Too Good to Be Real

chapter 35

She'll put a smile upon your face
And take you to the higher place
So don't you underestimate
The strength of a woman. 🎶

"Oma?"
Nia's uncertain voice asked from the other end of the line.

"Yes. It's me." Oma replied, trying to keep her voice from shaking by saying as little as possible.

" This one you're calling me, what's the problem?"

"I'm coming home."

"Is it money you need? Tell me, I'll send it to you as soon as I can."
It was typical of her to think she was only coming home because of money. She couldn't possibly be blamed. Oma never called her.

"I just want to see you. It's been so long." Her voice cracked at the middle of the sentence, ruining her resolve to keep her voice stable.
There was a long pause at Nia's end of the line.

"Ok." She drawled. "So when am I expecting you?"

"I'm already on the road. I'll be there before the end of today." She said.

"Why didn't you tell me. I could have booked a flight. Do you know how dangerous road travel is..."

"Don't worry. There are certain things one has to experience." She said, cutting the call. She put her phone on airplane mode, not in any mood to pick any calls from anyone at all. She plugged in her earphones and increased the volume all the way up. She didn't want to sleep.

The vehicle Oma was in was a small Camry car that currently carried five other passengers who were all asleep.
She felt queasy. She'd never ridden alone to another state. She looked up and made eye contact with the driver of the car who smiled at her and her heart picked up a pace.
She was definitely being kidnapped.
Why else would everyone else be asleep when they'd just entered few minutes ago?
Well, there was no way she was ever going to fall asleep. Not in this car. She'd heard enough stories.

She tried to keep herself busy with her phone but it died thirty minutes later. She began to look around at the trees and buildings they passed but felt herself getting drowsy, so she decided to read. She reached into the bag she'd picked up in a hurry and out came a pink book she'd never seen before. It had the name 'Daniels" boldly written on it. How had she picked Asa's book in a hurry?

She flipped to the first page. In Asa's bold handwriting, it read:
This is not a diary!
It's a journal. And if you don't know this, that means you're not me and therefore should not be reading this book. So drop it. Now!

As if that would stop her. She moved the the next page:
I'm so excited. I don't have a roommate.

Ok. Now I do. But she's so cool. I definitely won't find any problems with this one.

But she's weird. She has a cesarean section scar on her stomach. I know that scar anywhere. But she won't admit it so I'll try not to pry...

She smiled. She could remember that day. It was a good thing Asa had decided not to pry. She flipped through more pages. This diary...journal was keeping her wide awake.

I'm so lonely but she has everything.
I like him but he likes her.
I love beauty but it loves her.
Why can't I get anything good?
I know it's the muscles. Why was I so stupid to get them!

She shut the book for a second. She felt like she was beginning to pry. Surely she wouldn't like it if she had a diary and Asa read it.

She released a loud sigh and accidentally made eye contact with the driver again. He was probably waiting for her to fall asleep, so he could veer off to where they'd slice them into pieces for money, she thought. She had to stay awake.