Chapter 42

When he finished talking, it was already 1pm. Juana's phone rang just then. For the umpteenth time.

"Who's been calling you? Did you sneak out of home?" He asked

"Yes I did." She laughed.

"That's not okay. You have to get going now" he said and pulled her up. "We'll see tomorrow?" She said before turning away. She didn't want to leave just yet. He smiled and Juana wished it'd remain permanently plastered on his face.

"Tomorrow" he said and waved her goodbye after embracing her.

As she walked farther away from his house, she noticed he was still there watching her leave.

She suddenly felt emotional but quickly stopped herself. They had talked at length, and Juana could see he had really been just an innocent young man whose mind was embittered by words and painful experiences. Even though he killed in the past, he was not a monster.

He was not stone-hearted. His circumstances made him look that way. He never knew his biological parents.

That was the beginning of his problems; his parents were not together for long. Juana wondered if she herself would one day strangle her bullies to death if she couldn't take it anymore.

She imagined Eric and Lilian and Adam suffocating to death under her grasp. She wondered if she could ever do that. She couldn't. She didn't want anyone of them dead, she just wanted them to be nice to her. She wondered if she'd be as miserable and lonely as Jason if Ivy died or if her mother died. Or if...

She wondered how life would be like without them. Her loved ones

Jason was Dr Paul's adopted son. He told her that himself. She was not too surprised because she thought as much. He was the one who ruined his life, who turned him to a killer and a lonely young man.

"He never showed me love. Not once. I was so much hated by him and I kept wondering why. He didn't show enough care to my mother as well, that's why she died early. To think that that man even blamed me for her death!" She could hear his words in her eardrums.

Dr Paul had been good to her family, and now he was being threatened by his own son. Juana needed to talk to Colin because she was confused.

At home, she met everyone outside--A worried grandmother, an impatient Selena, and an angry dad. She cleared her throat and said hi to them. Only granny embraced her and responded. Selena had two big bags with her and she wondered what was happening. She looked like she'd be traveling, or maybe she just moved in to our house? She thought.

"God let it not be what I'm thinking. If Selena comes to live here, I'm definitely leaving this house" she mumbled under her breath.

"Where have you been? We were really worried" Selena said but Juana just passed by her without responding.

"Hey come back here" Baron barked. He was angry. "Didn't you hear her ask you a question?" He pulled her back to the spot she had been standing.

"I heard her, but I don't see why she should be worried about me. She's not my mother" she said boldly. The minute she spewed those words out of her mouth, Baron hit her with his hands. She never expected it. He had never hit her in his life, except playfully. But he was not being playful here, he was very mad at her. His ears were red from the anger and it terrified her.

Granny quickly pulled her granddaughter closer. "It's okay honey. You don't have to be rude" she said and rubbed her face and shoulders

Selena didn't say a word. She just watched them. Juana thought she saw a playful smile on her lips. Maybe she was imagining it or not, but she sure saw a mischievous little smile on her lips.

"Granny, he hit me. Dad hit me! You saw it, didn't you? He hit me!" Juana screamed.

"It's okay. You made him so mad. You should apologize to Selena at least" Granny said rubbing her cheek.

Baron went into the house, muttering angry words. Selena followed him after some seconds.

"Granny, Dad hit me because of her. He hit me because of that strange woman, and you didn't say anything about it. You won't do anything about it huh? Y'all planned this together huh" Juana was screaming and crying

"Honey, you were too harsh on the poor lady. Baron was only correcting you" she said soothing her but she'd have none of it. She freed herself from her grasp and fell to the floor withholding her tears.

"We were worried about your whereabouts. You weren't even taking our calls" she said. "Come on, get up and stop being childish"

She let her grandmother pull her up and they both walked into the house. If her father could hit her because of Selena, then he could send her out of the house if they both got married. The thought made her shiver. She passed by the living room and saw Selena talking to her dad, as if nothing had just happened.

"You're grounded!" He said as soon as he saw her.

"What?" Juana couldn't believe her eyes. He'd never grounded her until Selena.

"You're not leaving this house until Monday" he said. So he was grounding her for two days.

"You don't mean it, do you?" Juana asked looking at his eyes. He suddenly looked like a stranger.

"I'm not joking"

"Not even church? I won't be going to church?"

"I'll personally see to that. Take you there and bring you home immediately after service" he said.

Selena touched his chest in a way that meant, "be calm" and it irritated Juana.

"Okay" she merely said and proceeded to go to her room when he called her back.

"Mind you, you have some explaining to do about your whereabouts. Who knows where a sick girl sneaks to almost every morning or evening? I need to hear it"

"I'm not sick" she said with disgust.

"You were discharged only today from the hospital. Anyway, my word stands. You have to let everyone here know where you've been to" he said matter-of-factly

"Or else?"

"Or else I'll extend your house arrest, and you'll not be getting any personal driver anymore. You'll have to catch the bus everyday" he said.

"Go have some rest, honey. You'll talk to us when you're ready. I'll reheat your brunch though" her granny said and gently pushed her towards her room.

Fifteen minutes later, Juana was out of her room because she was very hungry. She devoured the food voraciously and didn't mind any look from.anyone.

"Selena is traveling" Baron began. Juana didn't look up. She had thought as much.

"She's going to make preparations for her project. She'll be catching the first flight tomorrow morning" he said.

"Okay" Juana couldn't contain her excitement but it was short lived when Selena said, "I'll be back next month. Your dad and I will be hosting a get-together with some old friends in town" she said with a straight face.

"What'd you like me to bring for you?" She said fearfully.

Juana gave her a deadly stare. "I don't need nothing, thank you".

Granny sighed. Baron made a sound and Selena shifted in her seat. Just then, she finished eating and smiled.

" Selena, I'm sorry for being rude earlier, okay?" She said and took her hands. Everyone was shocked.

"It's okay pretty. I hope we get along quite well"

..

Juana then turned to her dad, "So, Am I still grounded?" Everyone stared at her in disbelief. She quietly excused herself from their midst.

She knew that she had released herself by apologizing to Selena. She left the house without fear of being stopped.