chapter 4 • see you soon.
1308 Words
The sound of her room door opening and closing roused Dana from her slumber.
"Dana."
She opened her eyes to see Cora leaning against her dresser.
"Dinner, sleepy head." She went to stand in front of the mirror and began putting her dark blonde hair into a side braid.
Dana's lips spread into a smile and she got up from her king-sized bed, stretching her body.
Cora watched her from the mirror with narrowed eyes. "What are you smiling about? Am I missing something?"
"Nothing, I just had a good nap."
She picked up her phone from her bedside table and unlocked it.
No notification.
It was 7:02pm; the sun had long set and night had fallen. When did Avi want them to meet? Had he changed his mind?
She frowned as she slipped her phone into her shorts' pocket.
"Let's go." Cora's stalky frame was out the door and Dana followed behind.
Just as they came out of the room, their father opened the door to his. His eyeglasses were propped on his head, nestled in his neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair.
"Dad!" Cora ran into his arms while Dana stood aside, giving him a small smile when his dark blue eyes met hers. His golden tan skin—the one thing Dana had inherited from him—stood at a contrast against Cora's fair, pink under-toned skin.
"How was your trip?" Dana asked once he and Cora were done with their hug. He began walking down to the dining room.
"Good," he said, giving Dana a short smile.
As they sat at the table, their mother rushed in from the kitchen. Her once neat bun was haphazard, sitting sloppily at the nape of her neck. The sheen of sweat covering her forehead shone in the room's tungsten lights.
"Welcome, Honey," she wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders. He hummed a response, edging away the slightest bit from her embrace to unlock his phone.
Dana's stomach curled as she watched her mother's reaction to her father's rudeness. Her smile dimmed, almost leaving her face, and she went back to the kitchen.
What would it cost him to give her a smile in return? Or hell, hold her back?
Irritation nipped at Dana's insides so she focused on her mother who had begun bringing in the casseroles of food. It was no use getting upset; she couldn't do anything to change his behaviour.
"Smells good, mom." Dana tried her best to give her mom a smile despite her annoyance.
She winked at her. "Thanks, baby. It's your dad's favourite."
Dana didn't bother looking to gauge his reaction to the information. It would be the same expressionless face that made her want to gouge his eyes out.
Her mother served them all and then there was only the sound of cutlery scraping against their plates.
"How's school going Dana?"
Dana looked up at him. "Fine, I guess."
“You have to do better than fine. You know I won't be paying for anything less than an Ivy League school."
I better get a job.
Her grades had always tethered on the line separating average and above average. Why her dad still thought she could get into an Ivy League College was beyond her.
Still she said, "yes, dad." Now he could move onto Cora.
"And you, Cora, how's work going?"
Dana still couldn't believe he—her old-fashioned, principled father—had let her sister take a gap year to work on establishing a clothing store. Maybe if she was more forthcoming like Cora and kept her grades as low as she had, Dana could get out of higher education too.
"Great, dad," Cora beamed. "Just last week, I made triple my usual sales. I think things are really picking up."
Dana scoffed quietly as her father grinned at Cora. "That's my girl," he said before taking a sip of his water.
Dana began scarfing down her food. The earlier she could leave, the better.
In a matter of minutes she was done and quick to head to the kitchen. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she finished washing her dishes.
Her heart leapt in her chest. It had to be Avi.
She hurriedly pulled out her phone from her pocket with wet hands.
Dana, it's Avi
Can I call you?
A grin spread across her face. Finally.
In 5.
She darted across the back of the dining area and sprinted up the stairs to her room.
She sat on the loveseat by her window and waited. In a matter of seconds, she began nibbling on her nails. Finally, her phone rang.
She exhaled to calm her jitters then answered the call.
"Hey," she breathed out.
"Hey yourself. What are you up to?" His deep voice sent more jitters running through her body.
"Just had dinner."
"Me too... We still have to meet you know?"
She frowned. "It's already like 8."
She shut her eyes tightly, wishing she could swallow her words. Why had she said that?
Of course the time didn't matter. He probably went out at night—and whenever he wanted—unlike her. Her parents didn't need to impose a curfew but she knew they'd have her head if she dared go out at night, and worse, to see a boy.
He chortled. "That doesn't matter. Or are you scared of being out at night?" He teased.
She nibbled on her lower lip. "No... "
"Good. Do you know that park on Crest Drive?"
Her heart began to beat faster. Despite the air conditioning, her armpits began to sweat. What was she doing? There was no way she could come out. How could she turn him down? It might be the last time he asked her out. Her life finally had some action, the last thing she needed was to shut it down.
"Yeah."
"Okay, see you soon. Bye, beautiful."
"Bye," she whispered.
Once he cut the call, she began smacking her palm against her forehead.
How the hell was she going to get out of this?
She wrung her hands together, racking her brain.
Her parents would, no doubt, be occupied. Her mother would be knocked out soon and her dad had to be tired from his trip.
She wouldn't stay long with Avi. Thirty minutes tops would have to do. She'd be back home as fast as she'd left.
All she had to was check on both her parents to be sure they wouldn't be coming to her room.
She crept down the stairs, her fingers crossed. Her eyes scanned the ground floor area till they landed on the sign she needed. The mahogany door to the study was shut which meant her father wouldn't be coming out anymore tonight.
She skipped upstairs to check the master bedroom. Inside her mother had a movie playing on the TV, her eyes already fluttering close.
Dana became giddy with excitement. So maybe she could sneak out successfully.
She bounced back to her room then took in her appearance in the mirror. She ran her hands through her hair before using a brush to make it presentable. After spritzing some perfume on herself, she slipped into a sundress that hugged her top half.
Dana exhaled quietly and came out of her room, shutting the door slowly to prevent any audible noises. She began tiptoeing down the stairs and once on the ground floor, her eyes went to the study door.
Oh God, if he found out and caught her... Which was why she had to be fast. She made her way to the door as quietly as she could.
Once she had the door handle within her reach, she turned it gently and stepped onto the porch.
With one last glance inside her home, she turned around and was off, half walking-half jogging down the boulevard to her destination.
•••••
- Writer
