Twenty Two

"I saw your post. About the haunted house. Was it fictional?" Ella asked Juana one Tuesday morning "Tell me about it"

"Err...Colin told me about it. It's real" 

"Did he say where that house is located?"

"No he refused to tell me. Helen was his best friend actually"

"Oww that's sad" 

There was a comment underneath the post that caught Juana's attention: "I know of a house like this. Reading your writeup makes me remember the picture". She messaged him and asked for his address 

Ju: How do I meet you?

Jas: Why do you want to meet me?

Ju: I really need some information about that place. I'd like to visit it

Jas: Lol

Ju: I'm damn serious. Would you show me its location?

Jas: Heyy that's weird. Aren't you scared?

Ju: I am, but it'll be fun. Don't you think so too?

Jas: I just saw your pictures, you look great. We can be friends yunno

Ju: Yeah okay. The location?

Jas: Meet me at Sydney Park, 5pm tomorrow

Juana smiled and put her phone in her pocket

"Why are you smiling weirdly?" Ella asked.

"Nothing, never mind" she said.

She was happy. She agreed to meet the stranger at 5pm at the park. Of course she was scared of meeting a stranger on her own, she wasn't going to let herself encounter any fearful situations anymore. She planned to drag Colin along. She wouldn't tell him her mission though. She needed to see that house and then find a way to search for Ella's house. She wanted to find out why she was so secretive about her residence. Juana was an adventurous girl, and many times her adventures have turned out to be risky, but she was too bold, or maybe stubborn? Carefree? Fearless?

That night, she dreamt of the haunted house and Helen. In the dream, she saw Helen's face severed and disfigured with a knife, her arms are almost falling off her shoulders but she was not bleeding. She was screaming instead. Like a vampire, she screamed and howled looking for blood. She was in the haunted house and a lot of other injured people were there, but they were all bleeding, unlike her. She was roaring wildly and asking for blood. She roared so loud that the house was shaking and the other injured girls were trying to flee. "I need blood!!" She roared. Suddenly out of nowhere, Baron appeared and went to her, knelt before her as if surrendering himself to her will and then the lights went off. When it came on again in the dream, Juana realized that the guy kneeling before Helen was not Baron at all. It was Eric's big brother. She'd never met him in real life but she knew about him as Eric did talk about him in class. Suddenly the lights went off again, and when it came on, everyone in the room was bleeding, including Juana and Helen and not only were they bleeding, they were dancing.

When Juana woke up, she realized she had just had a meaningless nightmare. It was more hilarious than scary to her. So she began to laugh. It was midnight but she didn't stop laughing. She got up from her bed and looked outside the window.

"I have to drink water" She crept quietly out of her room and towards the kitchen. Then she heard muffled voices, as silent as whispers. They were coming from her dad's room. She almost believed there was someone in there with him-a woman. But she remembered that he didn't come home with anyone.

She placed her ears on the keyhole and listened. That was when she realized he was on a call with someone.

"Selena?"

"It's too late, we'll talk tomorrow"." "Okay okay what is it?"

"I miss you too actually and you know bestie, that I love you, but what you're proposing isn't possible"

Juana could not hear the receiver's voice, only her father's.

"Sydney park?"

Her eyes widened.

"I have work to do tomorrow."

"Just thirty minutes, Selena. Okay I'll be there by 7" he said and hung up. Then he muttered something incomprehensible.

Juana was astonished. Who's this Selena? He had called her 'bestie'. What were they talking about? What was she 'proposing'? For how long have they known each other? She thought as she sipped water back in her room now.

"I really think Dad is cheating" she said to herself 

She was glad that at least he and that Selena woman would be meeting at Sydney Park, 7pm the same place she was to meet the stranger called Jason by 5pm the next day.

"Perfect timing" she whispered to herself. "Tomorrow I'll find out all about it"

So she brought out her phone and decided to text Colin. He had to make time for her out of his busy schedule, or Juana would force him to go with her.

"Hi Colin are you awake?"

He called two minutes later. Juana smiled. She was glad to hear his voice. She wondered why he was always up at midnight. Although when she asked him, he had said he was busy thinking about her, she had not believed him.

"Hello" 

"Why are you up?" She asked

"I saw a cockroach and I can no longer sleep" Juana laughed

"So much for having muscular build" 

He laughed too.

"Colin I want to take you out tomorrow, okay?" she blurted out

"Wow really?"

"Yes. To Sydney park. Immediately after school tomorrow"

"You sound like it's urgent. What if I say no?"

"You wouldn't dare say no"

"Juana, I'm busy tomorrow sorry, can I hang up?"

Juana was starting to get disappointed, then he laughed

"You don't know how excited I am right now. How can you text me in the middle of the night just to tell me you're taking me out on a date tomorrow!! It's so exciting!!"

"It's not a date"

"So what then?"

"Just what I want to do. Now go to bed, it's past 1am already"

"I love you" he whispered

"You'll say that tomorrow. Now go to bed"

"I hate cockroaches" he sounded like a baby

"They won't come, don't worry. Now bye" she hung up and sighed. Her plan was going to work, she knew.

She was going to make her mama proud. She was going to protect her marriage for her while she is receiving treatment.

"Mum, you must come back or Selena will take over your harem" she said into the air. 

The next day after school, Colin drove her home and waited while she changed into a more comfortable dress. Baron was home and he wondered what was going on between the two.

"How was school honey?"

"Not so cool daddy. Someone hit me today and I hit her back" she replied rushing to her room. Colin was waiting in the living room.

"Come here and tell me how it happened" he said. He was wiping the dishes and slicing steaks for lunch. He didn't notice Colin sitting in the living room until he turned.

"Colin what are you doing here?"

"Have you fed the horses? Cleaned their stable? And have you made those frankfurters for the visitors?"

"Yes I did this afternoon" he replied

"And yeah before I forget, we need your help with Stacy sir. She wouldn't eat or allow herself to be ridden. I think she's sick" he added, putting his hands behind him as a sign of courtesy.

"Oh. I'll call my vet doctor tonight. Thanks for reminding me"

"Anytime boss" 

Baron looked at Colin suspiciously and wanted to ask again what he was doing in his house, But...

Just then, Juana came out of her room and joined them. She was wearing a blue jersey with pants so short that her thighs were open, and some big soccer boots.

"Where are you headed?" Baron turned to her

"Out" she said and held Colin's hands. 

"Wait what's going on here? Colin?"

"We are going..."he began

But Juana cut in quickly

"We are going to just have a drink and chill. I'm bored" she said flipping her hair

"Have a drink in a jersey?"

"It's my choice dad. Call me weird, but I prefer unique"

Colin smiled but when he saw that his boss wasn't smiling at all, his smile disappeared too.

"You're not going anywhere. I need your help in the kitchen" he said and turned towards the kitchen, expecting her to follow

"Sorry dad, too late!" She said pulling Colin fast towards the door. In a twinkle of an eye, they were out the door.

"You'll make me lose my job" Colin whispered to her when they were safe and free

"No, dad can't fire you."

"What makes you think so? You disobeyed him, I supported you" Colin said

Juana stopped and looked closely at his face "You won't lose your job, worrywart. And if you do, you will get another, shut up" 

She said and walked faster. Colin had to run a bit to catch up with her

"If I lose my job, I'd have lost two jobs you know" he said

"What's the other?"

"Driving you"

"Oh"

"Yeah. So let's stop this nonsense and go back to him now" he begged. But she kept walking

"Do whatever you want, Colin. I'll be waiting for you at the park" 

He sighed, and resumed catching up with her.