Inside the Riley's house, Selena was eating dinner with her parents. Thinking of a way to tell her parents about her plans, she decided to take it slowly.
"Mum?" She called and her mother answered her.
"What would you say if I told you that I want to live on my own?" Selena asked courteously.
Mrs Riley and her husband glanced at each other in surprise. Seeing her parents reaction, Selena spoke quickly. "I know it's unexpected but..., I just want to experience the outside world on my own."
Selena knows it was only a half truth. Yes, she wanted to experience living without her parents but not living alone. She knows that some day she is going to leave her parent's house and probably stay with her future husband but she wasn't expecting it to be this soon and to make it worse, she would be staying with a man she doesn't know anything about except the fact that he's her boss.
Mrs Riley was relieved within her as what she had hope for was happening and she has to act that she is ignorant of what she was talking about.
Putting on a worried expression, Mrs Riley looked at her daughter. "Dear, is everything okay? Are you alright?" She asked.
Mr Riley, understanding his wife acts decided to flow with it. With a calm and altruistic voice, "My little angel," He said, "Is there anything going on? You know you can always tell us whatever is wrong. We're always here for you."
Selena saw the concern in her parents words and she felt hurt. She doesn't want to do anything that will hurt them but how would she say this without hurting their feelings.
Only if Selena knew her parents were secretly rejoicing in their minds, she won't have been this bothered.
Selena dropped her fork, raising her head slightly, "Mum, dad, there's nothing going on, I'm alright. All I just want to do right now is to learn how to live on my own and maybe get used to it as time goes on." She looked at her mum's eyes then her dad's. "I just need you both approval." She added.
The room was filled with a comfortable silence as Mr Riley pretended to be thinking and Mrs Riley acting sad. Selena stayed on her seat quietly waiting for her parents response.
Breaking the silence, Mr Riley spoke, "Where would you stay if we give our approval?"
Selena had expected this question from the start, she knew her parents very well and she had prepared herself for this.
Speaking carefully and cautiously, "I plan to rent an apartment but before then I'll be staying with Kayla." She said.
'Oh God, why do I have to be in this situation?' Selena never imagined herself lying to her parents but here she was all because she thought they would be scared and concerned for her.
'I see, you're still the considerate daughter I know. I'm sorry I put you through all this.' Mr Riley said in his head and released a smile.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked. Even though he knew she was telling him a lie, he was happy for her safety but yet he couldn't deny the fact that her happiness comes first.
"Yes dad, that's what I want." She said with a respectful but firm voice and fixed her eyes on her mother. "Mum, you are not saying anything. Did you...."
Mrs Riley cut her off, "Dear, your father has already approved you living on your own so I'm in full support." Taking her daughter's hand in hers, she squeezed it gently. "Just be careful and stay happy, that's the only thing I want from you. Can you do that for me?" Mrs Riley said with teary eyes.
"Yes mum, I can do that. I'll stay happy for you, dad and myself." She said with assurance in her voice.
Nodding her head, "I'm okay with that then." Mrs Riley said and released her daughter's hand. Wiping away the tears that was about forming in her eyes, she turned her attention back to her food.
"It's already late and we're still having dinner. C'mon do you both want to have an indigestion this night?" She playfully said and they all laughed.
After dinner, Selena, driven by gratitude for her parent's enduring support, insisted on taking care of the aftermath. She deftly cleared the table and washed the dishes, her gestures reflecting a sense of fulfillment.
Once the kitchen was restored to its pristine order, she greeted her parents with a good night kiss before retreating to her room.
The sanctuary of her room beckoned, and she answered its call. A study chair positioned near her window provided a serene view of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. The file she had brought from work was her companion as she settled into the chair.
She opened her phone checking through her messages and seeing Kayla's message replied with a smile on her face and the next minute she received an incoming call.
"Good evening Selena," Kayla said immediately the call connected.
"Good evening Kayla." Selena replied, "How was your day?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question when you probably know my day is always uneventful without you around." Kayla said with pouted lips and Selena laughed genuinely.
"So you tell me, how was your day? Were you stressed out on your first day?" Kayla added.
"Stressed out? Oh I wish you know how stressed out I was. I literally stood for more than an hour just because of my aloof boss. Like, what kind of boss treat his employees like that." Selena complained.
"Oh dear! I'm sorry about that but you know, look on the bright side. You're an intern for one of the best company in New York city." Kayla said trying to cheer up her friend.
"I know." She said. Remembering she needed to tell Kayla about her boss, she used this as an opportunity. " I wanted to tell you something very important." She said shifting her tone to a serious one.
"What is it?"
Thinking of how to say it, she decided to tell Kayla the truth. "Do you remember the man I told you about yesterday that almost hit the taxi I entered? Selena said waiting for her friends reply.
"Yes I do. That strange man."
"Guess what?" She said
"C'mon Selena, you know I'm not good at guessing. Tell me what happened?"
"Okay fine." Taking a deep breath, "He turned out to be my boss." Selena said and she heard Kayla exclaim loudly.
"Yes he is the owner of the M.W.C and my boss and now I'm doing my internship directly under him but..." She paused.
"But what? Tell me." Kayla's curiosity reaching it peak.
"I have to live with him if I want to continue my internship in his company."
"What?" Kayla screamed in shock. "How can you live with him? Did he give you that condition? I definitely know he did because you won't do such a thing and what about mum and dad, do they know? Did they accept?" Kayla blasted Selena with different questions.
"Yes Kayla, they know and I already accepted it. I don't know what's going to happen onwards but I just feel something is going to happen." Selena said as the memory of her dream flashed in her head.
"Selena..." Kayla said
"It's okay Kayla, I'm going to be fine. I just need you to tell dad and mum I'll be staying at your place for a few days if they ask." Selena chime in.
"Are you sure about this?" Selena could hear the concern in Kayla's voice.
"Yes, I'm very sure. I'll be fine Kayla, so don't worry." She said with assurance.
"Okay if you say so, but promise you'll call me when you're there."
"I promise." Selena said and they both giggled before saying a good night and ended the call.
Selena held her phone closer to her chest. "Please God, let me really be alright." She prayed silently.