Chapter 5.

“How was work?” I ask an already dozing off Kendra laying on the couch.

“Oh you're back, work was fine” she replies in a raspy voice which tells me she has been trying to stay awake a little longer

“Kendra my dad called” I say, sitting on the sofa

“Are you okay” she asks as her eyes turn wide with concern

“I don't know if I can be okay knowing that my father has found me” I stutter

“It's going to be okay, he won't be able to hurt you, I promise, I'll be here for you and so would your new friend and Joel will be there too” Kendra says, hugging me close to her chest like the moment she leaves me, I will be taken away.

I sob silently into her chest as different thoughts races through my mind.

“But what if he comes for me when I'm alone? And there's no one there to protect me?” I mutter.

“He won't, trust me”

I don't realize when I fall asleep, but the next day I wake up and Kendra is not home. I assume she has gone to work, so I decide to lock the doors and occupy myself with anything that could block away the thought of having my father find me.

The day goes by slowly and after hours of binge-watching movies tucked in bed, I decide to have my bathe and grab the chocolates that Stewart had gotten me.

Bored of watching movies, I decide to scroll through my social media apps to look for something exciting.

I'm gradually scrolling when I receive a text from Stewart. I tap on the message to see what it says.

“Get ready, I'll be coming to pick you up in 30”

I don't have the urge to look for clothes or even step outside my house and yes, it's because I'm scared that he would find me and my life would come to a halt, maybe even an end.

Before I could reply, I receive a call from Kendra

“Her girlie, are you okay?” She asks.

“Yes I'm fine, I'm tucked in bed eating chocolates, Stewart got them for me, and I'll surely remain for you” I say

“Well you better, I'm just calling to check in on you. Joel is coming over tonight, I hope that's fine with you, and maybe you can invite your friend too” she says, and I could feel her air quoting the word “friend”

“I'll invite him over, into our miniature apartment” I tell her

“Don't worry about the size of the apartment, bye girlie” she says and hangs up.

I know the reason Kendra is doing all of these is just so that I will be more comfortable, and I sincerely appreciate her.

I receive a call from Stewart and remember I forgot to reply to his text.

“Hey Stasia, I'm calling to make sure you're okay”

“Oh yes I am, I was about to text you back then Kendra called me”

“Oh that's fine”

“I don't think I'll be able to hang out, but you don't mind staying for dinner or maybe a sleepover tonight, do you?”

“That sounds fine, I'll be there in an hour time”

“Oh take your time, the party doesn't start until 8”

“Don't worry, I've got nothing doing, I can come a little earlier, it doesn't matter”

“Okay I'll be expecting you soon”  I say and end the call.

I decide to pop some corn in the microwave and get things ready for tonight. I place the blankets on the sofa and pick out a nice movie that we could all watch. Nothing too romantic, just adventurous.

An hour later, I hear a knock on the door and peep from the door hole to see Stewart. There's this sudden joy that comes with seeing Stewart.

“Hey welcome” I say after I opened the door and hug Stewart

“Thank you” he says, reciprocating my hug and heads into the sitting room.

He relaxes on one of the sofas as he hands me the nylon he holds in his hands.

I open the nylon to find a bottle of alcoholic wine and two boxes of pizzas

“You didn't have to” I smile

“I didn't have to, but I wanted to” he smiles back.

Stewart and I sit in the sitting room, and he tells me about his childhood and I only wished I was his sister, maybe my childhood would be filled with laughs just like his. Instead, mine was filled with agony.

“You're lucky you had such a happy childhood” I say as a knock on the door catches me off guard.

It's only been a few hours, and I wasn't expecting Kendra or Joel soon, but I open the door anyway.

To my surprise, it's Kendra and Joel, and I smile happily.

“Welcome sis” I say to Kendra “welcome boyfriend” I greet Joel and Kendra gives me that “you can't be serious” look, but I ignore it anyway. Come in come in I say, and I move to the side to give them space to come in.

“Hey stranger” Kendra greets Stewart who is seated on the sofa

“Hey, you must be Kendra, the book lover. Anastasia has told me a lot about you” he says, and I thank God he didn't use the nickname he gave to me because if he did, Kendra would taunt me for the rest of my life.

“Well you got that right” she says as he stretches his hand for a handshake, trying to respect Joel's presence.

“Joel” Joel says and shakes Stewart's hand

“Stewart” Stewart replies and does the same

“Ugh! The formality is suffocating” Kendra says and everyone giggles.

Kendra has freshened up and Joel and Stewart are vibing, and they seem to have gotten along, which was pretty fast considering the fact that they were trying to be formal a few minutes ago.

I head to the kitchen to get out the pizza, so the movie could begin.

“I love how they're getting along and not judging our miniature apartment” I say to Kendra.

“That's how life feels when you have the right people around, comfortable” she says.

“Ladies we’re waiting for you” Joel yells from the kitchen

“We'll be there in a Jiffy babe” Kendra yells back.

I pick up the box of pizza and Kendra decides to carry the bottle of alcoholic wine.

“Tonight would be so much fun” I squirm in excitement.

“I'm happy about that” Kendra says as we head into the sitting room and we both place the items in our hands on the table.

“Oops I forgot the popcorn” I say as I head to the kitchen and grab the popcorn from the microwave.

“Now let the party begin!” I say when I'm back in the sitting room.

We decide to watch “Purple Hearts” and I'm not sure if it was among my selections, but everyone seemed to love it.

The movie finished and so did the popcorn, and I see Kendra already leaning on Joel's body. “That's cute” my subconscious says to me.

“This wine and pizza is definitely not going to waste, so everyone up, we're going to play a game” Stewart says

“I hope you have a good game in mind cause if you don't I'll play dead” Kendra giggles

It is nice having them around, They were peaceful and fun and exactly what I need in my life, peace and Joy.

“I'm thinking truth cards” Stewart says as he pulls some cards out of his pocket. “If you fail to answer a question, you would take two shots and spill a secret about yourself” he adds.

“Bring it on” Joel, Kendra and I say in unison.

Stewart states the rules of the game and the game begins.

“It's Kendra then Joel, then Stewart and Anastasia” Stewart says. “And the person to pick can't be the person holding the cards” he adds.

“What is your biggest embarrassing moment in bed” I read to Kendra

“Okay that’s a good one” Kendra giggles “This is so embarrassing, makes me want to cringe. So imagine you didn't know you're going to get your period that day, and it makes its presence known in the middle of cunnilingus. Yes yes, yes! It made its presence known and I just had to go home” she said and hid her face in Joel's armpit as we all burst out laughing at her cute reaction.

“Yuck!” I giggle harder.

“You know what, I'll need alcohol to be able to play this game after such a confession” Kendra says as she downs two shots of alcohol and Joel stops her from taking the third.

“Now for you Joel” Kendra laughs mischievously as she reads what is written on the cards, “Describe the cheesiest thing you have ever said to someone”

“Oh y'all are gonna cringe hard” he says with his deep British accent, “So after roughly two weeks of stalking a girl, I decide to go for it and tell her that we should visit every town in London and create our very own love map. Bro, she walked away. My cheesy lines wasted, and I promised to never” he laughs

“No you didn't”  Stewart says between laughs

“Yes he did” Kendra says, laughing harder than before

“Ok okay Stewart, you're next” Joel says, picking up a card, and it reads “If you could marry a celebrity who would it be” and I can see the disappointment in Joel's face “That's way too easy man”

“Well it's my luck, I'll go for Audrey Hepburn. She's just it for me” He says and everyone sighs in disappointment, and it makes us giggle.

“That's unfair” Stewart says and it only makes us laugh some more

“Anastasia get ready for this” Stewart says as he flips the card open and reads what it says “What is your biggest fear” he says, and I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

The words constantly replay in my head, and then I remember the phone call and how he called my name, and suddenly, I couldn't breathe, my lungs were constricted and I could feel myself striving for air.

Kendra rushes to me and urges me to follow her breathing, step by step, and I do so, but it doesn't seem to be working. Joel then rubs my back as Stewart takes my palm, places it in between his palms and rubs it and Kendra still urges me to take little but slow breaths that I would be just fine. It doesn't work as my world goes dark and the last thing I hear is “Don't give up on me Anastasia” but it seems like I already did.