I won't be running forever

Ugh! His car?

      "Why your car?" I asked calmly.

      "Are you coming with him or not?" He said striding towards his car.

      I hesitated at first before I followed him. He opened the door of the passenger's seat for me.

      "Trying to be a gentle guy?" I teased him with an icky expression.

      He ignored that and shut the door.

      The moment he entered the driver's seat, he gazed at me for some time, struggling to say something but couldn't. I've never seen him this way. He always says whatever he wants with boldness and courage. Why is he now looking so timid?

      "Meena" he managed to let out.

      "Yes"

      "There is something I want to tell you," he said with a delicate voice.

      "I'm listening"

      "I em....I...."

What's wrong with him? What's so hard for almighty Dave to say? His facial expressions and eyes...could it be that he...no way, it can't be. Oh my, he has feelings for me?

      "Meena, I..." He clears his throat "My dad gave me one week to bring you to him else he'll find you and execute the mission himself"

"He's bent on exterminating my family," I said, feeling bad and aggrieved at the same time.

"He threatened to kill me as well"

      "What! Omg..." I exclaimed, "Maybe he doesn't mean it, maybe he said it t..."

"He meant it,"

I covered my face as I try hard to hold back my tears.

"Why do you choose to be on the bad side of your father cause of me?" I asked, looking up to meet his eyes.

"I'm not choosing sides, I'm only doing the right thing"

I remember seeing this man as a monster but now it's a different thing, should I call him an angel?

"Why's your dad this difficult and brutal? threatening his son is out of the box, how could he?"

      "I'm equally stunned. I've always known him to be a stubborn soul...but never knew he could be this hardened"

      "Will you carry out his request?" I asked glaring at him straight in the eyes.

      "And how many times will I have to tell you that nothing like that will happen"

      "I can see that it wasn't a bad idea to move to Deli," I said thinking aloud.

      "What did you say?" He asked with an unpleasant look.

      "I'm moving to Deli with my aunty in two days"

      "Why? For what?"

      "Are you seriously asking me that question?"

      "But you can't just leave" he uttered with a sad tone.

Shocked by his outburst, we gazed at each other. Neither of us could utter a word. The atmosphere became calm and intense and lots of things started running through my mind more like I'm losing my sanity.

      The look in his eyes is saying multiple things, which I can't comprehend.

      "Why can't I leave? My life is at stake here and if he manages to find me here, he won't spare any habitat and that includes Jane. I don't want to leave but I've no other alternative"

      "There is"

      "How? I mean, what alternative?"

      "My house"

      "What?"

Why will he suggest his house?

      "Yes, my house," he said and looked away trying to avoid my eyes "You'll be safe with me...eehm...I mean you'll be safe in my house. He won't be able to figure out, that's the last place he will ever think of" he paused and stared at me, "you said you don't want to leave didn't you?"

      "Yes, I don't want to leave but I..."

      "For how long will you be running? It's time you face your fears. Staying in my house, for the time being, will buy us some time to figure out how we'll deal with this predicament. As you can see, I'm my father's rival now. So we're in this together and you won't solve your problems if you keep running from it"

He has a point, I have to face my fears. With him by my side, we can come up with something. But why is he inclined to go against his father's wish? I thought family comes first...

      "Meena...Meena...Meena!!"

      "Yes yes, oh sorry, eehm... what did you say?

      "Time for me to go. Think about what I told you, here is my card" he said handing his complimentary card "Call me when you finally decide."

I couldn't say a word. I took the card from him and stepped down from the car. He drove off before I could even bid him goodbye.

      Opening the door nub, behold aunty Jane standing right at the door.

      "Aunty! Why are you standing here?"

By her countenance, I already understood what's all about which stimulated me to laugh hard.

      "How long have you been hiding it from me?" She asked.

      "Hiding what?" I asked pretending not to understand her.

      "Come on Meena, you know exactly what I'm insinuating. You never told me you have a man in your life. Since when did you start hiding things from me?"

      "Hahaha, aunty what are you saying? I don't have any man in my life"

      "Then who's that man?"

      "That's Dave, Kendricks's son"

      "Ugh?!" She exclaimed with a great shock.

       "Calm down aunty. Okay come, come let's sit," I said dragging her to the sofa.

       We sat on the couch and I held her hands.

      "He's here to tell me that he clashed with his father regarding the issue and that his father gave him a week to provide me, else, he'll slay me along with him when he eventually finds me"

      "Oh my, that doesn't sound good. And how was Dave able to locate you here?"

      "If he was able to discover who I am, then locating me here won't be a difficult one for him"

      "That simply means we're leaving now!" She expresses fear as she tries to get up in rush.

      "No aunty, we're not leaving today," I said, making her sit back. "It's not him that wants to hurt me but his father. Kendrick doesn't even know me or where I stay, so for now it'll be hard for him to find me"

      "And what makes you think that Dave will help you instead of his own family even at the detriment of his life"

      "If he had wanted to hurt me, I don't think by now I'll be alive," I said sounding convinced even though I can't decipher the reason why. Maybe cause he had proved himself.

      "But still, we should leave, Meena"

      "Relax auntyyy. Will be in my room" I said and left to avoid more dialogue.

      In my world, inside my room, on my bed, with Dave's card in my hand, shadowed by his thoughts. Could it be he has feelings for me or he just wants to help me? But why will he want to support me?

He once said that he doesn't want to take an innocent life and that he...wait...that's it! He said it! He said he likes me, that's one of the reasons he spared my life. And yesterday when he came, his eyes were saying lots of things. I saw the way he was staring at me and his posture. Dave likes me!, maybe it's time I call him.

Gabriel came earlier today to notify us of the apartment, so we'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I wasn't delighted about it, and Jane noticed but didn't say a word. I don't want to leave and the only option I have is to stay at Daves's house. I don't want to admit it but I think I like being around him, so staying in his house won't be a bad idea.

I picked up my phone and gave him a buzz.