Upon return to home, Sweety found things none very out of place. Mom was awake and lying on bed lazily and Tessa was crouched deeper in the screen running and tapping on it fiercely.
Papa was not yet home.
"Mom. Mom! Get up and make something for him, he'll be back any moment now."
"Y-Yeah.."
"Want me to help you in something?"
"Take out the peas and potatoes I boiled in morning. And prepare herbs for spicing, I'll be in there."
While at it, Sweety went through her phone for a minute before putting it back in place, she was walking away when it pinged for a message delivery.
'Can I get another picture?'
Her lips broke into a smile on its own. This Vincent guy was really too into her. He wasn't gone even if she was particularly not up to standards for dating.
'My face won't change in different pictures.' She wrote.
She knew she should go back in kitchen and do the work Mom told her to. But she waited there on her bed. For his reply.
'Am I crazy to miss you?
I know we haven't met yet but.. no day passes by without talking to you.'
'I don't know what to say. We can meet this weekend?'
Vincent who was trying his luck with her, opened his eyes wide seeing her suggesting it first.
'Really?! I mean YES! Let's meet. I've been waiting forever..'
She was in process of writing back when another chat box appeared. The very same Frank Wilson who interrupted every conversation she was having with Vincent.
Ignoring him, she re-wrote what she intended to.
Her phone rang!
He was calling through Facebook voice.
"Why do you have to interfere in everything I do?" Was the starting she said upon picking his call.
As for Rob he was watching the chats displayed on his laptop of Sweety and Vincent. "Because I'm bored."
"I'm blocking you right now." She took phone away from ear to cut the call.
"Does your father know? You are speaking with the guy, does he know?" 'The' guy?
"What guy?"
Rob paused chewing gum throatily laughing knowingly, "Kidding. You weren't answering my messages. Just checking up if you're okay." As a matter of fact, he had been keenly listening to Sweety. He even built a chart of her family tree which he decorated on a bulletin board. What the innocent girl didn't know was she messed with the wrong person and he takes his revenge VERY seriously.
Staring at the photo of Sweety he pinned on the board which he captured when she was smiling with Meer one day. He was merely touring with a camera in the initial days when he took it for reference.
"I will be fine as long as you're away."
"Why do you want me away? I was thinking of having dinner with your family." Sweety who was sitting on bedside, jumped up in hurry.
"No no no! What- Why are you doing this? And first of all, how did you know I have a statue with myself?" While asking she checked around her room if there was a camera hidden anywhere which gives him the access to know.
"Ah-Oww!"
"You okay? Sweety?" Sweety muted and put the phone away and groaned holding her leg.
"Damn it. No cameras behind curtains too. How is he knowing everything?" She murmured silently unaware that Rob was able to hear her even with her phone away and muted.
Ah, that was the reason of thumping sound. Smirking Rob answered. "From the locket."
Sweety brought the phone closer. "Did you say something?"
"Me? Yeah I was asking if you will give me the locket you wear."
"No. Why would I do that?"
"Just asking."
"Is this another one of your tests? This is a holiday break so please settle at home and enjoy it Mr. Wilson." She hung up.
She did it right, yes? What if he got angry and decided to come by her doorstep again? A reminder of that day came in front of her eyes. The way he held her was like he wasn't going to let go easily.
"Huh. Oversmart." Rolling her eyes she looked at her phone. "Oh no! Vincent! I almost forgot about him." Rob snickered at the girl's hysterics.
Sweety checked chat box to find the messages:
'Hello?'
'Something came up?'
'You know where to find me...'
'I'm really sorry. Was talking to...' a friend? she asked. NO, her mind answered...'another'
She hoped he would not mind.
There was no response from his side for a whole minute. It was the longest time he took to reply her. She checked it again. Yes, he read the message. Then why wasn't he replying.
'Is it a man you're talking with?'
Shit.
He is not happy!
'He's one of my teachers'- She texted.
'Ok.' Before she could be at ease, Vincent wrote more. 'Can I have you only for myself when I'm talking to you?'
Oh.
Is that how the girls felt when they said butterflies in stomach? Who knows! She never was treated THIS lovingly.
'I'll try.'
Vincent's reply arrived promptly, 'You're an exceptional woman, you know that? I never said such things to any other. If they don't want to be with me, I never asked them to. But you are making me do things I never cared once to.'
"Oh Lord," Sweety breathes softly. She did not know what to say.
'Thank y-
"THERE CAN'T BE A SINGLE DAY WHEN I EAT DINNER ON TIME!"
Papa's yelling led the girls to cower into reading mode.
"That's my book." Tessa nipped at her textbook which was now used by Sweety as a cover for hiding what she was doing on her phone.
"Shut up!" One glare and Tessa made a face before going back to her corner.
"It's useless to expect such a small thing from you. Tell me, what do you do the whole day? Just sleep and talk nonsense with your parents! YOU KNOW I WANT FOOD READY BY 6! Because of you even the daughters are being spoiled! Get out of my sight before I slap you away!!"
Sweety left the room with putting her phone on silent, making a bee line to the kitchen where her mom was trying to make something within a short time.
While she was coming past the drawing hall she saw it was 5:30.
The hell is he shouting for?
Shaking her head to the normalcy of this house, she went to chop onions or peel garlic cloves, somewhere or other she helped her mom in making the mashed potatoes and peas which can be eaten with bread and crunch.
Now it was AFTER that when Sweety wishes to never have to do.
"No no no!"
"Go on. Serve it to him." Viewing her pitiful face, Sweety agreed with slouching shoulders. It was better though, maybe he won't yell at her as much as he did to Mom.
HOPEFULLY.
Hey! She wasn't a superwoman not scared of Papa.
As she placed the plates in front of him on the coffee table, before she could chance upon taking her hand away he announced-
"I don't want to eat it now. Take it away! As if you're doing me a FAVOUR by making me dinner! Don't you know it is your work?" He referred it to Mom but she was standing there too. Contemplating whether to take the food away or let it rot here until he softened to it's flavoury smell.
"Take the glass too." He instructed Sweety.
Taking the opportunity she took the glass inside kitchen and never came out until fifteen minutes.
Soon news was channelled on television, Sweety was peeping from the corridor connecting kitchen and hall.
Tip toeing back to kitchen she reported. "He is eating it."
Mom was relieved to establish the obstacle, the same was with Sweety who went upon to look for some snacks at this hour.
The time world munched on snacks was her Papa's dinner time.
He would say it is for ensuring our food is digested completely before bed. Sweety tried that couple of times, even Tessa and Mom.
They came to a conclusion that until you have eaten double your normal portion, you will get hungry at midnight!
What a nuisance, Sweety thought seeing her fat physique.