Chapter 5

• “Celine!!!!!!”Rachel screamed at the top of her voice as she rushed into Celine’s hands.
• “How long has it been?” Rachel asked amidst tears. Hugging her friend tightly to herself.
• “Ask yourself that. You suddenly disappeared.” Celine complained, slipping herself off Rachel's grip.
• “C’mon, girl. It wasn't my idea to disappear without prior notice, you know that wasn't my thing… Something happened.” Rachel said, pulling her friend to sit with her on the two-seater couch in her room.
• Celine sighed sadly.
• “I heard everything that happened from mom. I came after you left and she told me everything. I'm sorry for your loss.” Celine said, her eyes not leaving her friend for once.
• “Thank you!” Rachel smiled, loosening the clamp of her shoe.
• “It’s been ages, and I'm over it already.” She sighed. Even though she declared that she was over her father's death, a part of her knew she can never get over it.
• “I heard you went for a job interview, did you get in?” Celine asked, diverting from the depressing conversation.
• “Ahh! That?” Rachel kisses her teeth sadly.
• “I did not pass the interview but I was given seven days trying to prove myself. Funny right?” She asked and Celine shook her head sideways.
• “Not funny one bit.” She responded.
• “Enough about me.” Rachel tossed the show to one side, giving her friend her full attention.
• “What are you into?” Rachel asked, staring at her friend with interest.
• Celine shrugged her shoulders.
• “Assisting in the family business, nothing serious.” She rolled her eyes which made Rachel laugh at her.
• It's obvious, she never wanted to work with her family. But here she is, doing what she never dreamt of doing.
• “Ay, I'm sorry.” Rachel raised her hands in surrender. After earning a deadly glare from Celine for laughing at her predicament.
• Even though Rachel knew she wasn't angry at her, she still apologized anyway. One thing about her, she doesn't like to offend anyone.
• Rachel walked towards the mini-fridge in her room and brought out a pack of cookies and a bottle of orange juice. Then grab two glass cups from the table.
• She walked back to her friend and placed the cookie pack in their middle before handing a glass to her. Celine collected the glass from her and then scoffed.
• “Old habits.” she sneered as Rachel poured orange juice into her cup.
• “Speaking of old habits… Well, I just love oranges and mom wouldn't stop filling my fridge with tons of them.” Rachel groaned and they both laughed.
• When was the last time they sat together like this, eating from the same pack of cookies, drinking orange juice after a tired day from school and gisting until dusk?
• Rachael packed the used cups and remaining cookies after they were satisfied with what they ate. She dropped the cookie on her resting table and then walked out of her room with the cups in her hands. Celine trailed quietly behind her, like a child that got scolded by her mother.
• They got to the kitchen and they found it empty.
• “Guess mom is done cooking.” Rachel beamed. Rising the cups in the sink.
• “This place still looks the same,” Celine said, gazing around the well-organised kitchen.
• “Nothing changed.” Rachel agreed, drying the cups with a napkin.
• “I’ll quickly drop these inside my room, wait for me here so we can head downstairs for lunch,” Rachel said, raising the cups in the air.
• “About that…” Celine said, stopping Rachel from walking out of the kitchen.
• “I was only passing this neighbourhood, then I decided to say ‘hi’ to mommy. Honestly, It's been a long time since I last came here and I was surprised to hear that you're in town.” Celine said, hitching her nape as she spoke.
• Rachel stared at her, not getting her point.
• “What are you driving at?” She asked anyway.
• “I won't be joining you guys for lunch. I still have some things to do in this neighbourhood. Perhaps when I'm done I'll come back here.” Celine said, Taking out a car key from her pant pocket.
• “You promise to come back later?” Rachael beseeched and Celine nodded her head.
• “Okay then!” she smiled.
• They both walked out of the kitchen with Rachel escorting Celine to the front door.
• “You know, I'm heading out to meet a friend of mine later, please wait for me if you come back,” Rachel begged and Celine shrugged her shoulders.
• “No biggie.” She winked and entered her car, after unlocking it with the control.
• “Alright, see ya.” Rachel waved.
• She watched Celine completely out of sight before walking back inside.
• She walked straight to the dining room, dropping the glass cups in the living room as she made her way to the dining room.
• There, she met her mother, setting up the table.
• “What should I help you with?” Rachel asked as soon as she got closer to her mother.
• “Nothing. I'm already done with this.” Madeline smiled warmly at her daughter and noticed that someone was missing.
• “What about Celine, where is she? Madeline asked, looking around for the sweet lady.
• “Ahh! She already left.” Rachel said, sitting down on one of the seats.
• “Why don't you tell me? I would have packed her lunch for her.” Madeline said, worrying that the child must have not yet had lunch.
• “Don’t worry mom, she's still in this neighbourhood and promises to come back as soon as she's done with what she's doing.” She blurted out and her mother nodded in total understanding.
• “Mom I'm going to meet a friend later, I promise I won't take long.” She said, scooping spaghetti with her fork.
• “What about Celine?” Madeline asked in a mouthful of beef.
• “I’ve told her and she promised to wait for me,” Rachel said, standing up to pack the plates to the kitchen but her mother stopped her.
• “You can go and get ready for the outing with your friend. I'll do the cleaning.” Madeline said, handing over a cup of water to Rachel.
• Rachel mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her mother before gulping the water down her throat.
• She walked out of the dining room and grabbed the cups from the living room, on her way back to her room.
• Getting inside, she saw her phone make a beep. She checked to see that it was a message from Williams, reminding her of the location.
• 💬 Dale's dinner 💬
• She nodded to the address and went to her closet to clad in a dress that suited the location.
• After much ransacking through the piles of her dresses, she settled for a royal blue lace gown with a red purse and a pair of heels that match her dress.
• “Dale’s dinner.” She mumbled as she made her way out of her room, closing the door behind her.