, I brought it with me but I left it in the car”I replied.

“Oh, of course”he smirked lightly and quickly turned away.

I didn’t see him around for some minutes but I didn’t stop checking the cloths.

Minutes later, he appeared with a blue flowery gown and proferred it to me.

“I think this will suit you”he said.

I collected it from him and stared at it.

Right.

The gown is beautiful and it exactly my taste.C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.

“Do you want to test it?”he asked and I nodded.

He beckoned a lady and told her I would love to test the cloth out.

The lady smiled and bowed to me politely.

“Follow me, miss. I will take you to the dressing room”she said and started walking away then I followed her.

We led me inside a bright room with a lengthy mirror and chairs in.

“I will step out for now, if you need anything, you can call me, I will be at the door”she said and bowed before leaving.

Hmph.

I undressed and changed inside the cloth and went to stand in front of the mirror.

Wow.

“It looks lovely on you..”Fred voice sounded from behind.

I turned immediately and was surprised when I found him at the doorstep.

What the….

When did he walk in and why didn’t I notice.

“You can’t be here, what if I haven’t change into…”

“So what?”he cuts in, gruffly.

What?.

He smirked and inserted his hand in his trouser pocket and brought out some keys then dangled it in the air.

I watched as he inserted it into the keyhole and…. locked the door.!

“What the hell are you doing Fred?”I asked.

He began walking towards me.

With each step he takes, I felt my heart thumping heavily.

I began moving backwards still my back hit the glass.

Fuck!.

He drag me down to the floor with my hair and scoffed.

“Why is yours so different, I have to go through all this length to kill you?”he asked rhetorically and tied my hands with a rope.

Then, he suddenly smiled and said,”I’m not Fred,”he drop to a crouch infront of me.

“I’m not at all who you think I am”

His hands went to his face and he stood up.

Then, to my utmost surprise, he removed a mask off his face revealing an entirely different guy.

What?

My eyes widened in total shock as I stared at him.

Who is he?

What has he done to Fred!.

“Who are you?..”I managed to ask.

“What have you done to my friend”I yelled out fearfully.

“I am your friend!.”he yelled back and started laughing maniacally.

God!.

He went on a crouch infront of me again and gagged my mouth with a duct tape.

“Your voice is high, someone might hear you”he said and stood up.

This… this is not right…

“Gosh, everything is damn hard..”he snorted.

“Well, what’s the point of still keeping you in the dark when you’re gonna die tonight”he smiled devilshly.

“There’s no Fred, he’s not real, he’s just a mask person, I, I mask him”he said.

“It was all a lie. Thank God, it over now though, I can’t bear the act of smiling often and innocent”he added repugnantly.

I stared at him speechlessly, not knowing what to say.

No, I won’t die here.

My guard will soon come looking for me.

“And oh, I lured your guard to your car telling him you said he should bring your purse after pretending to have come after you and I would have finish and flee way from here already before he could return with your purse”he expounded. As if he was reading my mind.

Oh, no.

I’m definitely gonna die here…

Oh, no.

I sobbed quietly as I thought of the possibility of someone finding me.

Oh, Mama mercy.

Please!.

Fred, no, the unknown brought out a knife from his pocket and smirked at me.

Suddenly, as if listening to my secret prayers, the door creaked open and he stepped in.

My eyes beamed when I got the whole view.

Darrel!!!.