C4 4

During the time that Cynthia's aunt and the principal conversed, Cynthia took the opportunity to go check on her cousin. She knocked on Jessica's door but no response came so she left to see Jessica's mum after she’d seen that stern-looking Mrs Jacobs off. She curiously asked her aunt what transpired but the latter told her to mind her business and prepare for the interview.

Her aunt then headed to the kitchen to prepare a dish which they both ate. They reserved Jessica’s portion, in case she comes out of her room to eat at night. Cynthia then headed to her room and crashed into the bed. Not long after, she ended up in la-la land.

...

When she opened her eyes again, darkness welcomed her. She reached her hand to the bedside cabinet and turned on the lamp. She sighed and stared at the ceiling for a while before getting out of bed and heading out of her room. She saw her aunt coming out of Jessica's room and slamming the door behind her. Cynthia could tell their meeting didn't go well.

She walked up to her aunt, wanting to know what happened but the latter only told her to go have her bath and sleep coz tomorrow was another long day. Then she entered her room and slammed the door shut.

Of this action of hers, Cynthia concluded that her efforts to talk to her daughter proved abortive. They probably even fought. She'd never seen her aunt this mad before. Cynthia wondered what was really wrong with Jessica.

She walked to her cousin's room door and started knocking while calling her name repeatedly but there was no answer.

Cynthia started to wonder if her cousin could be sleeping already but then she shook her head. No, the Jessica she knew would still be up and probably on her phone.

She kept knocking like she had nothing else to do; even though she did, which was to prepare herself for tomorrow's interview, but what to do? Family comes first, so she has to do what's necessary.

Eventually, Cynthia heard clicking sounds with the door knob twisting. The door pulled open with a frowning Jessica now in the doorway, with her white kitty headset on.

'If she had those on, how did she hear me then? I'm guessing the volume wasn't at its max.' Cynthia thought.

"Now, can you tell me why the hell you're banging on my door this late?" Jessica complained unhappily.

"Can we talk?" Cynthia asked gently.

“Why?” she asked with her arms folded.

The latter sighed. "Your principal came over. I know she didn’t come here for tea. It has something to do with you, right?"

“Why are you asking me that? Am I obliged to answer you?” Jessica spat and retreated three steps into her room. She attempted to shut the door but Cynthia took the chance to force her way in quickly.

"C'mon Jessica! Speak to me and stop being distant. God knows what your mom was told. She’s been wearing a long face after the principal left.”

Cynthia sat on the bed and motioned for her cousin to do the same but she just stood close to the entrance, unwilling to move. Cynthia exhaled on seeing this behaviour of hers. “Alright, don’t sit. Please tell me, what's happening? What’s going on with you?"

"Nothing!" Jessica retorted, turning her back against Cynthia who raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

"Really, Jessie?"

"Just nothing!"

"Then why Is the principal here?" Cynthia rose from the bed and walked to stand in front of her cousin and forced her to stare her in the eye. "If you can't trust anyone, know at least that you can always trust me."

"How can I be sure of that? Everyone is bound to betray me at some point…" Jessie's voice cracked a bit. She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"What are you implying Jessica? Did someone betray you?" Cynthia worriedly held her cousin's shoulders. She seemed like she was going to cry.

"Jessica?" she called out softly.

Without warning, Jessica took her big cousin's hands off her shoulders. "Just stop whatever you're doing. I am better off alone. Please, just leave. I want to be alone, ok? I want some me-time!” she yelled, pointing at the door.

"Calm down, Jessie. I’ll leave. But if you feel like talking, know my door’s always open. And by the way, there’s food in the kitchen. Make sure to eat before you sleep, alright?"

Jessica still pointed at the door after a quick nod, wearing a cold face. After Cynthia exited the room, the door shut behind her hard with click sounds following.

She sighed and headed to the living room where she found her aunt drinking water from a plastic bottle.

“Aunt…”

“Go rest, my dear. Maybe she’ll open up tomorrow. Let’s allow your cousin to have the me-time she demands.” her aunt puts the bottle into the trash container before going back to her room. Cynthia also did the same and started practising for tomorrow’s interview.

...

In her room, Jessica wiped off a stubborn tear that cascaded down her right eyelid.

No one at home knows what she was going through right now and she didn't want to tell her mother and cousin what was wrong with her.

Mum always told her how unfair life was and how tough life could get at later stages. Sometimes she thought her mother was joshing, that she didn't mean most of what she said.

Turns out she was wrong. Right now, she's tired, pissed and frustrated even! Kelvin whom she thought loved her so much that he’d do anything to protect the love they shared- turns out he never really had any feelings for her! She wished he had told her early and didn't keep her in the dark for so long.

Her boyfriend had cheated on her with someone she trusted so much- her best friend, Clara Daliby. When I caught them red-handed, they teased her and called her a lowlife, someone unworthy of love and shouldn't be existing and breathing the same air as them.

How could one bear such a thing? Out of anger, Jessie pounced on them and taught them a vicious lesson, especially Clara. That b*tch merited those injuries she got from her. Jessie didn’t regret hurting those backstabbers.

Jessie slowly lay on her bed, sobbing silently. Recalling all those sweet memories she and Kelvin had created together, she felt so much pain in my heaving chest. When her older cousin repeatedly tried to reach out to her she refused to talk. She didn't want to look weak and cry in front of Cynthia. She didn't want her pity. She was the one who landed herself in this mess, trusting the wrong people.

Hence she put on a cold face and wore her favourite headphones before opening the door, so her older cousin would think she'd been listening to music. And then she quickly sent her out of her room, doing my utmost to maintain that nonchalant face, so as not to shed a tear in front of her.

Jessie wished her Dad was still alive. She would have approached him easily because he always had solutions and comfort. She's never been that close to mum and became more distant after Dad died in a car accident.

She'd managed to open her heart to two people but what did they do in return? They betrayed her! What did she do to deserve this?