Chapter-03

I got frustrated after a minute and was ready to leave home. At the time, a car came by and stopped right in front of me.

“Need a ride?” Madelaine’s face popped up in the car.

“You didn’t wonder why I am alone here” I bit my nails in anger when Iam sitting next to her. “Explain” she opened the door. I sat next to her and kept being silent. I don’t want to talk about that.

“So,” she started.

“So, the thing is I met a boy who is looking so mysteriously handsome.” the word handsome got out of my mouth without thinking.

“He’s handsome. I should definitely hear the story. Go on and on,” she smiled broadly while taking a turn in the road.

“Okay, one day I was unaware while walking on the road and he saved me before a car hit me and he went without hearing me say thanks. Today he showed up again. We talked for a while and some thief entered bash Cafe. He threatened everyone, but Chris moved forward towards him. The thief shot him but there’s no injury, then Chris got a call, left me without a goodbye.” I finished telling her.

“I am in shock at how he got no injured when he was shot.”

“I heard the gun sound, but the owner saw with his eyes that Chris was surely got shot by the thief.”

“What if the owner is wrong?”

“Maybe or not,” I said and tried to change the topic.” So, there’s any reason you came here today”

“Fortunately, I saw you, but Stella, don’t change the topic. I want to know about him. Now tell me where exactly he saved you from the accident. I want to see his face. This guy seems pretty interesting to investigate “

“It happened near your house. You are thinking what I am thinking, right?” as I told Maddy’s face is well protected, so there are many hidden CCTV cameras.

“Yes, we are going to see on the camera. I will get a chance to see the mysterious boy face.” I tried not to smile but I can’t resist. The reason is I want to see him again. At least in a video, if not in real again.

We stepped out of the car and walked inside her house. “Now give me the exact information, timings etcetera...” she ordered me. It’s a good thing I remembered everything. After some minutes of searching, “I got it,” she sat at the table and played that video on her laptop.

“See, that’s me. Now where is he?” I said, leaning closer to her.” I don’t see him either," she said. Then I spotted him on the other side of the road, talking on his phone. He looked at me when the car was about to hit me. I saw him moving forward at an ultra-speed and caught me at the right moment. Even in the video, everything happened in a flash. The way I toppled over him and his hands are on my waist gave me goosebumps.

“how’s that possible?” Maddy yelled.

“I don’t know. No one can run that much faster. It’s weird.” A shiver ran down my spine again and I closed the laptop.

“I think I should go home.” I stood up, taking my bag.

“You are leaving?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s evening. Today I skipped all the class. Maybe I will get some rest and go to the academy tomorrow.”

“Fine, bye.” she leads my way back to the entrance.

“Mm... I want” I stammered when she was about to turn.

“You want the video right.” She beamed. She’s the only person who can act like she can read my mind every time.

“Yes, right.”

By the time I reached my house, there’s no more problem at home. That’s a good thing. But there’s no guarantee because they are fighting almost all the days in a week and I can’t do anything about it. Iam feeling powerless.

“Stella, we want to talk with you,” my mom said.

“Now or later.” I blinked.

“Now” she demanded. I put my bag down and sat near them. They are so calm today.

“We are getting separated,” both said at the same time. I felt like an arrow hit me right in my chest. For a second, I was wondering what made them so calm and peaceful. But there’s no peace here because they found a solution by getting separated.

“What the heck!”

“You heard us right. We are getting separated and we want to decide where you will be staying. Either with mom or with me,” dad said.

“You got to be kidding me.” I totally got shocked and angry. I have a choice to decide but I am taking my own choice.

“Neither you nor you.” I pointed at both of them.

“What? Are you insane? Where do you think you will stay? On the road?”

“You both are making me mad. I don’t want to be with you,” I stood up and pushed the chair away.

“I will go to Madelaine’s house. I am happy being with her or I will go somewhere else. If I could say the truth, I will tell staying in the street is better than you.”

“That’s out of the option. I won’t let you go there.”

“Stop giving me orders. I hate you. You both made me sober. I wanted to be happy, not seeing fights every day. What’s done is done. I will stay somewhere else,” I rushed into my room without hearing another word from them. But my mom followed me and closed my door from outside.

“COME out!” she shouted from outside. Tears fell down my cheeks. They always drive me crazy. Now they are going to be separated. I don’t know when these bad things will be over in my life.

“Okay. you don’t need to come out. I already locked the door, you are not going anywhere,” she told sternly, and I tried to open the door but I can’t.

“This is a compulsion. A good parent won’t do something like that,” I yelled from my room.

“Then I am not good,” she said, and I heard the footsteps going away from the door.

“shi…now how will I escape from here” I muttered to myself. I quickly took my phone and messaged Madelaine. Thank God, she saw the message right at the moment.

Maddy: I am coming. But try to come out of the window.

Stella: I can’t escape from this ducking window. Who do you think I am? A monkey?

Stella: I mean ducking

Stella: ducking…

I threw the phone away on the bed and tried to break the window. I was stuck in the room for more than half an hour. Suddenly, I got a call.

“Hey, I am sorry. I am late, I am in your house right now”

“Find a way to get me out,” I whispered silently.

“Okay,” she hung up. I kept the window open, and I heard some robotic noise inside my house.

“AL330 FOR RESCUE,” I turned to see that the android.

“Don’t shout, don’t shout. How did you get here?” I asked suspiciously?

“Through the window.” This time words appeared on a screen on the robot instead of voice. Seriously, how can it jump through the window? Alex’s android is crazy like him.

“Okay good. Now, how will I go out?” I bend down to its size. It didn’t reply, but moved towards the window and removed some screws on either side of it and looked at me.

“Are you telling me to jump?” I gasped at it. In reply, it shook its head. I can’t walk on rooftops.no no-no.

“What’s the noise coming from your room?” my mom asked, reaching the room.

“Okay, I will do it,” I said, stepped outside it. Suddenly, she opened the door.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” she shrieked and ran towards me. Goosebumps raised on my skin; I took steps on the rooftops. I reached an edge and slipped.

“Whoa,” I yelled and slid to the end. I closed my eyes, knowing that Iam going to fall. I am afraid of heights.

“Gotcha,” someone said, catching me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Madelaine. She caught me and slowly put me down. ‘You look so thin but my back is so painful by catching you’, she muttered to herself.

“Don’t hesitate. Run,” she shouted this time, and we ran outside. Both mom and dad came to catch me. They looked so angry right at the moment.

“Leave her.” she shouted at Madelaine.

“I am glad I never got to see your face again,” I said and got into the car and we took off.