Chapter 20: A Worried Heart

Rakiza's tears streamed down her cheeks as she walked around slowly, looking at the destroyed garden of the castle when a dark shadow approached her on the balcony. The dark shadow was shaped into a tall man's features and was approaching Rakiza, and she froze and was ready to scream when a werewolf-formed shadow arrived and mixed up with the dark shadow of the guy, evidently fighting, and the growling and roaring was unbearable, causing Rakiza to scream, and she was gasping for air when she awoke and rose to sit on the bed.
It was already five o'clock in the morning.
"Rakiza, wake up!" Chin was yelling.
Rakiza was still gasping for breath and looked at Chin.
"Rakiza, relax. You're only having a horrible dream." Chin was at her side.
"They were fighting..." Rakiza whispered, soaked with sweat.
"Who is fighting Raki?"
"The... shadows were battling in my dreams... in the castle's balcony."
"What happened to you?"
"Oh my God, my laptop... have you seen my laptop, Chin?" She remembered her belongings.
"No, when you collapsed in front of the door, you were empty-handed."
Rakiza turned to Chin and stuttered, "I was writing in the small square when Theo arrived and decided to... Oh my God." Rakiza got up from her bed and exited the room.
"Raki, where are you going?" Chin was frightened and pursued Rakiza as she rushed to the ground floor. And a few minutes later, she strolled discreetly towards the woods, with her friends following her.
Muriel continued to shield her face from some shrubs' branches dripping with morning dew. "Where are we going?"
"I'm not sure." Rakiza was confused and was looking around alertly.
"Rakiza, what's the matter with you?" Muriel asked.
Rakiza came to a halt, looking for her laptop and other items, and saw it covered beneath a bushy section of the small square. "Thank you, Lord," she exclaimed as she took it and carried.
"What happened here, Rakiza?" Muriel saw damaged cement and benches in the plaza.
Some shrubs had been stamped on the ground, and younger trees had been cut and crushed.
"What happened to my beloved bench?" Chin wondered as she moved around it.
"We have to find him," Rakiza said, her face serious and frightened.
"Who are you looking for, Raki?" Her pals, perplexed, inquired.
Muriel came closer to Rakiza and said, "Tell us everything, don't hang us in confusion."
"We need to find Theo; I left him here the other night." Rakiza told her buddy about the whirlwind and the growling as if beasts were fighting, but not about the kiss she had had with Theo.
"What kind of beasts did you hear were battling Rakiza?" Chin inquired.
"They sounded like large creatures like monsters with wide mouths and growled like giant dogs or bears... and they were too huge to make this left over from the riot," she said, glancing around.
Later that day in school, Rakiza resolved to look for Theo after the art class. Theo was absent from the first and second subjects. And so Rakiza then went into the woods with Chin, to the spot where Theo posed for her.
"Theo looked hot half-naked in this area," Chin chuckled as she walked about.
"Did you know where he lived?" Rakiza enquired casually about Chin.
Chin replied, "I don't know, but I know who knew." I saw Theo with three of your classmates, one of whom was Alex. We might get some information from him.
Rakiza and Chin strolled through the lobby to the school's canteen after a few minutes. The lobby was packed with students waiting for the next session, and they saw Alex Moran smiling with his friends in the canteen. Alex was the son of a lawyer and was a bit pompous. As Rakiza and Chin approached the group, Alex smiled broadly at them.
"Hello, lovely," he said, glancing at Rakiza and adding, "Rakiza, you look magnificent today, Rakiza," he said, his eyes glowing.
"We're here to ask you just one question, Alex," Chin said.
"Whatever it is, shoot," he said as he continued to stare at Rakiza.
"Do you know where Theo lives?" Chin inquired immediately.
"What do I gain after revealing his address?" he asked, glancing at Rakiza.
Rakiza replied, "Ask, and it shall be provided."
"I'd like to have you as my date for the next "Carnival Celebration," Alex declared matter-of-factly. "You will be my partner throughout the entire week of celebration."
"What will become of Teri?" Chin.
"Don't worry about Teri; we split up last night," Alex said flatly. "Rakiza, can I have you as a date?"
"Okay, now tell me Theo's address," Rakiza was angered by Alex's request for the information.
The route to Theo's house was easy to find. The green house was a few meters away from the cottage and was secluded from the Sunrise Valley community.
Rakiza's heart skipped a beat as she wondered how Theo was doing following their previous meeting. And she needs to see him in person to feel at peace.
After climbing the final short slope, Theo's cottage appeared a few meters away. And the lovely flowers in the cultivated garden welcomed their gaze with open arms. Nature's scenery was stunning. As a backdrop, huge, tall mountains outlined in dark green lined up behind the lone cottage. The panoramic view was stunningly beautiful.
"Wow," Rakiza said quietly. She grew up in the city and rarely ventured out into nature. And Theo's cottage greeted her with open arms. She desired to stay in a location free of city congestion and annoyances. And the cool breeze eased their hearts and lungs.
Chin and Rakiza were both panting as they stood in front of the wooden cottage with seating tools outside. It was good to be posted. And inside the green house, which was the same size as the cottage, were green plants.
"Did you ever wonder why the green house is built of glass?" Chin asked Rakiza.
"You're the botanist here; offer me an answer."
"A green house should be made of glass to capture the sun's energy inside and keep the plants warm even in winter," Chin replied, smiling back at Rakiza.
"Chin, you should pursue your dream of becoming a botanist. Our environment requires a gifted botanist like you. But that's not why we're here. " Rakiza walked towards the ramp, tools for sitting spread out before the door. And she lightly knocked on the door.
After a few knocks, the door opened. A lovely lady appeared from the inside. "What can I do for you?" She smiled, but she wasn't friendly.
Rakiza was surprised to see a young woman in Theo's cottage. And she remembered her.
"What can I do for you, classmate?" Ajella inquired. "We’re classmates on some subjects, right?"
Rakiza regained her composure after being stunned and inquired, "Is this where Theo Monsanto lives?"
"Yes, this is his house."
"Are you Theo's sister?" Chin, who was listening from the ramp, asked.
"No. We aren't related. "
Rakiza frowned, feeling awkward at Ajella's reaction to a question. Rakiza remarked, in a slightly odd tone, "Okay, so you're not related and you still live together. I understand."
"What brings you here?" Ajella inquired once more.
"We have a project which Theo is my partner. And it should be submitted for our art project tomorrow morning. " She almost stammers at the lies she made up to avoid being thought of as a jealous friend.
"Well, Theo was sound asleep. I'll tell him you were here and remind him about the drawing you mentioned... what's your name again? " She frowned.
"Tell him Rakiza was here."
"And I’m Chin, his Chinese friend," she added, smiling.
"All right, I'll relay that info to Theo," she said, her gaze fixed on Rakiza, who had come to a halt at the brink of the ramp.
"Thank you, I think we should keep going," Rakiza said. As she began to walk away and turned to Chin, "Let's go, Chin," she said as she moved as fast as she could.
Chin understood what Rakiza meant and followed her as quickly as she could.
Rakiza came to a halt after passing the little hill leading to Theo Cottage.
Chin sensed her agitation and asked, "Raki, what's going on? You appeared agitated."
"I am, indeed. I'm terribly upset. "
"Whom are you angry with?"
Rakiza snarled at Theo, "What a fool I was, thinking he was injured when, in fact, he was having fun with that lady in his cottage."
"Are you jealous?" Chin inquired.
"No.! Rakiza sobbed, "I absolutely despise that man," she said.
"Rakiza, please tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for Theo Monsanto? " Chin said the words loudly and clearly.
Rakiza's eyes widened, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Are you madly in love with him?" Chin asked again, loudly and clearly.
"Who is madly in love with whom?" Theo trailed behind them, frowning and looking at Rakiza.