Lavender

Chapter 6 - Unrejected

LAVENDER'S POV

"Congratulations, Lavender!"

Oh, s**t. Here we go again. I stare in awe with everyone as confetti from the party poppers fall right in front of my face. My cousins from my Dad's side smiled at me as Dad moved forward and hugged me.

"Congratulations, My Princess," said Dad. I was feeling him sniffling in my back while I couldn't get my eyes off from everyone who was watching us like we were doing a heartfelt, touchy scene.

Dad put his hand on both of my shoulders before looking at me with his teary eyes. Oh, God. Dad is dramatic again. I already talked to him about his surprises and unwanted parties, for I am not a fan of it but Dad is being Dad. He became so persistent. Even if I understand where his persistence is coming from, I think it's more best if Dad saves his money.

"Congratulations, sweety. You deserve everything, Lavender. After everything and being not the best father to you back then, I'm so---"

"Dad..." I said before sighing.

Damn. After a long day, I plan to rest peacefully but now. I just need to endure Dad's antics. I don't hate Dad. I wouldn't say I like his surprises and parties. And cutting Dad off may seem unrespectful, but I already know what he's going to say. He has recited it to me many times after Mom left Dad for somebody new. I hated Mom for being a gold digger and leaving Dad because of money, but I didn't want to waste my time to hate her more.

What matters to me now is that I had enough credentials to find the job somewhere that I really want, which is caregiving, and start giving Dad the life he deserves for being a Father to me.

"Dad. It's okay now. What happened in the past is already done. What matters now is that we are here..." I said before looking at Aunt Nina and my cousins. "...Together."

"Yey!" said Marco, Aunt Nina's third son.

Michael, Aunt Nina's eldest, nodded at me with a smile. "Congratulations again, Lavender. Good job passing your exams," Michael said that I only answered with a smile.

"Come on now, everyone!" Both of my eyes widened as I saw Jada ushering Aunt Nina's son into the kitchen. "Let's start eating now! The foods are ready," Jada said before she turned to me and gave me a wide smile.

"I thought you were busy doing things on your vacation?" I said with thick sarcasm.

Jada just laughs at me before taking a step towards me. "Okay, I'm sorry for lying. But first of all, you must know that I only lied because your Dad told me to do so," Jada said that instantly made me look at Dad, who's walking silently as if trying to escape from me.

I sighed before turning back my gaze at Jada. "Okay, apology accepted. But I'm really tired, Jada. You should have told me earlier that Dad is planning a party again. You know how I hate Dad spending his money for me."

Jada shook her head at me before putting her left hand on my right arm. "Lavender. You should know. Your Dad is proud of you. Two weeks passed when he contacted me to have a celebration. That day, he told of how proud your Dad to you, Lavender. He even started planning a celebration because he trusts you so much that you will pass the exam."

What Jada said made me confused. "How did you know that I passed the exam?" I said that made Jada grin mischievously.

"On your email," Jada said that made me curse lowly.

I shouldn't have given Jada my email. If only I predicted that she was going to check my emails which I did not really think at first when she was borrowing it, I wouldn't give my email to her.

"You know, you should really start using your email, there are so many things that can be done online. The best example is knowing your exam's result. You wasted money just to go there and check your exam's result when you can just check it to your email," Jada said that made me roll my eyes at her.

"As if I know." I walked past Jada and entered the living room, wherein I could see everyone excited while taking plenty of food.

Aunt Nina was putting spaghetti on Melvin's plate while Marco and Michael were also taking foods of their own. Looking at the foods my Dad has spent his money on, I felt hopeless. I hope Dad stops giving me surprises. I understand that he wants to get back but honestly, Dad didn't make any mistakes. He was only blinded for his love for Mom to treat me badly back then. And Mom being conniving, she always gets whatever she wants from Dad. Money, her pieces of jewelry, and anything fancy, I hate how she treats Dad like her bank.

Feeling tired, I only shook my head before facing Jada again. "Promise me, this is the last time you will help Dad. I don't want him spending money on me. You know how I want Dad to spend his money on whatever he wanted, right?" I said that Jada answered with a sigh before nodding.

"Okay, good. Now, I'm only eating, but I can't accompany you guys. I'm tired." Really tired.

Jada knows how hard I'm trying to hide my part-time job from Dad. Dad is against me finding a job while I'm taking my training so back then, even if Dad said no, I found a job that is suited for my schedule. Taking my training class from the morning until the afternoon and then did my job starting from the afternoon until six in the evening.

I made Dad believe that my training was a whole day of training but after some days, Dad seemed to start believing. Dad wanted to answer my training class but I did not let any of his money be paid instead, I always put back his money on his big piggy bank wherever I find Dad not home.

"Okay. But just so you know, I invited someone you might know. I had some business with him and I told him that I couldn't accompany him but he's so persistent so I let him come," Jada said that made me smile a bit.

"Well, it's okay. Let him eat whatever he wants. He is your visitor after all," I said that made Jada shake her head.

"No, no. You thought it wrong. He's not my type, Lavender," Jada said that made me chuckle a bit.

"Whatever you say, Jada Fraser," I said while moving my right eyebrows, up and down, teasing her.

"Tch, you are incorrigible," Jada said, chuckling. "But! For your information, he helped," Jada said that made raising a brow.

"What?" I asked, confused. "Help what?"

"He was doing the grilling stuff so I need you..." Jada immediately turned me around. She put both of her hands on my back as she started to push me forward.

Eyes wide, I tried to get away from Jada's hands but Jada, always having the same energy, quickly caught me and pushed me forward, towards the door for the backyard.

"What the heck do you want me to do, Jada?" I said, trying not to shout, for I am starting to be pissed.

Jada just chuckles before speaking as she continues to push me towards the back door. "I need you to accompany him for a bit. Tell him your thanks for his help, anything that makes him talkative," Jada said before succeeding to push me out of the back door.

Jada immediately put away her hand on me as she grabbed the screen door and closed it before I could even attempt to get back inside. Real pissed, I tapped both of my hands in the screen door.

"I hate you!" I said to Jada from the other side of the screen door but Jada just laughed at me before winking.

"Don't worry! I'll treat you next time. Don't hate me, okay?" She said then smiled before running off.

God! I really hate Jada sometimes. We have been best friends for many years but I'm still not used to Jada's antics sometimes. Usually, I'll shrug it off or don't give a damn but right now, I want to pinch Jada's sides really hard, just so I could get back at her.

Tch! I wonder who's this man she's talking about. She said that he might be someone I know but I'm not eventually sure. I'm not that friendly after all that I'm a certified loner and nerd. Sighing, I turned around to find out who it was.

He was indeed a man. I couldn't still see his face as his back was facing my direction but he was really a manly man, I can tell. Six-foot tall, wearing a navy suit with a light blue shirt and a patterned necktie. He looked like he was uncomfortable as he continued to grill, making me chuckle a bit. Jada brought a man just to make him the man of griller. How improper Jada is. She should have accompanied him elsewhere than be here.

Shaking my head, I started walking towards him. I keep my footstep quiet as I don't want to startle Jada's guest but it looks like it's me who's going to be shocked. As I took another step and Jada's guest turned around, letting me see his half face.

It was enough to make me recognize who he was but I didn't exactly have any time to hide. I was frozen in place as he plastered a radiant smile.

"Oh, you're here?" he said, the man whom I can't remember the name but was eager to be in a relationship back then.

Damn it! Why did Jada didn't say anything? She should have told me that the man she brought here is the man who's a friend with Damon, the man who once put me in an embarrassing situation back when we were just high school girls.

I sighed as I looked at him, feeling awkward. I can't walk away now. We are both grown up and it will make me rude if I don't face him directly. "A-ah, yes! I just got home," I said before continuing to walk towards him.

"Congratulations, by the way. You passed your exam and you can finally get work somewhere," he said as he turned the tenderloins and pork chops. "How are you going to find a job anyway?"

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. "Maybe find it online. I'll ask Jada too since she has business affiliates, she can ask if they need someone who needs to be attended to."

"Well, I can help you, Laven---"

"Uh, sorry for taking down your offer but I think it's best if I fix my problem on my own," I said with a serious tone. "Thank you for also helping, the grilling stuff but after that, it's only Jada you must talk. After all, I can't remember what is your nam---"

He laughed which made me raise a brow. "What's funny?"

"It's funny that you forgot my name but it's okay," he said before looking at me with a smile. "I will not get tired to introduce my name."

"Tch, are you for real?" Is he deaf? I just told him that I wanted to talk to him once he was done. Isn't he supposed not to tell me his name?

"What? I'm handsome, Lavender. So let me tell you my name again," he said before bowing while holding the tongs in his left hand. "My name is Larry Jones, just turned twenty-nine three months ago in the CEO of Jones Entertainment."

Tch! Whatever. "And I don't care, Mister. So beat it," I said, even if I being rude and bitchy before turning my back on him.

I was about to take another step when I heard him say...

"One hundred dollars for the hourly wage. If you attended my friend's sister for ten hours in a day that's already one thousand dollars, Miss Miller," he said that really made my eyes bulge out before turning to him again. "Are you going to take it or not?"