"Katie, stop acting like a child, you are eighteen, I can see the attitude you've been putting up because of this boy", mom said.
I remained speechless as my heart continued beating at a fast but steady pace.
She put a hand on my shoulder and added: "All I want to tell you is, don't over sell it, boys tend to act a bit too high and mighty when they find out a girl really likes them. Come now, let's go to dinner, dad must be really mad now."
We both walked down the stairs casually, as though nothing had happened; although it could be partially seen on my face that something was up, but not a trace was found on mom's.
Dad glared at us obviously not pleased at all, but when he turned to the table and looked at Jimmy, he pushed out a smile and said, "I apologize on my family's behalf for the delay, shall we?"
He said and put his hand together.
The prayers were said as I from time to time stared at Jimmy and then at mom, who continually gave me the eyes that said: "you are doing it!"
I quickly pinched myself and promised myself that I wouldn't look at Jimmy till the dinner is over.
"Jimmy!", dad said abruptly.
"Yes Mr. Monrow?", Jimmy replied.
"What would you like do in the future?", dad asked.
On hearing this abrupt and straight forward question, Jimmy almost chocked on his food.
"Easy!", his mom said as she patted his back.
"Sorry", dad apologized immediately as he picked up a napkin.
"I am just asking what you want to study in school, so....", dad said and paused as he handed Jimmy's mom the napkin.
Jimmy cleared his throat, took a deep breath taking his chest up, smiled faintly and said, "I want to be a gynaecologist.", he replied.
As soon as his voice fell, everyone stopped their activities and looked at him with a "what?!" expression. I had to break my promise for this one.
For a few seconds, no one broke the silence.
"That's awesome Jimmy, why choose that?", an unexpected tiny female voice came up.
Everyone immediately turned to Kareen who at this time had her mouth full.
"Whah?", she asked throwing her hands in the air as she chewed the food in her mouth.
"No one was saying it!", she added as she cleaned her mouth with the napkin.
Jimmy smiled, looked at me then at Kareen, "Well, I guess I am just fascinated by the female system.", Jimmy said and put some food in his mouth putting everyone in another awkward position.
Dad cleared his throat seemingly about to say something, but then no words came out of him.
Mom at the side chuckled secretly but she too said nothing.
The female voice rescued again: "So Jimmy, where would you like to study this?"
Everyone turned to her again.
"Whah?", the scene repeated itself with her mouth still filled with food.
It was almost like she uttered a sentence and then stuffs her mouth with food.
Eyes went back to Jimmy again.
From how we sat, it was very comfortable for these 2 persons to be the center of attraction. We didn't follow a normal pattern of sitting.
Jimmy and Kareen sat directly opposite each other, at the main heads where mom and dad were suppose to sit and the rest of us sat at the sides like subordinates.
"I personally like Edge fords!", Jimmy replied with a faint smile as he stared at Kareen in fascination.
As soon as he said this, my heart's pace multiplied.
Edge fords wasn't my dream college, but mine wasn't so far from it, it was just a few kilometers apart.
"Whaaaaa.....t What a coincidence, Katie's going to Jeng High!", Kareen replied.
"Really?", Jimmy said and turned to me.
I turned to mom, whose eyes were now fixed on me, and nodded with an awkward smile.
"That's great, what would you studying?", he asked.
Please no! Don't put the limelight on me.
"She doesn't know yet!", dad's voice came up, with a bit of harshness in it.
"Oh", Jimmy replied.
The truth is, dad wants me to be a nurse, but I want to be a lawyer, he really isn't okay with the idea and he knows that that was what I was going to say if I spoke, so he cut in.
"Excuse me!", his mom spoke with a smile.
"Yes Mrs. Bell?", mom quickly replied.
"Where's the restroom?", she asked.
Jimmy looked at her with his eyes being like, "What are you doing mom?"
"It's right over there", dad said standing and pointing at the bathroom.
"No honey! Let her use the one upstairs, someone has been skipping her chores for a while now!", mom replied with a scornful look at me.
I shyly looked down and continued eating.
I could hear Jimmy chuckle lightly, obviously smiling.
I became even more shy.
"Okay... Mrs. Bell, please go up the stairs and take the first door by the left", dad gave her directions.
"Thank you!", she said and walked away.
The silence was brought back again.
Dad and mom stared at themselves awkardly, seemingly speaking with their eyes.
Then a voice came up abruptly, "What about you Kareen, what do you intend on studying?", Jimmy asked.
Kareen smiled and before our eyes moved to her, she spoke affirmatively, "Parapsychology!"
As soon as her voice fell, dad turned to her in shock.
He hasn't heard her say that before, even though he knows how obssesed she is with paranormal activities, how many halloweens she had wanted to dress up as a ghost. He probably thought it was a childish behaviour. I on the other hand have always known.
Katie's been obsessed with the paranormals since she was a lot younger.
Ghost and horror movies, and novels have long been her favourite.
She possessed a lot of books on these things. I still find it to be a childish obsession, she would grow over it eventually.
In the meantime, she terrorizes my life.
Mom laughed out loud and held the table, everyone's gaze fell on her.
"Honey, why are you laughing?", dad asked chuckling awkwardly.
"You should see the look on your face honey! I know why you take Katie's career seriously, but come on now, Kareen's still a child.", mom replied.
"Are you sure Mrs. Bell's okay.", Kareen said abruptly with a change in her expression.
I immediately turned to her, for some reason attaching importance to her words.
She stood up and was about walking up the stairs when we saw Mrs. Bell coming down the stairs with her hands adjusting her br_ast.
"Gosh!", Jimmy said hitting his forehead obviously feeling embarrassed.
I chuckled finding this cute.
"Hope there were no problems?", mom asked.
"Nope, none at all.", Mrs. Bell said as she walked back to her seat.
Kareen continually gave her a stern look as she adjusted her bra.
She too noticed Kareen staring at her and obviously began to feel uncomfortable.
"Kareen, what's wrong?", mom who seemed to have noticed this too asked.
Kareen immediately smiled and said, "Nothing's wrong."
At this time almost everyone had finished eating.
Then Kareen said abruptly, "Mrs. Bell...."
Everyone turned to her immediately.
"Yes?", Mrs. Bell replied squinting her eyes in a weird manner, kind of like what's this girl up to?"
"What were you doing up stairs?", Kareen asked.
Before Mrs. Bell could utter a word, mom had interposed, "Kareen what's your problem?"
"I am very sorry Mrs. Bell!", mom apologized.
Mrs. Bell's expression was not good.
She stood up and said, "Jimmy, let's go!"
"Mrs. Bell, please don't be offended by my daughters behavior", dad replied standing up.
"Don't worry Mrs. Monrow, she just brought to my attention that I forgot something.", she replied.
Jimmy looked at his mom and then at Kareen whose eyes were still fixed on his mom.
"Very well", dad said, harshly looked at Kareen and escorted the Bells to the door.
"Do it!", I heard Kareen mutter.
"Do what?", I asked.
"Ahhhhhhhh!", I heard Mrs. Bell scream.
I turned to look and saw that her top was off. Torn off along with her bra; her br_ast were exposed and an object had fallen on the ground with a thud.
I looked at the ground to see what had fallen, it was dad's watch.
To be continued.......
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