Chapter 42:
I paced about worriedly. I sat on the bench and not even the cool breeze could not calm my racing mind. I had to prove to everyone that Father was innocent. He doesn’t deserve to be blamed for this.
I already had a headache from all the thinking. We were doing everything we could to prove that Dad wasn’t the culprit. I hissed as the face of that idiot came into my mind.
~~~
Danovo got to his girlfriend’s apartment. The average of the music in the car could be heard before he alighted from it then shut it behind him. He walked up to the front door and before he could even press the doorbell, the door was already opened to him. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“You got here rather early,” Juliana said when she saw him.”Is that a way for you to welcome me?” he retorted. “I mean, you even left me standing at the door and wouldn’t let me come in before asking your questions. Why?”
Juliana looked him up and down and opened the door a little wider as she stepped back for him to come in. “Well, you don’t usually come as early as you came today. Are you bothered?” she asked him.
He plopped himself down on her couch in the living room. “No, I’m not bothered about anything. Why would I be? You always complain that we don’t go out as often as we usually do so here I am to take you out” he replied.
” Really? But what if people see us together? Don’t you think it we might get into trouble?” she panicked a wee bit. ” Fuck! Ladies” he shut his eyes close shaking his head. ” Why are you ladies like this, if I had given this exact reason you would make it a big deal but now I decided to take you out, you brought out the question.
Juliana frowned at his expression on his face. ” Okay__” She shrugged her shoulders and went upstairs to finish getting ready. He change the channels as he waited for her to come down full stop after about ten minutes he called her phone. “Why are you taking so much time?” he asked as soon as she picked up the call.
“Well in case you didn’t notice you came very early which isn’t normal. I hadn’t finished getting ready. I’m trying to round up so why don’t you give me time to do that?” He hissed and hung up the call.
In about five minutes she was coming down the stairs looking as casual as ever. He stared at her white crop top and blue faded jeans. “Why are you dressed like that?” he asked, bewildered.
“We are going to the park. Do you expect me to wear a dress to the park?” she asked him.
He looked confused. “I don’t get it. I thought we were going to a fancy restaurant or something. Isn’t this supposed to be a date? Why are we going to the park?”
She rolled her eyes and walked over to him then took his hand and forced him to get off on the couch. “A date can also be at the park. I don’t feel like eating and by the way fancy restaurants can sometimes get boring,” she answered.
He shrugged and took his car keys. They got to the car , she shook her head subconsciously “What is it? “He asked, not understanding what the problem was.
“I want us to walk. At least we can have a little fun as we go there. By the way the park isn’t even too far from the house,” she said to him.
Juliana was seriously trying his patience. “Who the hell would go for a date, through tricking?” he whispered to himself but followed behind her.
At first they walked in silence. She desperately looked around desperately trying to think of a good conversation to start. “What’s the matter?” her boyfriend asked when he noticed her countenance.
“It’s nothing. I just want to know why Daniella feels are the one who killed your father,” she said, stuttering as she blurted it out.
He scratched up his face and looked down at her. “I don’t understand what your problem is. Why would you believe Daniella over me? That bitch is just stupid,” he said roughly. She nodded as they walked and didn’t say anything afterwards.
On the way to the park they got two cones of ice cream and to lighten the mood, Juliana cracked a few jokes and they laughed. There was a little fun very good at that park when they got there. He tried to win her a few teddy bears and they got on the roller coaster.
When they were done, the two of them sat on a bench a little distance away from the busy crowd. She laid her head on his chest. Danovo grinned like he was the best person in the world at that moment.
He suddenly caught sight of familiar hair from a little way in front of them. He quickly tapped Juliana. “Get up, let’s go,” he said as he almost shoved her off his body. ”Why? What’s going on?” she asked, wondering what the problem was.
“That’s none of your business. Just get up and let’s leave this place,” he said. He stood up hurriedly, hoping that action would prompt her to do the same, which it did. He basically sped away from the park with Juliana barely keeping up.
“What is the meaning of this?” she yelled when they were on the sidewalk again. “Why are you acting so strange?”
“Like I said, it’s not your business,” he replied, looking behind them to make sure they were far enough.
“You say it’s not my business but here I am running with you. At least tell me what we’re running from?” she said, getting irritated with his behavior.
“You don’t need to know,” he said almost inaudibly. His hands patted around his jeans until he found his eyes. Then realization hit him.
Juliana noticed him staring at her strangely. “What is it? Or is it none of my business?” she asked with sarcasm lacing her voice.
“The car isn’t here. Now, we have to walk back to your house,” he said angrily as he ran his hands threw his hair. ”What kind of bad luck is this?” she could hear him whisper.
Juliana walked ahead of him, just to avoid a repeat of what happened inside the park. He followed suit. At a point, she turned abruptly. “What are you running from?” she asked him sternly. She was thankful that most people were at the fun fair so the street wasn’t so busy, it was almost empty. ”I’ve told you not to worry about it, haven’t I?” he replied.
“Yes, you did. Obviously,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “But I demand an explanation because you can’t have me run with you when I have no idea of who or what I should be looking out for”
He ignored her and continued moving. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he looked around nervously.
“What is going on with him?” his girlfriend whispered to herself. An idea hit her. “Does this have anything to do with the case?”
“What case?” he instinctively asked without stopping. He needed to get to his car as soon as possible.
“You know the case I’m talking about. The one with Daniella’s father. You’ve been acting strange since the matter came up,” she said.
“That’s not true. Look, I don’t give a shit about that girl and her family. Can you drop it already?”
Juliana chose to trust him and kept mute about the matter from then. After all, he had never really given her a reason to doubt most of his actions. Maybe something was just bothering him which he would disclose to her later.
After a while, she spoke. “But I still don’t get why Daniella thinks you have something to do with this. I know she’s trying to clear her dad’s name and stuff but why is she bringing you into this?” she wondered out loud.
Danovo felt like tearing his clothes. He couldn’t be more grateful that the house wasn’t too far from there. Juliana continued to talk. “I feel someone might be trying to frame you or the girl just wants her dad out of prison as soon as possible”.
“Can you shut it already?! Daniella this, Daniella that. What do you want me to do about her?” he lamented, not able to take it anymore.
“I’m just trying to think up solutions for us. It isn’t right you to be falsely accused,” she replied. His demeanor was baffling. “Besides, why are you so pressed about her? Why do you get all angry and defensive whenever I mention her name?”
“Because she’s right!” he blurted out. They had gotten to the house and were standing right in front of his car.
Juliana blinked several times. “What did you say?”
He sighed in defeat. There was nothing else to hide. “I said she’s right. I’m the one who killed my dad. I just can’t be the one to take the fall for it. After all, it’s his fault that he died,” he said. “Anyway, let her dad take the fall for it. He’s already old anyway.”
He turned back slightly and saw that familiar patch of hair. Juliana was still processing this new information. “You!” he yelled.