chapter 12

**** The Following Day ****

What frightened me the most was when I opened my eyes and saw a figure standing beside the bed. I couldn't quite tell who it was because my vision was still blurry with the sweet sleep still tormenting my eyes.

"Wh -- mom please" I made a low grunting sound and squint my eyes to see who the person was.

"... before everyone wakes" was the only sentence I could hear of the hasty voice that responded.

"Mm-hmm" I paid less attention to what the person had just said and laid my head back on the pillow as my eyes slowly went shut. The only thing in my mind was to catch more sleep -- And Infact, I'd totally forgotten that I was still at Nora's place!

"For fu*k sake -- Henry! Get up!" Nora let out a frustrative groan and punched me on the shoulder. It was really hard and painful...

"Oww" my eyes opened instantly. And yes, my vision was a lot clearer now after her unexpected punch. "Nora?... What time is it?"

"6am... gosh, you're such a deep sleeper" She answered curtly with a sigh and cautioned "And you better get up and start heading home before everyone in my house wakes, else my room will become your new home"

Her response seemed to drive more of the sleep from my eyes -- I wasn't wishing to spend another hour in her room, let alone the whole day. If I did, my parents will definitely think I've been kidnapped and call the cops because a person can only be declared missing if he's not been seen for straight 24hrs.

"Okay okay ... I'm getting up" I rolled off the cover and stood up from the bed. Then we came out of her room and tiptoed our way down their corridor towards the palour -- and luckily for us, no one had woken up yet. The whole place was quiet, except for the early morning birds that were chirping outside.

"So uh... I guess we'll see later today then?" Nora asked, sounding relieved as she pulled the front door open for me with a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah..." I smiled back and came out their door, facing her. Then I added "but first, I need to cook up something to tell my parents for sleeping out last night."

"Okay" she chuckled softly and fell silent with a glitter of affection in her eyes. Then she raised her left hand and pulled me closer by the collar of my shirt and gave me a quick peck on the lips before whispering to my face, "You should get going."

I cleared my throat with a shy chuckle and slowly began retreating my steps while my eyes remained fixed on her as she moved inside to close the door. And when her door was completely shut, I felt my lips part slowly in a blushing smile before I turned around to face directly at my house and right there and then...

'Oh no!' My heart sank down my stomach from where I stood in front of Nora's entrance, frozen with fear the moment our parlour door opened. It was my dad!

My only guess was that he'd come out to check the mailbox. But then he paused the moment he sighted me and folded his arms to give me a stern stare that made my legs wobble. I didn't know whether to look away, smile at him or wave my hand -- I couldn't even think straight!

So I inhaled deeply, lowering my gaze to the ground and watched my feets moving as I walked over to meet him.

"Goo--Good morning dad" I paused halfway in his front and lifted my cowardly gaze to look him in the eyes as I greeted in a nervous voice that sounded almost breathless to my own ears. But my dad didn't respond, not even with a friendly nod which got me even more nervous while a voice inside my head was continually telling me to go down on my knees and beg for his mercy. I wanted to though, but I just couldn't do it outside; And what if Nora was watching me from their parlour window?

So I stood still in nervousness, curling my left hand into a fist as I begged in my heart for my dad to say something -- just anything because his silence was eating the life out of me. And he did say something; well, not quite what I expected...

"Inside -- now" His blunt and harsh words stung as they filtered into my ears. Then he stepped away from the front entrance, making enough room for me to enter.

I could swear that at this moment, I had no courage left in me -- not even to speak! So I swallowed hard in obedience and entered inside.

The door closed behind me, bringing my steps to an abrupt stop in the centre of the parlour with my heart shuddering from its loud bang. What was my dad having in mind for my punishment? I didn't know!

"You'll explain to me why you slept out without having to tell me or your mom?" My dad's angry voice broke out as he walked up to stand beside me. Then I turned to face him fully and began apologizing "Dad, am sorry that I --" but paused when I heard the fast draggy feets of my mom down the corridor as she made her way for the parlour.

"Honey we should call the police and probably tell them that our son is mis..." My mom's worried voice filled the parlour even before she reached and came to a quick pause when she saw me.

"Henry, when did you get in and where are you coming from?" She asked with a gasp of surprise.

"Go on, tell us" My dad sat down on the couch that was behind him to give me a frown; tapping his right foot continuously on the floor as he waited for me to speak.

I looked at my mom and then at him before parting my lips to say in a nervous stutter. "I -- I uh, I was... I slept at our neighbours house when..."

"So you were there last night when I came around but didn't even come out? Do you know how that sounds!" my mum cut in sharply with her voice slightly raised in disappointment.

I shook my head and said. "No, no mom... I didn't mean to st..."

"He deliberately planned to sleep out last night" My dad interrupted me, as if adding to my mom's exclaim. He was so annoyed, and I could tell by the way he rubbed hard on his chin. Then he turned his head sideways to look at my mom and added. "And to think our neighbours were actually telling the truth about his whereabouts -- little did we know they were just covering for him"

"No!" I blurted immediately.

I didn't want them to think Nora's parents had anything to do with my last night behaviour. So I countered my dad's suspicion and said, "They ... They didn't know I was in their house."

"Interesting" my mom rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe her own ears when I said that.

"So you snuck into their house -- to see who?" These words came out very slowly from my dad's mouth as he returned his angry gaze at me. And before I could even say a word or give answer to his inquisition, my mom's voice broke out again.

"Why else will he sneak into their home at night honey, if not for their daughter --" then she moved over to the couch my dad was seating on and sat beside him before completing. "Since they moved in nextdoor, your son hasn't been acting or thinking straight."

"Da-- dad is not true" I gave a countering shake of my head.

"So, your mom is lying?" He asked immediately, making me sound foolish for even trying to deny that fact.

I didn't say anything but stood mute in front of my parents like a criminal in front of a courtroom -- waiting to be sentenced.

"You're grounded -- you won't step out of this house for a week till school resumes" my dad concluded in a commanding tone that even I couldn't object but growled in frustration.

"Mm-hmm" my mom sided with him, giving my dad a slow agreeing nod of her head.

"And your phone... Hand it over to me, now" My dad demanded and opened his right palm in front of me.

To be honest, I was good with being grounded for a week -- but my phone? Hell no! I couldn't stay a day without it, let alone a week. So I protested a little with a low grumble. "Please dad, not my phone too"

"I won't ask the second time" He warned, standing up from the couch without removing his stern gaze from mine. So I clenched my jaw to suppress the rage that was slowly building inside me and took out the phone behind my jean pocket; placing it on his hand before giving my mom a gloomy stare -- hoping that she would somehow plead with my dad not to seize my phone. But she didn't say anything; instead, she just sat there on her nightgown with her legs spread evenly apart to balance the weight of her tummy.

Then my dad turned and walked for the palour door.

"Where to honey?" My mom asked him.

"I'm going to have a word with our neighbours -- especially their daughter" My dad answered plainly without turning to look back at her and he was out of the house before I could even take a step forward or find my voice to plead him to change his mind.

What was he going to say to Nora and her parents? And how will they react when they realise their daughter snuck a boy Into her room last night without their knowledge?! These terrifying thoughts began to cloud my head, causing my knees to tremble with my chest heaving from the hard pounding of my heart.