Chapter 1

Lola

“Go to your foolish mother or just consider yourself orphans,” Dad said. “If you step into the house again, I will get you all arrested.”

Although I didn’t care, it shouldn’t have been at the midnight when rain is pouring hard outside. And the worst of it, it shouldn’t have been because of that woman.

Aurora kneels before him, holding his leg as she sobs. “We have no one except you. Please don’t chase us away like this. Please, Father.”

“Don’t fucking touch me again. I will break your neck.”

John, my younger brother, also goes to his knees. “Mom had moved out of this country. Please, don’t do this to us. We have nowhere to go.”

“Just go to hell,” Dad snapped back.

Valerie laughs while sipping beer. She was my father’s new wife.

Her laughter irritates me, making me yearn.

“Don’t beg him again. What’s good in this bird nest he was calling his house?”

“How dare a bastard child to disrespect my house?” Dad looked at me from my head to my toes.

“She didn’t even kneel, not to talk of begging. They must leave this house now,” Valerie said.

Giving Valerie an I-will-behead-you-if-you-say-more-than-that sort of glare, I said, “You’re a cheap woman. A dungeon after my father’s properties. Are you happy because you made him divorce my mom?

“A nonsense prostitute. I’m sure you don’t have a child because you have aborted all your shameful pregnancies.”

Valerie looks at Dad. “Mateo, did you hear what she just said? I can’t live with these nonsense children. If you don’t chase them away, I will leave this house.”

“Shit,” Dad said.

Aurora quickly stops Dad from pouncing on my throat, saying, “Please forgive her. She doesn’t understand what she was saying.”

“Get out of his way. I understand what I’m saying,” I said. “The only thing I don’t understand was the reason she divorce an angel because of a monkey with no tail.”

Aurora keeps pulling Dad from reaching me, saying,

“Lola, why are you behaving like this? I’m your elder sister. You should cooperate with me. This is not the time to prove your stubbornness.”

“How dare you insult my wife?” Dad roars. “I will not take it lightly with you.”

Dad pushed Aurora to the door, heading towards me angrily, but John was fast enough to hold him from attacking me.

“Go out. Hurry!!” John cried as Valerie bites his hand.

Aurora grabbed my hand, urging me to dash out with her. And I agreed.

After getting out, I stopped at the stairs.

“Let’s go,” Aurora shouts in the rain.

“Come and stay here. We need to wait for John,” I said, folding my hand.

Not long, John walks out, cleaning his tears.

“Are you alright? Did they wound you?” I asked.

“No,” John said, walking towards Aurora.

We walk on the silent and dark street while the rain is washing off our tears and saturating our clothes. Aurora leads us to a gas station for shelter.

At 5:00 AM. the rain stops, leaving us shaking under the canopy of the gas station.

“I can’t live in the world anymore. It’s so fucking hard,” John sobs.

“Shut up. This isn’t the time to overthink,” Aurora said.

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry,” I said.

“It’s not your fault. As the elder sister, I will take good care of you guys. We need to find a house to rent first.”

“Do you have money?” John asked.

Aurora let out a heavy sigh.

“I have an idea,” I said.

They look at me as I rise.

“Where are you going?” Aurora asked.

“Give me an hour. Please wait for me,” I said, running to the other street.

“Don’t leave us alone. Please!!!” John’s voice darts to my ears, but couldn’t stop me.

After thirty minutes of juggling, I reach Ella’s house. Ella was my childhood classmate.

The door was opened after I rapidly knock on it.

“Lola!! Why are you so wet?” Ella raises her eyebrows in her pajamas.

“We need to talk. Can I come in?” I said.

Ella moves aside for me to enter the house. As big as this house is, she’s the only one living in it.

Refusing the hot coffee which Ella offered, I tell her how my father chases us away because of his new wife.

“You spend the night in the rain?” Ella raises her eyebrows.

I ignore her question. “I remember you once told me you are tired of living alone. Can we live here for some time?

“Just for two months. We would work hard and rent a house after two months.”

Ella smacks her lips. “I will let you guys live as long as you want. But it’s on one condition?”

“A condition?”

“Yes. My Dad wants me to go on a blind date. He wants me to get married without caring about my choice. You know I have no interest in such relationships for now.

“So, I want you to help me. You will go for the blind date.”

My heart pounds. “I fear your father. He’s an army general.”

“He is in Spain. He won’t know.

“I will teach you everything you need to do to get rejected by the man you would meet on the blind date. It won’t take much of your effort. Trust me.”

I sigh as I fold my hand around my breast, feeling a heat.

“It’s not compulsory. If you can’t help me, I will find someone else to help me out. And you should also find another place to live,” Ella said.

“I will go for the blind date,” I said.

Ella smiles. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Ella hugs me and kisses my forehead, saying, “There’s nothing to fear. It’s easy. Come and change your clothes first.”

I follow Ella into her room.

“Where’s your sister and brother?”

“At the gas station.”

Ella gives me a pair of Jeans and a hoodie.

“I will follow you there.”

Ella follows me to the gas station and brings us to her house. She then shows each of us our room.

“I’m so grateful, Ella. Honestly, you are a nice and pretty girl,” Aurora said, smiling.

“You don’t need to thank me. I won’t have to live in this big house alone anymore,” Ella said.

“I will repay your kindness,” John said. “I will compose a special song for you.”

“Interesting! Are you a musician?”

“Yes. A beginner.”

“If your song finds its way into my heart, I will surely reward you.”

“Thank you so much! I will try my best.”

At 11:00 PM. I open the door for Ella to enter my room.

“Are you feeling sleepy already?” Ella asked.

“No,” I said.

Ella moves close enough to the laptop on the bed.

“Your laptop is working well. I’m writing an application letter for a nursing job,” I said.

“Oh! That’s nice. Have you edited it?”

“Yes.”

“Wow! You are a workaholic. You should learn to give your mind a rest. Must you complete the application today?”

“There’s no other way to put my mind at rest than to complete the work,” I said.

“Okay, if you say so. Hope you don’t forget about the blind date?”

“Yes. When will I go?”

“Next week Friday. You meant to meet the rich son three times, but you will get rejected on the first day with the help of my tricks.

“Have your seat and listen carefully. The tricks I’m going to teach you now have been working for five years.”

“Five years?!”