Whispers

Mia shrugged, "I don't know." She remarked honestly while picking up her bag. Mr. Ice cube was a strange man with a great deal of temperament. His behaviors were unpredictable. He hadn't spoken more than a few words the entire time she sat down before him as he was busy pressing his phone, and yet he commanded her not to go, and stormed out when Rayne came out.

Such a strange man. Mia thought as she tugged her friend's arm towards the door of the rooftop. "Are you ready to head home?" Rayne asked as they exited the library.

Mia nodded, "Yep. There's nothing else to do in school." She remarked. Their class schedules were always short on Fridays, and since she hadn't been able to find any part-time job in the institute, she would rather go home early to think about some other options.

"Have you shopped for the dresses you'll be wearing for the school contest next month? We only have three weeks and some few days left. If you haven't, we can schedule to go together tomorrow." Rayne suggested as they walked towards the limo that always picked her up from school.

Though Rayne's suggestion was harmless and friendly, Mia felt her heart sink. She forced herself to smile, "I won't be free tomorrow, I have something scheduled, perhaps next time." It wasn't a lie, she indeed had an outing scheduled with Owen tommorow. And even though she would love to go shopping with her only friend, she wouldn't be able to afford it, and she wasn't the kind to live off a friend because they were rich.

"Oh. Alright, just let me know when you'd like to go shopping, I'd be honored to go with you just to get away from my annoying brother."

"Your brother? You mean Jason, Is he back from the military? I thought you said he has been away for awhile." Mia mused as she recalled all the times her friend would complain about her older brother being an asshole for meddling in her life. He would always monitor her movements and do a background check for all her friends. And because of him, Rayne had no boyfriend even though she was old enough to have one.

Rayne signed dejectedly, "Yep, I wonder why he decided to suddenly live in the house when he has his own mansion. Let's not talk about my brother, he's just going to ruin my mood again." She said, and when they reached the gleaming limo, the chauffeur opened the door for Rayne, who turned to her friend and said, "I know you will say no, but let me try again, should we drop you off at home?"

Mia had her reasons for always rejecting her friend's offer to drive her home, she didn't want any scandal in the town she lived in. But then looking at Rayne's pleading eyes, Mia sighed and, for the first time in her almost two years in studying in Ivy Grove, she nodded, "Alright, but let me warn you, I live in in Whispering way street." She said.

Rayne, who had no idea what whispering way street looked like, told her chauffeur to drop her friend there before they headed home. The chauffeur's expression looked hesitatant for a moment when he heard the location. He couldn't help but wonder what his young Miss was doing with a girl who lives in a place like that. If master Jason found out his sister was mingling with the poor, he wouldn't like it and would end up scolding the innocent chauffeur for even driving the car to a street like that. However, despite his reluctance, the chauffeur started the ignition and drove to the poorest town in Zen.

When the gleaming limo with tinted windows drove into the whispering way street, everyone walking down the street or sitting down in groups, stopped to look at the black car. They couldn't help but wonder who was inside it. They rarely have rich people visiting their town, and judging from the car, they could all tell the person must be rich. And just to feed their curiousity, a few people started to follow the car to see which of the buildings it would stop at.

As the limo came to a stop in front of the apartment building where Mia lived, the people were astonished. They waited in anticipation to see who would come out of the car, and when the chauffeur opened the car door and they saw Mia step out, the people gasped in surprise. Some looked at her in envy for driving home in such as expensive car.

Mrs. Dennis, who was known for being the leader of gossipers in whispering way, leaned towards the other women next to her and said, "I told you all, that girl isn't going to such expensive school to study. She's a slut just like her mama, and look at that handsome man who opened the car door, she must be screwing him in school." The middle-aged woman said with so much dislike in her voice, assuming the chauffeur was the owner of the car.

"I can't believe this, I used to think she was a good girl, but look how she is shamelessly stepping out of the car. Well, it's no surprise, like mother like daughter. Very soon she will get pregnant and drop out of that school. Tsk. What a waste for such a beautiful girl." Said another woman as they watched Mia walk into the building.

Mia, who had just walked up the long stairs that led to their apartment room, sighed as she opened the door to the room. She would have asked Rayne to come in for a cup of coffee, but when she'd meet her friend's astonished and disbelief filled expression when the car stepped into the town, she had refained from suggesting that. It was only natural for any rich person to feel like that when seeing a place like whispering way, and the last thing she wanted was to invite her friend in and later get heartbroken if she wasn't comfortable in their house.

Mia dropped down on her bed the moment she entered her room. She was too exhausted both emotionally and physically, she just wanted to take a short nap before she would go down to meet her mother in the eatery. However, her short nap turned into a long one, she didn't wake up until it was already dusk. And she wouldn't have woken up if she hadn't felt a hand gently stroking her hair.

Mia jolted awake and impulsively smacked the hand away and quickly sat up only to notice it was Owen sitting at the edge of her bed laughing down at her.

Mia rubbed her eyes to wipe away her sleepiness before she glanced around and noticed the sky was darkening through her window. She had slept for far too long, she had intended to just take a short nap! She glanced at Owen with a frown, "What were you doing hovering over me while I sleep?" She asked, her voice slightly husky from sleep.

"I came to check on you, but you smacked me pretty hard," he joked rubbing the hand she had hit. He had come into her room after he'd heard some whispers going around the town about Mia being dropped off by a limo. The people were saying a man had dropped her off and he seemed to be rich. Owen had felt a stab in his heart and a surge of anger. And when one of the neighborhood boys patted his shoulder saying,

"Hey man, it seems your girl has finally caught a big fish. You will soon be blacklisted from her life."

Owen, who rarely got into a fight had lost his cool and hit the young man. Mia was off limits to any man, and he wasn't going to allow any person take her away from him. He had loved her even before he even knew what love was, and he had sworn to work hard and finish his school and make her his. But today, he had been angered beyond words when he heard a man had dropped her off, he had even stormed into her room without caring if she would get mad at the fact that he didn't knock, but when he opened the door, he had been surprised to find her curled up on the bed sleeping peacefully like a baby.

Owen's anger had immediately vanished through the window at her sleeping face. He hadn't been able to resist touching her, thus he had sat on the edge of her bed and gently stroked her long curly hair. She looked even more beautiful while asleep. He was just about to feel her cheeks against his palm when she woke up and smacked his hand away.

And now that she was awake, Owen couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat as he caught her glancing at him with her large brown eyes. He observed as she stretched her arms, her little actions causing her chest to push forward and he couldn't help but notice her ample bosom straining against her shirt. Clearing his throat, he quickly looked away.

"What brings you to my room?" she inquired, getting off the bed.

Owen didn't bother concealing the reason for coming into her room. He asked directly, "Is it true that a limo dropped you off at home?" Clenching his fingers around the purple bedsheet, he awaited her response. He didn't care who the person was that had dropped her off, but he would confront them regardless of their wealth and break their bones for even thinking for a second that Mia wasn't taken already.

Mia frowned upon hearing his question. But then, recalling that she had been dropped off in Rayne's car, she burst out laughing. "I can see that the whispers have started circulating in town. The people here never cease to amaze me with their gossip. Yes, Rayne dropped me off today. You remember her, my friend I used to tell you about. I couldn't find it in my heart to refuse her kind offer, so I agreed for her to give me a ride, you_What the hell, Owen!" she exclaimed as he suddenly stood up and enveloped her in his strong arms, pressing her face against his chest.

"What a relief," he sighed. He had been driving himself crazy, thinking that she had fallen for some wealthy boy at her school, but it turned out to be only her female friend.

Mia, who was crushed in his embrace quickly pushed away from him and glared up at his smiling face, "What was that for? You know how much I don't like being hugged all of a sudden. Now get out I need to take a shower." She pushed him towards the door, but before she could push him out completely, he said, "Alright, alright. I'll leave but don't forget you promised to go out with me tommorow."

"Yeah, I know. Bye!" She laughed and slammed the door on his face.