Ella's POV.

"In a fight, the most important thing isn't the attack but to prepare yourself mentally and physically," Dad explained. "What you'll prepare, will help you win and to survive. In a fight, do not focus on just attacking, focus on your own self-defence. The most important thing isn't violence. It is to protect yourself. If you cannot protect your own self, how can you protect the empire?" He lectured me as I threw a kick on the punching bag.

"Steady your legs, stabilize your position and put forward your weight. Kick that bag with all your might." 

I nodded and did as dad said. After almost a week's rest, I was back to training. Today I learned basic moves about self-defence including elbow-strike, heel palm strike, and escaping through a hold trap. Now I was practicing my kick. I huffed and threw another one of my kick. My chest rising and falling rapidly by my fast breathing. 

"Higher," he ordered. I tried to lift my kick higher but lost my balance and fell on the floor. I was huffing badly and sweat beads were streaming down my face and my whole body.

"Start again but this time, kick me," Dad said and got up from his chair. "Fight with me."

"What?" I looked at him, shocked. "I can't. You are the best fighter in our mafia world. I don't stand a chance against you." I backed away. I could never fight him. He was famous in the entire mafia world for his fighting. He had never lost a fight.

"Princess, don't worry, I'll teach you. It won't hurt. I'm your father. I won't ever hurt you," he assured me. He was right. My father would never hurt me. I nodded and stepped forward.

"Threw a punch or a kick at me when you'll be ready and remember, it should be a sudden attack," he explained and I nodded. I was ready in my fighting position while my dad was standing casually.

I started with the kick. I swing my right leg ready to kick him. I didn't target for anything, I just kicked. At the last second, he stopped my kick by grabbing my leg. I gasped but I didn't stop. I threw a punch towards dad's face and he dodged it with such ease. While my one leg was in his hand, I threw punches at him one by one but he dodged it so easily. He let go of my leg and this time, I swing my left leg to attack him followed by a punch but he dodged it and grabbed my punch. I was trying my best while my dad looked so calm. He didn't even move an inch. I was surprised to see how good my dad was. I admit I wasn't actually the best but still I tried my best but I wasn't even able to touch a single strand of his hair.

I slumped on the floor, trying to breathe. Dad sat back on his seat and started explaining, "Always look in the eyes of the opponent. You can predict their next move through them. See it in a moment and act in a second. You won't have time to wait. Wait and you'll die. Fighting is all about mastering the weakness of your opponent in seconds," he paused, "One rule to survive in our world is to never let others see your weaknesses. You must hide your weakness like I'm hiding mine. You know you and your mother are my one and only weakness. I must train you to defend your own self. I must train you so hard that you would no longer be my weakness but my strength."

I listened to him carefully as he continued. "Ellen! My sweetheart, my princess, you are my only child and you are the heiress of this empire. You must become me. Even better than me." He smiled.

Although he smiled, but I did know whenever he called me by my birth name, it meant his words weren't just some words but a vow. It was an order, a determined purpose. I was their only child. If I had a brother, then my brother would have been the one going through all of this. I was the only child that was born. My mother wasn't able to conceive later and I had no idea why. My parents were happy just by having me so it was enough for them. I guess this was my fate.

"Dad! Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Dad! Why don't I have any siblings? It would have been nice to have a brother. Don't you think?" I asked with a slight smile. At once, a flash of deep emotions flashed through my dad's eyes. I felt his brown eyes turning dark and then his jaws clenched. I sensed a wave of anger, grief, and a new thing flash through his eyes. He didn't answer. He stayed quiet while his jaw twitched a bit. I had no idea what was going through his mind but whatever it was, it seemed hurtful, a lot painful. I wondered what could have happened?

"Dad?"

"We.... we were happy to just... to just have you, princess," he whispered then he smiled. But that smile wasn't the one from his heart, it was a fake one that didn't reach his eyes. It was a hollow one. I wanted to ask more but decided to stay silent, afraid that this might hurt him.

"I think it's enough for today. You are excused," Dad said and I slightly nodded. I got up and went straight to my room. During this whole time, my mind trying to figure out what I saw in my dad's eyes. It felt like there was some dark secret lying behind them. It felt like there was more to this story. I guess, my entire presence and my whole life events were full of twisted secrets, dark and deep secrets. Would I ever be able to unravel them?

****

I was sitting at the bench under the tree in the school's ground. The cool breeze was blowing and the leaves of the trees rustling, making me feel at ease. I wanted to clear my mind from all the thoughts that my mind was constantly drifting to. The morning talk with my dad was still bugging me, making me to wonder.

I decided to sit in a cool breeze, hoping it would clear up my head. I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes enjoying the feeling of the cold breeze on my skin. I smiled as the cool breeze came in contact with my face, relaxing my nerves. I loved the sound of the wind, the leaves rustling and the smell of flowers that the wind would bring along.

So soothing! So comfortable!

"You're here! And I have been finding you like crazy," I jolted and opened my eyes to see Xaiden standing right in front of me.

"Ah! Hi?" It came out much like a question and he chuckled.

He sat beside me and the scenes of him helping me back then, came back in my mind. It was the same bench, the same place where he held my hand, told me he won't be leaving me, not yet, and somehow I ended up in his arms. My heart accelerated remembering it. After that, when he called me because he was concerned, I felt happy. Deep down in my heart, I loved it. It felt so special. I felt so special. Special to him.

Every time, this thought would make my mind to go crazy, my heart to pound harder, and my cheeks to warm up as I would start to grin like a lovesick teenager.

No offence! I was a teenager. But lovesick? Nah!

Or

Yeah?

No! No! No! No!

I believed it was just the mere attraction that two people from the opposite gender feel. It didn't mean I was in love. This mere thought was unreasonable.

"Yep! Its nothing, my own foolishness and crazy thoughts," I mumbled and chuckled at my insanity.

"What?" He said and I quickly looked at him. I forgot he was sitting right beside me. Damn! Idiot! Idiot!

"Ah... Nothing." I smiled.

"Okay, So," he paused, "I was thinking. I mean just wondering... If... Just if..." He again paused and I rose my eyebrows. "I mean... Are we friends now?" He raked his hand through his hair and chuckled nervously. My eyes widened at his question, making me to think for a while. Should I? I mean, come on! What's wrong with me? I really wanted to be his friend. I knew I wanted it deep down but just not accepting it. And besides, what could possibly go wrong? It's not like we would end up falling in love. We were just becoming friends. I think it'd be good. I mean I'd get over this crazy attraction once I'd spend some time with him.

"Yes. We are." I smiled although deep down, I knew, I had no idea where this might end. 

"Thank God! You know how to scare the hell out of me!" He placed a hand on his chest and let out a sigh. I laughed at seeing him like this.

"Really?" I looked at him with a smile.

"Yeah! I mean who are you? I had always felt a mysterious aura around you. You... You seem like some kind of a mystery, and it's interesting, I mean." He rubbed the nape of his neck and chuckled again. My heart fastened up and my throat went dry.

A mystery? Maybe he was right. I was indeed a mystery. A mystery that no one knew of.

"I'll take it as a compliment." I swallowed up my fear and gave him a smile. We talked for a bit more and on hearing the bell, we both went to our next class that was of music. This time we didn't sit too far and he sat beside me like the very first day. Only that time, he was a stranger and now, a friend.

We shared a single piano and for the first time, I enjoyed it. In between the lessons, he would crack some crazy jokes, making me laugh. Twice we earned a glare from Miss Ruby, and I nudged him with my elbow to stop him. We became friends just some minutes ago and I was already enjoying his company.

Was this all too soon?

"Okay, class! Tomorrow we'll assign the groups for the assignments. Your assignment is to create your own music. You need to be creative, imaginative and unique in your own way. You will have to create a short song. You have to write lyrics, make up the tune, compose it and then add the spirit in it." She looked through the class with a smile. "You have to add the soul to your lyrics and above all, you have to write the song that suits the way you play. It should have that feeling, that sense of relaxation. The groups will be made tomorrow. You'll have a week's time to submit your assignment and the best one will be given the opportunity to get performed in the school's annual variety show." 

"It sure's gonna be hard!" Xaiden commented and I agreed. The bell rang and the class dismissed.

"I think it'll be fun." I headed out of the class, followed by him.

"And next time, don't tell crazy jokes and especially during class. You were just gonna get us in trouble!"

"But those jokes were quite good. Right?" He chuckled and I shook my head. "No. They were the worst!"

"What? That made you laugh. Liar! I knew they were amazing." He smiled showing his white teeth and lifted his head getting proud.

"Exactly. They made me laugh because they were the worst!" I teased him and stick out my tongue. He frowned and I let out a laugh. We were walking down the hallway and he stopped abruptly. I stopped as well looking at him, questioningly. "What happened?"

"Shoot! My class's the other way." He slapped his forehead, closing his eyes. I started laughing at him. "You are such an idiot," I said between laughs. His every expression was cute and funny.

"Ella! It's our first day of friendship and you had already made me lost my mind. Now I'm forgetting things. You are a really bad girl." He laughed and I glared at him but soon broke in soft chuckles.

"That's not my fault! Don't blame me." I retorted.

"Okay okay miss. It's all my fault. I'll see you later. Bye!" He turned around. But before turning, he gave me a wink and went the other way.

I didn't remember laughing this hard before. I didn't even remember when was the last time I felt this happy. With Jess and Sara, there was a different kind of fun but with him, it was a whole new level, a whole new experience, and a whole new feeling. He just managed to make me laugh and smile by his mere words.

I entered my next class and sat on my usual chair. My lips still holding a slight smile. My phone beeped and I looked at it to see a message from Xaiden.

"Hey! I reached my class! Thank god! I wasn't late."

"Good to know." I quickly texted. My lips still in a smile.

"Yeah! By the way, were my jokes that bad? :'("

I chuckled on reading his message and that cute sad emoji made my heart scream with aw.

"I was just kidding!" I replied and it wasn't a lie. I really enjoyed listening to his crazy jokes.

"Hahaha! Told ya! Well... You should smile often! It suits you. ;)"

My heart did a flip and thousands of butterflies invaded my stomach. What was with him sending me those smiley emojis? They were so simple but yet they were affecting me in a strange way. A blush crept up on my cheeks and I felt my body warm-up. It felt like I just had a fever, once again.

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