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Chapter 19: Heart to heart talk

I am left speechless, dumbfounded.

It was that time that I regain my mind when I heard the loud slam of the front door. He's going to leave me here? Is he insane?

With all the strength that I have, and speed, I ran from the rooftop to the outside door. "You're leaving?" I asked after I caught my breath back.

He didn't respond, instead, he put all his stuff on the back side of his car and directed himself on the driver's seat without making a glance on me.

"I-I'll go with you!" I shouted.  

"I thought you want to kill yourself? Ask some ghosts in the building, they can do that for you." and he closed the door. 

"There are ghosts? Here?" I even asked while I circle my eyes around the building. It's old enough to say that there might be some. I came back to look at him which I met his eyes reading me. Maybe, my next move?

He didn't stay longer on looking at me. He breathed sharply and starts the engine. "Don't worry, they're nice. They're friendly too." he said with a blank face and take a shot on the gas.

"W-Wait! Sir!" I stopped him. I don't want being here alone. Aside, I don't want to walk anywhere now. It's too dark. It's already late. And I don't have money nor a house to stay at. "C-Can I c-come with you?" I bent my head as I asked him.

Slowly, the headlights went off. The engine even stops its noisy sound. And he's just staring at me. "I don't care about you, right? I don't have a right to do good things on you. Meaning, I don't have the right to help you? So why would I care if you stay here alone?" he deliberately asked and he waited for some second before he could sigh and starts the engine again.

"I'll t-talk." that's what came into my mouth. Then I look at him afterwards. The engine automatically stopped. "If that's what you wish. Just please let me go with you. I have nowhere to go."

I waited for him to answer. And luckily, he did. "Get in the car." and there I follow him.

Before he starts the engine, he even told me, "This time, you have to stay at your promise. Get it, Riley?" I nodded at his control. And he just wipe off the way.

--

"Feel comfortable." he offered me a sit on his couch.

"Is this your house?" I asked him. I thought he's living with his family?

"For the meantime. After three days, I'll be back home." 

I busied myself taking a tour with my eyes about the place. It's kind of small. Right enough for his short stay. Then my eyes got stuck on a picture frame placed on top of a round table. 

It is a picture of a happy family. All were smiling, and they all look young. Like they were just sisters and brothers. There are four in the picture. Him, a woman whom surely is his wife. He also got a son and a daughter.

Is she her? Is she his dead daughter?

She looks almost like me.

"Her name was Trisha. She's my youngest. She died a year ago." I heard him said. He sat on the other couch with a cup of tea on his hand. He offered me the other which I smiled as I thank him. He even stick his eyes on the picture.

"She's beautiful." I smiled.

He likewise smile but it didn't last for long. "Too bad she's gone."

He bent his head. I felt his sadness. "I'm sorry."

He, then, released a tip of a smile and took a sip on his drink. "You look like her. Maybe that's the reason why, I'm able to say those things earlier."

I didn't respond. Short silence came in.

"What happen?" I took my guts as I wait for his answer. 

He sighed and he straightly look at me and start telling things. 

"That summer when your family had been involved with the accident, one week before that day, Trisha died. She has asthma but that's not the reason of her death. Sh-she went driving one night and it's raining so hard. The road is very wet with the rain brought by the storm, she can't handle the driving. She and her car hit a big tree and she had been dead on the spot." his tears slide on his cheek. 

"Before that time, we had a fight. I don't like the guy she's dating. She's too young for her to go out with guys. I told her I want her to stay away from him but she didn't listen. She locked the door on her room while she exchanges words with me. Shortly, we are able to unlock her room's door. We can't find her anywhere inside." he breathed and continued "We peeked at her window and we saw her driving the car callously. She's not answering her phone. We call the police to help for the search. Next thing we know, she's already dead."

I kept silent. It's pure silence after but he still intend to talk. "I just want to protect her but she prevents herself from following my orders. Maybe I did not become a good father at all." He again stared at the picture and switch the look on me. He even smiled.

"Maybe it's just misunderstanding, sir." I announced. He came to put back his stare at me. "You did all what you can, to be good at her. She just didn't able to understand and realize everything yet. Sadly, it became tragic before everything had been cleared." 

I smiled at him but I felt my eyes freeing my tears again. "You're still lucky though, cause you just lost her."

"Talk to me Riley." I heard him said.

I took a deep breath. "My family, except me, died, instantly. After the accident, I spent the next months with my grandparents. And when I am on my plan to accept they're my remaining family, my Grandma died. Grandpa was so devastated, so he put all the reasons of her death to me. When the business failed and the house is taken back by the court, I guess, he killed himself because of depression."

I wiped my tears away and continued talking. I need to let it all out. "One of my friends offered me their house to be my new cave. But her husband refused me so I came looking on my own. While walking along the sidewalk, hoping to find a good place, a guy bumped me and he took my wallet. A-and I really don't understand why are these things did happen on me!" my voice cracked. 

"Why of all people? He chose me?" I can't help my tears flooding on my face. He came to sit beside me and I felt the warmth of his hug. I continued to cry.

"I'm just a teenager..."