✤ SOLO

Chapter twenty-eight

Not edited!

   "W..what?" I ask still not believing what I heard.

"Your dad was suspended from work." Mum repeats.

"Why?!" I cry out.

"Apparently, some documents were missing from the office today and your dad is the only one who has access to those documents, so they blamed it on him, your dad says he knows nothing about it but of course they didn't believe him. They suspend him until he returns the missing documents." Oh my god! Everyone keeps mute while my mum keeps on sighing.

"what are going to do?!" She cries, "we barely have enough money as it is, he didn't take the files, why don't they just believe him."

"Mum, it's okay." Tiana says scooting closer to her and petting her. I stand at the door fuming, I know who did this and she's going to pay.

"I'll be right back." I quickly say and leave the house ignoring my mum's calls. I start the engine of my car and drive straight to her house.

I get down from my car and march up to her front door. I knock on the door ignoring the doorbell. I am way to angry for doorbells. I knock again and the house keeper opens the door and her eyes widen.

"Maria?" She asks in disbelief.

"Where is she?" I fume.

"Who?" Nikki asks,

"Stephanie." I spit,

"She's up in her room," she points to the huge stairs and I barge in marching up to her room. I stop when I see her come out of her room.

"You are the one knocking like a lunatic?" She asks, "why am I not surprised." She rolls her eyes and turns to enter her room.

"Why did you do it?" I ask her and she stops.

"Do what?"

"Stop the act Stephanie, why did you tell your dad to suspend him?."

"Now that's where you are wrong, I didn't tell daddy to suspend him, my dad trusts him for some reason,  so it's going to be hard to convince him to do that, except if I have proof." She smiles mischievously, "so I walk into his office and took one of the files I saw your dad's name on, which I know will be important. I know daddy forgets things easily, so I wasn't worried that he'll think he misplaced it."

"How dare you?!" I yell, "I did what you asked me too, why would you go ahead to do that?!"

"Please, this is a mere warning. To teach you to back off. This is my turn, wait yours. When you wait your turn, I'll return the files, so it's up to you." She says nonchalantly.

"Fine. I won't do anything." I say in defeat.

"Good. Now leave, you're giving me a headache." She says and  retires back into her room

Little did she know that I have everything she just said recorded. I take out my phone from my back pocket and tap on save, then I leave her house, not before I apologized to Nikki for behaving like that.

She talked to me for sometime, saying that she misses me and asked why I haven't been coming around anymore. So I'm guessing no one in Stephanie's household knows about our fight.

  I get home and my mum asks me where I went, so I take out may phone and play the recorded conversation for them.

"Where did you get this?" My dad asks, from the sky dad., I sigh.

"Did you tell Stephanie to say this?" Mum asks, what does this woman take me for?!

"Of course not!" I shout a little offended, "she's been threatening me to back off from the competition or else Shell get dad fired."

"That's why you didn't join the competition?." Mum asks.

"Yes and some other reasons." I mutter, "so when you guys said dad has been suspended I knew she had something to do with it, so I went to her house to confront her about it, but not before I put my phone on record."

"Oh my god!" Tiana shouts, "sis you're a genius." She gives me a high five.

"But why would she do this?" Dad asks still oblivious to the situation.

"Isn't it obvious?," Tiana says, "she's jealous of Maria."

"Jealous of Maria..." Dad echoes, "why?"

"In case you haven't noticed dad...your daughter has an amazing talent." Tiana says smiling at me and I shoot her a grateful smile.

"But what if he doesn't believe me tomorrow?" Dad asks still doubting.

"According to steph, he trusts you a lot." I say triumphantly.

"I mean, it doesn't kill to try." Tiana says.

"I just pity that girl." Mum says, I was already wondering when she'll put into what we are saying. "She was such a sweet girl."

Yes mum, she was.

I wake up quickly today and drive to James's house. When I get there I see him walking toward his car so I press the horn to stop him. I get out of my car and run to him.

"I'm gonna tell him, for real this time." I say and he embraces me.

"I'm glad you changed your mind," he pulls away, "for real this time." He smiles, and I am smiling so much that my cheeks are hurting.

I decided last night that if Stephanie could not keep her word, I won't keep mine. I don't have anything to hide, I will sing and if Will doesn't like it, then screw him.

"So are we going to school or what?" James asks happily and I nod and skip to my car and we drive to school.

Short chapter. Sorry guys.
I'm almost done with the book so, thanks for following me all the way.
Love you.

Hannah.