Chapter Three

                                                 CHAPTER THREE

It was finally Thursday morning. The havoc wreaking news his parents had leaked him about a day and a half earlier now had Jay standing alongside them at the London airport. It was busy with activities going on all around. Strolling around casually, doing business were several hawkers selling miniature goods and keepsake articles to tourists. There were occasional squabbles on the cab’s fare or while paying the porters. The place buzzed with activity. Jay was not so excited. His parents on the contrary, seemed to be bursting with exhilaration. Close by stood Dawn and her family chatting along animatedly with Jay’s parents, as he quietly took in the scene around him. Beside him, Dawn was her usual self, silent and alert. Though over the past week they had met a few times, she hadn’t completed seemed to shrug of her shyness. In fact, her cheeks still dashed into a flaming red color if Jay kept talking to her for long. Jay, dressed in a black hoodie and a pair of fading blue jeans, with hair blown all over the forehead by the wild wind, looked pretty smart. His green eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses since it was sunny and it complimented his fair skin tone. 

 Dawn was dressed in an oversized ‘Guns-N-Roses’ shirt and cream colored jeans, with hair swept back neatly over her shoulders. With her blue eyes darting nervously around; she looked pretty and drew admiring looks from the onlookers. Jay had to admit, each time he looked at Dawn, his heart skipped a beat too. He could not believe someone could be this pretty. She wasn’t beautiful. More like unnaturally beautifully. You didn’t see this every other day.

  And then there were her eyes. Glistening, shimmering peering in which would make the person swirl and be lost in the world that hid behind them. They always made Jay feel as if Dawn had a big secret hidden deep in her heart. I f only he could understand it. She was made nervous easily. Keep on looking at her ten seconds straight and she would start fidgeting and all. But then again, Jay knew he was a keen observer. His eyes, noted most things a normal person would probably not even pay attention to. At times, this seemed to be his greatest strength. He would see right through most people. And he found Dawn, oddly amusing. There was something about her which he had not ever seen in another girl.

 Lost in his own thoughts, he nearly jumped a mile when someone softly touched his shoulder. 

“Umm, Jay? I guess we should go now. Your dad’s waiting.” Dawn informed him in a low voice. 

He followed her gaze and spotted his dad standing next to a chauffeur driven Mercedes Benz waving at him earnestly to get his attention. 

“Oh! Let’s go then?” He asked her and she followed him nodding her head. Within minutes, they were inside the car and off to their destination.

                          

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“Waooh!” Jay exclaimed quite beside his usual self.

 The place they had just entered was something Jay could not have imagined in a hundred years. It seemed almost magical. A long, curving road dominated the central space of a large stretch of lonely, unused land. There were only a few buildings around. They passed a large, rundown church along a steep cut. It seemed abandoned and creepy. Jay could hardly believe it was still in use. There were a few major food outlets. He managed to see KFC & McDonalds. As they moved forward, he even caught a glimpse of a café, serene and quiet, suiting the aura of the surroundings. Further on, the road steepened dangerously. They were now gaining height.

 Jay’s heart pounded in anticipation while his father’s voice droned in the background, weaving in and out of his already occupied mind.

 “…… Still consider it one of my luckiest projects. Finding this place, economical and large, just proved to be a milestone for the latest investment. And you people won’t believe, this wild place had been turned by me into………….. THIS!” 

 He rose up his hands and proudly started gesticulating actively. Jay turned to Dawn and rolled his eyes with a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Dawn who was trying her best not to smile, biting into her lips instead, gave up and had to laugh at Jay’s expression.

The scene outside the rolling car had been replaced gracefully into something more dark and eerie. The sunny, warm weather a few miles back was now long gone. Thick, dark and foreboding clouds now covered the whole of the sky.  Several signs, warned them of going further ahead. They however continued on. A while later, their car stopped near a glamorous house. They alighted quickly. Jay was held spellbound.

 The palace like house before him was like none other he had ever seen. It had been most intricately premeditated and had been, even more skillfully, built. With attractive, large sliding windows, the tea rose painted building with alternating stripes of white and ash grey & a lavish penthouse roof, the house was definitely handsome. It looked magnificently inviting.

 Jay stopped short right before the main entrance of the house and looked questioningly at his father. “What is this place, dad?”

 His father let out a laugh, “Like it? Well Jay, this house has been made especially for you. It is all yours!”

 Jay looked at his father in stunned silence. He was too lost for words. The glorious house before him was his. Wow!

 “R-ee-al-lly?” He stammered. His mother nodded smiling and said in a reassuring voice. 

“I knew you were going to love it!” and with that she took Jay’s hand and squeezed it softly. His father unlocked the door and led them inside. A pink and mauve colored card fluttered onto the ground before Jay. He picked it up and turned it. It said “Accuiel”. His dad was just this………. Too French. 

“……And…..” Jay’s father started with a new sentence but stopped abruptly just a few seconds later.

 “What is it, Dad?” Jay asked.

 “Well, you know Jay, Dawn and you share a common interest?” His father asked hesitantly, handing Jay his guitar.

 “Oh! Yes, dancing and music. So?” Jay answered and questioned his father at the same time. Dawn too looked up at his father her striking head bent to one side a confused expression on her face.

 His father looked at both of them and winked. “You guys are pretty slow, you know?”

 Dawn looked at Jay and shrugged her shoulders. “Come on, Dad! What’s the surprise you have cooked up, now?” Jay inquired, hardly able to disguise his aggravated tone into a bewildered one.

 His father’s smile only grew wider and he didn’t say anything. 

“Prince! It’s nothing to worry about. You and Dawn are going to give dance and music lessons to a few young children who are interested. It’s kind of a charity vocation. You’ll love to. What do you think?” Jay’s mother, like always came to his rescue.

 “Really?” Dawn asked, a charming smile lightening up her face. 

“Yes, darling!” Jay’s mother smiled up at her answering her question.

 “Wow! That’s awesome, Dad! Mom, of course. I have always wanted to do something like that!” 

Jay’s thrilled voice completed the wonderful aura that surrounded the house at the moment. Jay heaved a sigh of relief.  Finally, the whole ‘mystery’ thing was out in the open.

                             

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Dawn sat down on the couch and waited. Everyone else was in their rooms getting fresh before luncheon was served.  She did not feel like changing. Or doing anything for that matter. Her insides swirled in dismay.

Anybody watching her would have told, she was in extreme pain. What was she doing here? Hadn’t she already shut out those chapter years before? But her parents thought it was time for her to get out there. To smile. To be who she was. Only, she wasn’t who she was. She was someone else. Controlled entirely by someone else. Why? She had no idea at all. Her eyes were streaming with tears, her heart pounded deep within her. 

All was wrong. She shouldn’t have been there. That’s when she heard a thud. Someone was coming down. She quickly wiped her face and dried her hands on her jeans below her. She looked at the mirror before her and faked a smile.

 “I am fine.”

 She told herself. She was fine. She smiled to herself. Freaked out, insecure, nostalgic and emotional.

Chapter Two

                                               2. CHAPTER TWO

Fixing his collar and straightening out the few creases on his red t-shirt, Jay made his way down to breakfast. He always got up early. Unlike other children of famous children, just like his dad was, a business tycoon, he wasn’t a little bit spoiled. This was partly a result of the magnificent upbringing of his mother and partly the competent and inspiring character of his father.

 As he stepped into the dining room, he was greeted by the brilliant aroma of his mother’s exceptional cooking. Likewise, this was one of his mother’s old habits. Even though there were about half a dozen cooks in the kitchen itself, Emma Aston believed in cooking for her loved ones herself. She managed to do it for either one of the dishes at breakfast, lunch and dinner too. She was almost as steadfast to this practice of hers as Jay was to getting up early and exercising before breakfast. And she handled her job skillfully. Jay found his seat and settled down. His dad was present at the table. His mother was not.  She was probably in the kitchen whipping up something nutritious for the family. Helping himself to some grape juice, Jay addressed his father who was busy reading the morning paper.

 “Morning, Dad! What’s up?”

 At the same time he saw his mother coming in followed by a few servants carrying tray laden with breakfast goodies. 

His father set down the paper smiled and then replied, “Well I am doing great! And I have some great news for you!”

 Jay frowned at his dad. “You do?”

 His dad smiled and asked, “Well aren’t you going to ask what it is?”

 Jay shifted his questioning gaze from his mother to his father. His mother stifled a smile at his puzzled look. Jay frowned. His parents did an awesome job always making up different things for him to guess. Here was another one. Great.

 “Why don’t you have some breakfast first, dear?” His mother asked him.

 Jay took and transferred a pancake to his plate and looked up again. Picking up his knife and fork, he shrugged at his father, “So what is it?”

 Though he had addressed his father, it was his mother was the one who replied, a slight smile forming on her pretty face. “Jay! I don’t know how you would take this, but we would be a taking a little holiday…. Obviously we had been to numerous places, but this is going to be a bit different. London. Actually, more like, the edge of London. Just for a short while. Not more than a year. So what do you think?” 

Jay stared at her, obviously too lost for words to come up with a reply immediately. “Oh!” was all he could manage at the moment. “Well, that is……… unexpected! “. He finally decided. His mother let out a laugh at his lost expression.

 “Jay!” She waved a hand in front of him. “Are you still with us?” 

“What? Oh yes.” Jay muttered returning to his previously abandoned breakfast. He played with it for a while absentmindedly and then questioned his parents again. “Anyways, what with the, you know sudden plan? Is everything Ok?”  This time it was his father who answered him.

 “Yes, Jay! Everything is Ok. You remember that recent project I was talking to you about the other day? It is on the suburbs of the London, next to a marsh. That place is a large stretch of unused land but depicts real beauty all year around. However, it has remained deserted for over 10 years now. A few other businessmen along with me decided to invest in the place to revive it back to life. The work going on there is almost complete. We are going to go there and inspect for a while. I am sure you would love it!”

 Jay’s mother however, looked at him suspiciously and asked him, “Is it OK with you Jay? I mean you have loads of friends here plus you don’t always get used to new places. If you do have any issues, do let us know. We can drop the idea.” She smiled and fondled with his hair lovingly. “Nothing is more important than my prince!”

 Jay moved away biting his lips to keep from grinning. His mother knew exactly how much he hated that nickname and yet always used it, just to annoy him.  “No mom! I am cool. I was just surprised. That’s all. You know I wouldn’t mess up your plans.”

 “Now that’s what I love about you, Jay!” His dad exclaimed proudly puffing up his chest. “By the way, just to tell you, Dawn and her family would be joining us too.”

 Jay looked at his father intently apparently surprised. “Really? That’s great!”

 “Yeah you wouldn’t be alone then.” His mother smiled at him probably happy to see his building enthusiasm.

 “When do we leave, dad?” Jay asked, getting up from the dining table, wiping his hands with a paper napkin.

 “I think you better start packing. We leave a day later by the 12 a.m flight.”

 “Ok. Thanks. Good surprise dad.”

 “Oh no! You don’t know about the surprise yet. But I bet you’d love it.” His father let out a loud laugh and cleared up his misconception. 

“What on earth? God, Dad!” Jay could hardly hide his annoyed tone. “Why did his parents have him guessing all the time?” He pushed back his chair with more force than he intended to and it squeaked in protest against the spotless marble floor. His mother hid an amused smile. Jay got up irritated by his dad’s last sentence. Anyways he had no intentions of doing anything that would by anyway spoil his parent’s plans. Two can play at this game. He thought and smiled.

 “I see. Well I have no issues at all.” He told his parents and saw heartwarming smiles light up their faces. He had always been a wonderful son, no doubt about that. 

“I better see to the packing up program,” he spoke quietly and turned to leave. “I’d bet anything, Mom isn’t going to be too happy if she has to do it all on her own”. He continued his sentence casually and took a peek at their reaction. His father let out a big laugh while his mother lost control over the smile she had been biting back since a long time, breaking into a huge smile. He strolled out of the room silently hiding his witty smile.

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“Oh come on, Carmela! Just this once…"

Gazelle grabbed her hand. She pulled it back. 

“You know exactly how much I hate slumber parties. Especially after what happened the last time, you really think I am going to accompany you?” Carmela frowned at Gazelle.

 “Oh, I am so sorry about the last time. I never meant that to happen.” Gazelle looked at her with big pleading eyes.

 “No way! That party ruined me for believing I’d ever have fun at parties again.”  Carmela fixed her with a long icy glare. Gazelle seemed to notice her fury and pulled back a bit.

 “Look, this isn’t happening again. You know Nephi and Cassandra. They like a good laugh and that’s all. But this party is at my place and no way will I let anyone drench you in ice cold water this time. “Gazelle looked at her pointedly and gave a sheepish smile.

 “No!  And that’s a big no. I am not coming and that’s final!” Carmela pulled her hand back from the latter’s grip and harshly repelled her, pushing past her. 

After she had gone a few steps, however, she stopped and strained her years to listen. No sound. All quiet. She turned around slowly to face her friend. Gazelle stood a long distance away, but her face was something Carmela could read even at a light year away. She faked a smile and nodded her head.

 “Go on! I understand. I won’t insist again.”

 But her eyes reminded Carmela of broken glass, the agony on her face was unbearable. They were like sisters after all and she had known Gazelle all her life. Both meant life to each other. Not a day was spent without the other. How could she have been so rude? Gazelle turned to leave the clearing. Just outside school.

Carmela knew she had it all wrong. She dropped her bag on the grass and rushed towards Gazelle, grabbing her shoulders.

“Mean, wasn’t I? I am sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to be that way.”

 She smiled at Gazelle and pulled her in a tight hug.

 “Hey! I am sorry. I love you. Forgive me? Just this once?”

 She slowly whispered in Gazelle’s ear. She broke apart and smiled an angelic smile at Carmela.

 “Do you even have to ask? You know, I don’t mind.”

This was so…………. Gazelle. Even if she had been stabbed right through her chest she would never be mad at the person. Smiling at the thought, Carmela looked at Gazelle and with a sigh, surrendered to her. 

“Fine, dear. Count me in on to this one.”

Gazelle gave a whoop of joy and jumped up forgetting entirely of what happened a few moments ago. 

“About time too. No one could have imagined me having a party without my best buddy. Yay! I love you, Carmela…….” 

She smiled radiantly at Carmela, and she too had to smile. Gazelle was just too excited. “Well, in that case, you’ll be personally responsible if I don’t come back home in one piece later.”

 Carmela told her. Gazelle nodded and shook her hand and was off.  Carmela smiled to herself. 

“I love you too, Gazelle!”

Chapter One

                    

                                               
                                      1. CHAPTER ONE


 

“Oh I am so sorry!”

 Jay looked up apologizing. He hadn’t realized that he was walking right into someone, lost deep in his thoughts. 

“Oh no, It’s totally Okay! I guess I just wasn’t paying attention ahead of me anyways!”

The girl replied with a tense smile, a faint red trace spreading over her face.

Jay returned the smile. The girl seemed to be a nice one. With large deep blue eyes, so deep that one could almost feel himself to be lost in the swirls and the dark, she had a beautiful sparkle in them. She had a wonderfully elongated face with a capturing smile. She had cheeks tinged; it seemed, permanently with a beautiful shade of red. A pretty heart shaped mouth lined with pink lips dominated her lower half of the face .Her nose was straight, rounded at the bottom. Her strawberry blonde hair fell straight onto her shoulders. A few loose bangs occupied her forehead. The blue eyes behind the long lashes peered at Jay anxiously.

“Well?” She demanded apparently confused at Jay’s long and measuring gaze.

 “Oh Well! It’s nothing! I was just….. Well, I am Jay!” Jay introduced himself warmly extending out his hand.

 Her hand which was busy fumbling at the hem of her red skirt blouse, stopped for a moment and then reached for his outstretched hand. Her face too broke into a wide smile

.

 “……And everybody calls me Dawn! Doesn’t matter, does it?”She smiled. 

“No, that’s cool actually! “ Jay exclaimed. That’s when he realized, he was still holding, the girls hand and she seemed a bit….. Oh well, uncomfortable. He quickly let go and winked at her. Her cheeks tinged a pretty pink color. 

 About almost the same moment, he spotted two men casually walking towards them. One of them was his own dad. Even despite his efforts not to, Jay had to smile. His father not only had a wonderful dress sense, but also kept astonishingly up to date and dressed with a knack.  Dressed in a black suit this was not the first time he looked smart. He wore a pair of dark sunglasses that hid his green eyes. Clear green eyes. One of the many things Jay had inherited from his dad.  

 “Daddy!” Dawn squealed dancing on her toes.

 “Is the guy in blue jeans your dad? “ Jay inquired, thoroughly surprised.

 “Oh yes!” Dawn answered.

 “What were you doing here anyways?” Jay asked her. They stood just before a large hospital building.  “Everything good?”

“Oh yes! Just a routine checkup.” Dawn answered with a slight edge in her voice. Jay couldn’t help noticing, how she anxiously her eye lashes fluttered as she mentioned that. Was she hiding something?

 Jay’s dad and the other guy, in blue jeans with a grey shirt walked over to them apparently in some deep conversation.

Jay’s dad took of his glasses cleared his throat and said, “Aahhh! I see you have met Dawn already. Well Jay, this is her dad! He is an old friend of mine!”

 “That’s generous Arive! Thank you!” He stepped out and holding his hand out to Jay he said” I am Maverick. Your dad and I were great friends in high school. Remember those good old days Arive? Basketball! Training, studies, swimming……………..”

 And he seemed to have lost track of the conversation.

 “I so miss that” Arive commented.

 There was a soft smile on his face and his eyes were unfocused. His mind was probably wandering years back.

 Biting his lower lip to hide a smile, Jay turned to Dawn finding her smiling. “It seems we should be friends now since our dads know each other pretty well!” She commented lightly.

 Seeing it progress smoothly, Jay grinned and answered “Yeah probably, doesn’t matter! We became friends the moment we introduced ourselves.”

“So how old are you?” Dawn inquired.

 “I am 21. You?” Jay returned. “Hey, I am 21 too!! “ Dawn smiled and told him. 

“Seems, we could get on pretty well!!”

 Dawn was really happy. She said, “I really hope so. It’s been a long time since I had a real friend.”

 She tried to smile but Jay saw something else. Her beautiful face turned melancholy. Her eyes filled with a hoard of tears. Jay couldn’t really understand or place that expression at the moment.

Later that evening after having a lavish dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant, Jay and his dad began their long journey back home. 

“So since when do you know this Uncle Maverick?” Jay questioned his dad in a casual tone as they stopped at a stoplight.

 “Well you know I was in London almost half my life. I and Maverick were together in high school and before, the primary one. Being together always since childhood, we were bound to be great friends. One couldn’t live without the other. We lived in London for quite a while. Later I came to the States and got married. He did to but he stayed in London. I returned to London soon after and stayed at his place for a while. He wouldn’t let me stay in a hotel while he was still there. They had a daughter, and named her Dawn. I then shifted in a place of my own.” His dad paused for a while and took a breath and then continued. “A while later when my business started booming, I returned to the States. You were really young at that time & so you lived with your mother back here. With granny of course. Anyways, soon Maverick faced some dilemma and had to leave London, and moved in here. I lost contact with him over time. Today after a long time I met Maverick. And he is just as good. Though he seemed troubled. Poor guy! Anyways we are home!” His dad ended the tale and announced cutting the engine. Jay started. He had been so mesmerized that he had almost forgotten they were still traveling.

 “Oh! That escalated quickly!”He muttered to himself. “Thanks Dad!” And stepped into his home.

He was greeted by the soft and relaxing voice of his mother right from the living room.

 “Hi mom”, he answered collapsing on the couch with a large yawn. “Good day?”

 “You must be tired sweetheart! Why don’t you go up to your room and relax. You had pretty much to do today” his mom replied totally overlooking his question and looking at him with concern etched onto the lines of her face.

  “Yeah, probably” he stifled another yawn. “See you mom. Probably in the morning” he told her and got up.

 “Good night dear! Sleep tight.” Jay nodded absently and heavily climbed the stairs to his large bedroom on the first floor.

 A warm bath and then bed, he decided.  He stepped into the bathtub filled with warm water and bubbly scented liquids. The smell of his favorite bubble bath liquid lingered in the air. He softly caressed his body thinking of today. Gradually, he started feeling the exhaustion of the day draining away with the now cooling water. He stepped out of the tub; lest the water should become too cold and started drying him up with a soft, clean towel.

 He then dressed in a pair of loose trousers and an over sized white shirt and left the bathroom. A mug of warm chocolate waited for him at his bedside table, which was yet another sign of the loyalty of his dear attendant, who took care of everything for him from which clothes to wear to his mug of hot chocolate each night. Gulping it down quickly Jay snuggled into his golden bed covers and prepared to go to sleep. Slowly, lost in a deep whirl of disassembled thoughts he drifted off into glad unconsciousness.

                                         

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Dawn reached out for her hair scrunchy and pulled her hair free. The warm shower was causing her bathroom mirror to steam up. She used her hand to wipe it clean and then checked out her reflection. Her deep blue eyes sparkled in the dimly lit washroom. Her hair fell in loose bangs all over the sides of her face. Her skin glowed, a pale white ghostly color in the ceiling lamp. Behind her the showering water made a wonderful rain-like noise hitting the floor. She was just about to turn away to her shower, when she stopped. What was that?

Her eyes widened in terror. She had just got a glimpse of something….. A grey pair of eyes looking at her... A reflection from the mirror. She cautiously approached the mirror and looked in carefully. Nothing. Water condensed over its surface, trickled down in tiny streams. Apart from that, there was nothing else. Her own wide eyes, and pink cheeks stared back at her. Probably just a trick of the light, perhaps. She shook her head to get rid of the premonitions forming in her head. It was just getting worse. She tossed her head and walked back into the shower. She needed a good night’s rest.