"Honestly Joel, I expected better from you. Ivan might not have told you he had a problem, but at least I'm doing so right now, and if you're really his friend like you claim, you should understand that his actions towards you were merely a defense mechanism. If you still don't understand that, then you're delusional," Kevin answered in anger as he walked past Joel, who was battling emotions of whether or not to let it all out.
He saw Kevin get into the washroom, and he stood still by Kevin's locker to wait for him, arguing that maybe telling Kevin the whole truth would make things better for him. A few minutes later, Kevin was out and very surprised to still see Joel hanging by.
"Does it have anything to do with what was aired on the news? About Ivan impregnating Vera? Is any of that true?" Joel asked, and Kevin didn't blink an eyelid before answering no.
"They are all lies. Not a single word from that viper should be believed," Kevin defended Ivan as if his life depended on it.
"Can I see him? I should apologize, right?" Joel asked in a low remorseful voice, and Kevin looked at him as he gauged whether or not Joel was being sincere.
He kind of had reservations about Joel after what had happened in the court, but he could also not keep the two apart. It was Ivan's choice whether or not he wanted to see Joel.
"Sure, let me call him," Kevin said as he moved a step further. Ivan's phone rang twice, but he didn't pick it up, and just when Kevin was about to give up, the call was received.
"It's Steph," Steph asked in a loud, sharp, angry voice. Kevin removed the phone from his ears for a while to confirm the number he had called.
"Where is Ivan?" Kevin asked in a low voice to show he had called in peace.
"He isn't here. He is with his parents and he left his phone here," Steph answered a little bit more calmly.
Kevin scratched his head and exhaled loudly. "That's strange. He never leaves his phone down," Kevin said, still not convinced by Steph's explanations.
"I know," Steph answered knowingly. "Our phone covers look similar, so he might have picked up my phone by mistake."
"Gosh! I really need to talk to him. Let me call him through your line then," Kevin said as he prepared to disconnect the call.
"Wait!" He heard Steph call out after a deep breath.
"Yes," Kevin answered as his heart beat fast. He didn't know what to expect but he could tell it wasn't something good.
"The baby, do you think it's Ivan's?" Steph asked in a low voice.
"Uh…Steph…I don't really know anything about it. I'm as surprised as you are. If you have your doubt why don't you talk to him about it?" Kevin asked with a lot of discomfort as he turned to look at Joel, who was impatient at how long the call had taken.
"He won't say anything. I'm feeling so sick in the stomach that I can't think straight. It's all falling apart, and I don't know how to get back everything in order," Steph admitted in a low voice that was trailing.
It seemed as though she could break down anytime, though she was trying all she could to be strong. Kevin could only imagine how she was feeling: they didn't know each other very well but Ivan had told Kevin how Steph was so obsessed in having everything in order.
"I can talk to him for you," Kevin offered for lack of something better to say.
He just wanted to disconnect the phone because he didn't want his emotions to get the better part of him.
"No. Just let it be. I got myself into this mess. I will take care of it," Steph said in a confident voice and disconnected the phone before Kevin did.
"Ivan is with his parents. He can't meet now," Kevin told Joel apologetically, and Joel nodded in understanding as if he had known the meeting wouldn't materialize.
Xxx
Silence engulfed the room except for the clatter of spoons and forks in the dining room and the sound of the TV in the living room. Chloe sat at the end of the table, eating and scrolling through her phone.
Once in a while, Lisa threw glances at her and shook her head. Chloe could feel the daggers being thrown at her but she didn't bother. Lisa almost opened her mouth to talk to her daughter but was interrupted by the news on the TV.
Recognizing Ivan's voice, Lisa and Chloe rushed to the TV, each with different expectations.
"A lot of rumors are going around about me impregnating a lady by the name Vera Morgan, and I know due to my past reputation, her allegations can be easily believed. I won't deny knowing her, but I'll deny fathering a baby with her. If she insists on her claims, I will be more than willing to do a DNA test since I have nothing to hide," Ivan said confidently amid an uproar from the media who wanted to ask more questions.
He was flanked by Steph, and though Chloe was relieved by his statement, she felt angered by Steph's presence near Ivan.
'I should be the one standing next to him,' she angrily thought.
"Don't fall for that crap! He did it. Do you think it's a coincidence that he would publicize his relationship a few days before such claims are brought forth?" Lisa said in spite.