Loved

The little girl came down from the white Mercedes.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Her smile wide as she tightened her grip on her backpack and inhaled the fresh air.

She had enjoyed nights of sleep in her mother’s arms, where sometimes she was told bedtime stories or sang some of her favorite tunes and lullaby.

But last night had been entirely different. There had been no need for lullabies or stories. She had slept so softly and she felt completely refreshed.

She couldn’t miss the little affection she felt last night when he had returned from the bathroom after a quick shower and she pretended to be asleep.

He gently covered her small bodice and gave a light kiss to her temple.

She actually for once felt what her peers had described as the love of a father.

That was when her dream walls shattered and she had to face reality.

He wasn’t her father and what she had felt or experienced was a one time thing that she’s sure her mother would never allow to repeat itself.

” Goodbye Mr Edward! ” She called out to the man who had been dropping her off since she moved here.

” Bye Louisa. Take good care of yourself” his usual words before he left her to the fate of school and he sent her a wave which she had no issues reciprocating.

She stood in the parking lot and watched him pull out of the driveway. She wasn’t even aware that she had been staring at his direction in which he had left and was day dreaming about last night till someone demanded her attention.

” Louisa?”

The little girl jerked at the surprising intrusion and flushed red at being caught day dreaming.

It wasn’t strange for her to day dream. Infact it was a normal habit she had developed over the years.

It was nothing short of her imagining how her father would look like or how he would shower her with love and protect her with his life.

She would think of what his favorite games and food may be and even wandered off to the assumption that he liked art just as she did.

But now that she had a glimpse of that yesterday, she wasn’t sure if she could stop her mind and heart from what it yearned.

She gave a sigh before turning to see who had interrupted her thoughts.

” Gracie!!” Her slight disappointment immediately transforms into enthusiasm for another day at school on seeing her little friend she had made.

” You keep saying that man is not your dad but you act different. Is he your uncle?” Her friend asked with a smile.

An uncle? Yeah Edward could be seen as that.

” Yeah he is. Uncle Edward” Louie replied and her smile unfading.

Gracie had always picked interest in Louisa’s life ever since their first encounter, she felt like Louisa was heaven sent to Dwight’s Academy.

Dwight’s Academy was a school of rich and merry, no one knew how it was to face a hard life, including Louisa. Infact Gracie saw Louisa as royalty with the way she was dropped off at school with variety of cars each day.

But that wasn’t the case for Gracie.

Gracie was sweet, adorable and the last out of four kids the only issue she felt she had was that she wasn’t an elite.

She was on a scholarship here because her mother works as a librarian at the school. Her income was good but not still good enough to provide everything she wanted, so she focused solely on things she needed.

Before Louisa had come to Dwight’s Academy, Gracie was always jeered at for her financial class by her classmates but Louisa came in and stood for her.

As little as they were, everyone could tell that Louisa was not someone to mess with. Hence Gracie saw her as her savior and loved her ever since.

The bell went off signalling the start of another academic day and Louisa knew it was time to get serious again.

She put aside every lingering thought of her night with Mr Hunter and suggested to her friend.

” Let’s go”

Gracie in turn held her bag closer before initiating a race on who could get to classes first.

Louie cheerfully followed and couldn’t help but remember the Saturday she had spent playing police and water guns with Mr Hunter and Uncle Dee.

She chuckled to herself once she realized she was losing focus again and knew she had a long day ahead.

*******************

School was over and she sat by the bench as usual to wait for Edward.

Believe me when I say that climbing onto that bench proved a lot more work than it should but she was able to get onto it none the less.

She had always wondered why she was short and sometimes her mind assumed that maybe her biological father was a very short man and probably that was the reason her mother had hidden her from him.

Even if her father were to win an award for the world’s shortest man, she knew she would still love him like no other, the day she’d finally get to meet him.

She watched as the school garden was slowly getting less packed with pupils but maintained her position as she was instructed so it wouldn’t be a stress locating her when it was time to go home.

Her legs were swinging cheerfully as she hummed softly to a tune Cheryn had taught her some days ago when she returned from school.

Her mouth immediately watered as she thought of the blueberry flavored cupcake she would have as a snack once she got home.

She then remembered Mr Hunter telling her that the blue berries were his personal favorite too. She made a mental note to save some for him.

Still humming and swinging her legs, she saw Hailey walk up to her.

” Hello. Can I sit with you?”

Louisa grinned and patted by her side in a very welcoming way and the girl felt glad she wasn’t rejected.

Hailey had lost her father only two weeks ago to a car accident and ever since she had been a walking shadow. Silent and only talking at extreme cases.

” How are you?” Louisa tried to start a conversation with the girl but the girl clearly looked uninterested and simply gave a nod to her question.

Louisa felt very bad for her, she knew what it feels like not having a father figure in your life but she could only imagine how it felt to have one and then lose him.

Her mind went back to when her mom had told her that Mr Hunter was sick and she felt bad that she had never asked him about it.

She hoped she would remember to bring it up when she sees him tonight.

She laughed at herself when she noticed she was already anticipating another night with him.

” Are you okay?” Hailey asked confused to why the girl is giggling to herself.

Louisa only gave a nod with a very wide grin and Hailey smiled back.

” Your name is Louisa?” Hailey started and Louisa felt shocked that the girl was actually talking to her.

They had never been in a conversation before but she had heard about Hailey. It was news that even the seniors in the school had heard.

” Yes, and you’re Hailey”

The girl smiled at her chirpy nature and was happy that at least there was someone who isn’t looking at her like she is no longer human.

” My mom’s name is Louisa” Hailey commented so she could continue the discussion.

” I like your mommy then”

The two girls laughed but it was interrupted by another company.

” Seriously? You like her mommy? What are you trying to do? Make her cry?” Steph and her two friends appeared from the blues.

” What do you mean? And mind your business!” Louisa spat back but Hailey had already kept shut.

” Why are you calling her parents? Isn’t it bad enough that her dad is dead?” Claire, Steph’s friend pitched in.

” I’m not doing anything to her. And even though her dad is dead she still has her mommy to take care of her” Louisa stood her ground and wasn’t ready to step down.

” Just like you- oh wait! Your dad is that old man. Sorry, I thought he was dead already” Steph mocked and Louisa felt her heart shatter at the words.

” Edward is not my daddy. He’s my uncle” she tried to remain strong but she knew it may not last if she continued.

” Then you don’t have a daddy?” Their mocking goes on followed by a round of laughter from all three. Hailey only had a look of compassion in her eyes.

As much as she wanted to say they’re wrong, she knew it was the truth but she’ll never let them win.

” I have a daddy!”

” Where is he?” Steph’s two arms crossed in front of her and she narrowed her eyes at the little Louie.

” He’s… He’s.. somewhere?” Louisa was even trying to convince herself but it was harder than she thought.

” Somewhere? That was what Ivy said when her father ran away. So your daddy doesn’t want you too? Why am I not surprised”

Tears stung Louisa’s eyes at the thought.

Maybe that’s why she had never met her father. Maybe it’s because he never wanted her or anything to do with her.

She hadn’t analysed it the way Steph had put it, but hearing it from someone’s lips smacked the reality into her fast developing brain.

Still, Louisa wouldn’t let them see that they had gotten to her. She was known to be a fighter and she wouldn’t give up so easily.

No matter what it takes..

” That’s not true! My daddy loves me!” She tried to keep a strong composure.

” I see, that means he’s poor since he doesn’t want to show his face in public” Steph was a fighter too and she knew just the buttons to press.

” He’s not poor! Infact he’s very very rich! With lot’s of cars and money!” She defended

” Oh really? So what’s his name? My daddy knows everyone in this town with lot’s of cars and money” Steph jeered again to expose the lie she was seeing underneath.

” His n-name?” Louisa’s heart began beating at an incredibly fast pace as she saw that her lies were going to end her in more troubles.

” Yes. Or you’ve forgotten your father’s name?” Steph snickered and her little friends followed behind her.

” No! His name is.. his name is uh- Hunter. Yes! His name is Hunter!” She was happy at the name that jumped unto her lips on reflex.

” Hunter? Where does he work?” Steph’s interrogation going to another level.

” Brooks and Shields” Louisa grinned at her impressive lie and was happy with herself that spending her night with him paid off.

” Brooks and Shields?” Steph asked, recognising the name as the company her father works for.

Louie nodded in her direction and maintained her smile.

Then a thought hit Steph. Everyone knows the surname to the owner of Brooks and Shields was McConnell but Louisa bears Shawn.

To her the game was only beginning.

” I don’t believe you” Steph smirked and Louisa’s face fell.

” What!? I’m not lying!” Louie defended but Steph was done with the argument.

” Fine. If he’s your daddy then he will not have any problems dropping you off tomorrow right?”

Louisa’s world’s met with dire flames.

And she was pretty sure her face displayed it because Steph laughed out loud.

” Well then. See you and your ‘daddy’ tomorrow” Steph said whilst making air quotations on the word daddy.

The trio walked away and Louisa sat on the bench wondering why she had attempted such a lie.

” I’ll like to meet your daddy too. I mean if you want. but my mommy is here. Bye” Hailey tried to cheer her up with a smile and she waved as she walked towards a blue Toyota parked at a short distance.

” I’ll like to meet him too” Louisa whispered to herself.

And it was only when she was alone did she let the tears of her broken heart drop.