Chapter 118 - The phone call

Wandering lonely in the mountain, Daniella in her white dress and face pale as a wax found her way towards the top of the mountain.  

Her thin body resembled a bamboo, she hasn't eaten anything in the past days. She refused to eat knowing that Kierry won't come back at the orphanage anymore.  

She's alone again, no mother, brother or Kierry that would protect her.  

With her pale lips pressing together tightly, Daniella stood by the cliff, the wind tousled her hair which she hasn't combed for weeks. She gulped hard despite the pain in her throat.  

This was the end after she jumped, her mind would no longer be bothered by the painful past, she wouldn't have to sleep and suffer the endless nightmares.  

It will just be peace.  

Her mind and heart had decided to let everything go. There's no reason to continue, she might be too young to die but wasn't she too young to be alone?  

As she filled her lungs with fresh air and prepared herself to jump, Daniella suddenly heard a voice from behind.  

"Are you sure you want to jump there?" Daniella - despite her weak body turned to face the source of the voice only to find a boy leaning against the tree with a toothpick in his mouth.  

"That's pretty low, you might want to go to the river and drown yourself," he suggested, walking closer to her.  

When the boy halted in front of her Daniella was quiet, eyes stared at him deeply while her thick round glasses had forbidden her to read his mind.   

A puzzle expression flashed on Daniella's face; her head titled.  

"I had tried jumping here but I ended up in the hospital for a week. Drowning yourself was too suffocating so," the boy paused and smiled at her causing the toothpick in his mouth to drop on the ground, "how about I treat you an ice cream?"  

Daniella shook her head, her feet absently moved backward causing her to lost balance.  

(!)

As her body floated in the air like a piece of paper, Daniella stretched a hand to hold onto something and her palm - weak and cold was caught by the boy.  

Her body smashed at the edge of the cliff; she used her other hand to hold onto the ground while the boy tried to pull her up.  

"Ugh!" the boy groaned, "you are so petite but so heavy."  

When he completely pulled her out, Daniella gasped for air, they were both sitting on the ground gasping for air.  

"Are you alright?" she could hear the concern in his voice, at that moment, Daniella felt relieved that she's alive.  

She nodded her head and got up but her trembling knees didn't have the energy to stay standing.  

The boy immediately caught her before her body could drop to the ground.  

"Let me carry you," he offered.  

Then he squatted in front of her, and patted his back, "here, let me give you a piggyback," he sneered.  

With her face, blanched as a sheet of paper Daniella didn't refuse his offer and climbed onto his back.  

His hands wrapped on each of her legs, he adjusted her body and started walking away.  

"You live at the orphanage right?"  

Daniella nodded.  

"I am guessing you don't like talking, don't you?"  

She once again nodded.  

"Well, I do," he giggled and slowed down, "I am not from the orphanage but my parents are planning to adopt a kid."  

Daniella just listened to him. Her face leaned against his hair and smelled the cologne he used which had been mixed with sweat.  

When they reached the orphanage, Daniella saw a couple that resembled the kind boy.  

The boy lowered her down to the floor and turned to look at her.  

"I am James Park."  

Daniella blinked, and her lips parted to speak in a soft but almost whisper tone, "Daniella," and instead of accepting the hand he was offering, she tiptoed and planted a small kiss on his cheek.  

She could see how flustered he was as he avoided her eyes.  

"Do you want her to be your sister James?" a middle-aged woman spoke with a tease as she stood next to James.  

The boy shook his head, "no," he said and turned to Daniella.  

Reaching for her hand, he spoke, "you are really pretty."  

Daniella felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment while James' parents and the head of the orphanage laughed rhythmically.  

"She's only sixteen James, she's too young to be your girlfriend," James mother spoke.  

"She's too old to be my sister," James replied back and all the three adults laughed once again while James pouted reluctantly.  

"It's alright," Daniella said causing everyone to look at her.  

She quickly scanned everyone and her eyes ended at James, "I can be your girlfriend."  

"Who is this?" the voice over the phone cut through the silence, drowning out her backtracking thoughts.  

"Jamey," she murmured. When did the last time she called him Jamey? It was three years ago and it was accompanied by the word 'I hate you.'  

"Ella."  

She smiled upon hearing his voice, she liked it when he called her name with his sweet voice.  

She's about to speak when she felt a hand on her shoulder, as she lifted her face to look at the owner, her lips parted in surprise.  

"Evan."  

He smiled at her and at that moment, a slight guilt swept through her.  

"Who are you talking to?" he asked, sitting down next to her.  

"James," she said straight, shifting her sight to the menu on the table.  

"Your ex?"  

She nodded and looked at him only to see him frowning.  

"Ella?" James called her out on the other line, "can I meet you?"  

Daniella blinked, if Evan was not here, she's certain that she would say yes.  

"No," she replied instead, "I called to ask you a question," she took in a deep sigh, her eyes squinted as she fought Evan's gazes.  

"Yeah?"  

She gulped hard, through the corner of her eyes, she saw Glen and Ken talking to the waiter. Glen was seated on her right while Ken had taken a single chair and sat on it.  

"Why did you cheat on me?"   

Her question has made everyone look at her including the waiter.  

And a silence which felt like eternity came.  

"Because you lied to me Ella" James paused and Daniella could hear by his heavy breathing how hard it was for him to continue.  

"Lie? Me?" she scoffed, "whoa! Coming from a cheater!" she suddenly lashed out.  

"Listen to me, Ella! You worked as a bar girl without telling me and you know how much I was trying to fight for you!" James yelled on the other line.  

"Really?" Daniella laughed bitterly, "do you even have any idea how much I struggled to buy the Lumax so your almighty father would accept an orphan like me?" she roared in the same volume as James.  

"No one asked you to do that Ella!"  

"Yeah, no one Jamey but what the hell should I do? I feel out of place whenever we hang out with your friends!" just thinking of it has caused Daniella's voice to break down.  

"I have never asked anything from you, Ella. Not even your body and you know that!"  

Another laugh rang loudly from Daniella's mouth, "wow! Should I be grateful? Well thank you!" she sarcastically yelled.  

"That's not what I mean," James on the other line groaned in irritation "Daniella, you are so difficult. No man wouldn't be able to handle you!"  

And those words have made Daniella froze. She quickly dropped a glance at Evan, the pain was visible in her eyes.   

"Difficult?" she said bitterly.  

"Yes. You blew out my car, sent that woman to a mental facility. Daniella. You are so emotional, always get jealous with anyone that looks at me!"  

"Not normal?" her lips quivered as she heard those words.  

"I am difficult and not normal," she laughed while tears slowly form in her eyes.  

The other line went silent for a moment, "Ella, I don't mean-"  

"What's in the envelope, Jamey?" Daniella asked coldly cutting out their previous topic.  

"Just open it."  

"No, you tell me," her nose was wrinkling with frustration. She could see Jenna looking at her with pity, the same look she had before she left James.  

"You can throw it or open it, Ella, it's up to you."  

She gulped hard; she might have been stubborn but James was more stubborn than her.  

"Fine, I will throw it," saying that, she took the envelope and crumpled it in her hands.  

"I am not normal because I am special Jamey and you should be thankful that you are not in front of me or else," she paused and grabbed the knife from the table, "I am going to slit your throat slowly and painfully until your body bled out. And after that, I am going to throw you to my pool full of piranhas so they can eat your useless body," she laughed, "or maybe they will refuse it since your body is so disgusting!"  

"This is what I meant Ella, you say things like you have done it before"   

She laughed maniacally, "who said I haven't?" and she hang up the phone, turned to Jenna.  

"I just wasted my time talking to that idiot!" she scoffed.  

Jenna rose a brow, "you two haven't changed. Just get back together alright?" her head shook. When she turned to Evan, she found him frowning at her.  

Jenna immediately went panicked, she kicked a foot under the table to get Daniella's attention.  

"Ouch!" Ken groaned out of nowhere, "who kicked my leg?"  

As he said that, Jenna pointed a finger at Daniella.  

When Ken looked at Daniella and found her eyes tearing up, he looked aside.  

Meanwhile, Evan took Daniella's phone and copied the number she last dialed and seeing that the number has been registered in his phone his finger froze.  

James Park.  

'So, it's really him.' he said in his mind. He was skeptical at first when he saw his name on the list of Daniella's exes but now it has been confirmed.  

He deleted his number on Daniella's phone log and lay the phone back. Then, his hand stopped Daniella from taking the burger and later rested it on her chin and leaned forward to kiss her.  

He didn't care about his friends, he was curious to know what Daniella has in her mind after talking to her ex.