9 Chapter 8 : Heart to heart
"Why did do you that?" Alissa asked Daniel for like the 10th time. Ever since they've left the restaurant, Daniel was driving silently ignoring Alissa's question and the glare he held the whole time he was driving kinda scares her.
Minus all that blonde shades of his thick lock and his trimmed beard , he was all his twin. That angry look was very intimidating but she wouldn't let him know that it kinda affect her.
One thing she had learned from the attack was that never show anyone your vulnerable side. Don't ever let people think you are scared or weak because it would've given them more reason to hurt you. They will use that fear and shape it into a weakness that you never even thought would exist like how she never even thought that wearing a simple second hand dress which she has never found appealing or sexy would have made her an easy target and bullseye for predator like Clarke.
Being around Daniel less than a week has made her remember so much about her past that she wish she had buried deep inside her consciousness.
It's that very trauma that made her fear intimacy and lost of two people she has loved and learn to love. The only thing that almost brought her peace is that her mother wasnt alone and so was her dead unborn son seeing they have each other now and according to her belief, they are fully welcomed by the Father to the afterlife, a place much more peaceful than where she is now.
Her faith also taught he that people who had committed suicide are more likely to got to hell but a part of he believe that God isn't so cruel to make her mother suffer more than what she had already gone through.
Staring at Daniel once more, she asked him again and this time, more prepared than she did before. Making sure her hand are on the lock and ready to jump out (as crazy as that sound) if he were to vent his anger at her.
"What the heck happen in there, Daniel?" Her voice becomes more serious.
Daniel seem to respond to her question when he speed ahead to the side of a park and slam his brake roughly. It made her flinch and she was ready to crank open the window until he turn to her and asked her.
"Why the hell did you wear that dress?"
She tilted her head. Furrow her brow at him and rather than be scared, she found the courage to yelled back at him.
"What the hell are you talking about now?"
He wave his hand all around her body angrily. Made her slightly calm since it wasn't a weird gesture.
"This. Tight dress like why the heck you try to impress him for? Why can't you wear something else?"
"Are you kidding me? You give me this dress, remember? How the hell is this my fault?"
Daniel rolled his eyes and argue with her once more.
"How would I know that dress actually has a slit that long? It looks different in the magazine I saw. Plus, you could've wear something more, I don't know. Covered? It's too sexy!"
She couldn't believe her ears and eyes right now. Is Daniel freakin Walton angry because her dress that basically covers her whole top, her long leg with a slit that barely parts due to her long skirt is considered 'sexy'?
Alissa crossed her arms and scoffed at him. "You have lost your mind big time, pal. If you think this is sexy, you're obviously living in a cave because you, freakin Daniel Vann Walton is the son of a billionaire and you had a freakin pool party at your house just four years ago. Plus a few years before that!"
"How the heck you remembered all that?"
" Helping my mom, remember? I did that all the time."
He smirked, "And if you actually remembered well, I wasn't present at the time. In fact, I was away in my college dorm doing my revision for final exam. I remember well because pool party was on 4th of July. The only person in my house that would have that kind of party is Cl_"
He stops himself before saying his twin's name when he see Alissa's eyes soften. She looked away and Daniel sighed. Guilt was such a pain in the ass.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mention his name."
"Its fine. You can say it. He's your brother after all." She casually says that but deep inside, having his name mentioned in her presents, physically, was like having a defibrillator zapping her chest. Just that one work would made the peaceful oasis in her heart gone in a snap.
"Its kinda hard to acknowledge him as that after what he has done. Believe me, Lisa. If he were here at this moment, I would have..."
Her eyes shift to his body leaning on the steering wheel. "What would you do?"
"I would say fucked him up but I don't roll really that way, do I?" He smirked while saying that and somehow, the image crept up her thoughts, making Alissa laughed.
"But seriously though. If I found him, I will hurt him, Lisa. What he did was unforgivable. He's a criminal no matter anyone say."
"But your parents don't think so?" She didnt expect him to hear, thinking it was just her whispering but he did and he replied.
"Its different now. Mom and dad, they're not like how they're used to be."
"How so?" She ask, not understanding why she was curious when those two had made her life a living hell.
"The thing about being bad is, the prospect of regret is always there to haunt you in the cruelest way possible. One got his karma while one has to live the rest of her life begging for the forgiveness of someone she could never ask forgiveness from. Sometimes, even I forget that us Waltons are just humans and we're not immortal. When we hurt others, we have to pay our dues someday."
"And you believe that your family has got what's coming to you?"
"Them? Probably? Clarke, not yet but not for long."
He turned to her and pulls both of her hand gently and lay it to rest on his lap. Her eyes widen and rather than be scared by his intimacy, she felt safe.
"I swear to you, agapi mou. He will get what's coming to him. As long as I'm alive, I will never let him be at peace for what he did."
She grinned. " Why wait now? Why need to prove to me face to face to make that happen? You could have done it before."
He turn silent at her question. She didn't know whether he was thinking or figuring out an answer. At least it felt good to say that after all.
"Because I actually end up spending all 3 years to find you, agapi mou. You were just so hard to find. You used your mother's maiden name and do you know how many Alissa was in the US? Let alone Texas? Focusing on your welfare and safety at that time was more important than finding him . Especially after you had to went through...."
She bit her lip. Alissa knew he was going to talk about her miscarriage. Did he knew about Hope though? She remembered begging the doctor not to tell his family and told them about what happen. The old man was kind enough to let her leave and promised her that she would be safe.
They were silent for a moment and Alissa suddenly laugh. Daniel turned his head and frown at her. He smiled too and asked, " Why you laughing?"
"His face. Armand's face covered by those stuff. That was priceless." Daniel ended up laughing too.
"He asked for it for being such a dick."
"I know." Her laugh subside and she replied to him. "Thank you so much for doing that."
"It was my pleasure agapi mou. After what he says....." Daniel sucked in deep breath and sighed at her.
"What? What he says to you?"
A phone call from Alissa's purse was making a loud music in the car. Daniel gesture at her purse and lean his back on his chair. Letting her answer her call .
"Yes, hello. Oh, Sarah. What's wrong?"
The smile on her face slowly darkens and she sat straight on her chair. Her voice panicking.
"What? Is she okay? Where is she right now? There? Are you with her? Please, just...tell her I'm coming. Yeah, yeah! Please, YES, I'm nearby..Oh God..I'm coming! Yes, just around the corner."
Her sudden panicking state made Daniel turn his full attention at her. He frowned at her and when she stare at him, his heart melts to see the sight of tears already wetting her smooth cheek.
"Daniel.." Alissa starts to whimper and sob along the way. She puts down her cellphones and turn her full attention at him.
"What? What happen? Alissa tell me!" He became concern of her situation.
"Hope..."
"What hope? Tell me ! Please, speak fast!"
Alissa starts to sob, "You need to go to the hospital! Now please! You have to go to Mount Sinai! Fast! Please now, please!" She pleaded him while shaking his hand, urging him to drive but he continued to stare at her, not understanding the situation at hand.
"Calm down, Lisa. Tell me what happen. I won't go till you tell me, now! What? What?"
"My daughter! Hope fell down the stairs! She...she's unconscious! You need to go now!"
