Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Carl drives fast this time. While the drive last, we share no talks. I have no idea what's wrong with him, and I don't want to press. He seems to be worried enough for me to question him with the fantasy myths. The engine dies. He turns to me. I look at my house before me, then the evening sky. The sun's almost gone.

"Thank you so much Carl. I had a nice time even though it ends in haste."

"Yeah." He arches his eyebrows by habit.

"So, I should go." I drawl.

"Yeah. Can I ask you another favour?"

I stop my attempt to open the car-door.

"There's a party coming up tommorow's night. If you will be available, can I come and pick you up?"

"I'm in. Thanks." I don't think of it twice.

I hop down, close the door and wave to Carl as he drives off with irresponsible speed. Exhaling, I enter the house. Mom and Dad are curled up in each other's figure in the living room, watching a TV show.

"You are back." Mom sits up from Dad's lap.

"I am."

"How was your date?" Dad ask. I blush and cover my face. Thankfully, none of them caught me.

"It wasn't a date. Carl was just being a very good friend." I defend myself such that I don't even know why I did so. It wasn't like I have any intention of what Dad is thinking, or that I suppose he's thinking. For an unknown reason, I realize that, in my conscious state, I'm beginning to blush too much. Dad being a good observer might find out and take it for something different, able to prove that he's right about it being a date. Try to think of something different. Get a grip girl. My subconscious is yelling at me in her disembodied voice. Yes! Food. Food can get one's mind off something disturbing.

"Is there anything to eat?" I ask. Even though I haven't eaten much other than the hamburger and cappuccino, I don't seem to have appetite, but for the distraction, I guess it will be a good idea to eat.

"There's rice. Better warm it." Mom tells me as she lies back on Dad's lap. They soon concentrate back on the show which I'm grateful for that I don't have to argue all night.

In the kitchen, I grab the flask in which the red pepper rice is kept. I grab a plastic, transport the rice to it and microwave it. In ten minutes, I'm eating the rice, and I must accolade mom for lies cooking.

I pad up the stairs to my room in an underslung steps to avoid my disturbing parents. Getting to my bedroom, I find it in mess from my morning apocalyptic rushing to get something to wear. I am too tired to clean up the space and other than that, it's night. I dart my eyes to the cabinet next to my bed to find nothing but the scraps of the analogue clock. The rest of its fragments must be nether the bed.

Huffing, I hastily arrange my cloths, scattered round the floor into the laundry basket. When I'm done with that, I pick up some pairs of shoes and decide to call it a night when my phone rings. Checking the screen, an unknown number display.

"Hello?" I am quick to say the moment I place the phone to my ears.

"Hi, it's Carl."

"Hey, sorry. I didn't know it is you." Did I just apologise? The sorry came out before I realize it.

"I should be the one apologizing, not you." I laugh. Guess, it escapes my mind to give him my contact. "I just wanted to call to know if you are going fine."

"As you can hear, I am."

"Hmm. So, you're still up for tomorrow, right?"

"Not right."

Carl keeps mute. I hear his breathing rasp into the speaker. Is he panicking? My subconscious ask. I wouldn't know.

"Hey, I'm kidding." Was he holding his breath, because I just hear a blow?

"Oh, okay. That's a relief. I will pick you up tomorrow."

"Sure."

"Night." Carl says and hangs up.

I drop my phone and head to the bathroom, having a nice, late-for-school kind of shower, I'm back to the room. Quickly, I wrap up the sheets and remake the bed. I grab four pillows from the chest which is connected to the cabinet and paste them onto the bed. Ready to sleep. The deepen human in me is yawning and tired from today's activities.

If turn off the bedside lamp as I lay on the bed, my body half way up covered with the sheets, the sound of the door creaking open alarms me and I awake.

"Dad?"

"Rayne-dear." He whispers. Next I hear is a hissing sound of pain from Dad. I turn the light on to find him holding his knee which he's nudged against the bedside table.

"Sorry Dad." I sound concerned in a sarcastic way and he caught me.

Dad's hazel eyes glint roll at me. "Yeah, laugh all you want. It's your time for payback."

True. You shut up Miss subconscious. Inwardly, I yell at her.

"It's not, Dad—"

"Anyways, I came here for something different." He takes a sit on the bed, while I sit half way up, supporting my back with the pillow to adjust space for his comfortablity.

"Baby girl, um, I know I haven't been the best Dad for you since," he chuckles, "from the start, I suppose. Your mom told me everything you have gone through. About the accident and some kind of illusion or something, says she saw your last research on the laptop. Something about vampire studies or so, and that begins after the concussion of the accident." My face gets drained of all blood. Mom really do go check out my stuff behind my back? That's not fair at all. I try to recompose myself.

Dad smiles as he adds. "Well she told me not to let you know. Because you might be offended." Well, I am on my part that's been cheated. "If you want to tell me anything—anything that's getting you reeled, I'm here. Your mom is also there. We love you Rayne even if we don't very much snow it."

Dad pauses again to inhale sharply and I am smiling broadly at him. I watch him intently with a tempting gaze. He takes a short glance at me, and try to conceal his laugh.

"Oh, no. Don't give me that face. What is that suppose to mean?"

"You know what it is suppose to mean?"

"Hell, you have got to be kidding me." He groans.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Can't I just talk as a father to you?" He drops his gaze back on me, smiling mischievously.

"This is unlike you." I say. Dad hums, defeated.

Yeah! He's never had the time to talk with me this way. I hope this new found attitude of his doesn't get throw away as soon as his vacation time finishes. Exactly, he was able to think of coming back home due to the resort his new work has given him. Regardful of all this, I still don't have any reason to want to dislike him in any way.

"I'll be organizing a family dinner for us sooner than later, only us. We'll have time to gist and chit-chat." He rises up the bed. "I should let you sleep, and your room needs air freshener. I think I have one with milky scent. You'd love it. And, your friend, Shade came by today, says you should call her."

"Okay, but it's late, right?" I did not wait for Dad's response. I pick up my phone, turn on the screen, and check the time; it is 9:20 PM.

"Call her tomorrow. Sleep tight and well Rayne-dear." He pats my cheek before he brushes my hair to the sides, away from my forehead and pecks it lightly.

"Dad," he gives me a uh? "I like the new nickname—Rayne-dear."

"I know." He boast for the thousandth time I've known him. Dad smacks a kiss, winks, and leaves, closing the door as lightly as he can to avoid creaks.

"Sorry." When the door creaks, he says whisperingly.