More Than A Maid

Bella’s POV

“Do you live in Peter’s house then?” Francisco asked me.

I was dumbfounded for a while.

“Bella” She called out my name.

“Yes I am…” I stuttered..”I am living with Peter” I finally confessed.

“What? you know, I sort of had that hunch but I never want to believe..” She said but I looked at my feet, kinda panicking.

“Why are you living with him?” She questioned me… I began to bit my finger but before I could say a word, she blurted; “Wait! Couple’s life?”

“No Francisca” I muttered

“Yes, you guys are of course; no couple. If you live with Peter, then why won’t you…”

“Francisca, keep it a secret please. Jeez! I don’t have the nerves to tell everyone yet”

“What secret? What don’t you have the nerves to people? Is it that you and Peter are living a couple’s life whenever his parents are absent?” She said again.

“No, no..” I shook my head.

“Then what…”

“I…. I am Peter’s housemaid” I finally confessed to her.

“What?” She exclaimed, covering her mouth.

“I am sorry for lying to you all along” I apologised.

“C’mon on Bella, you are joking”

” I am not. His… his parents are sponsoring my education in return” I said solemnly and she opened her mouth wider in a awe.

“Monica is aware that I am Peter’s maid, so she is using that to threaten me and I don’t know what to do.. yet, I am very scared” I confided in her.

“That winch!” Francisca retorted.

“Are.. are you not mad at me that I lied to you?” I asked her.

“Hmmn…” She hummed.

“I should have been like you, I should have stayed true to myself from the onset” I lamented.

“Well we all have circumstances we do face and faking could be the only way we can get out of it. I understand your plight Bella” She said.

But faking didn’t get me out of it…

Then the bus arrived!

“The bus is here” She said, holding me then we entered the bus together.

The bus waited for some minutes for other students which I didn’t realise earlier that they were near us.

We didn’t say anything as the bus moved… But soon, I had to alight before Francisca.

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“Can you tell me already what’s wrong with you?” Peter asked as soon as I entered the house. Looks like he was waiting for my arrival.

“Noth…” He cut me off..

“Don’t tell me nothing. You kept avoiding me in school, making me feel like I have done you wrong somewhere without even knowing. I am sorry if I have..” Peter voiced. Honestly, I felt sorry for putting him into that position.

“I am sorry too” I muttered.

“What do you mean by you are sorry Bella? Just spill it out already, why have you been avoiding me?”

“Because… Monica…”

He interrupted me.

“I said she is not my girlfriend!” He said.

“I know!” I hollared… I now get uncomfortable whenever he mentions that word ‘girlfriend’.

He kept mute..

“She is threatening me” I muttered coldly.

Although I know it all started because I was beginning to like him and I thought I needed a little bit space between us so as to kill the inevitable feelings.. But then, Monica came over to me with her own threat.

“What did Monica say to you Bella?” He asked me, I stayed mute for a while.

“Nevermind. We are good now” I said wanting to move away but he obstructed me.

“We are good now? Meaning you won’t talk to me whenever we are in school?” He asked me.

“I don’t know Peter” I shrugged then find my way to walk away from him..

“I’ll go cook something for us to eat now” I told him.

**

Later in the evening;

“Hey Bella” Peter knocked on my door.

Ever since we’ve eaten, I’ve been indoors; lying to myself that I was reading a book ~ meanwhile I paid no attention to the book.

“Can I come in?” He asked.

“It’s your place, should I be blocking your ways?” I asked him instead..

“Oh!” He pushed my door slightly as he walked in.

“How are you?” He asked me..

“No, that’s not why you are here. What is it again Peter?” I asked him; like I really gat the nerves to speak to him this way.. Well, he grinned as he sat down a chair then he faced me properly.

“Don’t be angry about what I wanna say” He said but I shot him a cold stare; wondering what he wants to say.

“You think I like Monica right?” He finally resumed.

“So this is why you are here” I said.

“No, yes… I mean I just wanna clear things here”

“And I already told you that I believe that there is nothing between you and her. Why do I even care? And why are you so bothered?”

“Yeah, uhm.. you are right” He stopped grinning m “I just want to let you know that… I like Monica, only as a friend… i don’t know what she must have told you though but disregard anything she said including avoiding me”

“I was suppose to like avoid you forever and let it stay between a maid and a master. Monica told me to avoid you yet i made up my mind to only snub you while we’re are school.  You should be fine with that Peter” I spoke seriously.

“No Bella, It’s already affecting us even at home. I’m not comfortable with you not talking to me Bella!” He voiced out yet it sounds kinda sympathetic.

“But that’s the best for me Peter. Why won’t you just accept it that way?” I didn’t know how my eyes became teary too. Peter’s right.”Why?”

“Because I like you Bella” He said.. and I looked at him shockingly…:” And… and I really miss joking around with you” He added.

“You… you like me?” I stammered.

“Yeah, I know my parents employed you to work as my housemaid but I still don’t know how the feelings grew of maybe the silent treatment made me realize that I do like you… And I almost couldn’t stop thinking about you especially in school today” He said..

“I didn’t believe my ears, I shrugged like what he just said didn’t get to me.

“Well…” I cleared my throat a bit; “Monica likes you and.. and you both have been very close since when you were little”I avoided stammering but it’s not easy. Action is faster than words!

Peter likes me?!

” Yeah… Wait Bella… I thought you might feel the same way” He asked and I was shocked.

“You were sort of bothered about my girlfriend, which I didn’t have, so I thought you liked me” He added.

I looked at him, almost enchanted by his glance but I backed out quickly and coughed loudly.

“What on earth Peter, I am your housemaid!” I reminded him.

“Not just an housemaid, you are not even an actual housemaid. Bella you are my teacher yet my classmate, my friend, boredom killer and you know it” He rushed his words and I read his lips… inside of me I was nervous, yet I cut him off and lied;

“Fine! Fine… I’ll pretend I don’t know what you are talking about but one thing I know is that; I don’t like you too” I blurted.

“Okay” He sighed. “Will you forget I said this to you?” I nodded my head slowly.

“Yes! I finally had the chance to talk to you!!” He stood up and suddenly busted; smiling widely.. and I hissed a little.

“But pls don’t avoid me again..” He pleaded.

“Okay…” I wasn’t in my right sense at that moment, so I didn’t know when the ‘Okay’ word spilled out of mouth.

Did he just confess to me that he likes me and took back those words quickly? I don’t know if it’s because I blurtly lied to him that the feeling is not mutual or did he say he likes me because he was tryna get my attention?

I looked at him nervously, he did show any sign that he was serious with his initial words.

“I’m glad that we are really good now. I’ll leave you to continue with what you were doing” He said as he walked out of my room..

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