REDEMPTION'S RHYTHM

BLINDED LOVE

                             {CHAPTER ELEVEN}

                                     ~~~~~~~~

"Oh my goodness! He actually asked me out! I can't wait to spill the beans to Lisa," I mused, my face lit up with pure joy and excitement.

I strutted down Lisa's street, bubbling with excitement at the realization that I'm now officially Jackson's girlfriend.

It all seemed surreal; butterflies threw a party in my belly, adding to the enchantment of the moment.

The street was serene, accompanied only by the melodious songs of birds, making me feel like Cinderella stumbling upon her Prince Charming.

In my daydream, I found myself waltzing and humming along with the birds' sweet melodies.

"So, this is love...mmmmm...mmmm...mmm..." I sang softly, my hands delicately perched on my heart, swaying to the melodious tunes of the birds.

The ambiance shifted as I neared Lisa's abode, the birds' melody gently waning, creating a space for my thoughts to enfold me.

As I pressed Lisa's doorbell, "Ding-dong!" echoed through the air, but all that replied was a deafening silence.

I pressed her doorbell again, but still no luck, I grumbled. "She never responds," letting myself into her house. Lisa and I had exchanged keys in the past, and though it was Lisa's idea to do so.

"Lisa! Lisa!" I hollered, as I wrestled with her stubborn door.

In that instant, as I struggled with the door, Lisa suddenly appeared, her hair tousled, her figure partially through the doorway, wearing a stunned expression, as if she had encountered a ghost.

With an unusual smile, she exclaimed, "Hanna! It's you!" Her breath slightly quickened as she skillfully smoothed down her hair.

"Yeah, it's me," I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "I've been ringing, but you didn't respond, so I decided to use your house key," I explained, a mix of worry and irritation in my voice.

"Dang! The house key, how did I miss that," she murmured, her face distorting, her words a mere breath that slipped past me.

Halfway closing the door, with her figure still lingering partially through the doorway, she awkwardly bit her lip. "Uhm, Hanna, I'm a bit tied up right now. Could you swing by another time?"

Lisa and I were keenly aware that, apart from graciously taking a day off to help find Phil, she had no other commitments. Hence, her claim for being occupied left me puzzled, knowing her usual routine.

"C'mon Lisa, we both know that's not true," I barged my way into her house.

"No! Hanna, just a moment!" Her voice trailed after me.

"Oh my word!" I gasped in sheer astonishment at the scene before me, swiftly veiling my eyes with hands, desperately trying to erase the image I had just witnessed.

"There's a naked man on your couch!" I yelled in disbelief.

In utter disbelief, I let out a gasp as Lisa frantically attempted to remove the half-dressed man from her couch. Frozen in place, I stood there, cautiously peering through my fingers that shielded my eyes from the startling scene.