4. Her best friend

NARRATIVE

   “Mia, I’m sorry I’m late.” 

   On hearing the soothing, very familiar voice, Mia couldn’t help but look at his face again. “Clarion,” she sobbed. “How are you here?”

   Clarion smiled and squat before her. “I’m so sorry about your grandpa’s death. I’m sorry you had to go through this again.” He reached out his arms around her and pulled her to him. And once again, Mia found herself sobbing so uncontrollably, even more than ever before.

FLASHBACK

…Several minutes ago...

   In an exquisite Villa at the 

southern end of the city, in the early hours of the day, Melody hurried into the living room, a small bottle in her hand.

   "The fuck Lark!" She exclaims immediately she sighted him still curled up on the couch, lost once more in his dream land. "Will you get that ass off that couch instantly?! We've not seen or heard from Mia yet!" She hurries over and swats his back slightly.

   "Uh? Uhmm." Lark groaned in his sleep, slowly trying to open his eyes. 

   "Gosh, babeee!" Melody frowns and helps him sit up the couch. "So who asked you to take so much beer within a few minutes!" She sighed, removing the lid of the hangover drink in her hand. "Here!" She stretched the small bottle to him and Lark immediately downed the content.

   "I'm sorry." He said immediately he was done as he wiped his mouth and stared apologetically at his girlfriend. "I must have stressed you a lot. No updates about Mia yet? Where's Lyric, Clarion and Marimba?" Lark asked as he glanced around the living room, still feeling a bit dazed and wobbly.

   "Hey blockhead, you're finally awake I see." Someone chuckled and Lark glanced sideways to find Lyric walking in the living room from the kitchen.

   "It's you Ric." Lark smiled. "For how long was I out?" He asked as he let Melody retrieve the now empty hangover drink bottle in his hand. 

    Lyric walked over to them with his hands in his shorts pocket. "Not for long I guess. You have no idea how much stress you caused I and Mel when you fell asleep at the club." 

   "Tell me about it." Melody sighed and walked past her identical twin, Lyric and into the kitchen.

   "What to do bro? Seems she's really upset." Lark stood up from the couch as he stared after Melody's retreating figure.

   "Upset?" Lyric shakes his head and smiled at Lark. "Of course she's upset but not because of you. She's worried about Mia's whereabout."

   "Oh right! Speaking of which, can't we check with her home? Probably she's there." Lark suggested yawningly.

   "I thought of that too but Clarion insisted on not doing so and causing her grandfather to worry. Him and Marimba went to check with people at the club but..."

   "They'd be here soon I guess." Lark said and before Lyric could say anything, the entrance door of the villa opened and a tall, broad shouldered blond-haired handsome young man with sea blue eyes, walked inside, looking so worried and exhausted.

   The friends hurried to him immediately they saw him.

   "Clarion." Lark said. "Were you able to find her?" He asked.

   The blond haired shook his head in the negative. "I couldn't find her. I've checked around with people at the club but no one seems to know what's up. Someone said she suddenly ran out after a call." He explained.

   "This is serious. We have to check with her family then." Lyric stated the obvious, now pushing his hands through his long, dark brown hair.

   "I agree." Lark said. "Where's Marimba?" He asked on noticing the absence of their eldest friend.

   "I left him at the club. He's still trying to trace her whereabouts." Clarion sighs. "If only her guards were with her." He added.

   "We should call Grandfather Mattio right? Clarion is best familiar with her family so I suggest he calls him. Or better still we could contact Butler Hale or Madame Xara." Lyric suggested.

   "You guys don't worry. I would..." Clarion was saying.

   "Hold on guys!" They all paused as they turned to stare at Melody as she hurried to them in a panicky state. "Mia is...Grandfather Mattio is..." Melody stuttered as she struggled between words in her panic. She pointed desperately towards the phone in her hand and Lyric on noticing his sister's panicky state, retrieved her phone from her and glanced through it. 

   "Goodness!" He exclaims with widened eyes. "Chairman Mattio Stewart is dead!" Lyric announced to the shock of the others.

   For several seconds, the group of friends all stared with shock at Melody's phone, all unable to utter a word as they all tried to process the fact.

   The Helmsman of the Stewarts was familiar to them all as an energetic, kind and healthy elderly man. How and why did he suddenly die?

   He was Mia's only family. He was everything to Mia and they knew that too well. He meant more than the five of them could ever be to her. But now, he was suddenly dead and on the night when they invited her to hang out with them. How horrible she must feel.

   "Mia..." Melody gasps as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Poor Mia." She collapsed to the floor in tears.

   Lyric pushes his hands through his hair several times as guilt overwhelmed him. He shouldn't have insisted Mia come to the party with them. If only he had known.

   Lark sighs and knelt down beside Melody as he tries to console her. He was completely out of his dazed state now.

    "Mia I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Clarion said as he instantly turned on his heels and ran out of the villa.

____

Presently...

MIA'S POV

   I couldn't help but feel a little at ease in Clarion's warm and comforting embrace.

   He's someone who understands and knows me more than I even know myself. We've been friends ever since we were kids.

   At the tender age of five when I had lost both of my parents in an accident, was when I met Clarion.  His parents were close acquaintances with grandfather so they had come with him__their last son, to pay their condolences. Clarion had found me at this same spot eighteen years ago. And in his own ways, he had comforted me.

   I moved in with grandfather since that time and grandfather had enrolled me in the same school as Clarion.

   We attended the same schools ever since then and became best of friends. We even graduated from the same highschool and moved on to same university where we met our other friends; Lark, Lyric and his twin sister, Melody. We've known Marimba since junior high. 

   And together, after University, we all bought a villa and lived together most times as a family. 

   Amongst all my friends, Clarion holds the most special place in my heart. He's someone I've had a crush on for over seven years now but I don't think he knows. I've never mentioned it to him before and I don't think I would. We're good being friends as it is. Besides, what good would it bring confessing my feelings when grandfather already planned my future so well before his death?

   "Thank you Clarion." I sniffed as he pat my back gently. 

   "Don't thank me, Mia. This is nothing. I apologize, I shouldn't have let you come with us to the club yesternight." He said apologetically. 

   "It's not your fault. You shouldn't apologize or blame yourself over it." I said, patting his back reassuringly.

   It's not his fault but grandfather's. He never wanted me to find out about his illness. 

   I should tell Clarion about Grandfather's will and Riley and Aunt Meredith's disrespect. 

No, I have to meet Aziz Garrett first. I have to believe he didn't mean what he said earlier.

   "The others are here, Mia. Would you come with me to bring them in or should I go bring them here?" Clarion suddenly asked as he released me, letting his hands rest on my shoulder blades.

   I wiped my eyes and nod at him. "You can bring them here." I said.

   I'm not sure I want to meet Riley or her mom or anyone else now. Not even Xara. At least she could have given me a hint but she didn't. She's such a faithful follower of my late grandfather's orders.

   I raised my gaze and my eyes caught a familiar pair of eyes staring sadly at me.

   The person bowed slightly on catching my gaze.