Mark was still at his colleagues place discussing work unaware of the fact that Valeria went out without permission.
"You shouldn't get angry at your daughter" Mr Davis said all of a sudden between their discussion about work
"I'm not angry, just pissed she didn't get her fact right before accusing the boy" Mark said
"Accuse a boy who clearly said he was flirting with her" Mr Davis said making reference to Felix's word
"She could have caused a scene for slapping him when there's clearly a bug on her body" Mark replied making reference back to the bug
"See this in a practical way. There might have been no bug and the boy lied after seeing one on her body" Mr Davis said
"Either ways, she will be guilty if charged" Mark said not still seeing it the way he or Valeria was seeing it
"Your daughter reacted the right way and for not hitting the boy when you saw that scene, you have huge self-control or you don't trust your daughter's words" Mr Davis said giving Mark time to reflect on his actions.
"I need to talk to Valeria" Mark said realising he was wrong and overreacted
"Be gentle on the little girl" Mr Davis said and Mark went out of the room without responding.
****
Dennis heard what happened between Felix and Valeria, he became so angry at himself, Shelby and Felix. Shelby who came to tell him the news she had heard know he was angry and thought to calm him down. She put her hand on his shoulder after much thought.
"You shouldn't get angry at Felix, your best friend was also flirting with him earlier" Shelby said massaging his shoulder softly to ease the tension and anger
"Let go off me" Dennis said angrily and Shelby removed her hand
"Why are you this pissed?" Shelby asked not understanding why he's angry Felix is making a move on his best friend
"If you weren't hiding everywhere every now and then, I would have saw her off and Felix won't have harassed her and make her the villain" Dennis said angrily
"What does this have to do with me? You could have saw her off if you really wanted to" Shelby fought back not understanding how this concerns her. Dennis stands up and left without saying a word to her making Shelby more furious. She left angrily for her room in Max Pelevsky residential. Her friends were there waiting patiently for her to come back.
"You know you shouldn't stay out late" Tiana her best friend said
"I'm not that late" Shelby said walking up to her bed angrily
"I heard from Kiara and Claire that you've been stalking that guy you love in your head" Tiana said following her
"None of their business" Shelby said laying on her bed
"The earlier you know that boy won't love you back, the better for you Michelle" Tiana said angrily. The other four girls in the room, three her friends and one Tiana's cousin kept quiet looking at the best friends fight especially now that Tiana didn't call her by her nickname.
"Mind your business Christiana" Shelby shouted back
"You three should let her know she's going to get hurt if she thinks that ugly thing will love her back" Tiana said pointing to Kiara, Claire and Tonia who focus on their phone ignoring the two of them
"Tell your crazy cousin, I will do everything it takes for that ugly boy to be mine" Shelby said pointing to Jennifer who was also busy with assignments
"Keep imagining. Since high school he hasn't for once looked at your side and till today he still hasn't looked at you twice" Tiana said angrily
"Your wish girl! Dennis will look at me and he will do it more than twice" Shelby said covering her head with blankets.
"Delusional!" Tiana said walking to her bed to sleep too. The other girls in the room look at each other and shake their head, this is not their first time of arguing and fighting about Dennis. One part they know Tiana is right and the other part screams don't underestimate Shelby, she goes length for what she wants.
****
Valeria and Esmeralda were outside the restaurant waiting for a cab to take her home after refusing to let Esmeralda to drop her off.
"Thank you for tonight ma'am" Valeria said with a smile
"Anything for a mini me" Esmeralda replied smiling back
"One question miss" Valeria said and Esmeralda gave her a go ahead look
"Did you book the entire restaurant?" Valeria asked still looking at the empty restaurant.
"Not at all dear, this is my small business and it's yet to be opened" Esmeralda replied smiling
"Wow! That's nice and the food taste great too" Valeria said wondering how she handles so many careers and jobs.
"Thank you dear" Esmeralda said smiling and the cab pull up in front of them. After goodbyes, Valeria board the cab, it zooms off as Esmeralda watch it. She entered her car too and leave.
****
Mark and his wife are worried about Valeria but knowing she can't run away they stayed calm waiting for her and not causing any more issues and misinterpretation. Geraldine was angry at her husband for not standing up for their daughter and also making her look bad. They heard the door knob opening and knew it was Valeria
"Where did you go to?" Geraldine asked walking towards her
"Good evening mother" Valeria greeted
"I went out with Miss Esmeralda, the career lady. Sorry for not taking permission" Valeria said not looking at her mother
"Give her a call" Geraldine said and Valeria dialed Esmeralda's contact and she picked immediately
"Good evening Miss Esmeralda" Geraldine greeted
"Good evening Mrs Melvin" Esmeralda greeted back
"Valeria didn't take permission before leaving the house and coming back this late" Geraldine said looking at Valeria who seemed to has cried
"I'm really sorry Mrs Melvin. Please be gentle on her" Esmeralda replied knowing she might not be able to escape punishment but atleast a gentle one will do
"No problem Miss Esmeralda" Geraldine said and end the call giving Valeria her phone back. Mark was looking at how his wife switched from worried to disciplining.
"I'm sorry mother, I really needed the space so I called her up" Valeria explained
"Do you want to file charges against him?" Geraldine asked looking at her sad daughter
"No evidence or witnesses" Valeria said looking at her father
"Your father will be your witness" Geraldine said
"He shouldn't bother because the charges ain't worth it" Valeria said and walk away to the toilet. Geraldine and Mark watch her leave. Mark felt bad and angry at himself for jumping into conclusion. If they were at home, Valeria will definitely lock herself up but now they fear she will want to leave for the school hostel as soon as possible.
"Valeria!" Geraldine called few seconds later.
"Let's solve this as tomorrow is another day" Geraldine said and Valeria come out
"I'm not angry at father, he did what he thought was right at the moment, he saw evidence right there but if at all there was a bug, he should have asked me to remove it not try to touch me without my consent" Valeria said in one breath
"I'm sorry Valeria, I just don't want you causing a scene or making enemies before resuming school" Mark said
"Then you should have asked for the full story before jumping into conclusion or misinterpreting everything that happened. That boy has been flirting with me, having fun with me in his head, using his eyes to undress me, you got there and believed a bug story that was made up. All you could have atleast done was stand by me outside and scold me inside if at all you think I was wrong" Valeria said as calm as she could even if anger could be heard. This is the first time she's talking to either of her parents like this. Not that she's scared of them but she gives them hundred percent respect always. Geraldine knows her daughter was hurt by her father's action and left her to talk.
"I accept every fault of mine, I'm sorry" Mark said feeling bad he hurt his daughter
"The deed has been done and nothing can be undone. I really just wish this day never happened" Valeria said and her mother nod in support
"Valeria, the same way you are our daughter is the same way we are children to someone and we are bound to make mistakes. One day you will give birth and still offend we your parents, it never stops. The only way to make this continue is to settles our differences and make peace with each other. If your father is sorry for believing an outsider then you should also be sorry for leaving the house without permission. And that's how it happens, we will keep offending each other and even while trying to let our feelings known we might sound rude or even be rude. Now let everything go and be the good girl you've always been" Geraldine said scolding Mark and Valeria. Valeria hug her father in tears and it ended there. Valeria couldn't eat dinner with her family after the dinner date with Esmeralda.