Back to Greenville

One year later.

"I really missed you!" Mrs McCurry engulfed her daughter in a really tight hug when she saw her coming out from the airport terminal.

"Do you want to kill me after not seeing me for long time?" Dionne made jest when her mum delayed in releasing her from the tight hug.

"You silly girl! I just missed you so much" Mrs McCurry said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Muuum! Why do you love crying?! You're making me feel bad" this time it was Dionne who engulfed her mum in the hug .

"Just so happy you're doing okay"

"Enough of the drama let's go home!" Mr McCurry interrupted their moment.

"Mum?!" Dionne called out as she squinted her eyes at her father.

"Hmmm" Mrs McCurry replied,

"Do you think father is jealous because I didn't give him a hug?"

"I think so"

"Who did you say is jealous? I'm not jealous, hmph!" Mr McCurry stated.

"I know you want a hug!, Come here dad!" Dionne said.

"I don't want one, you can give all the hugs to your mother!" Mr McCurry ran lightly while Dionne chased after him with the same pace.

"I know you want one, come here!" Dionne laughed as she chased her father to the parking lot.

"I told you I don't want one, since your mum is the only important one, leave me alone."

"Dadddd!"

"Wait for me you guys!" Mrs McCurry ran after the daughter and father duo as she cackled at how silly those two can be. In public at that!.

...

"Home sweet home!" Dionne yelled when the car parked in the house yard.

"Why didn't you come earlier if you missed home this much?" Mrs McCurry asked when she came down from the car.

"One year is not long though, I would have stayed longer if not that I had something I need to do." Dionne sighed as she went to offload her luggages from the car booth

"What is that?" Mrs McCurry questioned.

"Nothing that'll be of importance to you. I'm famished mum, what did you cook?"

"Your favorite"

"Chicken burrito bowl with rice and beans?!" Dionne exclaimed with eyes opened widely.

"Yup"

"Lots of cheese?"

"Lots and lots of cheese"

"Let's goooo!" Dionne happily ran into the house to go freshen up and come down for lunch.

"Why do I feel Like she became a lot more cheerful and happier?" Mrs McCurry voiced to her husband who has his hand wrapped around her shoulders.

"The vacation really did her good" Mr McCurry replied.

...

Dionne unzipped her back and began unpacking. Underneath some of her clothes she found a notepad. She sighed and picked it up.

When she went abroad to further her studies, she had done some thinking amidst all the clubbing and drinking. Because of the amount of hatred she had for men, she ended up ruining some of their lives. Those who knew nothing of what she had been through. They were innocent but she made them pay for three men's wrong doings.

She opened the notepad and 67 names were jotted down. 67 men of whose heart she had cruelly broken. She had dated more men, broken more hearts, but this were the ones she had harshly dumped during their worst times. She decided to apologize to all of them in person, from the least hurt, to the most hurt.

Meanwhile...

She had been having fun discussions with the man she met in the park the day before she left. They talk almost every single night for hours before bed. He'll tell her fun stories about his escapades with ladies, he's narcissistic reasons why he covers his face...Things that she always looks forward to after a stressful day.

In return, she tell him about the personality of the kind of guys she has dated, her parents, school life, and for some reason, her many suicide attempts. Good thing he didn't ask why because, she was not ready to open up.

Now that she thought of him, she gave him a call.

"Hey, Mr mask" she greeted through the phone.

"Gotten home?" He asked with noises of customers in the background.

"Yup.! Busy day?"

"Yeah. It's really hot and everyone is down for some ice coffee."

"Does that mean I won't see you today?, Wanted to meet up" Dionne said as she placed the phone between her ears and shoulders and made to hang her clothes in the wardrobe.

"Definitely! we have to meet. Maybe the park? I'll leave the shop to some of my employees if you want to meet now."

"Nighttime. Still have some arranging to do. So...the Park, 8pm, you down?"

"Sure." He answered.

"Dionne honey! I've heated the food, come have lunch!"

"See you later, mum's calling. Bye!"

"By-" Dionne had already cut the call before he'd finish his good byes.

...

Dionne sat on the same bench where they met last time as she blew hot air into her palms to keep her warm. Hot in the afternoon, cold in the night. One can never predict the weather in Greenville.

"Did I keep you waiting?" Mr mask asked in his signature hoodie and face mask.

"No. I've only waited for an hour, you came pretty early" The extreme sarcasm laced in her voice was not unnoticed. They planned to meet by 8pm and it's was 15 minutes past nine.

"I'm sorry. Evening time is usually rush hour."

"You still won't show me your face?"

"You'd go blind, I'm just being considerate."

"That means I should cover my whole body as well! My beauty most have blinded many people and I've been oblivious" Dionne feigned shock as she spoke.

"I don't think you're really that pretty. Maybe average." The masked man joked and Dionne hit him with all the strength she could muster

"How dare you thwart on my pride!" She yelled. Passerbys gave them looks as they walked by.

"See what you've caused. Now everyone one will know I'm friends with a violent woman. I don't want to be seen with you." The masked man said as he scooted to the other end of the bench.

"How dare you!" Dionne said but still remained in her spot.

"So what did you decide to do?" The masked man asked, the lively atmosphere replaced with a serious one.

"Decided to right my wrong."

"When."

"I'll start tomorrow. But for now...how dare you!." Dionne moved to where he was and held him in a choke hold. It was not in any way tight though.

"I know you want to see my handsome face, but not with this amount of violence" The man stated and Dionne released him almost immediately.

"I have told you countless times, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE!" The man could do nothing more but chortle at her cute angry expression.