Immature Mistakes | mj.q✓

Thirty-Two

Michael paced in the dining room furiously, almost smashing his cellphone before he decided to put it in his pocket.

Evelyn had just finished cleaning up the plate Michael had smashed against the wall when he was angry at Ava, and she went to throw it in the bin. When she returned, she found her father still restless with his hand on his chin.

'The time is 9 o'clock.' Michael said to Evelyn once he had finished pacing. 'This means she found shelter, otherwise she would have been back here by now.'

'Or maybe she's too scared to come back?' Evelyn suggested the possibility. 'No offence dad but you're really scary sometimes.'

'No she would have come back.' Michael started to pace again. 'Has she gone somewhere? Where could she go? Where would you go?'

'To Sarah's?' Evelyn answered unsurely.

'You're right, you're right.' Michael answered. 'Who are Ava's friends? I'm going to take her from where she was, bring her back here and crush her.'

'Ava doesn't have any friends except Jiaqi.'

'She wouldn't...would she?' he wondered. 'After how I warned her she'd still be around him? Let alone go to his house?'

'I think so.' Evelyn shrugged. 'She didn't seem like she really listened to you about him anyway. Probably why she was so defiant tonight.'

'That little...' Michael restrained himself from using a curse word. 'I think you're right.'

The mere imagination of Ava being at Jiaqi's house made Evelyn sour with jealousy, so she wanted Ava to be taken away from there as soon as possible.

'Do you have any idea where Jiaqi's house is?' Michael asked her.

She nodded. 'Yeah, we were there for some guidance and counseling activities.'

'Good. Let's go.' Michael grabbed the keys to his pickup and walked towards the door.

...

Mr. Ma was sitting in the living room watching his favorite games. His wife had already gone to bed, having no interest to remain with him in the living room.

He heard a car pulling up, but he felt no need to check the window. It was unlikely that the car was in their driveway, after all, no one would visit them at that time of the night.

He continued to focus on the game until he heard a loud and disrespectful knock on the door.

'What the hell?' Mr. Ma asked himself before rising from his seat.

Jiaqi who was doing his homework had heard it, and so did Ava who still hadn't fallen asleep yet. She was hoping it wasn't someone from her family. She moved over to the window to check who was at the door, but it was out of her sight.

Mr. Ma opened the door then looked at the man on the other side in shock. 'Michael?'

'Hey you know I wouldn't come to your house unless it was something very important, because I really would have loved to never see you again.' Michael tried to hold back his anger. 'Where's my daughter?'

'And what makes you think your daughter is here? Because she clings to my son?'

Ava felt a bit disappointed hearing that. She was hoping that wasn't what Jiaqi had told his family. Then again, if he had told them that, he wouldn't have let her come to his place.

'Just give me my daughter, don't push me.' he responded trying his best to be calm in front of the person he already despised.

'Your daughter isn't here okay!? Why would I let your filthy daughter in my house?'