The Wallflower's Revenge

AWR Chapter 21: An ounce of freedom

" It's already 5:30 in the afternoon. Let's go back to the main gate. I know your daddy is already waiting for you anytime soon."

Walter noticed that Leylah didn't move at all. She just sat in one corner and sighed as she glanced at him. She turned her head to entertain herself with the things she’s looking at below the building from where they were secretly staying.

" You know what? I'd rather stay here than go home as much as possible. I don't want to see him anymore."

“Who?” He asks, sounding confused for a second.

“My dad?” Leylah answered without a doubt.

" You know that you can't do it, right?" Walter chuckled as he caressed her back. She smiled as she removed his hands.

"If only I could…"

"C'mon, we will still see each other, right?"

"I don't know, maybe?"

"Please? Please try to reach out to me even if it is impossible sometimes." Walter insisted. It made her sigh again.

"Same time, same place. I can't borrow any phone from any people right now because my best friend hates me.”

“It doesn't make any sense at all. Why would your best friend never let you borrow her phone? You always do that, right?” Walter asked her, he’s curious even more.

"It's complicated to tell you about it but obviously, the reason is you."

"Oh, you mean Lea?"

"Yes, after what happened in the covered gym, things went crazy between the two of us. I never understand what's going on this time, too."

She saw Walter sigh because of what she confessed. They both meet each other's gaze. Leylah gave him a weak smile.

“Of course, the reason is you. You’re too handsome that many girls will die just to get your attention,”

“But I’m dying to have your attention the most.” She could feel his hands wrapping around her waist from behind her. Walter is nibbling kisses from her nape down her shoulders.

“Walter, please. Don’t do this.”

“Sorry,” He let her go right away and Leylah straightened her uniform and walked past him as if in a hurry.

“Leylah, please wait for me!” Leylah felt that Walter went back to where they were sitting a while ago to probably carry her books and her bag as well. Leylah went back and got her bag and books to Walter.

“I will carry these things for you,”

“What if somebody might see us? I will be the one to bring my bag and my other things with me. As soon as we reach the end of the stairs, we separate our ways so that students will not think of anything to both of us.”

“Are you angry about what I did?”

“Angry? What for?”

“I’m sorry about kissing you and the likes.”

“I just don’t want you to always do it to me, okay? How many times will I tell you about it?”

“I’m just kissing you. It’s normal for couples; boyfriends and girlfriends to do that. Why are you becoming so angry?” Walter faced her as he’s raising his tone of voice. He almost forgot what he usually promised her.

“Why? Do you want to do that with me? Why don’t we just break up and find someone who could satisfy you and your wants.” Leylah stomped her feet as she walked away from him. They parted their ways with a miscommunication. Because of Leylah’s bad mood, she never saw her walk past Lea who faced the main gate looking at the nothingness around her.

When Leylah saw her father’s car, she went inside right away without a word. Her father is driving the car a bit faster this time when he massaged his forehead.

“Dad!” Leylah screamed when another car did a U-turn just in front of them. Good thing that he pressed the brakes just in time. They heard the driver of the car cursing as they opened their car’s window from the driver’s seat.

“Hey! Watch out! Are you guys planning to suicide or something?”

Leylah noticed that her father is massaging his forehead as if he's enduring some kind of pain. When she glanced at the window, the angered car owner went out and tapped their car's window.

"What the f**k are you both trying to do? If you're planning to mess up, find a place to do so!" He yelled as he kept on tapping the window.

“We’re very sorry, sir!” Leylah apologized as the car’s engine started and it moved away. She sighed as she massaged her chest.

Leylah and her dad met each other’s gaze but no one has ever uttered a word. She noticed that her dad also started the engine as they went home. She badly wanted to ask how’s her dad but then she preferred not to. She doesn’t know how to start communicating with her dad after what happened the other night.

“Mom? We’re here!” As they opened the door, the kitchen was noticeably empty and unusually silent. Whenever they arrive, the usual person that will greet them is Stella with her wide smile. Now, nobody did that. Carson and Leylah couldn’t help but look at each other. They both went to the kitchen when they noticed that everything was well-prepared but Stella was nowhere to be found.

“Sweetheart?” They looked up when the door from the second room opened.

“Oh, you two. There you are,” Stella weakly answered. She tried to smile but her eyes were noticeably swollen.

“Are you alright?” Carson suddenly looked worried as he rushed towards her. He touched her forehead and she smiled as she removed his hand on her forehead.

“I’m fine. I guess I just had an emotional attack due to a lot of stress nowadays. Shall we eat?” Stella looked at Leylah instead of looking directly into her husband’s eyes. It made Carson feel uncomfortable. As they all sat down at the table, they noticed that Stella is looking down most of the time.

“Mom?”

“Huh?” Leylah kept on asking her mom and Stella just chewed the meat absent-mindedly. “I told you, I’m fine. I just had a lot of stress at work. Is that why I broke down? I guess.” She chuckled as she ate her dinner.

“Alright,” Leylah continued eating without even talking to her father all this time.

“How was school?”

“It was just fine. We just had some exams but I got perfect scores.” She proudly told her mom. She didn’t even glance at her father, who's seriously eating right now. When they’re finished, everyone went to their rooms. When Leylah felt that nobody was going outside, she went outside her room and went downstairs, checking every corner of the house.

Leylah tried to sneak in by checking every drawer and corner of their house. She’s hoping that she could see her phone somewhere because when she checked the master’s bedroom, it’s already gone. Her father may have hidden it somewhere that she couldn’t find out.

She slowly tiptoed to the living room. She checked all the corners and even turned the books upside down, hoping that her phone would drop there in an instant. She also checked behind the television set but to no avail.

Where could it be? Did he just slam my phone or worse, bury it somewhere? Why couldn't she feel her phone inside their house anymore?

When she learned that there’s not a shadow of her phone hidden somewhere, she decided to keep things neatly for her father to not discover that she’s finding everything because her father hates scattered things.

----

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Carson massaged Stella as they both sat next to each other on the bed.

"I'm fine." She replied without an ounce of emotion. She just looked straight but it seemed like she's never looking him into his eyes. Instead, she kept on looking in another direction. Carson hugged her from behind. From that, she couldn't stop her tears from falling.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"No, please. Don't mind me." She replied right away with a smile as she started to wipe her tears with her hands.

Carson pulled her closer and held her face.

"Hey...sweetie. You can tell me about it, it's okay."

"Nope. I'd rather not." Stella smiled as she turned to him again. Carson kept on caressing her cheek.

"Somebody bullying my beautiful wife again?" He asked. She shook her head as she continued to smile.

"I guess the type of stress I have right now is too much to handle, that's why."

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

With what I have discovered? I am not sure...

She nodded as he looked into her eyes. They met each other's gaze and Carson kissed her forehead. She remained unresponsive to the sweet gesture her husband is giving her.

"Let's try to sleep. C'mon. Life is always so tiring that sleeping is sometimes the solution to our problems." He said while smiling. This time, he kissed her lips. He's so fast that she never got the chance to avoid it. She sighed as she looked at his expression again.

Why is he this sweet when he's seeing someone without her knowing it? For her, it would be better if she doesn't know the other woman but, Nova? She knew he was his first love. Why couldn't she see even the slightest guilt in his eyes?

She knew how much he loved her before he even met her. Before they even became the best of friends to lovers and eventually, husband and wife.

Why does he need to hide everything from her this time?

She sighed. She moved as she got ready for bed.

"I love you," She heard him mutter under the sheets of bed as she slept next to him. She could feel his arms hugging her waist.

"Hmm…" She responded as she tried stopping her tears from falling but failed. She chose to keep silent from everything she discovered.

How she wanted to ask her husband about everything. If only she never saw the pictures, she should've given him the benefit of the doubt about what Miss Willow told her. But Stella was thinking that everything is ruined now. She realized that he's willing to lie about everything just to hide everything from her.

She instantly regretted that she kept on speaking to Miss Willow. How she wished she didn't hear everything she told her. She's thinking that if only she didn't hear a thing from her, they would be a happy family until now.

There are so many regrets at that moment in her life that she had a hard time drowsing off to sleep that night. She turned to face her snoring husband. Looking at his face, it was calm without worries. She could see the tiredness in his face but guilt? She's not sure anymore.

The next morning, it's unusually silent for the three of them as soon as they wake up. Everything was so busy roaming around the house, going to and fro but nobody was speaking to anyone. It's as if everyone has their world.

Before Carson and Stella knew it, Leylah was already off to school without saying goodbye.

"Sweetheart?" Stella turned to face Carson. He's disappointed in what Leylah is doing. Knowing the situation, Stella forced herself to smile in front of her husband.

She realized that what she's doing right now is much harder than Leylah's. She instantly felt jealous of her daughter. She could always express her disappointment towards her dad, while her? She's expected to become a good wife. If ever she will express what she exactly felt, then their family will be over.