SCHOOL
Loretta dashed off after Desmond as he angrily sped off." Desmond?–Deamond!, please wait for me" She shouted but he just kept going without gazing back at her.
" Just let me be, Lore" He howled. " I'm really not in the mood for your troubles, please". Loretta realized her efforts were just not working as planned. She instinctively paused in her pace, her nose pinched and her brow furrowed.
" I really need to get his attention else Bianca and Paola will definitely laugh at me for a failed plan" She thought to herself. "Oh, gosh!– what should I do now?", she cried, her frustration evident on her face. Suddenly, her lips curved in a bright smile as a thought clicked in. She chuckled.
"You'll surely go on this date tonight, Desmond " She whispered with a chuckle. Desmond was about to board the bus when he heard Loretta scream in pain. He swiftly turned only to find her groaning on the floor in pain. He panicked.
" Lore?– Loretta!" He shouted as he sped towards her. "What's wong with you?–What happened?" He qeried as he crunched down beside her, worried. But she just kept whinnying in pain without words. He hastily carried her in his arms. Just then, he noticed a cab approaching their direction. Desmond instinctively signaled it to stop and he gently positioned her at the back seat.
" Please get us to the nearest hospital " He stuttered as he settled in. The driver tilted his head in response and soon, they sped off.
*************
THE ANTONIO'S MANSION
Lizzy and Gisella arrived at the mansion, devastated. They trod into the house and saw Agnes busily feeding the cat as usual. She briskly rose to her feet and rushed towards their direction on noticing them.
"Where's Gina and how's she now?" She fidgeted with darting eyes as she search through their faces which gave no hint of what was going on. Gisella instinctively sped off to her room in tears the moment Agnes' words escaped her mouth.
Agnes stared at her back with crinkled nose and a twist mouth. "Why?–What's wrong with he'd and why is she acting this way?" She asked, turning back at Lizzy who just stood lost in her steps.
" Um,nothing– Let's just finish with everything first. I'll tell you everything after that, okay? Lizzy answered as she gently brushed her hand through Agnes's hair. She looked a bit surprised with her attitude but nodded anyway.
" Okay, but why this pale face? –You look so pale and unwell as well"
" Nothing, I'm fine...Let's do what I said first, okay. Let's go now...", she replied and trod to the kitchen.
Agnes just stared at her back, puzzled and lost. She was actually not getting what was literary going on. She tilted her head with narrow eyes." Why don't I understand anything?Why are they acting so strange.?– Hope everything is okay ", she muttered, nervous.
" Agnes, are you coming?, Lizzy yelled from the kitchen.
" Um–yeah, I'm coming." She answered, rushing off to the kitchen.
***************
Gisella got to the corridor leading to the rooms and suddenly paused upon seeing Natasha at her door with a glass of wine, elated.
" How is she? " She queried in a sarcastic tone. Gisella snared with a pained gaze.
" Huh, you already know the answer, right? You actually got what you wanted." She stuttered with tears locked up in her throat. "No need to act so innocent in my sight. You ought to really celebrate, cheers to your success." She replied indifferently and trod into her room in tears.
Natasha glared at her back in fury as she thrashed the glass of wine to the floor.
" How dare you talk to me–Me, Natasha so rudely. It seems you really want to see the baddest part of me ,huh?" She scoffed.
"You'll surely have what you seek for, girl– I'll make you have it" She chortled. "Just wait till that Desmon of yours, get here tonight" She chuckled and trod off to her room, banging the door closed in the process.
***********
THE HOSPITAL
Desmond rushed Loretta into the hospital, screaming for help. In no time, some nurses approached them and drove Loretta into one of the wards.
" Please, you wait for awhile over here....", a nurse uttered, closing the door behind.
" Wait, will she be okay?" he queried but the nurse was already gone.
Desmond leaned on the door, nervous as he glanced through the glass to see what was going on but proved futile. He shuffled around the corridor and finally sat in a chair by the ward.
HOURS LATER
The doctor approached from the ward. Desmond swiftly sped to him. " How is she, doctor?" He queried with darting eyes, making his anxiousness evident enough.
" Calm down dear, she's actually fine now– She'll be discharged in a minute .You can go in and see her." Desmond's face lightened up on hearing those words.
" Thanks so much, doctor" He eluded.
" Don't mention, dear. I'll be in my office, you can come when you need anything"
He nodded and trod into the ward while the doctor, hurried to her office.
" Are you awake?", he called from the door which drew Loretta's attention.
" Hey, Desmond, yeah I'm good – Come in. " She beckoned. " Didn't know you were still here" She stuttered with a smile. Desmond smiled back as he close up on her.
" Yeah, i couldn't leave just like that" He stated. Desmond stood by her bed as he stared down at her.
" Hey, what's that look on your face? I'm fine, cheer up" Loretta assured with a chuckle and Desmond tilted with a smile.
" I didn't't know you'll worry so much about me like this " She teased admits chuckle.
" Hey,Loretta, stop chuckling. It's wasn't funny at all seeing you like that earlier on." He cried. For a moment, Lore felt guilty.
" I'm sorry– Come on, cheer up" She smiled. " But i hope you'll accept my offer this time to treat you to a dinner. That's the only way i can thank you for the help" She stuttered as she stared up at her with a pleading gaze.
Just then, it dawned on him. Desmond got a dinner night with Mrs Natasha and the family which he had literary forgotten after Loretta's incident.
" No, never mind" He mumbled."And thanks, you just reminded me, I've got to go now –See you at school" He instinctively kissed her forehead and hastily turned to leave. On noticing this, Loretta intentionally screamed out in pain to stop him from leaving.
" What is it, Lore?" He swiftly turned back to her, nervous. "Is the pain still there?–Should I call the doctor? "
"Oh, no" She held his hand. "Nothing to worry about" She added but Desmond insisted. She smiled. "I'm really fine, Desmond – Please kindly take me home if you're not in such a rush, please" She pleaded.
Desmond gazed down at her in hesitation but finally accepted to go with her. He helped her got off the bed and slowly led her out of the hospital.
"You're such a pain, Lore" He cried and she faintly giggled to herself.
***********
THE JONES MANSION
Desmond and Loretta got to Loretta's home. He first alighted and helped Loretta off the cab.
" Slowly, okay?" He stuttered. Loretta nodded with a faint smile as they approached the door. She slowly opened the door and trod in with Desmond.
" Lore?– Loretta, what happened to you?" A voice queried from the kitchen on noticing them. It was Mrs. Ciara, Loretta's mother. She swiftly trod to them with a worried gaze as she held Loretta.
" Nothing serious ,mum– I'm fine" Loretta answered but Mrs Ciara wasn't so pleased with it.
" What do you mean you are fine, girl?" She howled." Just look at you! Oh, my God, What on earth happened? "
Just then, Desmond answered. " She's okay now, ma'am, I took her to the hospital so we were actually returning from there." He tried to calm her but that rather added salt to injury.
" Oh, goodness –Hospital? " She whined. "Aww, my poor, baby gjrl" She kept on which got Loretta quiet embarrassed. Desmond's lips curved in a faint smile.
" Mum?– It's enough already. Kindly stop exaggerating, can't you see you're basically embarrassing me in front of my mate and guest for dinner" She whispered as she leaned closer to her.
" Oh, so sorry , dear" Ciara slowly turned to Desmond with a sheepish smile.
" Sorry dear, come in" She eluded as she led them in. "Thank you so much for helping my daughter.",she added.
" Don't mention, ma'am but I have to rush off now." Desmond stuttered.
" Oh, so soon? Why don't you join us for dinner?"
" Um–" He smiled. "I'll love to mum but I got–" He tried to explain but Mrs Ciara cut in, insisting on a dinner together.
" No excuse dear. Is just to thank you for helping my daughter. Come on, sit here." Desmond had no choice than to wait for dinner at Loretta's house.
" okay, ma'am. Let me call my mum and inform her then..."
" Alright, go ahead, while Loretta and I get the place ready...",she responded and left with Loretta to the kitchen. Desmond sighed and drew out his phone from his bag. He called her mother and later called Natasha's line.
*********
THE ANTONIO'S MANSION
Natasha was busily ordering Lizzy and Agnes around in the kitchen when she heard her phone rang. " Be fast about that, Agnes. Our guest will soon be here" She eluded as she sauntered over to where the phone was.
"Let me attend to this call, I'll be back." she uttered. With a broad smile, she picked up the call.
" Hello, Mrs. Natasha, it's me, Desmond" His voice invaded from the other end.
" Oh, Desmond, are you already here?", she queried with a smile.
" Um, no, Ma'am–I just called to let you know that, I won't be able to make it today. I've been caught up in something urgently. I'll make it up to you the next time"
Natasha's gaze instinctively turned cold but didnt let it show in her voice.
" Okay, dear– Is nothing, hope everything is well", she replied, pretending.
" Yes, ma'am– Thanks for understanding and my regards to Gisela ,bye..."
" Sure, I'll let her know, bye"
She hanged up, all furious, thumped the flower vase and other items on the table over to the floor. Agnes and Lizzy quickly rushed to the hall to see what was going on with her.
" What do you want and what are you looking at?" She shouted on noticing them. "Just get lost from my sight!" She yelled and stormed off to her room. Agnes and Lizzy gazed at her back, confused.
" What is wrong with her? Or she had a bad news...?", Agnes queried.
" I don't even know, Agnes...Let just mind our business and get back to our work, huh?",she replied and left back to the kitchen
" Alright, if you say so"
She turned back to the kitchen and joined Lizzy at the table as they set the table up for dinner.