The silence was deafening as Gianna nodded with guilt, to have earthed his identity from her father the entire time, and oddly as well as unexplainably, fear."How did you guess? Mum told you.""Hmm," Mason swung his head from side to side, contemplating how to phrase Louisa's hell-bent backing of Sean. "She told me in a way that I won't really say was accusatory. Bringing up his name was like a...confirmation. You sure you don't want me to meddle?""Sure and certain. Besides, it's already over." Tomorrow was going to be the very last day. Once and for all. She deserved an award for bullying perseverance in the academy industry."I wish I had figured it out earlier.""Would still not have changed a thing. I knew what I was doing and didn't want anyone to intervene," she lied. "Or don't you trust me again?""I do. Just please, don't let yourself go through that again for whatsoever reason okay, else I'm afraid I will have to set aside trust and handle matters my way.""Okay."Mason's s

Sand Park to the first timer was strikingly different from the parts of the town she'd ever visited. In the shabby area were worn-out houses and several unkempt lawns surrounded by termite-damaged picket fences that gave an uninhabited impression. The wind that rustled some several days old tree-rejected leaves to her feet equally made her quiver with discomfort and apprehension. The cab driver honked, reminding her of her unsettled business with him. As regret washed over her for having shown up, considering that her inviter's message was not as precise as expected in addition to not having a means of communication, Gianna sighted a building that made her wonder how it still stood firm despite its dilapidated state effortly covered in colorful graffiti. Surprisingly fair to say, of all the buildings in her proximity, it stood out. 'Welcome to Sand Park.' An outdoor LED neon sign billboard read just above its flat rooftop. From the looks of it, the building still functioned as what

With the stitches and bandages removed and an almost flexible hand, Gianna tilted her head to the side, studying the gruesome lines that made part of her body. She might have to remodel her closet with more long-sleeved t-shirts and high-neck blouses and bid farewell to basking in two pieced swimsuits beneath the blazing summer sun. Her fingers had begun to trace the rough flesh when the doorbell chimed.It did not bother her. More important things did, like paying a visit to the McCarthys for one and dutifully wondering what Seth was up to with his Greek Goddess of a girlfriend as she'd been doing for the past days. Her newly found guilty pleasure was skulking Luna's media sites where she'd come to realize how perfectly they complemented each other in photos of two despite her gut churning.Sometimes...point of correction, more often than 'some', comparison poked; Luna had one or two things every girl ever wished for. From flawless L'oréal Paris shampoo commercial-worthy hair down to

"Where are we going?" Gianna asked for the thirty-third time in the space of ten minutes. True to a once-upon-a-time, they'd planned a girl's day out just the both of them. But with the lashes of events that had been unfolding, Gianna decided to bury it in the back of her mind. "You'll see," the glowing red-haired said. Her mother's glow was a sight for sore eyes. Last she saw the lady that way, was anyone's guess. So much she wanted to ask but the notion of not being close to the woman battered her. The trunk was stocked with two tiny suitcases, hers and her mum's, just enough for a day or two's trip. Not exactly giving her a microscopic field of vision to fish from. "C'mon mum, that's all you've been saying since we left home," Gianna pouted. "It's getting annoying; I hate the suspense. I hate that I can't figure out where we going or what we'll be doing." Of course, they were neither going camping, relaxing at a spa, touring a Museum, viewing a comedy show, going on a shopping

Tears galloped down Gianna's cheeks like vying racehorses. "Do me a favor." "Yeah?" "Go to hell!" Adam bellowed. Kelly scoffed, "I've lived there my entire life. And I'm not being metaphoric. Imagine what it will look like now that your father fired mine." "Let's leave this place," Adam stamped more bills than necessary on the table and addressed Kelly one last time, with a piercing whisper, "Think of me when next you ever seed the idea of hurting Gianna again, be it psychologically, physically, or through someone else. I'll do your head the favor of flying it through a basketball hoop, I promise. I left enough to order some for your fam, or you might as well feast on our leftovers." With that, he dislodged Gianna, who had been transfixed since Kelly's last speech, with a slight force and gently pulled her to his car. "You did not eat your food. I'll take you to Mackhie's." "I lost my appetite. Take me home instead." Honestly, she wanted to be left alone. But knowing Adam, he wo