Call from Destiny | COMPLETED | English

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: Family Dinner

C L A I R E

The day went on as usual. However, I didn't really expect that most of our professors would give out surprise quizzes. I got prepared, of course, I don't know if Sam was going to be alright though. I saw her frowning earlier.

As we both walked out of the school, Sam looked at me with a sad smile. I knew exactly what she was thinking about so I had to ask her.

"How'd it go?" Her hands showed how nervous she was, holding her books in her arms and I could tell that it was quite ready to fall from her grasp.

"I've managed most of them but I'm not sure about the last one. Mr. Reyes' test wasn't really as easy as the other ones," she replied before sighing. Knowing that she was the type of person who would overthink the test, I gave her a pat on the back.

"I'm sure you did great." A smile formed on her lips and we both walked out of the school. Looking around, I faced Sam. I'm pretty sure that this was the meeting spot.

"Benedict did say he'll meet us here, right?" I couldn't help but ask her as she had the same reaction as mine — eyebrows raised and even kept walking around to see if she had spotted Benedict's car.

Sam scratched the back of her head and then shrugged at me. "He told me that he'll bring his car and wait for him in front of the school."

"Oh, there he is!" My eyes went wide when her hand suddenly shoot past in front of me — pointing at the blue Subaru BRZ that was in the distance.

When the car had finally pulled up right in front of us, the windows rolled down and Benedict was the one who greeted us. "Hey, have you waited long?"

"Not really," Sam replied while batting her eyelashes on the guy. I almost rolled my eyes at this. Really? In front of me?

Pushing Sam a bit, I decided to intrude on the conversation. "Alright lovebirds, break it up. Benedict, I'm going in the back."

Removing myself out of Sam's way, I walked where the backseats of the car were and opened the door. Believe me, I almost shut it again.

There sat Ethan, eyes wide as soon as he saw me. I guess he didn't really expect that Benedict was going to invite me.

"Oh no, you didn't tell me that he was here." Benedict glanced back at us as soon as I sat down in the backseat but made sure that there was still a lot of space between us. I scooted over to the very end of the window.

Sam almost laughed at me too.

"Well, hello to you too," Ethan commented, really obvious to the fact that we were avoiding each other. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Let me guess, it's about your girlfriend. The call?" I asked him and he quickly nodded at the statement.

"I wanted to ask you personally."

"I figured."

Benedict looked back at us through the mirror and I could almost see him smiling — trying to hide it with a cough and focusing right back on the road. "You two seem to get along."

"Might take a while before we get to my parent's house," he added before furrowing his eyebrows at us. There was a bit of silence before he even asked us a question. "I'm hoping that both of you already told your parents?"

"My aunt knows I'm with Sam." I pointed at my best friend as she even did the same with me.

Sam shrugged and directed her gaze at me. "My parents trust Claire."

"Girls really need each other to get their permission granted, huh?" Benedict couldn't help but comment as we both just laughed and nodded. Ethan then gave me a pat on the shoulder — making me look back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Right, about the call..." I already knew what he wanted to ask me so I decided to answer truthfully.

"I wasn't interested in answering the call, to be honest," I answered before even adding, "I just wanted to tell her that you weren't there."

"Is it really that bad?" Ethan frowned as soon as I asked it.

"Hmm, let's just say that I'm in a tight spot right now," he told me before Benedict interrupted him. But, the words that came out of his mouth were really surprising for us. It almost clicked to us, the message, and the one that Benedict said.

"Vanessa's coming back." It really was true.

"She was in Florida for a while but now, she decided she wanted to pay Ethan a visit." Sam stopped looking at the window and decided to turn back to see me and I just sighed.

"She sounds like trouble." Benedict agreed and even nodded. Ethan, on the other hand, was really silent next to me. I didn't really expect him to react, considering that it was his girlfriend.

"I don't really want this to come from me—" Benedict paused for a moment before he continued, "—but she is a living nightmare."

"You met her?"

"Yes, I did. With my brother, of course."

Sam almost choked on her water as she was drinking. Benedict got a bit surprised and asked her if she was alright. The only thing on my best friend's mind, however, wasn't about Vanessa.

"You have a brother?" she asked with eyes wide.

Benedict hesitated to answer before he eventually nodded. "He's in Georgia."

As Sam and Benedict continued their chit-chat, I immediately felt the phone in my pocket. Taking it out, I handed it to Ethan."I almost forgot. Here's your phone."

"Next time, please don't answer Vanessa's call, alright?" He then took it from my hands and smiled. "I don't want you to get involved in her drama."

"Well, here we are, everyone." Suddenly, the car stopped in front of a brown large gate. It looked newly painted and the arrows on top were painted with gold.

We were surprised that it opened and the first face to greet us was his mom. Benedict smiled and immediately drove inside before parking right in the front.

His dad was on the patio, reading a book. I guess he was alarmed that we got there so fast since his eyes were wide and even stood up when we got off the car.

"Papa, these are my friends," Benedict greeted as he went towards his dad and gave him a hug. His dad only gave him a pat on the back before chuckling.

"I didn't really know you'd bring more," his dad commented and we quickly got a bit shy. Benedict's smile faded as soon as he heard that.

"Is it bad?" His dad quickly shook his head so we knew that we were probably welcomed. Our tense reaction faded as his dad mentioned us to come closer.

"No, not really. I've never seen you let anyone visit here anyway except Ethan," his dad told Benedict and even smiled at us. "Well, welcome to our humble home. I assure you, my son had prepared the food we'll be eating. He's a good cook, I always say."

"Well, come on in. You girls must be hungry," Benedict's mom welcomed us and guided us inside.