Arike’s POV


    I walked out of my room and made my way to the garage where I could find Daniel. He was alone but the on phone with his back against me. I stopped to not attract his attention, hoping to find out the reason why he wasn’t going home to his family.


    “We already talked about this..” he said. “I am noting home this Christmas… I have a lot to do at the foaster home.”


    I couldn’t hear what the other person was saying because the phone wasn’t on speaker. But Daniel was lying to whoever he was conversing with.


    “Mom can you just forget about the ck woman? It is not about her.”


    ck woman? Who? I haven’t seen him with any ck woman and I am not sure Daniel has been seeing any woman. We are a bit closer enough for him to tell me about it if he has one in his life.


    “This is none of your business. Whether it is a ck woman or not.. I am not going to do what you are asking. I have to get going now.” He concluded.


    I should get going too. But it was toote. My eyes met his when I looked up. Geez when did he make the turn?!


    His mouth dropped slightly. I waved with a half smile on my face. I hope he won’t think I was eavesdropping on his call.


    “I will talk to youter.” And with that he ended the call.


    “I.. I.. wasn’t -”


    “Eavesdropping.. I know.” hepleted my intended word.


    I shook my head. “I just came here to ask -”


    He cut me off again. “Yeah.. I wanted to ask if you still want to go to the mall to buy gift for Bright so I could drive you.”


    “Oh…” I itched my ear. “That would be in the evening when shees back from school. And you don’t need to drive us… I can manage.”


    “I’ming with you. I promised to get Bright the new Barbie collection.” He smiled.


    “Daniel that won’t be necessary.”


    “Why?” He asked.


    “It’s-”


    “I am offering to buy it as a Christmas gift.”


    “Oh okay.. you can drive us if she still wants to go.” I agreed.


    Daniel lips curled up with a smile. “I just need to drive this to the auto shop for repair.” He wiped the white luxurious bus used in transporting children to school.


    “I heard you want to be Santa this Christmas.” I toyed with my fingers.


    Danielugher. “Right.”


    “But you’ve never missed thanksgiving with your family.” I reminded him. But no response came from him.


    “Daniel?” I called him.


    He looked at me. “I’m listening…”


    “Why?”


    He shrugged. “I just want to celebrate Christmas with the children.”


    He got into the bus and tried to change the topic. “This bus really needs cleaning. I’ll definitely drive it to car wash after fixing it at the auto shop.”


    I stood at the door side of the bus with my arms crossed in front of my chest.


    “Daniel, do you want to tell me about it?” I asked.


    “What? About what?” He stoped wiping the wheel and looked at me.


    “You can talk to me.” I shrugged. “This whole thing about not going home.” I settled down next to the driver seat.


    Daniel sighed. “I don’t want to bother you, Arike.” He said.


    “Okay… but I am asking you to tell me.”


    “Okay… I’m getting married.” He blurted out.


    I gasped in shock and at the same time it was as if my heart stopped beating for a second. Why? I remember thest time I heard that word. Dayo. I managed to revive myself. I shouldn’t be thinking about him.


    “How long have you been nning? No wait.. something is not right… no.. I think I am confused.” Daniel gave me a confused look as I bbed.


    “Breathe in.. breathe out.” I did as he instructed.


    “Don’t get things mixed up.” He added


    I nodded my head in response. “My mom picked a bride for me. She wants me toe back him and get married.”


    “Now I get it.. you don’t want to get married?”


    “Lucy is not thedy I want to settle down with. Like.. I don’t see us bing husband and wife even though we are friends. My mom is just trying to y the role of a matchmaker because she wants a grandchild.” He exined.


    “So Lucy? What’s wrong with her? I mean since you are friends why can’t you marry her?” I asked.


    “We grew up together because her mom is my mom best friend. And we are just friends nothing more… though my mom thinks I have slept with her.”


    “What?!”


    “I didn’t… my mom just saw us in bed. Not my fault.. I was asleep when Lucy came to my room and just slept beside me hugging me like we meant something. I tried exining to her that nothing happened but she wouldn’t believe me.” He rolled his eyes.


    “Let’s see… I think Lucy likes you more than being friends.”


    He looked at me. “You’re right.”


    “So in a nutshell… you don’t want to go home for Christmas to avoid getting married to Lucy.”


    “You got it”. He nodded. “And I don’t know what to do, I can’t hide away from my family forever.”


    “Why don’t you just talk things out with Lucy?” I adviced him.


    We exchanged nces. “Lucy wants this marriage, so I don’t think she will ever listen to what I have to say. She’s in love with me.”


    “Hmmmm.. what else can you do? She should be able to understand that you don’t love her.” I said.


    “It’s kindaplicated.”


    “Because of the ck woman?” I spilled without thinking. Ouch! I shouldn’t have said that to him.


    Heughed. “I thought you weren’t eavesdropping on my call?”


    “I’m sorry..” Iughed.


    Daniel got out of the bus and I followed swiftly.


    “What ck woman are you talking about?” Heughed.


    “Come on Daniel, I heard you over the phone. You can’t run forever.”


    “From who? My family or the ck woman I love?”


    “Everything.. I guess..”


    He sighed and his smile disappeared. “She’s someone..” he paused.


    “Come on…” I smiled.


    “I can’t be with her.” He added.


    “Why? Have you told her how you feel?” I asked.


    “No, she has too much to handle. So I don’t want to be a burden to her.” He replied and went ahead to the next car.


    “Burden? Did you just call love a burden? Come on Daniel! Everyone wants to love.” I countered.


    “I’m not sure she’s ready for that.” He said without looking at me.


    “You should at least tell her how you feel. You might be her lucky man.” I tried to y a rtionship advocate.


    He stopped what he was doing. “Okay… if you think it’s right then I will tell her.”N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    “That’s good! You must act like a man that you are…”


    “Come on… I’m just scared of getting rejected.. that’s all.”


    “At least try..” I smiled.


    “Okay I will give it a try now.”


    “That’s the spirit!” I said.


    Daniel came to stand in front of me. His gaze was so intense that I had to look away. What was that?!