10 MINUTES LATER**
John watched Maureen in amusement as she ate the banana pudding.
“Oh wow. I thought you said you wouldn’t eat if I don’t eat”
She scoffed.
“Change of plans. This food is to good. Yummy!. I also get it, you aren’t hungry. It’s understandable. Its happens” She smiled, and shrugged her shoulders.
John cleared his throat.
“Actually. I didn’t call you here just because of the food and drinks alone”
“So, what did you call me for? Oh yeah, the private talk” She said.
She took her mouth to the straw and slowly sipped the grape drink from the glass.
“I came to talk to you”
“Hmm Hmm?? I know”
“Maureen, I’m leaving” He suddenly said, and Maureen mouth stopped sipping.
Her gaze werw still on him. Her appetite ran off immediately.
“I said it” She whispered.
“What?”
“I knew”
“You knew??”
“It was so obvious. I had an hint. So, you leaving me for real?, When??” She asked.
“Tomorrow” He replied.
“When are you coming back?” She asked.
“I…I don’t know”
She sniffed.
“Why is everyone leaving?, I don’t want you to leave John. Please, don’t go. Must you even leave?” She said, holding his hands.
She was crying now.
John wiped them off.
“Stop wiping them off!… Just stay”
“Maureen, I’m…I’m sorry”
“Don’t tell me that, please!. You will stay, right?” She muttered.
“I won’t” He cooed, and she freed his hand away from her grip.
“Maureen, I-
“You can leave. I don’t wanna see you again” She said, looking down.
“We will talk later, okay?, You need an alone time” He said.
“Its so unfair!, You made me skip the park with the others. You made me order this sweet cuisine! You then had the guts to say all those rubbish!”
“Its not what you thi-
“I’m leaving first” She grabbed her bag.
“You would have at least waited for me to eat the pie before blurting out the nonsense which cause this loss of appetite. I always knew we weren’t meant to be” She said, crying, and left with an heavy heart.
John was also crying. He slowly sat down and kept his head on the table, sobbing as low as he could.
MINUTES LATER**
“Its time. I need to go now” Natalie said.
“I’ll take you to the airport” Clark chipped.
“I’ll follow you gu- Ouch” Whitney groaned, and glared at Prisca who had pinched her.
“Leave them. They need themselves now more than ever…and alone” Prisca wispered and Whitney sighed.
“Where’s your luggage?” Clark asked.
“It’s in the car I ordered for. Let me call the driver now” Natalie said.
She called the driver and in a few minutes, he came.
Natalie and Clark waved to the others before entering the car which drove off later.
Whitney pouted sadly.
“Its time to go babe” Jayden held her hand and she nodded.
Prisca held Desmond arm and they also followed from behind.
THE AIRPORT**
“Goodbye Clark. Till we meet again and no tears” She smiled.
“I ain’t crying” He shook his head.
He slowly let go of her hand and caress her face. He was now coming for her lips but she looked down.
“I won’t allow you kiss me like you did that other time at the airport”
Clark eyes blinked, sadly and confusedly.
“I will do it instead…this time” She said, and gave his lips a deep brief kiss.
She broke it and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at him, as he also opened his eyes.
“Goodbye Clark” She muttered and turned around.
She started walking away.
“Do not cry. Clark. Do not cry. You can do this” He said to himself, balling his fist tightly.
However, Natalie was crying. She walked faster and prayed Clark didn’t see her.
“I love you, Clark. I hope we do meet again” She thought.
***
PRISCA’S ROOM**
Prisca let out a deep angry sigh. She picked the call without saying a thing.
“Prisca?” Her dad called.
“Yes…dad?” She answered.
“I won’t ask you why you were absent that day at the family dinner but I’m gonna ask why you don’t love Charlie. Can’t you see the dude loves you so much”
“Oh Dad” She released another sigh and rolled her eyes.
“How many freaking times do I have to tell you this. Y’all!… I said, I don’t like Charlie. He has even left me alone so what your deal exactly? Gosh, arranged marriages
is so irritating and stupid” She ranted.
“Listen to me-
“Oh no, Dad. You listen to me and listen to me nice and clear. I love someone else. Yeah!, So, don’t bother me about some Charlie guy who left me days ago for some chick he met at some museum or zoo, I don’t know”
“What? Chick?”
“Yeah…as in a lady..side chick? You get what I mean?”
“Huh… I guess I do. But how do you know that?”
“He had no fear. He sent it to me saying if he can’t have me, he can have other pretty hot ladies and I was like thank God. Here, This is a picture of I and my hot daddy boyfriend and that’s how he also saw the pictures of I and Desmond”
“What?, You are dating another Desmond?” Her father laughed.
“Nope. Same Desmond” She corrected.
“Same…Same what??, Are you insane?? Why would you date a guy you once dated in the past?? He is your ex!!”
“He isn’t gonna kill me. This is loveee”
“Does he even love you? Fake love everywhere!”
“Yeah, he does. He once called me his oxygen. You know what that means?” She chuckled.
“It means he can’t live without me”
“So cheesy” He scoffed, and hung the call.
“I knew he would hang up” She laughed and dropped her phone away.
***
Jayden and Whitney noticed different pair of eyes looking intently at them. They were also murmuring amongst themselves.
They were at the hostel now.
“Why are they looking at us?” Jayden asked, slowing down his pace.
“So suspicious and bizarre” He muttered.
Whitney took out her phone and went online. Her eyes widened when she saw the trending news.
“Jayden..Your father exposed John as his son…that’s cool but,,, those paparazzo and reporters had a thorough investigation, they found out you were just his nephew and posted it online?” She whispered.
Jayden quickly took her phone and read the news. His brows ached at that moment.
“Those incompetent fools never mind their stinking business, do they?” Jayden said, gritting his teeth.
His eyes were teary. He was hurt to the core.
? He isn’t even Ricardo’s son!
? He was only the nephew!! Pathetic!!
? I wasted my time trying to get his attention
? John Jovel is the real deal
? Jayden lives such a fake life
? Waste of being a baddie
Many commented around.
“Don’t listen to them” Whitney muttered. Since she wasn’t
with her earpiece, she covered his ears with his palm.
“It actually works” He said, and he smiled.
“I can’t hear a thing and I can’t even hear myself speak” He chuckled.
“I told you once, huh?” She smiled.
“I can’t even hear you” He said.
“Maybe now, I can say it” He slowly took his eyes down.
“Say what?” She asked.
“The fact I’ve been hiding. Jane…”
“Huh?, Your childhood lover?” She asked and rolled her eyes.
“Actually…Jane is Jade Hawkins. My very first love but it doesn’t matter anyways. My last and only love is what matters and thats you. Feels good now I let it out. It felt like some heavy burden then” He heaved.
He looked at her face and read her emotions. She looked distressed, uncomfortable and shocked.
“Whitney…
Her hand suddenly left his ears.
“Whitney” He called again, but she took few steps back.
“Please,,, don’t come close” She whispered, her eyes misty already.
Her phone started ringing and she picked it.
“Mum,,, hello?”
“Its time we leave. Our lives are in danger. Take Liam away from scho-
A loud gun shot was heard and Whitney eyes widened.
“Mum!!!! Liam!!!” She screamed, and started running off.
Jayden ran after her and caught her by the arm.
“Whitney? Whitney, What’s it?, Talk to me” He said worriedly staring into her glassy eyes.
“Let’s break up, Jayden. Let’s not see each other ever again. This is our end and its final” She blurted out, and jerked her hand away before dashing, leaving Jayden to just gawked in utter disbelief.
TBC
