Unspoken tension

Erald's Pov

After leaving my father's cabin, I called Josh to follow me.

"Josh, I need you to have some other guards to keep an eye on Lukas's building. Track everyone who meets with him, whether at his office, his company or anywhere else." I instructed firmly.

"And make sure you're monitoring children as well." I added.

"Okay, young boss." Josh responded.

"Oh, and one more thing, young boss." He continued hesitating. "I forgot to mention, Grath Lukas Santiago isn't interested in women; he prefers men."

"Interesting." I replied with a smirk.

Josh stammered, trying to speak, which irritated me.

"Spit it out, Josh. I don't have all day."

"Well.... uh, why didn't you come with Jake today?" He asked, looking at everywhere but at me. His cheeks flushed red, betraying his nervousness.

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "Why aren't you looking at me, Josh? Is something going on between you two that I don't know about?"

Before he could answer, Jake appeared out of no where.

"I can see you both are talking about me." Jake interrupted.

Josh's face lit up, and I noticed the way they exchanged smiles. Seriously? What's going on between my best friend and my father's assistant? Neither of them thought to clue me in?

"Alright, enough with the googly eyes. Jake, why are you here? Don't you have class?"

"It got cancelled." Jake replied.

"Fine." I said. Turning back to Josh, I added, "Stop staring like a love struck fool, and do what I told you. Keep me updated always, and keep an eye on Lukas wide, Roseline. We may need her."

"Okay, young boss." Josh said before leaving hurriedly.

I turned to Jake, raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain what's going on between you two?"

"There's nothing going on." Jake replied defensively.

"Oh, really? Then what's with the staring and blushing?"

Jake avoided my gaze. "You're mistaken, Erald. There's nothing like that."

"Alright, if you say so." I decided to drop the matter. It wasn't my concern anyway.

Now, I had bigger things to deal with. Lukas Santiago had made a grave mistake thinking he could challenge the Balecentra family. He had no idea he was digging his own grave, and I'd make sure he stayed buried.

Mela's pov

Ira noticed my mood and took me out to try and calm me down. But nothing cold is the turmoil within me. After months of peace, the monstrous man who disrupted my life was returning to ruin it again.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my heartbeat. My mother needed me and I couldn't allow myself to face that man, it would be catastrophic.

Just like always, I had to mask my emotions.

"Because we actually don't have a choice." My inner voice said whispered sadly.

"Exactly and that's the problem." I replied internally.

"C'mon Mira, let's go, Mom's waiting, and I don't want to keep her." I said to Mira, putting on my facade.

"Are you sure you're okay? you seemed breathless earlier." Mira asked concerned

"I'm fine, Ira. Don't worry." I lied trying to convince both of us.

I avoided my grandmother's questioning gays as I entered my car. I wasn't ready to explain why I was avoiding the man everyone called my father. Letting the truth out will destroy my mother and Grandma, it could even kill them. I have been trying to avoid the questions for the past twelve years and that is how I would continue because I don't have the courage to let the world know the kind of monster my so called reputed father is.

"Mel, stop overthinking and drive." Mira said snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Right, sorry."

"Okay, but wait let me get my school stuffs from my car." Ira said coming out of my the car to go over to hers.

*****

In ready's hospital room I found mom exhausted with dark cycles under her eyes. I'm sure she hadn't slept last night.

"Mom, how are you? You didn't sleep last night did you? Look how you have dark circles under your eyes Mom, you look like a ghost." I said with a worried tone but gave a nervous smile at the latter.

"C'mon Mel, don't worry I would be fine okay! Now that you're here, I'll head home to freshen up." She replied with a tired smile.

"Did your grandma send anything for me?" Mom asked me.

I froze not knowing what to say to Mom, thankfully Ira chimed in before I could respond.

"Let me also have a moment with, Aunt." Ira said jokingly as she walked in.

"Good morning my beloved Aunt. Oh, hells Aunt you look like a ghost haunting for a prey to feast on." Mira said laughing.

"Mira keep quiet, Riddi is sleeping don't shout." Mom said in a playful tone, and after few seconds, she also joined Mira in laughing.

"I am sorry aunt, I didn't know Riddi fell sick. It's Mel that told me this morning. So, I came to the hospital to check up on her. How is she now?" Mira said in a single breath.

"My baby hold your horses, calm down. It's okay, I get why you didn't come it was already late and Riddi is fine don't worry okay?" Mom said to her with a smile.

"Okay Aunt." Ira answered Mom smiling.

I just stood there thinking about the reply I would give to mom when she is done with Ira, an she realized I haven't answered her yet, I would have to answer her, so right now I need to search for words.

"Just fucking tell her what grandma said, after all you're just going to tell her." My inner voice spoke.

"But it disgusts me to even talk about that man." I replied back to the voice.

"Mela you haven't answered me." Mom said staring at me making me jolt out of my thoughts.

Oh hells, Just as I thought.

"Of course, what the fuck were you expecting." My inner voice spoke.

"Well mom, grandma didn't give me anything to give to you." I said, trying to hide back the remaining words.

"But she said uncle is coming back today because of Riddi's illness." Mira blurted out.

What? Why did she have to mention that? Now Mom would undoubtedly ask me for details. Now I'm already trapped here.

"Uhh...mom I need to make I call." I stammered before bolting out of the room.

What a relief.

In the parking lot, I bumped into a girl with wavy brown hair and a sharp glare.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention ." I said to the person as I raised my head.

"How the fuck could you be distracted?" The girl with a black eyes, slender body and her wavy brown hair and a glowing skin yelled at me.

"I said am sorry." I told her again, with my eyes wide open threatening her with it.

What a piece of work, I thought. Brushing off the little encounter.

I got walking to my car only for me, to see one of that weirdo's guard, the ine who had collected him, at the hospital parking lot looking for some one it seems.

I didn't say a word, I just opened my car door and sat in the car to calm my self for some minutes before going out of the car.

I sat down for about 5 minutes, before I came down and I headed to the hospital entrance door.

As I headed to the hospital entrance, when I got to the door I was pushed onto the floor.

"How dare you!" I said looking up to see the asshole that pushed me to the floor. My eyes met with that weirdo's guard looking at me like he was going to beat me up for entering his way. Meanwhile he was the one that bumped into me.

"You fucking piss of shit." I said annoyed not caring about the fact that he might do something to me, he and his boss are quite weird humans. I got up and began dusting my butt.

"Weren't you watching where you're headed to? This door is huge yet you couldn't see me going in huh?" I said still paranoid, like why the fuck do I have to have a bad day today, just why?

But instead of replying he left.

"Fucking asshole, just like his fucking boss or whoever he is to him." My inner voice snarled.

I agree.

Back in Riddi's room, Mom asked, "Mela, where were you?"

"I was in my car. Where's Mira?"

"She's in restroom." Mom replied.

"Oh okay, Mira come out we need to go to school." I said shouting.

"You who doesn't like going to school wants to go to school today? Wow, just wow."

"Yeah, I just wanna leave here, I don't wanna stay here any longer." I replied to my inner voice.

"Mela, have you forgotten we are at the hospital and your sister is laying here sleeping." Mom said, scolding me.

"Do you want her to get up?"

"Sorry Mom, I forgot."

"Here I am, Mel. Let's get going." Mira said from behind me.

"Bye Aunt." she said coming close to mom to give her a peck.

"Sorry mom, I have a class to attend, you could call some of the maids to stay with her before you get back." I said to mom lying through my teeth, it hurts that I can't stay with my sister whom I do love, but I just can't stay here, just what if I still I'm here and then that man comes over here?

The thought of this shakes me to the core.

"I know right Mel, but it's okay."

"It's okay Mela, I understand. Now go before you miss your class." Mom said.

"Bye mom take care." I said before leaving with Ira by my side.

*****

"Ira what time is your class ending because I wanna follow you to come spend some days with you at your place." I said to her as I drove us to school.

"I'm getting off my class by 4 to 4:30."

"Okay then, I would come pick you up." I said with excitement laced in my voice.

"What about my car at the Fernandez mansion?" She asked.

"I will have grandma send it over to your place." I replied.

"Are you not having class?" She asked again.

"I do Ira, that's where am going, and please Ira don't bother me with another guy's story because he broke your heart or you saw some one you are crushing on, because if you do I would leave your place even if it's in the middle of the night." I said to her while laughing.

"My introverted bitch, I already found the one who got my heart." She said giving me a toothy smile.

"Mel, that dude we dropped off the yesterday, is he schooling at our school too?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, he's schooling here. He's actually my classmate, but though I don't know if he is coming to school today." I said knowing what was coming afterwards.

"If you meet him today ask him about his name, please." Mira said with a pleading eyes.

I knew this was definitely coming.

"No Ira, I'm not doing that."

"Why?" She asked with a strained tone.

"Because he's arrogant and annoying."

"Mel, please!" She pleaded with a puppy eyes, just how can I decline it.

"That's her charm." My inner voice said.

"It definitely is."

"Okay Mira, if I do see him I'll ask." I said to her, parking the car at the parking lot.

"Thank you, bye then." She said coming off from the car as she took her bag.

"Bye ira." I replied.

I got walking to my class with my usual expressionless face. I kept on passing people who kept staring at me, not as if I care anyways.

I got to the door only for me to meet that the professod already inside the class. So I skipped the class opting for the library instead. After reading for a long while, a guy approached me.

"Hey Mela." I heard his voice, called out to me from my back and I got wondering who it could be.

"Could it be that Mr weirdo?" My inner voice asked.

"Does this voice sounds like the weirdo's? The weirdo's voice is deep."

I decided to check him out and I met a black guy, with a brown Iris, he looks like his 5'9 ft. I guess he is africa-america. Because his accent is that of American's.

"Hi, can I help you?" I said flipping through the book pages.

"Hi, I'm Zylith Williams. I'm new here, thought we could be friends." He said nervously

"No." I said flatly.

"Why not?" He asked, sounding curious.

"I already have a friend. That's enough." I stood up packed my stuffs and left. He stood there staring at my back as I walked away.

*****

I checked my phone and saw it's already 4pm, let me go check Mira's class if she's done. I got up from the garden that's close to my classroom, packing my bag and the books, to walk pass my classroom balcony, going through my phone to check if Ira called, all for me to bumped into someone, and my whole stuffs fell on the floor

Hells why do I keep bumping into people today.

Look up to see those familiar green eyes, Mr weirdo himself.

Hells, did I have to come in contact with him, couldn't it be any other person in this entire school.

"Weirdo, weren't you watching where you were going?" I asked him half yelling. Thinking he would leave as usual.

"Thanks for getting me home yesterday." He said with his deep voice, his tone surprisingly calm.

Wait, did he just thank me? What was happening