Chapter 66 LINES CROSSED AT THE GATE
Godiva POV
"Are you both sure you wanna do this?" Jerald asked, glancing at me as we approached their gate.
"You girls are really something else," Ben added, still in disbelief.
"Don’t panic, or are we going to get you in trouble?" I asked, concern creeping into my voice.
"Nope," Jerald replied.
"Alright then, let’s do this." Dina straightened suddenly, looking motivated.
"Hand me your backpack." Jerald took mine off my shoulder.
"Hand me yours too." Ben exchanged a look with Jerald and took Dina’s as well.
"What are you two up to?" Dina leaned in, whispering.
"Nothing," they chorused at the same time as we stepped into their compound.
"Wow!" Dina exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked around. "You never told me you were coming to a penthouse to tutor," she whispered in my ear, still stunned.
"Bro, don’t do that. Remember, we’re here to show levels," I whispered back.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot." She adjusted herself immediately.
"What are you two whispering about?" Jerald asked, a smile playing on his lips.
"Nothing," we chorused.
"Is that your sister?" Dina smiled toward Mrs Young.
Ignoring her, Ben and Jerald burst out laughing as we approached the entrance.
"That is their mum," I whispered, trying not to laugh.
"What!" Dina gasped in disbelief.
"Hello, Mum," Ben and Jerald chorused.
"Hello," she replied coldly, her gaze settling on us.
"Hello, Ma’am." I bowed my head slightly in a traditional Chinese manner.
"Hello," she responded hesitantly, her eyes now fixed on Dina.
"Hello, Ma, you’re really beautiful." Dina smiled brightly.
"Hello. I can’t say the same for you," Mrs Young replied with sharp arrogance.
"Damn, brutal," I whispered, laughing softly as Dina chuckled.
"Mum, this is my girlfriend, Diva. I know you both don’t need an introduction." Jerald slipped his arm around me.
I almost burst out laughing at the shock written all over Mrs Young’s face.
"Div!" Jenny screamed, running toward me.
"My girl!" I lifted her up. "How have you been?"
"I’ve been good," she said, smiling, "but I miss you." She wrapped her soft arms around my neck.
"Hello, you’re pretty," she told Dina, blushing.
"Thank you, dear. You’re equally pretty," Dina replied, shaking her hand.
"You really have eyes for good things, because someone just called me ugly," Dina added with a smile.
Ben, Jerald, and I struggled to hold back our laughter.
"Who said that?" Jenny demanded as I set her down. "I definitely know you said that," she accused, pointing at Jerald.
"He didn’t," I said, laughing as I pinched her cheek.
"Jenny, honey, we’re in the middle of a conversation," Mrs Young cut in.
"Sorry, Mum," Jenny said sweetly before walking off.
"Okay, Mum, you’ve not met Dina before. This is my very pretty girlfriend, Dina." Ben smiled widely.
"So how shameless can the both of you be, throwing yourselves at my boys?" Mrs Young snapped.
"Mum, we’re the ones holding their bags. As you can see, we’re the ones obsessed with them," Jerald replied, winking at me.
"Anyways, Mum, we needed to properly introduce our girlfriends to you," Ben said, his tone turning serious.
"And of what good is that?" she shot back.
"Well, Mum, so you know we picked well-mannered and beautiful girls," Jerald replied.
"Just like you," Ben added, smiling.
"Lis," Mrs Young called.
"What, Lis is here?" Jerald’s voice rose in disbelief.
"Mum," Lis greeted, slipping into her usual sly tone as she sat beside Mrs Young.
"Well, you see, Lis is already betrothed to Jerald, and in the Chinese culture, it’s equivalent to marriage," Mrs Young declared. "And Ben here will soon be betrothed too."
"What Ben are you talking about?" Ben let out a dry laugh.
"I’ve told you, Mum, if you so love Lis, you can marry her, or better still let Dad marry her, because both of us will never settle for her," Jerald snapped, pointing at Lis with open disgust.
"Exactly," Ben added, nodding.
"You both keep off my boys," Mrs Young warned, rising to her feet.
"We can’t, Ma," Dina muttered under her breath.
"What did you say?" Mrs Young turned sharply.
"She said we can’t, at least not now," I replied, bowing my head respectfully.
"And as for Lis, if you don't tell her parents that this sham betrothal is over, I will personally pay them a visit and tell them," Jerald declared, pulling me along.
"Bye, Ma," I said, turning with him.
"You still look beautiful, Ma’am," Dina added sweetly as we walked toward the gate.
"Heaw." Dina exhaled deeply the moment we stepped outside. "That was torture."
"You both are really good at pretending," Jerald said, watching me as I smiled in disbelief.
"So why is your mum home today?" I asked as they escorted us.
"She’s taking the month off work."
"Wow. I asked because she was hardly ever home since I started teaching, and suddenly she’s always around." I laced my fingers with his.
"Yes, she was hardly home throughout our lives because she stays far from here," Jerald said quietly.
"For real?" I blurted out. I had no idea.
"Yes, she does. She’s the director at my dad’s hospital."
"Wow, so that’s why your dad is always home?"
"Yes, he consults online and only goes there twice a week." Jerald smiled.
"That’s interesting," I said.
"How are we already here?" Ben asked as we reached the bridge separating our slum from the city.
"Exactly my point. When I’m trekking back alone, it feels so long, and suddenly today it’s ridiculously short," I laughed.
"Why don’t we escort you all a little further?" Jerald suggested, raising his brows at me.
"Hell no, no," I shot back. "That’s a bad idea."
"How is that a bad idea, amor?" Ben asked, pulling a cute face.
"Because you’ll get in more trouble with your parents," Dina replied.
"We are already in trouble, so what’s the big deal?" Jerald shrugged, pulling me along.
We walked together, talking and laughing all the way to the skatepark.
"I wish I had my skateboard here," Jerald said, watching the skaters.
"If you want, we can get you one from someone here," Dina offered.
"Nah, that’s not necessary. Besides, I can’t possibly skate on these school wears," he replied with a smile.
"Godiva Scott!"
Mama’s voice cut sharply through the air from behind.