Chapter 12 : Changed behavior
Olivia later arrived home from school, she was the only one at home with Fred. Both Ben and Anita had gone for their piano and music classes. She was done with homework and she was reading the Witness by Sandra brown. A sound was heard from the door.
"Who's that?" asked Olivia.
"It's me, Fred!" replied Fred from the door.
"Fred?" Olivia was dumbfounded.
"Yes." said Fred gently
"What do you want?" asked Olivia astonished
"Can you please open the door," said Fred softly
"Okay am coming." Olivia quickly got up to open the door
Fred was grinning at her when she opened the door. "Yes, what do you want?" she asked him again questionly.
"Are you busy?" he asked suddenly
"Why?" she asked.
"If you're not busy I'd like you to stroll out with me." he asked gently
"I'm busy, can you please excuse me?" said Olivia irritated and she closed the door
"Alright." he replied and turned away from the door dejected
"I should stroll out with him... really?"
she said talking to herself. "Was it because of what happened at the party, that changed his attitude?" she was confused and puzzled at the same time "This is unlike Alfred and I remembered he said I shouldn't call him Fred or maybe he has changed." she said pacing up and down. "And moreover I'm done with my homework. Or should I go out with him he can't harm me and I shouldn't be scared of him." she said inwardly
Olivia quickly rushed out to meet Fred and he was happy that she finally accepted to scroll out with him.
Both of them walked down the street and of a sudden, Olivia asked him what had been bothering her about his sudden attitude. "Alfred?" she called.
"You can call me Fred." he said
"Really?" Olivia was surprised
He nodded his head.
"What's up with the behavior, why the sudden change. What happened?" asked Olivia gazing at him. Wanted to hear the truth from him
"Nothing actually I just realized the truth from what you said last night" he said gently "And I'm sorry if I hurt you anyway with my bad attitude." he said smiled
"Uhmn." said Olivia uncertainly.
"Are we friends now?" asked Fred
"Friends?" Olivia chuckled
"Yes." he said
"I can't say for now, until I'm convinced that you've really changed before we can be friends."
"Alright you'll find out soon." he said chuckled. "Have you been to the water falls before?" he asked suddenly
"No." she replied confused
"Whoa, you are missing girl!" he said
"Really?" she asked
"I can see you're an indoor girl." he said smiled
"Yes I am." She replied confidently
"That's bad. I promise to show you round the town before you go back to your house." he said confidently
"Will you?" Asked surprised
"Yes. Okay let's go to the water falls now. We need to enter a taxi." he said and stopped a taxi
Olivia was thrilled on getting to the place. She saw the water falls under the rock. It was so refreshing and warmed at the place.
"Have you seen cold and hot water together before?"
"I have heard about that, from grandma." she said
"Let's go there." They both went out to the place
Fred showed her the cold water and also the hot water. "Can you feel that?" He said cheerfully
"Whoa whoa whoa!" she exclaimed. "This looks like magic, God is great." she shouted happily
"Spare me that." he said in a sarcastic manner.
"What?" Olivia was shocked.
"I don't believe in that though." declared Fred to Olivia
"You don't believe in God?" she was taken back and looked at him as if she saw a ghost
"Yes!" he replied nonchalantly
"But why? Your mom believe in God and your siblings too." she said perplexed
"They believe in God, I don't." he said dryly. Olivia could see the pain in his eyes. That was the first time he could see Fred in a troubled state. She didn't expected Fred to be an unbeliever. She knew some people didn't believe in God but not Fred.
"Why if I'd ask you." she said politely
"I don't want to talk about it please." he replied
"Okay... Whatever it is I just wanted to assure you. God loves you!" she said with all sincerity in her heart.
Fred was softened by her word and this was the first time he could ever felt relaxed and was puzzled at the same time.
"Fred, I think we should get going now." Olivia brought him back to the present.
"Yes let's go." he said and was relaxed again
"Thanks for bringing me here, I'm happy to discover another beautiful thing here."she said happily
The following day, Olivia and Fred went to the amusement park after her home work.
"Being a child was all fun!" Olivia thought to herself. "These are the things she missed while growing up. She knew grandma tried hard for bringing her up till now. She still thank God for having good friends around her like Peter, Anita, Ben and Fred. With those people in her life," she was grateful unto God and she smiled inwardly.
"Olivia let's ride a bicycle." announced Fred.
"I don't know how to ride a bicycle." said Olivia sadly. She remembered Peter wanted to teach her how to ride a bicycle at their house before something urgent came up and Peter travelled that year with his parents. Ever since then the both of them haven't had time to practiced. "Peter wanted to teach me then... something just popped up and...?" Olivia said and Fred cut her off.
"Who's Peter?" he asked immediately.
This was her first time mentioning Peter's name to Fred.
"My best friend!" replied Olivia
"Your best friend?" he asked surprised.
"Yes." she replied
"Whoa." he said looking at her bewildered.
"He's my childhood friend and even my class mate." Olivia continued talking about Peter admirably.
Fred was jealous to heard about that and he was surprised why would he be jealous of Olivia's friend, he thought to himself and shrugged it off and said "I will teach you how to ride a bicycle. Let's go." he dragged her unexpectedly and they both entered the bicycle shop.