Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"Bria," she called softly again but Bria was really sound asleep especially with the effect of the sleeping pills. The sleeping pills will last 24 hours so it will take Bria a while before she wakes up. "Bria, can you hear me?" she softly asked. "Bria," she whispered in Bria's ear but Bria didn't say a word. "Oh, sleeping snake, sorry. I didn't mean to use sleeping pills to you. Forgive me," she whispered before she stood up. She picked up the box and sat on Bria's bed. The box was locked. "Enjoy sleeping, Bria," she said with a smile on her face.

She took out her cellphone and removed its case. A small and thin key was dropped that she had found from the first day she had met Bria.

She examined it even the lock of the box. She tried to insert it into the lock and twisted it to open and remove the lock from the closure.

She stopped and removed the key then flipped it over. The lock was immediately removed. She nodded while smiling.

She removed the lock and opened it. There are notebooks inside the box when she opened it. On top of the notebooks, there are a variety of necklaces and earrings. She just watched them.

She removed the notebooks and something grabbed her attention. There are photos.

She picked them up and looked at them one by one.

Photos of Bria when she was young. She saw only pictures of Bria from childhood to the present but that did not catch her attention. The question filled her chest and mind when she saw a photograph. In the photo, there are her mother and father who are hugging Bria. Bria is still a baby in the photo carrying by Pershey's mother in her arms.

Her forehead furrowed.

"Mommy?" she softly called as she look at the photo.

She even looked at the next photo. She frowned again and was even more confused when she saw the picture of her when she was a baby. In the photo, she is hugged by her father and Bria is hugged by her mother.

She looked at the two photographs.

"Why I have a picture with you, Bria?" she asked while looking at Bria. She stare at the picture she was holding.

‘Know yourself first, Pershey,’ was the line that came back to her mind. She lowered the photos and looked at the next photo.

She couldn't turn a blind eye when she saw the pictures of Bria with her parents again. (Pershey's parents) Every picture, there were three of them. She also saw Bria's 7th birthday picture with her parents. Next to them, there were two more women.

She looked at the pictures one by one but one picture caught her attention. That photo was Bria’s 18th birthday. Her parents are in the picture.

‘Know yourself first, Pershey,’ the line kept coming back to her mind so she put the things back inside the box. It is well placed. She locked it again and put it back under Bria's bed. Then, she sat down next to Bria and watched her.

She took the blanket and curled it over Bria's body.

"Who are you, Bria Faith?" she asked as she pulled Bria's hair back to the back of her ear.

The pictures she had seen before came back to her mind. Photos of Bria with her parents and photos with her.

"Who are you really, Bria?" she asked before she got up and left Bria's room. She closed the door and leaned against it. "Who am I?" she asked while staring at the air.

She tilted her head. She looked at her door from where she was leaning. She noticed Nanny Yuna coming up with more food.

Her feet seemed to be nailed to where she was standing and her back was pressed against the outside door of Bria's room.

Nanny Yuna looked at her.

"Doña Pershey, why are you there?" she asked as she approached. She did not say a word and left to go to her room. "Eat first," she added before entering Pershey's room.

Pershey went straight to bed and laid on her soft bed. Her eyes were focus on the ceiling. She looked out the window for a moment. The rain was light and dark.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked.

"Nothing," she replied then stood up when she remembered what Samuel had said on the call earlier.

"Your food is ready, eat it, Doña Pershey."

"Okay, leave that foods and leave this room, Nanny."

Nanny Yuna followed what she said. She stood up to look at hercellphone.

It's 7:30 PM. She only has 30 minutes. Samuel will pick her up at 8 o'clock as they discussed earlier.

She just drank water before she went to the bathroom.

‘Know yourself first, Pershey,’ was the line that went back and forth in her mind. She stopped stroking her hair. She wiped her face with her hands then turned off the shower.

"Who is Bria Faith?" she asked herself.

Meanwhile, Samuel is coming. He is still driving to pick up Pershey.

Pershey is getting dressed as of now and unaware that Samuel is coming. She just watch the analog on her phone and waits him. She sat on bed while waiting Samuel to arrive and pick her up.

She continues to watch her phone, waiting Samuel to call her again.

She was wearing a black dress that was fitted to her body but loose on the lower part of her leg. She was wearing 3 inches heels. The small shoulder bag was slung over her shoulder. Her hair was loose.

She went down to meet Samuel. It was raining a little so she brought the umbrella. She was covered by umbrella as she walked out of the gate. Samuel had just arrived so she immediately got into the car.

She straightened her hair and then looked in the mirror in front of her.

Samuel's eyes met her. She smiled, Samuel smiled too.

"Am I late?" Pershey asked.

"No," he answered quickly before he could operate the car.

There was silence in the car so he thought of playing the radio. The song 'Heaven Knows' covered by Vivoree is currently playing.

Pershey was busy with what she was doing. She talks to Leigh on messenger. She did not notice Samuel's stare at her.

Samuel smiled while looking at her. She's still unaware.

"Umm, may I ask, Pershey?" he said while his gaze was focus now on the road.

"Go on," she replied as she typed a message to Leighden.

"What drives you to change?" he asked stopping Pershey from typing.

"Um ..."

"Forgive me for asking. Just don't answer," he said immediately.

Pershey was speechless. Samuel kept driving. Pershey was also unable to send a message to Leighden.

The song ended and was replaced by ‘It will rain’ by Bruno Mars.

"Myself," she said suddenly. “I wanted to be unique, Samuel,” she added.

"You're beautiful, from then until now."

She laughed strangely at what Samuel said. She was shaking a little and still laughing.

"Liar," she whispered with a laugh.

"I'm not lying, Pershey. You've been beautiful ever since, you just don't really pay attention," he justified while driving.

“Pretty white lies,” she said, laughing a bit.

"It's true. I'm not lying, Pershey, you are beauti-"

"People's words change, Samuel. You didn't tell me that before, it's only now that I've changed myself," she said.

"S-sorry. W-we weren't close before."

She laughed then leaned back and closed her eyes. Samuel could not speak either.

Pershey's eyes just closed. She heard a song that was playing on the radio.

"Come out to meet you," a soft voice came out of Pershey's mouth. The song ‘The Scientists’ by Coldplay is playing.

She continued to follow and accompany the song. Samuel just listened to her with mixed amazement. He even smiled at the softness of Pershey's voice. That was just the first time Pershey had sung. That was also the first time he had heard Pershey's angelic voice in tenderness.

When the song ended, Pershey stopped singing and then opened her eyes slowly.

"You're a good singer," Samuel commented. Pershey just smiled as she parted her hair behind her ear. "You have a soft voice. I just heard your beautiful voice," he said while not removing the smile from his lips as he continued to drive.

"I'm not used to singing but that song from Coldplay hits me," she replied and kept smiling.

"What that means to you?" Samuel asked.

She furrowed and ask, "Huh?"

"I mean, the meaning of the song. For you, what is the meaning of that song from Coldplay that was performed and covered by Gabriela?"

She didn't answer immediately but just looking at him.

Every lyrics of a song came back to her mind then she says, "Expect changes. I think, that song is trying to say that people come and go. We need to accept the fact though it is really sucking and we need to forgive in order for us to forget and then restart our lives. We need to learn how to be alone and how to survive of being alone and we need to go back to the start," she explained at length. Samuel could no longer keep quiet about what Pershey had said. He just smiles every time he looks in the mirror. "And for you, what is the meaning of the song that was played earlier? The song that was covered by Vivoree, Heaven Knows."

He kept driving while thinking of an answer to Pershey's question.

"Oh, don't answer it. Just focus on the road. Keep driving slowly."

He smiled. A few more minutes passed before they reached Samuel's house. A nice house with a fountain in the middle of the road going inside. The surroundings are wide and bright. There are two guards outside the gate.

They went inside until they came inside Samuel's apparent mansion.

"Wow, cool house. Is this yours?"

"Yes, exactly," he replied. The area is full of expensive equipments, decorations, jars, paintings and many more. The first floor is even wider than the University GYM.

She rolled her eyes all around. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

“The breadth and the height,” she said in amazement as she looked up. "How many floors is it? It's like a hotel."

"Five floors," he replied. He was even more amazed at what Samuel said.

"Ahh. I was amazed of your amazing mansion. I like it," she said.

"Let's go?" grooming him.

"Where are you taking me?"

He smiled sweetly then took Pershey's hand to walk with him.

They stopped opposite the elevator.

"Wow!"