Ariana flipped through the pages happily. It was like she got a glimpse of the past. There were smiling faces, some candid shots, the bush folk sitting at the cafeteria and school events. Every page was fun and vivid. Whomever put the year book together had a wonderful imagination and presented everything so well.Ariana kept flipping pages then paused after she finished the club section. Her heart skipped a beat. She reached a section of the book were there where columns of tiny photos. Each photo had to be about two inches wide and three inches long. Headshots of everyone, starting with the first years all in alphabetical order. Names were listened underneath the photos but what made her heart skip a beat was a photo of a girl with black, curly hair. Her blue eyes looked so innocent and playful. Her face was young and sweet if there was no name underneath the photo Ariana wouldn"t have guessed it was her adoptive mother.
Ariana swallowed back saliva but it didn"t help her dry mouth. The name underneath was Zula Drake. She was looking through a year book that had Lady Zula in her first year at the Academy. Ariana"s mind started to race and she brought up her index finger to the names. She placed her trembling finger on the page and started to search. "She"ll be on the next page." Lady Zula whispered gently next to Ariana"s ear.
Ariana jumped out of her chair. As if she was caught doing something wrong. "I... I wasn"t looking for her." Ariana responded pitifully as she dropped her gaze to the floor. "But I wanted to show you her picture with the caption naming her Evangeline Gaurita." Lady Zula said with a small smile. "Why? I remember what she looks like." Ariana said as she lifted her gaze and locked eyes with her adoptive mother. "No you don"t get it. You need to see the photo then you will understand." Lady Zula said as she flipped the page for Ariana.
Lady Zula then scanned the pictures silently as Ariana"s heart pounded against her chest. With a sad smile Lady Zula found the picture and pointed towards it. "See, here she is." Lady Zula said as she urged Ariana to come closer with a small nod. Ariana couldn"t hold back her curiousity. She leaned forward and looked down. As her eyes spotted the picture, she felt her blood run ice cold.
"This is impossible." Ariana whispered. "So do you understand now?" Lady Zula said as she pulled back her finger and watched Ariana"s expression. "I, we, oh my G*d... We look so much a like that no one wouldn"t believe... Mom. Did Gregory ever met my mom?" Ariana asked as her eyes stayed glued to the picture. "Gregory is two years younger then me, so yes." Lady Zula replied.
Ariana"s lips started to tremble as she looked at the picture longer. Her heart was hurting so much. She could see the small differences between her biological mother and her but the shape of their face, eyes, nose and the colour of their hair was the exact same. Her biological mother"s was poker straight though. If anyone was to glance at Ariana with her wet hair they would have a.s.sumed they saw Evangeline"s ghost.
However that"s not why her heart hurt. She never spent time with her biological mother and deep, deep, deep, down inside she blamed Evangeline for what she did. Her alexandrite green eyes sparkled beautiful in the picture as her charming smile gave a sense of security. Ariana gritted her teeth and slammed the book shut. "Why did she bring me soul here..." Ariana whispered under her breath.
"What did you just say?" Lady Zula asked as her eyes became wide and round in fear. Ariana looked at her adoptive mother and couldn"t bring herself to repeat her words. She pursed her lips tightly and held her gaze instead. "My dad... I want to see what my biological father looks like. Is he in this book?" Ariana asked instead. Lady Zula looked at Ariana skeptically before she gingerly opened the book. "There were a few of your.... father"s people in the school at the time. The Academy encouraged n.o.ble families from all five Kingdoms to come here to get educated." Lady Zula started as she flipped the pages.
"See, Evangeline had fallen in love on the spot so there is no doubt in my mind who it is. Even though the school never liked announcing t.i.tles. Unless someone close to you informed everyone who you were you would never know." Lady Zula said as she stopped flipping the pages and laid the book flat. "Can you guess who he is from this page." Lady Zula said with a small chuckle. Ariana looked down and started to look at every picture carefully. So many faces, most were happy and expressive except for a few. One in particular looked so cold and distant that one didn"t want to linger on the photo for too long.
Ariana felt uncomfortable, yet familiar. His face was stone cold, he had a strong nose, slightly plump lips, beautifully shaped, double lid eyes, lashes the stood out and Ariana a.s.sumed that they were long. His slightly curled, icy grey hair, slightly tossed gently upwards had favoured the right side of his head. His olive tone skin gave a sense that he enjoyed time outdoors but his garnet red eyes reflected a sense of disdain. Ariana couldn"t help but look down at the caption. Her heart was pounding so hard as her eyes read over his name.
Ariana couldn"t bare to read his name out loud. She turned to her adoptive mother and opened her mouth. No words came out. Frustrated Ariana turned back to the year book and pointed to the picture. "It"s him." She said in a firm tone. Lady Zula looked over and let out a small sigh. "I think so too." Lady Zula said with a small sigh. "The man actually looks rather friendly in the picture too." Ariana looked at her adoptive mother with her jaw slacked. She couldn"t believe what she had heard, there was no hint of sarcasm. "I"m not joking." Lady Zula said as she repositioned herself. "Shevar Guronui was not someone you would want to be left alone with."