Everyone arrived to school the next day with their fathers, holding them by their hands. I arrived Zoey's high school with her and Sebastian. She was holding Sebastian's hand so tight. I had to pretend like we were a coupl now, by faking up smiles. My cheeks were hurting so much from those smiles.
Standing at a corner with them, Zoey's friends walked up to us. They acted like they didn't know about Sebastian just being a friend to Zoey. They were happy that Zoey's day was going as planned.
"Your friends are here, won't they know the truth?". Sebastian whisphered to her.
"They know, but they promised to cooperate." Zoey whisphered back.
"Zoey, your dad finally came." Mia pretended.
Zoey smiled at her, while I shook my head uninterestedly. We all headed over to the hall, that had so many parents and students. There were empty chairs at the back, and we kept our butt there. Zoey was seated in our middle and I really appreciated that.
"Mum, you aren't with your ring." Zoey said to me.
"Which ring?". I asked her.
"The one uncle gifted you on your birthday." She reminded me.
"I have two here. I brought them along for this day." Sebastian added.
I looked at him surprisedly. He brought out a small box of ring from the pocket of his pant. I couldn't stop wondering what was going on in his head right now. Zoey was really happy that he did and he was just trying hard to compete with me, about who was a better parent to Zoey.
"It wasn't a must to do this Sebastian." I said.
"Don't act stubborn now. Just bring your hand." He commanded me.
"Mum please." Zoey pleaded stubbornly.
"Fine, I have heard." I said, bringing my hand forward.
Sebastian opened the box before us, bringing out the diamond ring. It really looked beautiful and it was even better than the one he gifted to me on the night of my birthday. Sebastian wore the ring on my finger, and it gave me so much chills.
"Wow, congratulations mum." Zoey said in a low tone.
"It's not a real ring. We are just acting." I reminded her.
"Exactly. We are just pretending to be Zoey's real parents." Sebastian added.
I felt a sudden guilt within me, because Zoey was with her real parents right now. She might be seeing him as a fake father, but Sebastian was indirectly playing his rightful role as her father. I was a bit happy for my daughter somehow, because all these weren't completely cham.
"You're fakingly married now mum. Being a bride looks good on you." Zoey complimented me.
"The ring doesn't look that bad though." I said.
"When is the day coming to an end already?". Sebastian asked exhaustingly.
All of a sudden, Zoey felt pressed and needed to visit the bathroom. She left us at the hall, heading over to the females bathroom. Viano saw her when she left, and decided to follow her to the bathroom.
**At the bathroom...
Zoey rushed into the toilet, to ease herself. She was done in 15 seconds and went over to a washing hand sink, to rinse off her soiled hands. As she was washing her hands, she heard a footstep, coming into the bathroom. She turned her head backwards, and it was Viano.
She sighed, ignoring her presence and that hurt Viano's ego so much.
"Are you really going to act like you didn't see me?". Viano asked her.
"I did. I ignored you obviously." Zoey said darely.
"You've been flaunting your happiness lately. Why?". She asked annoyingly.
Zoey closed the running tap, unable to keep up with Viano's rants. She approached Viano, using her uniform to clean her hands, by rubbing them on it. Viano was surprised at Zoey's guts and immediately, she pushed Zoey to the ground fussing out in anger. Zoey tried standing up to her feet, but Viano still brought her down. She pulled Zoey's hair tightly, covering her mouth so that her screams wouldn't attract anyone to the bathroom.
"How dare you? You fatherless daughter." Viano whisphered into her ears angrily.
"Stand up and fight me. You were acting like a warrior few minutes ago, but see how weak you are now." Viano scorned her.
Zoey could feel the down earth of her hair, and Viano was obviously pulling her hair so hard. It almost felt like Zoey's brain would get pulled out in few seconds.
Someone had seen them inside the bathroom earlier, and she hurriedly went over to where I was seated at the hall, to call for my attention.
"Ma'am, your daughter is in trouble." She cried out.
"My daughter huh? Where?." I asked worriedly.
"What's wrong with Zoey?". Sebastian asked her.
I left my chair, dragging the little girl by her hand. Sebastian joined us, while she showed me the way to the bathroom. Getting there, I saw my poor daughter seated on the ground and getting bullied. Before I could even step in to save her, Sebastian was already inside the bathroom. He pushed Viano aside, while she staggered backwards, landing her back to a wall. Zoey hurriedly stood up from the ground, feeling so dizzy. Her eyes were turning and she lost her steps while trying to approach Sebastian. About to fall, Sebastian caught Zoey in his arms.
"Zoey!!." I screamed out in fear, from where I was standing.
"What did she do to you?". Sebastian asked her.
"My head hurts so much." Zoey cried out.
I walked up to them, taking Zoey away from Sebastian. My daughter looked so weak before my eyes. I wondered how much she had endured in the hands of these bully in the past. Sebastian walked up to Viano, where she was standing confusedly.
"Sweet heart, go with our daughter to the hall. I'll join the two of you later, when I'm done with her." Sebastian pretended like I was his wife, infront of Viano.
"Alright." I respectfully responded.
I placed Zoey's hand round my waist, while I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. She used me as a support to walk well. We left the bathroom with the young girl that approached me earlier.
"Who do you think you are, to hurt my child?". Sebastian asked her.
"Stop acting. She has no father since I knew heer from lower grade." Viano replied doubtfully.
Sebastian got very angry by her response and was about to show his toxic side to her. He grabbed Viano by her neck, trying to suffocate her. Viano cried out for help and it was obvious she was choking and needed air. Sebastian threw her aside, while Viano landed to the ground with her butt. She felt a sharp pain, coughing out.
"Do you need more evidence that shows my paternity to Zoey?". He asked.
"No please." Viano replied, waving her hand to him.
She was already choking from the grip, and didn't need anymore of his vengeance. She stood up from the ground, running out of the bathroom.
**After the father's day**
Zoey gifted Sebastian a new brand wrist watch and an expensive pocket shirt that was wrapped. I really owed Sebastian a lot today for saving my daughter from that bully.
While we were off the school to a bus stand, I held onto Zoey's hand tightly. That was my first time feeling like I would lose my daughter before my very own eyes.
A bus arrived, and we all got in. Zoey wanted to stay near a window and I had no choice but sit next to Sebastian.
We were all silent for a while now, and I needed to break the silence.
"Thank you for saving my daughter's life earlier." I appreciated him lessening my ego infront of him.
"I didn't save her for you. I saved Zoey because she means so much to me." Sebastian replied me rudely, while Zoey stared at him with a smile, feeling grateful and special.
"Thanks uncle." She said.
"Oh yeah, here's your ring." I said to him, pulling out the ring off my finger.
I returned back his ring, because I was tired of faking like a wife. Sebastian received the ring, giving me some rude looks. I turned away my face from his gaze. Finally, the day has come to an end.
★★Back home★★
Zoey got into the loo to freshen up, while I received a call from the telephone at the living room. It was one of my friends, she just informed me that she finally found an attorney for my case.
I couldn't stop rejoicing and I hurriedly went into Jasmine to tell her about it. She was very happy too and I told mum over a phone call, so that she would have a sense of pride towards me.