Chapter 68
Adrian’s POV
Hostel Room
I lay in bed even as everyone else was busy getting ready to head over to the auditorium.
I had no such intention or will or reason to do so.
If anything, I had all the reasons to avoid it.
No matter the crowds, the noise or attention…none could change my point of view.
Auditorium Entrance
Yet here I am at the entrance half-hidden behind the door.
The hall was over-packed. The rows were so full, some students were standing behind them. The teachers lined the walls as the stage was lit for one person.
Janet Rollings.
Seven years.
It’s been seven years since I saw her.
Yet p>
The moment she walked onto the stage p>
I recognized her immediately.
She stood on the stage as if she was meant to be there all along.
Like she was there all along.
My chest tightened.
I kept telling myself it didn’t matter.
But my body had a mind of its own.
Overall, she hadn’t changed much.
Still calm as ever, and composed.
Still…untouchable in a sense I never understood.
But there was a difference.
She looked stronger than before.
A lot stronger.
Like what broke her before only made her stronger.
Or rather it built her to the young woman she was today,
I clenched my jaw.
Seven years of holding onto something unstable—
And she walked back into it like it had always been hers.
Maybe it was.
I was about to turn around and leave but stopped as Janet’s words touched my ears.
“When someone tells you what to do,” she said into the mic, her voice steady, “you tend to follow it p>
Silence fell in the hall.
I didn’t look away from her face.
“Sometimes…we can choose the path we take p>
A pause followed.
“Because p>
She trailed off.
“Life teaches you how to choose the right path p>
Something about her line struck a chord in my heart.
“Only you have to be willing to learn and rely on the correct people and avoid the wrong ones p>
Again another line that struck a chord in my heart.
And that too in an uncomfortable way.
My fingers curled into fists.
For a brief second p>
I felt as if she was telling me.
I looked away.
What does she think of herself?
She’s actually telling me I choose the wrong path,
Like I asked for it.
But then she may not even know I study here.
Applause filled the hall as she commenced her speech.
It was loud and uncontrolled.
Every student stood up as if they had just witnessed a life changing speech.
Maybe…for them p>
They had.
But I p>
I turned around to leave.
I didn’t need any of this.
I didn’t have to be here.
But I barely took a few steps towards the entrance p>
My feet stopped.
“Oh, are you leaving already p>
I froze.
Of course how could they let go off such a great moment.
“Mr. Adrian Rollings p>
A pause.
“Oh we should update that now, that the real Rollings is here p>
Laughter followed.
I didn’t respond.
“You saw her on the stage, didn’t you p>
Silence followed.
“The real Rollings on the stage,” he continued.
“And the fake on the ground p>
The word fake lingered around me again.
“Must be hard,” one of them continued, stepping closer to me.
“Seven years trying to belong here p>
“But now the real one is here, so p>
I cut his words.
“Done?” I asked flatly.
“Oh, but we just came over p>
“You still write Rollings as your surname, don’t you?” one of them said.
I rolled my eyes as the only reason I did was he didn’t revoke his adoption so I had no choice.
“Call him,” one of them said suddenly.
“He’s your dad, call him p>
My hands stilled for a moment.
In the past seven years I didn’t call him even once.
“What?” he continued.
“Afraid he won’t pick up p>
That hit harder than the word fake.
Plus it was a truth I didn’t want to test.
I stayed silent as that was all that I could do at the time.
They laughed.
And I hoped they’d walk away after that.
But he was about to say something else.
Then—
“Enough p>
The words cut clean through their voices.
They turned towards the source.
So did I and p>
There she was standing in front of me.
Closer and beside me.
“If you all are done,” she said calmly, “you all can leave p>
They scoffed at her.
“You’re defending him p>
“Yes p>
No hesitation.
I was shocked at her.
“Whatever happened is between our parents,” she said. “That doesn’t give you the right to say all this to him p>
Silence followed.
Real silence.
They didn’t react.
Just stood shocked.
To add to their shock p>
“Adrian is my brother.” Her voice was steady.
“Trouble him, you mess with me p>
They didn’t argue and left.
I stared back at her as I tried to understand her actions.
“Why?” Was all I could say quietly.
She looked at me with a smile.
She wasn’t angry.
Or distant.
Just there…steady.
“Because I will deal with them,” she said.
Her answer should have frustrated me.
But I was calm.
It rather made me more unsettled.
As I was familiar with this.
Before also she was the same.
Even as the other kids would tease me,
She’d stand beside me.
It seemed like she hadn’t changed all along.
“I was in the same school as you,” she said calmly.
“I know how they treated you back then p>
I froze.
“You do?” It was more of a question to me then her.
My throat tightened.
“I also know the reason,” she continued.
I looked away.
After all, no one could understand me.
“Brother, I know you think we don’t have anything in common, but we’re really the same p>
“I didn’t come here to trouble you,” she said.
Her voice was still calm.
“I came here to stop all of that from repeating, but I think you’ve been suffering for seven years p>
She trailed off a bit.
“I came for you, not against you p>
I frowned slightly as I didn’t understand what she meant.
But I felt the weight of it on my heart.
Just then a teacher announced the snacks and drinks are being served.
Before I could react she took hold of my hand and pulled me inside,
“Come on!” she said with a bright smile.
“I’m starving p>
Just then a waiter came over and offered Janet a drink.
The glasses were covered with tissue, but I remembered the teachers talking about the menu.
My eyes locked onto the glass instantly.
The memory hit me fast and hard.
Seeing her struggle for breath.
Her skin turning red,
And then p>
Her, fainting in her mother’s arms.
I grabbed the glass from her.
“She can’t drink mango.” I said placing the glass back on the tray.
“Could you arrange another juice for her p>
“Yes, in a moment Master.” the waiter said and left.
“Aren’t you able to smell mango?” I was confused.
“Yes,” she said still with a calm voice.
“But I told them beforehand, so I thought p>
She again took another glass from a passing waiter.
“Don’t p>
The words came out before I could stop her from taking the glass.
She paused and looked at me.
I stepped forward and took the glass.
“I don’t know what you told, but I heard the teachers tell mango juice will be served p>
“And you’re allergic to mangoes,” I said, voice laced with guilt.
Silence fell between us.
Her expression shifted slightly.
Recognition flashed across her eyes.
A memory flashed.
Years ago p>
I used her allergy against her because of that person.
Today p>
I saved her because I want to repent what that person made me do.
I set the glass aside.
“The waiter will bring you another juice glass p>
She looked at me with a warm smile.
I didn’t react or respond.
But I didn’t deny the fact I had changed in my heart.
I exhaled slowly.
I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.
To face her.
To remember the past.
Standing here and claiming for what I did.
“I I started to tell.
But stopped as the words just wouldn’t come out.
But one thing was clear p>
I no longer wanted to be that boy.
The one who hurt an innocent girl all because of that one person who used me as a tool.
Now I know I never belonged to their world.
I know I had no rights to stand before them.
I should face the facts.
But before I could continue, she began.
“Do you know why I call you brother?” she asked.
“Obviously Dad told you to.” I said frankly.
“Daddy never did,” she said.
“Mommy told me to as you were and are my elder brother,” she continued.
“At the time you were months older, now you’re a year older p>
“I bullied you all the time at the school,” I said in a pleading voice.
“I even made you eat the pastry knowing it was mango and p>
“You didn’t give it to me,” she said.
“Brother, you were an eight year old boy who did what his mother told,” she continued.
“The only thing is she didn’t care if she made you commit a crime in achieving her goal, which in the end she didn’t p>
“Brother, even if Daddy isn’t your real dad, he has adopted you p>
She cut me off before I could reply.
“If he didn’t care about you, why didn’t he revoke the adoption?” she said.
“Why did he allow you to use Rollings as your surname p>
I spaced out until she tugged on my sleeve.
“You grew up in front of Daddy,” she said.
“Of course he cares about you p>
“Only at the time you were merely a responsibility he took over to cover a guilt, but now he gave you the name because he cares about you p>
She trailed off a bit.
“Only…over these seven years a lot has happened to him so he didn’t have the time to give you p>
All the while I kept looking at Janet’s face.
I knew Dad didn’t spend much time with her at the time, but her mother was always there for her.
But I could clearly see Dad’s and her mother’s values in her.
She no doubt was the real Rollings.
And I p>
I wonder if my mother even knew who my father was.