Chapter
3
Antonia
laid awake that night going over everything Luke has said to her, she thought
about the training she would receive from him and what he himself would be like
once they started training, would he be mean or would he be strict but firm or
something entirely different, she didn't know. The next morning after not
sleeping at all, she got ready for work and went into the kitchen for
breakfast,
"Morning
darling" Jasmine was buttering some toast
"Morning
Mum" Antonia took a bowl out of the cupboard and poured some cereal into
it,
"Did
you sleep well" Jasmine asked
"Not
really you"
"On
and off" they both sat down to eat their breakfast. Antonia headed out to
work straight afterwards. Fifi was waiting for her outside,
"Oh
god what do you want" Antonia said when she saw her,
"Good
morning Fifi would have been a bit better you know" Fifi replied
"Why
you're no one special"
"I'm
the Vice-Chancellor's daughter, of course I'm special"
"No
you're not" Antonia had kept walking"
"Anyway
I will be even more special once I'm married to Luke Homestead, Daddy said he's
going to arrange it"
"Why
would anyone want to marry a brat like you Fifi"
"I
am not a brat" Fifi shouted
"Yes
you are, living off Daddy's money and sitting on your arse all day long with
people running around after you, Daddy buying your everything you want. To be
honest Fifi, Luke doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who would marry someone
like you" Antonia turned to walk away
"It's
not like he's going to marry you is it, one of the poorest people on the
planet, shame your Dad can't be around to tell you it's all going to be
alright, after all he deserves what he got"
"Shut
up Fifi, you have no idea what my family's been through"
"Still
your Father was stupid enough to go out there alone"
"He
was doing his job, to make sure those monsters didn't leave the planet. Goodbye
Fifi" Antonia turned a corner and disappeared out of sight.
"She
actually said that" Layton, Antonia's colleague said as they were putting
out a delivery. Antonia had just finished telling Layton about Fifi's desire to
marry Luke
"Yep
her Father is going to arrange it apparently" Antonia broke down a box she
had just emptied,
"No
way would Luke Homestead marry Fifi not in a million years"
"That's
true. She seems so certain it's going to happen, I don't know who would want to
marry her anyway, I've even told her that" Antonia opened another box
"Good
for you, someone's got to tell it to her straight. Anyway my brother told me
Luke would never marry her, he thinks she's a bitch"
"How
does your brother know Luke" Antonia asked stunned
"He's
in the AMF and he works very closely with the Special Agents Service"
Layton told her,
"Ah
I see"
"He
told me that Luke told him he wants to marry for love"
"Well
why shouldn't he, everyone else does"
"Hurry
up you two I need that delivery out by the time the store gets busy" their
manager shouted as he walked by
"Yes
sir" they both replied
"Where
did the idea of a department store come from" Layton asked
"Planet
Earth, the Earthlings have loads there, I learnt about one in school, House for
Frasers or something like that, very popular on their planet" Antonia told
her. They continued to put out the delivery.
"Not
in a million years" Luke told his father
"Come
on son, she'll be perfect for you" President Homestead told his
"No
she won't, she's a bitch, didn't you see what she did to Antonia Birch
yesterday"
"What,
Major Birch's daughter"
"I
think so, I'm not sure we didn't talk about her family much, all I did was make
sure she was alright and found out Fifi bullied her in school" Luke sat on
the sofa in his father's office
"Look
Luke, Fifi is a great match, she is of Nobility and available and really,
really beautiful"
"I
don't care how beautiful she is, I'm not marrying her, I'm not marrying anyone
unless I'm in love" Luke said
"Ok,
fine you don't have to marry Fifi, besides I didn't like the way she behaved at
the last banquet. But whoever you end up marrying has to be of nobility.."
"Why,
why does she, why can't I marry who I want, why do I have to be so
limited" Luke snapped
"Because
it's tradition and it has been for over five thousand year probably even
more" President Homestead told his son,
"Well
some traditions need to change, I don't care if a womans of nobility or not, I
will marry who I want, who I end up falling in love with" Luke stormed out
of the room. President Homestead sighed and sat on a chair exhausted from the
same convocation he always had with his son,
"Why
won't he listen" he said to himself,
"Maybe
because he's right" Seraphina said standing at the door
"Seffie,
your taking his side"
"Yes
I am. You can't help feelings Arnold, remember what happened with your great,
great, great grandfather" She sat down next to her husband "Arnold,
he hated his marriage because he was married to a woman he didn't love and
unwilling to consummate the marriage, if he wasn't told about the Pearson's your
great, great grandmother wouldn't have been born and you, Luke and Crystal wouldn't
be here"
"I
know but it's tradition and the law" President Homestead told his wife
"Until
you pass, then Luke will have the power to change it"
"Then
he can do what he wants until then the law stays the same" President
Homestead stood up and walked to his desk,
"And
let your son be miserable until then, no one knows how long it will be. Are you
really willing to let your son be miserable for the rest of your life
Arnold" Seraphina had stood up angry at her husband
"No"
President Homestead shouted "No" he said calmer "I want him to
be happy Seffie"
"Then
think about changing the law. I know he will choose well" and she left her
husband in peace.
Luke
lied on his bed looking through the Arazonian Internet System on a device called
Arie Techno 395, all it was, was a little keypad half the size of a mini Ipad
that projected hologram screens into the air. He was looking at abandoned
buildings so he could teach Antonia to use and control her powers properly, but
everywhere he could find would expose her,
"This
is stupid, there has got to be somewhere" he said to himself, there as a
knock at the door "What" he said and Crystal walked in
"Why
are you looking at abandoned buildings" she asked
"No
reason"
"Not
anything to do with that gifted girl is it"
"How
do you know about that" Luke shot up
"I
saw you with her by the tree next to the Old Shally Steam, I've never seen a
gifted female before, what's she like" Crystal asked
"She's
nice, I don't really know her that well but I said I would help her control her
power, I just need to find somewhere she won't be exposed" Luke continued
to look through pages on the internet
"There's
an abandoned warehouse on the Aztec Estate, no one's used it in years, the
windows are very high and thin so they should be easy to cover, and it's not
too close to anyone so no one should get hurt if something goes wrong or
suspicious; I heard you argue with Dad again"
"Don't
bother Crystal, I'm not marrying Fifi or any other snotty, bitchy, Noble woman" Luke told her
"I
know, I was going to say I agree with you, it's time that stupid law was
changed, especially after hearing what happened to granddad Nod. I don't
want you to be unhappy like he was"
"Thanks
Crystal" Luke smiled at his sister
"I'll
keep your secrets safe, I won't tell anyone about your gifted girl" she
got up and left the room. Luke reached for his phone and a piece of paper with
Antonia's number on it. He dialled it and held the phone in front of him, as
she answered a little hologram of her head appeared
"Luke
Hi" she said as his hologram showed on her phone
"Hi
Antonia, is this a bad time" he asked
"No,
not at all, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon" Antonia replied
with the biggest smile on her face
"Well
I just wanted to tell you I may have found us a place to train, I'm going to
check it out tomorrow and I will call with an update" Luke told her
"That's
great, I look forwards to hearing from you again, oh I've got to go my Mum's
just got back"
"Ok
can I call you tomorrow" Luke asked
"Sure, but after 9pm, I'll speak to you tomorrow.
Bye"
"Bye
Antonia" Luke hung up. He lied back on his bed smiling.
