Chapter 4
Somewhere in New York...
{Queen's Estate}
A woman in her 40s sat on a plush couch in a grand mansion, anxiety etched on her face. "Have you found my babies yet?" she asked, her voice trembling as she gripped her husband's arm, her eyes scanning his for answers.
The husband's replying calmly, "I know, honey, we haven't found them yet, but the detective caught a break. He said he found a lead in New York."
The woman's eyes light up, in a pleading tone, "Let's go to New York, maybe we can bump into them by mistake. I want to see my babies, I've missed them so much... please, when are we going to New York?" She looks at her husband with a mix of hope and desperation.
The husband takes her hand, "Soon, love. The detective said he'll let us know as soon as there's more info. We'll go as soon as we can ."
The husband said trying to calm her down, "Don't worry, we're going to New York very soon. Just be patient, okay?" He pulls her into a gentle hug. The wife nods, tears still in her eyes, but a glimmer of hope on her face .
London
{Queen's apartment}
Hazel quickly got ready and headed downstairs for breakfast. When she entered the dining room, her mom, Emily had already set the table.
"Hazel, I need to tell you something," Emily said.
Hazel looked up, concerned. "What's wrong, Mom? Everything okay?" Emily smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing serious, dear. I met a friend yesterday, and she invited us to move into her house. She's financially stable, and we wouldn't have to worry about rent."
Hazel nodded. "Okay, it's your call, Mom. When are we going?"
"If you're ready, we can go today," Emily said. "I'll send you the address, and you can meet me there after school. I'll help you pack up."
"Okay, Mom. I'm headed to school, bye," Hazel said, grabbing her bag.
Emily called Hailey immediately after Hazel left.
- Hailey: "Hello?"
- Emily: "Hailey, hello. How are you?"
- Hailey: "Emily, I'm good, thanks for asking. So when are you coming with your daughter?"
- Emily: "I told her and she said it's my choice. I decided the sooner the better, so we're coming today."
- Hailey: "Okay, I'll send some people to help you pack and bring your things over."
- Emly: "Thanks a lot, Hailey. You've done a lot for me, and I can't find a way to repay your kindness."
- Hailey: "No need to thank me. You've done a lot for me in the past, which I didn't repay then."
- Emily: "Thanks, Hailey. Bye, see you. I need to go to work now."
- Hailey: "No more working for you! No need to work. Just go pack yours and your daughter's bags, okay?"
- Emily: "But... you've done enough for me. I still need to work for my daughter."
- Hailey: "You don't need to work again, okay? Bye."
Hailey ended the call before Emily could say anything else.
Some minutes after the call ended, guards knocked on the door. "Ma'am, we're here to assist you with loading your bags into the car," one of them said.
Emily nodded, and the guards helped carry the packed bags out to the car. Hazel would meet them at Hailey's place after school.
Emily took one last look around the place taking a deep breath thinking about the new chapter ahead before getting into the car. The guards closed the car door, and the driver was ready.
STAR High COLLEGE {Hazel's new school}
Hazel rolled her motorbike, Lucy, into the school parking lot and secured it among the other vehicles. As she turned to head towards the school building, a loud crash made her spin around. A sleek sport car had smashed into the spot where Lucy was parked. Hazel's eyes widened in fury as she stormed over to the car.
"Get out of the car now! Whoever drove this is really insane!" she shouted, pounding on the window.
Kenzie with a sarcastic grin emerged from the driver's seat. "Hey, who are you?" she asked, eyeing Hazel up and down.
Hazel's gaze narrowed. " Oh we meet again Mister useless bones," she spat, her anger simmering.
Kenzie, raised an eyebrow. "How dare you call me that and are you stalking me?"
Hazel scoffed. "Stalking? Hell no! You packed exactly where I parked Lucy. You've crushed my bike and now you need to pay for another."
Kenzie chuckled, his tone mocking. "Lucy? Oh, you mean that cheap bike?"
Hazel's face darkened. "It's not cheap, and you've got to pay for it."
Kenzie shrugged. "Why would I pay a fool like you?"
Hazel's grip on her temper snapped. She spotted a baseball bat lying nearby and snatched it up, unleashing her fury on Kenzie's car. The sound of shattering glass and crunching metal filled the air as students poured out of the building, eyes wide with shock and excitement.
"She's dead," someone whispered. "No one messes with Kenzie and gets away with it."
Kenzie's friends, Killian and Levi, rushed over, trying to intervene. "Kenzie, what did you do now?" Killian demanded.
Lev added, "Please help me stop this girl! I just bought that car, and if my dad finds out it's damaged, he'll suspend my allowance again."
As Hazel continued her assault on the car, finally Hazel dropped the bat and turned to face Kenzie you should've thought of that before you destroyed my bike Hazel spat before turning around to walk away.
The silence that followed was oppressive punctuated only by the sound of Kenzie's sobs.
"You shouldn't have done that," Levi said, shaking his head. "You clearly saw a bike parked there.
{Torrence Residence}
As the guards finished packing Emily's bags into the mansion, Miss Torrence greeted her warmly at the door. "Emily, how are you?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"I'm good, thank you," Emily replied, her smile a bit strained.
"Come, let me show you around," Miss Torrence said, leading her inside. "Choose a room you like. When Hazel comes back from school, she'll pick one for herself too."
Just then, Mr. Torrence walked in. "Oh, husband, you're back," Miss Torrence said. "This is Emily, my friend. She's moving in with her daughter."
Mr. Torrence nodded warmly. "Hello, Emily. Nice meeting you."
Emily greeted him back. "Hello."
Mr. Torrence's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry to ask... is your sickness still treatable? What stage is it?"
Emily's eyes dropped, as answered for her, her voice cracking, "It's the last stage. It's not treatable. The doctor said... I only have this month left."
Mr. Torrence's face filled with empathy. "I'm sorry to hear that. We promise to take good care of your daughter for you."
With a nod, he added, "Emily, I'll be right back. I need to go for a meeting. See you later."
He exited, leaving the women to settle in.
{Star High College}
"Hazel went straight to the dean's office after entering the building, the dean gave her the school map and the key to her locker , after leaving his office she went straight to drop her books in locker, after closing her locker she saw a girl standing right at her front with her smile.
Hmm please do I know you and if not kindly leave my way, Hazel said try not to sound rude, actually no we do not know each other the girl replied, then leave my way, Hazel said.
No my name is Zinnia and you are the girl introduced.
And why do you want to know my name, Hazel asked.
Cause I want I want us to be friends, the girl replied.
Why do you want to be friends, aren't you scared of me like the other she asked Hazel doesn't have any friends cause of how she behaves those who knows her stays away from her, that's why she finds it weird to make friends.
Well no I am not scared, I know that jerk deserves what you did to his car, so why would I be scared behind a tough girl there is always a soft place in her heart, so can we be friends, Zinnia said.
Hazel that's my name and I like you, so we are friends, Hazel replied with a smile on her lips,
Yeah I have got a new best a new friend so you are also a scholarship student like me right, Zinnia asked
She asked yeah is anything wrong with that, Hazel asked.
Well life as a scholarship student here is hard you know, those rich kids bully scholarship students some even make them their maid in school Zinnia explained.
Oh so you mean you also get bullied right, Hazel, asked.
Yeah she replied.
Well that ends now cause I would be here to protect you okay, Hazel assured.
Yeah thanks, Zinnia said
Welcome, what are friends for, Hazel replied.
The bell has rung let's go to class, what are you studying?, Zinnia asked.
I'm studying mechanical engineer and I'm in final year student, what about you?.
Wow same year I'm actually also studying mechanical engineer too and also in my final year Hazel replied.
Yeah let's go, Zinnia said taking Hazel by the hand and dragging her to class, when they got to class they both took their seat,
Zinnia where have you been? I have looked all over campus for you, oh wow you've made a new friend, a girl said coming towards them.
Oh sorry Emory I was just about to call you Zinnia stated.
No prb and who is this, isn't she the girl who spoiled one of the kings car, Emory asked.
Who are the kings? Do not tell me they are those three guys, Hazel asked.
Yeah they are and we call them the kings cause they are the most popular, richest, and handsome guy on campus, Zinnia replied".