It was walking hurriedly down the stairs when I bumped into someone, the cologne hit through my nostrils strongly as I climbed a step up backward using my palm to rub my forehead.
‘Who was that?” I thought still rubbing my forehead With my palm.
“Are you okay?” I heard a rich deep baritone voice as I slowly looked up to see who it was.
My legs nearly gave away, as I gripped the handle of the stairs to gaze at the man before me.
“Who are you?” He asked in that rich deep voice he possessed as I gaped at him.
I opened my mouth and tried to talk but close it immediately.
“Dad!” I heard Lucas say behind me as I turned my head to look at him as he stared at the man in front of me, wearing a dark blue suit with a black briefcase in his hand who was Lucas’s father.
I gaze down to see two men wearing black suits too with their arms crossed at the front and I supposed that were his bodyguards.
Lucas and his father have a striking resemblance, both in height and facial looks, just that Lucas’s father was a bit fitter than Lucas and his face was aging.
His silk black hair was neatly gelled and brushed properly.
“Son!” His father chuckled as he dragged his gaze away from mine walked up the stairs to go meet him.
“When did you arrive in the cities?” Lucas asked as he stepped down on the step to approach his father too.
“Yesterday, but I stayed in one of our hotels yesternight since it was so late already,” His father answered.
“Okay, nice to see you at home once again,” Lucas said as he gave his father a warm hug and my heart melted wishing my parents were around.
The hug was brief as they parted from each other.
“Wow! You must have missed me so much for me to deserve a hug from you,” His father cackled while Lucas blinked blankly at his father and scratched his head.
“Huh! I’ve to get going to school,” Lucas said as he approached me.
“Okay son, by the way, who is she?” His father asked as he shifted his gaze from Lucas to mine.
Lucas took my hand in his and turned towards his father.
“Camilla, She’s my girlfriend,” He answered glancing at me then at his father.
“I see, you’ve finally got yourself a beauty, that’s great,” He chuckled.
“Nice to meet you, Belle,” He said waving at me.
“Nice to meet you too, sir,” I bowed my head low as I looked up at him immediately, giving him one of my warmest smiles.
“We’ll get going!” Lucas interrupted and started dragging me down the stairs.
“See you two for dinner,” He said as we made our way to the front door.
*
*
*
It was break time as I, Beatrice, and Leticia sat at our spot talking and teasing each other.
Lucas told me he and Ben had some things to do with their teams, so they won’t be joining us for lunch.
Though Ben has been having his break off ever since he and Beatrice had their misunderstanding.
“So, you’ve met his dad?” Beatrice asked while I gazed at her.
“Yeah!” I said dragging the word, wondering why she was asking again when I’ve told them the details.
“That’s pretty cool,” She tsked taking her doughnuts after wrapping the foil around them.
“We should go out after school,” Leticia suggested as we fixed her gaze on her.
“Yeah! I think you’re right, it’s been a long we’ve three hung out… What do you think Camilla?” Beatrice said thoughtfully shifting her gaze to mine.
“Sure, we should go out after school,” I nodded in affirmation as I clasped my fingers around each other.
“Where are we going?” Beatrice asked as we turned our gaze to Leticia who brought up the suggestion in the first place.
“Uhm! Haven’t thought of that yet,” She said placing her hand under her chin as her elbow rested on the table while she tapped the fingers of her left hand on the table as she contemplated on what she was about to say.
“Let’s go for a movie show or to the Game Center,” She said.
“Game center!” Beatrice and I said at once as we giggled at each other.
“Okay then! We’ll go to the game center,” Leticia said happily clapping her hands together as she picked her hamburger and had a little bite.
We talked for more minutes before the bell finally rang signaling for the next class.
“I hate these bells, I don’t feel like having maths,” Beatrice groaned as she stood up.
“You’ll need it,” I chuckled patting her laps as Leticia cleared the table while I grabbed my bag.
“Huh! I need to get going,” Beatrice notified me all of a sudden, I noticed how anxious and awkward I glanced towards the direction She was staring at before she turned around and grabbed her bag, and walked.
It was Ben coming in with Lucas from the entrance, I sighed wondering why they haven’t settled their issues yet.
5 hours later,
“Oh yeah!” I threw my hands in the air after successfully winning the jackpot I was playing.
Beatrice was playing a video game and I noticed how her face creased with all kinds of emotions, annoyance, hope, excitement, nervousness, and so on.
She looked like someone ready to kick the PC if she didn’t win her game while Leticia was busy with the Pinball machine.
We played and played for hours till we got tired and decided to start going home since it was late…
“Stupid game, I just wasted my money,” Beatrice vexed in a low fuming voice while I and Leticia tried to stifle our laughter to avoid Beatrice’s rage.
“And it looked so easy,” Beatrice muttered lowly as she tramped forward sulking to herself while we followed behind her.
“Aww! What can we do to enlighten poor Beatrice’s soul?” Leticia cooed making me laugh.
“It’s not funny,” Beatrice said annoyingly stopping mid-way turning around to glare at Leticia before turning to her front and started walking, kicking anything she found on the floor.
It was evening and the cool breeze was harmonizing as I watched people hang out together, teenagers, young couples cuddling themselves even on the road, old couples… Everyone seemed to be so happy as I smiled warmly to myself.
“Mum! I want that balloon…” A little girl cried as she tugged at the hem of her mother’s gown, pointing to the bunch of balloons at the stand not too far from them.
“Okay, princess… Momma will get it for you,” Her mother said as she squatted in front of her little girl and used her thumb to clean her daughter’s cute face.
“Thank you!” The little girl I suppose shouldn’t be more than a 3-year-old nodded happily as her mother stood up and held her hands.
She giggled hopping happily as she trailed along with her mother.
A sad smile broke on my lips realizing how much I’ve missed my parents and Lillian too.
If there’s anything I would be asked to wish for and that will come to pass would be reuniting with my family once more.
“Oh, dear Camilla!” I heard someone say and tapped me on my shoulder.
I got startled turning to see who it was and found out it was Leticia as she smiled warmly at me.
I must be so engrossed in my thoughts watching the little girl and her mother.
“Baby, you’re crying…” Beatrice said sadly as she walked over to me and brought out a white kerchief from the pocket of her black joggers she was wearing as she used to clean my face.
I didn’t even realize that as a light smile crept on my lips.
“I’m fine! Just got a bit emotional,” I sniffed staring at the both of them as they nodded.
“We understand dear,” They both said together as we continued walking.
Beatrice and Leticia cracked funny jokes while I laughed as we walked out of the park.
They were trying to ease my mind and I appreciate them for their efforts.
“You two should be a comedian,” I said laughing crazily after what Leticia talked about.
“Who’s craving for ice creams?” Camilla squealed suddenly as we turned our direction where she was gazing as we sighted an ice cream store.
“Me!” I chirped.
“Me too!” Leticia shrilled out too.
“Then what are we waiting for!” Beatrice roared in a deep voice making everyone one of us giggle.
We grabbed each other arms as we ran to the store while the breeze engulfed us.
“Good evening Sir,” Leticia chirped as the man dressed in a shirt and trousers with an ice cream-designed pattern apron wrapped around his body as he looked up to gaze at us.
“To what do I owe this pleasures of these beautiful ladies standing before me,” He chuckled while we giggled.
“We are craving for your ice creams,” Beatrice said in a thinly girlish voice while we smiled at him.
“Oh! I see, what flavors do you want girls,” He winked at us and we stared at the ones in the show glass.
“I want a bowl of Vanilla and chocolate ice cream,” Beatrice said while the man nodded taking a medium-sized ice cream bowl from his table and scooping some ice cream for Beatrice who was busy licking her lips in anticipation.
“Vanilla and strawberry flavor here,” I smiled and he nodded as he handed Beatrice’s her order while he took another bowl to get mine.
“I want their three flavors… Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry,” Leticia smirked while I and Beatrice glanced at her like she had grown two heads.
“Crazy red-hair girl,” Beatrice scoffed while Leticia threw daggers at her.
“Nice combo!” The man chuckled gazing at Leticia while handing me my bowl of ice cream while I mouthed a ‘thank you to him.
“Thank you!” We appreciated the ice cream man as we left his stand.
“Hmmm! This Ice cream surely has gotten to my deepest soul,” Beatrice mesmerized as she stuck the small spoon she used for scooping the ice cream into her mouth as she closed her eyes while walking.
“Exactly,” Leticia agreed as we kept on strolling on the road.
“We should hang out like this another time,” I said as we kept on walking.
“Yeah sure, I can’t just wait for December to come,” Leticia said.
“Me too!” I said getting sad when I won’t be spending it with my families but masked it away, I wouldn’t want Beatrice and Leticia giving me their sympathy looks.
“Same here! It’s just around the corner, Camilla get ready for ice skating,” Beatrice beamed while I glared at her while she smirked.
I’m not good at that too!
“Huh!” I said nonchalantly.
My phone beeped and I dipped my hand into my pocket to fetch my phone and a message popped on the screen.
‘Hey, baby! I missed you and come home on time for dinner,’ it says and I gasped almost forgetting that we promised his father that we would be around for dinner tonight.
“Uhm! Guys… We need to get started going home,” I notified as Beatrice and Leticia gazed at me.
“Why?” Beatrice asked furrowing her eyebrows at me.
“I need to get back to Lucas’s home, I promised his dad I’ll be around for dinner,” I said staring at the two.
“Oooh!” Leticia mouthed sticking another spoon of ice cream into her mouth as she nodded.
“Oh okay! Let’s get going so you will dine with your father-in-law,” She said while Leticia burst into laughter while I glared at the both of them.
“You’re just annoying,” I sighed.
“C’mon baby, that’s why you love me, let’s get going,” She said as she lead the way forward while we followed her behind to where she parked her car.