Chapter 21: Chapter 21

"What's your name??" Izzy asked.

"Zada," she said awkwardly.

The whole situation is very awkward for her.

She was walking back to her hostel with Izzy.

She had seen the girl in some of the photos in her brother's phone.

Great!! She went on a date with her brothers' best friend.

Now she is being walked back to her room by another one of their friends.

And neither of them knew who she was.

"Zada. Pretty name. I am Isabella. Close friends call me Izzy. You can also call me that as you are very close to Liam." Izzy said with a smile.

"Oh we are not that close. Actually, this was our first date. So... "

"That's pretty big where Liam is concerned. He never goes on dates. He only ever had flings. So, if he had taken you out on a date, that means you are special." Izzy said with a little shrug.

Zada could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks and she thanked the heavens for it being dark, so that Izzy wouldn't see her blushing.

As they reached near her room she saw Emma pacing in front of the room, excitement radiating off her in waves.

They could see her lips move in sync with her hands.

Probably talking to herself.

When she spotted them, she shrieked and ran to them.

"Zaddu! You are back!! Tell me tell me how was it?? Did you guys kiss?? How many times did you kiss??"

Zada mentally groaned.

And what is with this Zaddu??

Like really??

Just today, she received compliments from two people that she had a pretty name and Emma went ahead and ruined it.

"God!! You ruined my name Emma. What name is that?? Zaddu?? Eeww!!"

"You don't like it?? But everyone calls you Zada. I don't want to call you what everyone calls. I am your bestie. I should call you something different." Emma said with a pout.

"Not Zaddu! Please."

"Okay. What about Ada??" Emma asked expectantly.

Way better than Zaddu!

"Better."

"Oh my Ada," Emma threw her arms around her celebrating her naming ceremony making Zada roll her eyes.

Izzy cleared her throat gaining their attention.

Emma looked at Izzy and her face it up.

"Hey Bella. How are you??" Emma asked giving Izzy a hug too.

Izzy seemed very uncomfortable with Emma's over expression of affection.

Zada gently pried Emma away and shot Izzy an apologetic smile.

"You two know each other??" Zada asked.

"Of course. We met while watching IPL. You know how many friends I made on that day. You should have come with me. I would have introduced you to everyone. There were so many people. Next friendship day, I am going to tie a friendship band for every one of them. And I am going to make them myself." She paused for a moment and then continued "Arre, why should I wait till the friendship day?? I could start making now. My cousin, Emily, knows all these arts and crafts. I will ask her to send me a video of making pretty friendship bands and then I will make all my friends wear that. You both tell me your favourite colours. I will make them."

"Stop it, my Greenwich express." Zada said, shaking Emma lightly.

"Aye.. My momma also calls me that. How did you know??" Emma asked with a frown.

"You are an express train when it comes to talking and you are from Greenwich. So it's a simple guess."

"Now you also don't tell me that no one would marry me. My momma always says that after calling me Greenwich express. She says all the boys will run away hearing me talk." Emma said, making a cry baby face.

"Some boys fall for the most talkative girls," Izzy said with a sad smile.

"That's right. My papa is the silent type you know. Talks very less. And when he talks, he says things others don't understand. And until I met you I always thought that my momma and Aunt Millie are the most talkative people in the world. And my papa is head over heels in love with momma" Zada said.

"Really?? I already like your momma. Do you have a brother Zada?? One I could marry?? Does he have a motorcycle? If yes please book him for me okay. Tell him not to fall in love with anyone else. Oh we are going to be sisters in law. Wow. I always dreamed of a beach wedding. Mom in law wouldn't mind, would she??"

"Yeah sure!" Zada said grinning.

"Okay girls. It was nice meeting you. Goodnight." Izzy said and looked at Emma with another sad smile and walked away from them.

Why did she seem so uncomfortable with Emma?? Zada wondered.

"I didn't forget about the date." Emma declared somehow remembering the long lost topic.

"Wow!! That's new!"

Liam walked into his home which is pretty dark.

But then it's past eleven at night and everyone would be asleep by now

He whistled lightly walking through the dark halls and was about to climb the stairs when the hall lit up and he stopped abruptly.

He saw his mother standing with her hands on her hips and staring angrily at him.

His father was sitting half asleep on the couch.

He groaned loudly.

He didn't want to deal with this now.

"Good night, mom."

"Michael Fredrick. Tell your son to stop right there," his mother screamed at his father who jolted awake.

Michael looked at him.

"Liam.... "

"Michael, ask him why he didn't attend any of my phone calls??

"Liam..."

"Michael, ask him why he didn't come home after college."

"Liam...."

"Michael, tell your son that I am very angry at him."

"Liam...."

"Michael, ask him how he could do that to his own momma.The momma who carried him for nine months and bore the labour pain for eight hours straight. The momma who kissed his boo boos away when he was a little boy. The momma who..."

"Stop it woman. Tell him whatever you want yourself. Leave me out of this. Don't ruin my sleep. Why did I even marry you?? I must have been darn crazy to get myself tied to you." Michael Fredrick said, throwing his hands in the air and walking towards their bedroom.

Madison Fredrick gasped loudly and marched behind her husband

"Michael Fredrick. How dare you say that??"

Liam let out a breath in relief.

"That was a lucky escape." He said to himself and sprinted to his bedroom, in case his mother decided to come back and interrogate him.

****

Next morning Liam came out of his bedroom, ready for college and saw his father sitting with a newspaper in the living room.

"Goodmorning, dad." Liam greeted and his father looked up. There were dark circles around his eyes which clearly explains that his mother didn't let his father sleep after the comment he made last night.

"Tough night, dad??" He asked cheekily.

"Shut up. It's all because of you. That damn couch broke my back." Michael Fredrick complained.

"Well, you shouldn't have said what you said."

"I know. But sometimes that woman drives me crazy." Michael said and Liam chuckled.

"But you love her." Liam said and his father smiled.

"Could anyone resist loving your mother."

"That's so cheesy, dad."

"Look who's talking. At least I don't Google pick up lines." Michael said and Liam looked at him in shock.

"What?? Don't look like that. I know about your Playboy ways. I have my sources, Liam Fredrick." Michael said and Liam squirmed in his seat.

"Uh.. Does mom know??"

"Not yet. I don't want her to know and worry about you. I was about to talk to you about this when your mother told me about your date. Seems like you are changing on your own. Keep that up. I don't want you to hurt your mother in any way." Michael said and Liam nodded awkwardly.

"Now go and get your quota too. You escaped yesterday."

"Okay. Let me go cheer her up."

He walked to the kitchen where his mom was setting the breakfast.

They have lots of servants in the home but they like it when their mom cooks. And his mother also prefers that.

"Liam, my darling. You are awake?? Come on, have your breakfast. It's getting late for college." His mother said, smiling creepily at him.

She is up to something. He could feel it in his bones.

"Thank-you mom. What are your plans for the day?"

"Oh this and that," she said, waving her arms dismissively, creating a nonchalant aura around her.

Definitely up to something.