***

When Mei headed back in the house her mother turned to her angrily.

“I can’t believe he would come back to ask for Selina’s hand in marriage!” she shouted. “Such a good young man like him shouldn’t even care about that damn girl! Throw this cup out and go do your homework!”

Mei watched as her mother got up and went into her room slamming the door behind her. Why would she be so angry?

***

Selina had gotten up after Jiro left. She wanted to get out at least and the only place she had on her mind was Sam’s bakery. Glancing up at the restaurant sign Selina could feel a hidden happiness she hadn’t felt for a while. This was the only place where she didn’t feel pressured.

Opening the door Selina walked in to find that it was busy. Usual girl customers occupied the restaurant. Sam was cooking behind the counter, Aaron was taking orders, and Calvin was taking food out. Selina walked over to the counter and peered toward the back.

“Can I help?” Selina asked.

Sam turned to look at her then turned away then turned back again not sure if he was seeing right.

“Selina?” he smiled. “You’re back!”

Selina nodded then glanced at Aaron who seemed surprised with her sudden appearance. Selina made her way into the back then headed toward the counter. Aaron could feel his heart beat faster when she stood next to him. Selina pushed him aside and grabbed the pen from him.

“Why don’t you go help Calvin so he doesn’t hurt himself?” Selina suggested.

Aaron smiled back nodding and walked out.

“Calvin!” Aaron shouted.

Selina watched him joyfully then turned back to smile at Sam who had been watching her.

After the store had closed and after Selina had finished wiping the tables she headed back. Aaron was washing the dishes silently. Selina stopped next to him and turned the faucet on to wash the dishes he’d already scrubbed.

“You seem like you’ve been bored around here,” Selina said initiating a conversation.

“I’m not bored, just thinking,” he replied.

“What are you thinking about?” Selina questioned.

“That it’s good to have you here. Sam and Calvin have been a little down themselves,” Aaron whispered.

Selina turned back to look at Calvin and Sam yelling at each other in the lobby.

“They’re always like that,” Selina told.

“How’ve you been lately?” Aaron asked. “You’re feeling better?”

“I’ve cleared my mind,” Selina started, “I happen to be thinking a lot these days and I felt a lot better after I talked to you. Jiro’s sister is returning from New York in about a few weeks and when she returns Jiro’s mother wants to get us married.”

Selina turned to look at Aaron’s empty expression.

“But I don’t want to,” Selina finished. “I won’t be able to live with him happily like the way I’ve always imagined. During these four years too many unexplainable situations have occurred.”

Selina smiled at him and Aaron wondered if Selina was telling him she liked him.

“What are you two whispering about?” Calvin asked walking over. “I told you they’re not working hard!”

Sam shouted, “Can’t you mind your own business? Can’t you see they’re diligently washing dishes while you’re just holding a mop?”

“Why are you always yelling at me?” Calvin asked. “I’m not the only one standing around.”

The door suddenly opened and Jiro walked in. Both Sam and Calvin quieted.

“Did I miss something?” Jiro asked looking around.

Everyone turned to look at him silently.

Jiro turned to look at Selina, “Mom said you weren’t home since morning. I figured this is the only place you’d go to.”

Selina turned to look at Aaron then wiped her hands dry with a towel.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she quietly told Aaron then walked toward Jiro. “Bye guys!”

“Have a safe drive home,” Sam called after them.

“Is something going to happen between them?” asked Calvin.

Aaron stared at the glass door. Selina wanted to trust him? What does that mean? Was she going to tell him something?

***

“I see you feel more at home there,” Jiro commented in the car.

“It’s not that I feel more at home there. I feel less stress there,” Selina corrected.

“Do you hate staying at my home?” Jiro questioned.

“It’s not that way.” 

“I know,” Jiro said.

The car came to a stop at a park. Selina stared at the bench and sand boxes ahead of her then turned to Jiro.

“What are we doing here?” Selina asked.

“I wanted to ask you something. This doesn’t regard anything from last night, I just want to get an honest answer from you.” 

Selina stared at him silently.

“Did something happen between you and your family?”

Selina stared at Jiro feeling her pulse increase. Was she panicking? Why would Jiro ask? What exactly did he want to know?

Selina gulped before answering, “Why?”

Jiro turned away from her gaze and set his hand on the steering wheel, “I went to your house today. Your mother seemed strange.”

Selina couldn’t take her eyes off him. He went where?

“Your sister seemed worried,” Jiro told. “There’s a different atmosphere in the house.”

Selina could feel her hands begin to sweat. What did he find out? Why was he telling her these?

“I wanted to attain permission to marry you, but your mom didn’t talk about you the same way she would. There was no tone with love in her voice,” Jiro told. “Did you and your mother fight?”

“You shouldn’t have gone there,” Selina told finally turning away.

She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and fumbled with it.

“You shouldn’t go back there,” Selina restated herself. “If they’re doing well, it’s fine with me.”

“Can’t you be honest with me?” Jiro asked. “Just once…can’t you? I want to hear the truth from you.”

“It’s hard to tell you…” 

Jiro gently put his hand on her shoulder, “Why can’t you tell me? Why are you always keeping everything a secret?”

Selina stared at his hand and Jiro removed his hand remembering how she’d asked him to take his hands off her the other night.

“I don’t want to marry you,” Selina told, “I’ve thought for a long time. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

Selina could see the hurt etched onto his face.

“There’s someone else I want to rely on,” Selina finished.

“Don’t talk to me about him,” Jiro restarted the engine and began to drive off.

Jiro had become gloomy and sulky by the time they reached his house. Selina watched him go to his room and turned around to go to hers.

Selina had returned to the bakery the next morning. She found herself glancing toward Aaron more often. The day began like any other normal day until Sam wanted ice cream for lunch. Selina and Aaron offered to go and ended up going together. When they walked into the ice cream shop they discovered that it was crowded with high school students.

“Should we go somewhere else?” asked Aaron as they turned to look at each other.

Selina glanced around then replied, “I guess we can just buy the ice cream here. It might as well be packed elsewhere.”

They remained in line silently then finally ordered their ice cream, but as they turned to go Selina thought she heard someone say her name. She turned to look around. Aaron who had also stopped turned to look back.

“Selina!” Mei shouted hurrying through the crowd.

Selina frowned and found herself backing up into Aaron.

“Is something wrong?” Aaron asked.

“I…have to go to the bathroom,” Selina told then hurried off.

Mei hurried over and stopped.

“You’re with Selina, right?” asked Mei looking around for her sister.

“You know her?” Aaron asked.

Mei nodded, “She’s my older sister. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her. Are you her friend?”

Aaron nodded then something popped up in his head.

“You…you have a step-father, right?” he asked.

“Yea,” Mei nodded, “does Selina talk about him?”

“What kind of person is he like?” Aaron questioned.

Mei found his questions weird.

“Why do you want to know?”

Aaron debated to himself whether he should speak to her about it, but figuring that since she was Selina’s sister she might know something.

“Strange things have been happening to Selina,” Aaron told. “Can you tell me how your step-father is?”

Mei glanced at Aaron once more then looked around. She grabbed Aaron’s hand and led him into an empty corner.

“My step-father is a weird person,” she whispered, “he’s scary.”

Aaron looked down at her and could see that she could be telling the truth. If he had enough courage to kidnap his own step-daughter then he didn’t seem like a normal father.

“I’m not sure what he used to do to Selina. I found her crying in bed one night, but she couldn’t tell me about it,” Mei began, “I think he used to go into Selina’s room.”

“What?” Aaron asked.

Mei nodded, “My mother had forced Selina out of the house and I couldn’t understand why she cursed Selina. If I was old enough then, I would have helped, but I was only in middle school.”

Aaron frowned at Mei’s story trying to piece what he was hearing together.

“I woke up one night and found him standing inside my room. He looked scary…I was really frightened,” Mei continued, “he told me he just wanted to make sure I was sleeping then he left my room. Selina always told me to lock my door, but I never did it until that night. I even installed two locks to make sure he wouldn’t come into my room anymore.”

***

Selina grasped her sweaty hands in the girl’s bathroom. Why was her sister there? Her step-dad couldn’t have…no. Selina shook her head as she paced back in forth. She felt chills after seeing her sister again. Selina couldn’t help it as her hands began trembling. She couldn’t go out and let Aaron see her like that. Selina the faucet and let the cold water run over her hands.

***

“Don’t tell anyone you talked to me about this,” Aaron promised. “You can’t tell anyone.”

Mei nodded, “I think...I feel the same way you do.”

Aaron looked around feeling unsettled. There were other things he wanted to ask.

“I still have other questions for you, but I think Selina will be coming out soon,” Aaron said. “Would it be alright if you gave me your number?”

10 minutes after Mei had left Selina finally made her way out of the bathroom. She looked different to Aaron.

“Sorry, should we go back now?” asked Selina.

Aaron could feel Mei’s words swirl around in his head.

“I think he used to go in Selina’s room.”

Had he done something to Selina? He wanted to ask her on the way back, but there were people around. Aaron took a hold of Selina’s hand surprising her.

“I have something I need to ask,” Aaron said. “I don’t feel like I can wait until we go back.”

Selina looked up at him trying not to let her bottom lip quiver.

“Lets get them their ice cream first. I want to tell you something too.” 

“We’re back!” Aaron shouted loudly as he came through the door.

“It took you forever. Maybe I should send Calvin out next time,” Sam joked. “He’s definitely a lot quicker than you two.”

Selina laughed along with his joke.

“Selina and I still have something to do, we’ll be right back,” Aaron told then turned to Selina.

Selina turned to both Calvin and Sam assuring, “This’ll be quick.”

“Hey! Wait!” Calvin shouted as they exited through the door. “Where are they going?”

As soon as they stepped out of the bakery their smiling faces were gone. Selina became quiet as she followed Aaron. Their loud footsteps seemed to have become their voices talking amongst the crowds they passed. Finally they came to a place Selina found familiar. It was the same spot where Aaron had taken her to after the birthday party at his humongous house. Aaron stepped through the bushes where no one would be able to see them. Selina followed and watched as Aaron sat down then sat beside him quietly.

“Do you want to go first?” Aaron asked. “Or should I?”

Selina stared at him.

“He said…he killed my father.”

***

“Someone has opened a new case,” an officer said walking into Jiro’s office.

Jiro looked up from his papers taking the manila folder.

“Case?” asked Jiro.

“The mother is being sentenced to jail by her husband,” the officer told, “they were divorced but when he found out that she was pretending not to know that her boyfriend had been their daughter for the past year, he wants the child back into his care.”

“And?”

“The mother is pleading not guilty in this case,” the officer explained, “we’re going to need to start questioning neighbors and friends including relatives. You might want to send out a team to investigate anything else, such as if there might be drugs related.”

Jiro nodded. The officer excused himself and walked out of Jiro’s office. Jiro opened the folders skimming through the filed papers and came across the daughter’s photo. She had a youthful smile and looked just as innocent. For some reason, it reminded him of Selina.

***

Selina stared at the ground heavily. Aaron stared at her shocked. He always seemed to be thrown aback by her. Everything that she revealed was always unexpected. How serious were these deep secrets that Selina had always kept?

“I wanted to tell someone and my shoulders felt so heavy, but I couldn’t even look into Jiro’s eyes and tell him. I only cried,” Selina told.

Aaron felt so shocked speechless.

“Your sister said…he used to go into your room…” Aaron felt like choking through his words.

“After Jiro left…my step father turned my life upside down,” Selina buried her face into her knees as her body shook.

Aaron could feel tears swell up in his eyes. His mouth began to tremble and his heart dropped inside. He clenched the ground feeling angry. He began to recall every single moment when Selina seemed to be staring at the door inside the bakery as if someone might come running through it. When her hand suddenly turned into a fist and when she suddenly dropped the dishes in the bakery. When the woman had suddenly asked about Selina being at the pregnancy ward, and her face expression then. Why she had been so afraid to return home alone back then. The night when he had gone after her and Selina had suddenly yelled at him to take his hands off her struckn him. Why Selina seemed more than frightened when he had found her after escaping from her kidnapper. The pain he’d seen her go through made his heart ache.

She’d been treated worse than an animal.

“Don’t tell anyone…please don’t…” Selina cried.

Aaron couldn’t bring himself to touch her afraid he’d make her uncomfortable. He couldn’t retaliate against her. If Selina didn’t want to tell anyone, wouldn’t he just come after her again? But even as these thoughts came to him, he couldn’t say anything to her. He felt too shaken up just by watching her cry.

***

Selina retreated to her room after Aaron had sent her back. She wanted to get away from it all. She wanted to sleep so she wouldn’t be able to think. Selina buried herself under the blanket and shut her eyes.

***

When Aaron returned back to the restaurant it was dark and Sam and Calvin were about to head back home.

“Whoa! What’s this? You skipped work the whole day and your legs finally drag you back!” Calvin shouted loudly.

“Aiish!” Sam glared at Calvin.

“What’s wrong with you?” asked Calvin.

Aaron looked up at them. He didn’t speak but turned around and walked toward Sam’s beat up car.

“Did something bad happen?” Calvin asked Sam.

“How would I know? Did I happen to go with them?”

Calvin shrugged and walked toward the car. The mood Aaron had given off in the car caused them all the sit in uncomfortable silence. It was weird seeing Aaron with that unexplainable expression on his face. When they reached the house Aaron immediately climbed the stairs to his room. Calvin immediately followed.

“Hey dude, what’s wrong?” Calvin questioned.

Aaron turned around and looked at Calvin and he finally realized that Aaron had been crying. Aaron opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. Would speaking about what Selina wanted to hide cause trouble for her? Was it right for him to try and seek justice for her?

Calvin felt worried by just looking at Aaron who had suddenly turned to lie down in bed with his arm over his eyes.