Faithless Ch 1

Faith watched the boy she loathed take his final steps out of her life with a secret grin. She was finally free of that evil jerk that she pretended to love and his god awful family. Although she didn't manage to complete her plan she was glad to be rid of him anyway. She had spent the last four years of her life living a lie and keeping secrets, but she was pleased with herself. It took all her self control and cunning to make Darrel think she fancied him or even remotely like him. The awful moment she saw his pointed face she knew who he was and who his family were and even the kind of person he would turn out to be. It was bad enough that he was there but Mr Kevin Church was another matter.
Faith's eyes burnt with hate everytime she set foot in his classroom, he hadn't changed much from the first time she had to misfortune to meet him, which was eleven years previously. To think he wasn't hanged or locked up made Faith uneasy and sick to the stomach, but knowing he was nearby and free aswell as teaching at a school made her more angry than words could describe.
Faith picked up her school bag from her desk, her black hair catching the light as she did so. Taking her final steps out of the school and her academy education was over. Her life was about to change for the better. At least that's what Faith hoped...
"I truely think that this is the happiest moment of your life Miss Cauldwell," hissed a man with long brown hair which was sweeped up into a ponytail from behind her. "But then again that wouldn't take much now would it?" He chucked quietly at his personal dig.
Faith turned around glaring at Mr Church but glad to think that this might be the last time to see that taut pale face, at least with a smirk on it." Really? Why would that be?" she smiled sweetly back, her face smiling, her soul growing with hatred. Her grey blue eyes ablaze which usually happened around Mr Church and Darrel but with everyone else they ran like cold water with pain and sorrow. Her eyes hadn't gleamed with happiness for many years and Faith knew they wouldn't until she had got her revenge for the horrible past she suffered.
"You are leaving school forever, I fear. At least that is what I've been told," he taunted, pretending to look sad.
"As a matter of fact I am. Not that it has anything to do with you," she repiled whipping around to turn her back on him for good.
"Also I believe that the young Mr King has invited you around for dinner during the summer." Faith looked over her shoulder at him in deep thought trying to read his face.
"That's the first I've heard of it," she said in a tone just above a whisper.
"Really? Oh, well then...Perhaps Darrel has finally seen sense afterall. I guess he has finally realised how bad you are for him or maybe my Megan has helped him change his mind about you. Megan always had a soft spot for him.Or maybe he has realised that you are a sceaming little liar who only thinks about herself," he nastily bit at her, a cheshire cat smile spreading on his face while waiting for a reaction.
"Nice to know what you think of me sir. These past few years I have been wondering. Well, you are quite correct about this being the most happiest moment of my life. Knowing that I won't see you again is a very happy prospect and an extremely great advantage to leaving school behind," she said as sweetly as she always did.
"Also a great excuse for not seeing young Darrel again too," he slyly snuck in. A large pause followed, Faith unwilling to admit the truth to a creep like Mr Kevin Church. "I knew it. I knew you hated Darrel. He looks the spitting image of his father. How could you like him, you have been plotting his father's and my life for years. Haven't you?" His menacing growl exhaling hot breath on her as he trapped Faith between him and the wall behind her.
"Plotting? Why would I be plotting anyone's death?" She repiled coolly, knowing full well why.
"Don't act clever. You know full well why. I see through your mask and your acts. I know you remember even after all these long years. You would do anything for the revenge you crave and use anyone for it. I'd watch my back if I were you and be very careful in future. It's not safe for silly little girls like you. The solution doesn't care for your... enchantment on poor Darrel. He isn't yours to influence anymore."
"He has joined them, then?" Her smile slacked, she was right all along. He was one of them now, just like the rest of his facist family and friends. She knew it was bound to happen but it still sickened her to think anyone would join that blood thirsty organisation.
"Hadn't you better hurry along home. We don't want your mother to worry- then again, she never does. Maybe if two member of your family die for this cause she'll realise what a mess she made her life and begin to realise like everyone else, just how better off the world would be with a powerful Leader." He smiled threatening above her.
"I didn't ask for a politics session sir- I'm not one for propaganda and empty promises. However, I do know one thing. The Solution will never run this country, especially not if I can help it.
"It will happen one day and you'll be sorry when it does,"he sneered, pushing the wall away and letting her go. Faith walked briskly away wishing him ill and in bitter rememberence of him and Mr King ruining her family.Her mother was far from perfect but she did try when she wasn't too drunk. Food was occasionally provided if Faith had done the weekly shop but they rarely had a pleasant conversation- infact Faith was often ignored.
Faith let herself in the house and leant against the door in despair of her terrible day. She loudly sighed, rubbed her face and shook off remainder of the day. She was about to climb the stairs when she unexpectly noticed there was a letter left for her on the mantlepiece. Her anger bubbled up inside her like a steam kettle when she recognized the bold handwriting. She opened resentingly the gold leave decorated addressed to her.
Dearest Faith,
I wish to have the honour of having your company at my manor at seven o'clock on Sunday Evening. It will
be a semi-formal affair for you to meet my parents and I have something to discuss with you also. I'm not sure on how you
will react to it but I need to tell you as I don't ever want to lose you. I care too much about you to let you go. I trust you
shall come and I hope to hear you before Sunday.
With love forever and always
Darrel King

'Me? Go to the manor? I do not think so! I can't believe her even had the nerve to ask after the fight we had today. Dimwit. A bulldozer couldn't of been more clearer. I told him that me leaving school meant us being unable to be with each other. I had to fake tears to prove I was being serious. How many times did I repeat that it was over? It might as well of been tattooed across my forehead.' She ranted in her thoughts, slowly stepping up the stairs re-reading the invitation appalled.
'A secret. Well, it's never been a secret that he would join The Solution. How could he not with the 'Leader' as his father- Not that he knows that I know about his father of course.I am surprised Mr King hasn't banned Darrel form seeing me, never would I have of expected to be invited to the manor. Mr King has to know who I am surely. Mr Church was bound to let him know about me, being Darrel's favourite teacher and Mr King's right arm, he would be expected to. Darrel actually expects me to go to the manor- How can I with a murderer? Lying to Darrel is one thing, but lying to Mr King is a death wish.'
' 'With love forever and always'- Even more soppy than usual. I can't believe how easy it was to trick him. So easy making him fall in love with me, even although he knew he was arranged to be married. The whole school knew that he was arranged to marry Megan ever since they were infants. Gosh, he lied to me about that for so long. Megan, however, loved to put me right. I'm not surprised she is not complaining about the arrangement afterall his family is the most powerful and richest family in the country. It of course helped that she actually had always fancied him.' Faith then realised that after all her years of planning to go to Darrel's house with a mind set to hurt or even kill was not what he actually wanted at all.
A smallish lady with streaks of grey in her sandy hair and an empty bottle of wine in her hand, came into the room. "Who is that letter from? A boy? The boy who called here eariler?" She croaked at the bottom of the stairs while Faith was at the top.Faith looked at the envelope and saw no stamp nor house address. "Must of been," she replied not loong her ie the eye but coming down the stairs.
"He looked like..." her voice went hoarse."Who was he?" She suddnely snapped. Faith looked away."What did the letter say?"
"Nothing"
"He came in a limozine. Was the letter important? Let me see it," she paused after each short sentence, stumbling towards Faith who had sat down on the lumpy sofa, gripping the letter out of her eeach. "What does it say?" she slurred. She drunkenly fell to the floor, laughed then picked up another bottle which was almost empty that she had stacked away under the coffee table. Faith stood up to leave just as the phone rang.
Faith answered the phone, stepping over her mother to the other side of the room. "Hello?"
"Hey Faith. Did you get my letter?" asked the cheerful Darrel.
"Yes. I did," she said pausing at the sound of Darrel's voice.
"Are you able to come then?"
"I'm not coming Darrel," she sighed.
"Why? What do you have arranged more important than meeting your boyfriend's parents for the first time?"
"Darrel not this again. We have been over and over this. We are over."
"You don't mean that," he repiled very coolly.
"I do. I always mean what I say," Faith retorted pointedly.
"You've got to come. I need to see you."
"I don't have to do anything I don't want to do."
"You can't just shun me completely. I love you... don't you love me?" Faith didn't answer and watched her mum head upsatirs to her room." You know don't you?" He muttered.
"Know what?"
"About my father." A chill ran up Faith's spine." The things he has done."
"I've known for a while now," she said trying not to scream at him.
"Have you told anyone?" He demanded.
"What proof would I have if I did? Noone would believe me."
"When did you find out?"
"That doesn't matter Darrel. I just want you to leave me alone."
"You know I can't do that. You have to promise to come on Sunday."
"Not going to happen Darrel. Goodbye," she slammed the phone down.
Faith didn't really know why she didn't want to go to Darrel's house so bad, but guessed it was fear. Fear of her plan going right and fear of it going wrong. Four possible outcomes came to Faith's mind. Kill Mr King and be arrested, fail to kill Mr King and be killed herself, go to the manor and do nothing but sit and think about it or stay at home and never get revenge.
Faith wnet upstairs to check on her mother. Another blackout by alcohol. Jill Cauldwell's life was focused soley on alcohol. She was only ever happy when drunk, which didn't last very long, and getting drunk was a daily occurance. She began each day with a strong drink, then forced herself to act like a mother, shove another bottle down her throat, refusing to accept she was an alcoholic, drink some more, act like an idiot then drink until she passed out. Then the next day would start and end just the same all over again. If it wasn't for the widow's pension and the children's benefit there wouldn't be any money for food, bills and clothes. All of Jill Cauldwell's personal savings was spent on drink alone, it was all she thought life was worth living for.
Faith grabbed all the empty bottles and put them in the recycling bin with the whole week's collection over flowing the bins. She hadn't the energy to bother her mother with a heated arguement about AA meetings and her problem. She had tried that already, when she first realised what her mum really was- an alcoholic first, a mother second. That was when she first blacked out in front of Faith- she was seven. Faith was sixteen now and felt grown up, bitter and unloved. Her family had given up on helping Faith and her mum soon after, leaving Faith who had refused to leave her mum, leaving seven year old Faith to deal with it on her own. Faith's childhood had to vanish and she hated her mum for never changing for her.
The phone rang once again and Faith slowly picked it up. She didn't need Caller ID to know who it would be.
"Yes," she said tersally.
"Please come on Sunday."
"No."
"I have something important to tell you. You have to come."
"I don't want to know Darrel."
"We have been together for four years and now you don't want to know? I don't understand Faith. You break up with me on the last week of school after four years of us being the perfect couple, always talking and always together. I love you so much, I can't bare to be without you. Don't you love me Faith? Is this to do with my father? He wouldn't do anything to you, I promise. I wouldn't let him. Is that what this is?"
She laughed silently to herself bitterly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'm not coming Darrel."
"What have I done to deserve this? I'm not my father."
"I never said you were," she snapped.
"Okay. Answer me this. Are you not coming to my house because you can't or won't?" Faith's thoughts were in a blur ' what kind of question is that?' However before Faith could explain what a stupid question that was."I'll send a car to pick you up. I'll see you on Sunday." The dial tone rang out and Faith's heart dropped.