Chapter 6 Familiar

CHAPTER 5

Jane sleeps over at my house. Before we fell ato asleep, she told me a lot of stories about her boyfriend. The boys want to date her, but she needs to reject them because she's already taken. Sometimes I just laughed with her and shook my head at her stories because it's sometimes ridiculous and she's overreacting.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend, Aethel? You always locked yourself in acids! You don't have to!" she encouraged me. I just rolled my eyes at her.

"It will just add to my already messed up life, Jane," I said as a matter of fact. She chuckled and caressed my hair. She always used to do that. Well, she always compliments my black and straight hair.

"Did you already...visit your dad?" she asked all of a sudden. I breathed heavily and fell quiet at her question. My last visit with my dad was last week and I still haven't told him that I moved out of auntie's house and back to our old house.

"I visited him last week," I said. I heard her sigh. "The anniversary of that man's death is coming. Surely, it'll be broadcast on television again and your dad's name would probably involve," she said. I swallowed and looked down. She's right. The man that my dad killed will have his anniversary this coming month. And every time it was broadcast on television because that man was an influential businessman, people's eyes would shamelessly stare at me again.

"It's okay, Jane-"

"I know that it's okay with you but aren't you tired of hearing their endless judgment that is pure untruthful!" Jane exclaimed. I bit my lower lip because I know that Jane is just worried about me. She witnessed how people judge me without knowing that I didn't do anything. They thought that I'll also do a heinous crime because of what my dad did.

"We cannot blame them, Jane. They just didn't know me," I said. She frowned. "Yeah, but they judge you too harshly when they should've not," she said in an annoyed tone. I smiled at her, but she just gives me a sad one.

"Aethel...did you somehow blame your dad for making your life like this?" she asked slowly. That made me stop and think.

I always visit dad alone when I became 18 years old. He was glad to see me grow and become a woman. He looks so happy every time I visit him. It was like...the only thing he sees is darkness inside the prison sell but every time I visit him...his eyes are filled with light.

"No..." I replied seriously. I stared at my hands resting on the blanket that covered us over this bed.

"Seriously?" Jane asked in disbelief. I looked at her. She looked away. She looks guilty. Maybe she thinks that she hurt my feelings because she's asking these questions to me.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have asked," she said in her guilty voice. I smiled and shook my head. "It's fine and it is true when I said that I don't blame dad for having a life like this. I blame myself for why my dad is in that prison cell," I swallowed hard trying to hide the pain stabbing my heart.

"Why? You shouldn't, Aethelred," Jane convinced me. I smiled sadly and sighed heavily.

"It's just that...dad gambled the money because of me. He was worried about my future so he chose that path. He tried so hard to make my life easier. He gambled and killed someone because of me. So...maybe I deserve this, right?" I didn't stop my voice from breaking.

Jane looked at me with worry. She shook her head and immediately pulled me and locked me inside her arms.

"You bitch! You don't deserve this!" Jane angrily said. I chuckled until she laughed with me.

Even though my life is not that easy. I am still lucky that I have someone to the lean-to. And it's Jane. I am lucky that I have her in my life. And also, auntie and Temari. Even though my life sucks, at least I still have people who love me and appreciate me.

The morning came and I already set my schedule for that day. Jane and I will go to our work together in the morning and I'll go to the university in the afternoon to enroll myself.

I am lucky that Jane helps me to get accepted into this job. Our work is at the counter of this restaurant. Everyone greeted us as soon as we came into the restaurant. Jane and I quickly wear our uniforms and went to our assigned place.

"Jeremy called me. He'll fetch me up later. What about you? You want to go together?" Jane asked while she was preparing her counter machine.

"I'll visit the manager later. I'll change my schedule, you already change yours?" I asked. We are obliged to change our schedule when will already start our class because we're a part-timer.

"Yes. I have. I changed it the day I got enrolled," Jane said. I nodded.

"Then you can go with Jeremy first. No need to wait for me," I said and smiled. She looked at me trying to read my mind. She thinks that I am just avoiding being with her when Jeremy is with her because she thinks I don't like to be a third wheel.

"Are you sure?" She asked still trying me. I rolled my eyes at her. She chuckled at what I did.

"Of course!" I said.

After that, we already start our work. At 2 in the afternoon, the two girls who were assigned to the next shift arrived. We gave them the counter. Jane waved at me while Jeremy just smiled at me. I went to the manager's office and told her about my new schedule because I'll enroll now at the university.

"What year are you in college?" she asked. Our manager is a woman in her mid-40s. We heard that she's widowed and since then she didn't remarry. Maybe that's why she's quiet and looks so strict.

"I'm in my last year, ma'am Shine," I answered politely. She nodded and just signed my shift of schedule. After that, I immediately took a cab and arrived at the university. As usual, the university is filled with the students enrolling themselves. Well, it's the last day of enrolment so maybe one of them is in a hurry like me.

"Bachelor of Science in Accountancy," I told to the registrar. The registrar nodded and typed in on her keyboard.

"Enrollee or transferee?" she asked.

"Enrollee," I answered.

"What year?" she asked once again.

"Enrolment for the fourth year," I told her. She nodded and typed in again. I waited for her until she prints something and gave it to me.

"Fill this up first," she said. I nodded and read the papers. I was busy writing my name when someone walked near behind me, at the registrar.

"This is the pen I borrowed, thanks," said the baritone voice to the registrar. The registrar nodded as her eyes glued to the boy. My brows furrowed and before I glanced at that familiar voice the man left.

That voice is so familiar ...I just heard it recently.

"Caden!" I heard a shout from a far distance. I looked in that direction and saw a smiling guy nearing the familiar build of a tall man. I tilted my head and watched that man's back. I can't see his face since he's standing back at me.

"Stop shouting my name..." I heard the man say again. My heart suddenly leaps for an unknown reason. I feel like my eyes were glued on his back while they are walking out of the gate.

"Miss? Are you done filling up?" the registrar caught my attention. I immediately looked at her and shook my head. Damn! What am I thinking? I sighed and just continued to fill up the paper. That man's built and back is so familiar.