Chapter 8: Jenny ’s Bad News

Upon arriving in her boarding house, she went directly

to her room and changed clothes.

“ How was your day, my friend? Did you find a new job?

“Stella was staring at her.

“ Luckily, I got hired today and started now too.

That's why I came home late. Have you all eaten? “

“ We had dinner already. We left some food for you.

It's great that you have found a job so fast. Congratulations!” Stella went

closer to her with a smile on her face and patted Danielle's shoulder.

“ Thanks!” Danielle smiled back.

“ By the way, your cousin Jenny called just now. I

think  it's an emergency. “ Ivy turned

her body aside in her bed to look at Danielle.

“ I see. She called me a while ago too but I was with

my boss. I'll call her now.” Danielle took out her phone from her bag and dialled

Jenny's number.

While the line was ringing, she felt a cold wind

making her body shiver. Strange wind blow was felt by her board mates too. They

smelled a burned candle all of a shiver. Her call to Jenny was not answered.

Then, they presumed that there's something odd going

on.

“ Hey guys do you feel cold all of a sudden and do you

smell what I smelled? “ Ivy sat up straight at the side of her bed.

“ It smells like a candle being burn. “ The hairs on

their skin began to raise upward. Stella 

who was standing close to Danielle got scared. She grabbed Danielle's

shoulder and hid herself at Danielle's back.

“ Come on, guys! Stop it! It’s just the wind coming

from our window. “ Danielle tried to convince her friends. She looked at the

window near her bed and saw that it was open.” See?” She pointed at her side where

the window can be seen.

Everyone looked at the window and was convinced.

Danielle went to close the window afterwards.

“ But what about the burned candle smell? How can you

explain that? “

“ You're all being paranoid.  Who knows? Maybe some couples are having

candle light dinner.” Danielle tried to persuade the others.

Although, she's feeling some goose bumps  too. She still tried to be brave in front of

her friends. The others were still frightened.

“Stop this conversation already!” Danielle shouted.

The three girls got afraid to the sudden change of mood of Danielle. They stick

together, avoiding the fierce look of Danielle.

Taking a deep sigh, Danielle saw how they reacted. She

shook her head when she had realized what made the others go away from her. “

I'm sorry, guys! I should’ve not shouted at you. I think I'm just tired.”

“ It's okay. We're sorry too. Maybe we did overreact

so much that you got annoyed.”

Stella and the others admitted their fault. But

Danielle still felt guilty. She went closer to the other girls and hugged them

tightly.

After comforting each other, Danielle remembered that

she had to call back Jenny. She picked up her phone and dialled again.

This time she made it through. Jenny answered her

call.

“ Jenny, sorry about a while ago. So, what's up?”

“ Danielle, Nanang's gone. “

Shocked by the sudden news, Danielle felt her knees

trembling and felt weak to stand. Her face turned pale and she grabbed the post

near her as she began to lose her strength. She slowly sat down at the side

bed.

“ That's impossible. The last time I came to visit

her, she was so energetic and lively like 

her usual self. How can that be?”

“ I'm sorry, Danielle. Nanang died when she vomited a

lot of blood and her nose bleeding never stopped. We tried to save her and rushed

her to the hospital but the doctor wasn't able to revive her. Nanang's  dead.”

Tears started to fall down from her eyes. The pain in

her heart can never be concealed. She cried out loud and sobbed. The phone on

her hand fell to the floor as it slipped from her grasp.

“No!!!!!” Danielle shouted out loud.

Startled by her reaction, the three girls approached

her to comforted her. They looked at each other with a puzzled look in their

eyes and concern for her. They embraced her tightly.

“ What's wrong, Danielle? “

Ivy looked at Danielle's eyes while constantly

caressing her back.

“ My grandmother is dead. She's the only person I had

but now, she's gone.”

“Danielle, I know how you feel right now but you still

have us. We are like family. Aren't we?”

Stella brushed Danielle's hair with her hands. She

felt sad for Danielle's lost.

“ Yeah! You have us! Through thick and thin, we'll be like

a family. “

Annalise cheered up her voice although it was a bit

awkward. It's the least she could think of.

Danielle continued sobbing and crying. Even if she was

being comforted by them, she still felt the sorrow of losing the only person

she had.

An hour later, Danielle laid her body on her bed. She

stopped crying but she had to appetite to take dinner too. Her world crumbled

by the bad news she received.

The three girls felt helpless as they see her mourn

for her grandmother's death. They gave her space so that she could have her

time for herself.

The night was silent. Everyone was sleeping soundly

but not for Danielle. Her eyes wouldn't let her go to sleep even though her

body wanted to have a rest. She remained awake till morning came.

“ Danielle, I think you should rest for a while.”

Stella approached her. Carrying a plate that contains pansit canton and boiled

egg. “ Here! Take your breakfast.”

Staring at her friend, Danielle gave a blunt smile. A

lifeless smile. A sad look on the eyes while grabbing the plate Stella was

offering her.

“ Thank you for the food. I can't take a rest or take

a leave because I just got hired yesterday. An taking a leave is not a good

option for me right now.”

Upon hearing her words, Stella understood and gave up

on talking to her.

Silently, Danielle ate her breakfast. Then, she went

to take a bath and change her clothes. It was her second day at work.

Therefore, she must show a good performance and good appearance too. She must

not be late nor be criticised in any means.

To hide the dark circles around her eyes, she dropped

by in a convenient store to buy a facial mask before going to work. She grabbed

a tricycle to send her to the company.

“ Where to, Miss?” The tricycle driver looked at her

with a pleasing smile.

“ To NERO Company. Do you know the place?” Danielle

glanced at the tricycle driver.

“ Yes, Ma'am!”

In less than a few minute, they have already reached

the company building. Danielle paid the tricycle driver's service as she get

off the tricycle. Then, she entered the company wearing her working ID. There

were staff who were walking along with her. They rode on the elevator since it

was the most convenient and fastest way to get to the CEO's office.

She smiled at every person she bumped in. She showed

her modesty and simplicity but her eyes reflected her sorrow that she was

feeling. Her smile can't cover what the eyes are saying. A saying goes: “the

eyes are the windows of a soul.”

Even if she pretended to be okay, her eyes were talking.

“ Good morning, Danielle! Is there something wrong?”

Hannah caught her eyes. She noticed the sadness in it.

“ Good morning, Hannah! I'm perfectly fine.” Danielle

forced a smile on her face.

But Hannah wasn't convinced. She can tell that

something's wrong with her today.

“ Hey! If you have something in mind that's making you

uncomfortable, just let me know, okay?”

“ Okay!”

After their simple conversation, they went to their

own desk and began to work. Danielle's focus was into her work. She set aside her

personal matters first. She should not slack at her work. She can't afford to

lose a job now than ever.

While she was focus typing on her computer, an email

was sent to her by the publication where she posted her books. She opened the

email and read it. She felt surprised at the same time amazed that a young

director wants to adapt her book and turned it to a movie.

“ This is awesome!” She thought. She sent a reply to

the publication and agreed into it.

Suddenly, another email was sent to her. The publication

said the profit that she will receive from producing the movie. So, its

50/30/20. It means 50 percent of the profit will be given to the maker of the

movie, 30 percent goes to the publication and 20 percent goes to her. Then they

attached the contract as well.

Definitely, Danielle didn't have any question

regarding about the profit. As long as she was benefited from her hard work, she would never reclaim.