"You want to get married?" I asked him with a thick voice. "You love someone?" I asked again and he closed his eyes momentarily.
"I know it is hard for you, but Cindy please understand." He opened his eyes and a surprised expression flashed through his face as he stares at my face.
I was beaming as I nod profusely. "I love that dad!" I said in a rush and embraced him as I lean my head on his shoulder, smiling like a kid who just got her favourite doll.
"If you love someone then marry her, I will accept her as my stepmother, I want a mother too, a mother who will love me and who I will also love," I told him with humour.
I had lost my mother when I was four years old and I have wished my father her married so that I would have a mother again, a mother that will cook for me and also attend shows with me, and a mother I will chitchat with, cause my father was so old-fashioned.
"You're not angry?" I heard his surprised voice and refrained from the embraced and look directly into his eyes.
"Why should I be." I was overexcited and my eyes wobble with curiosity. "How is she, is she kind?" This was the most important thing to me, if she was kind then I will love her for life, I am also sorry for my dead mother, but I need a new one.
"Is she pretty too?" I asked him, but I already knew my father has eyes for ladies, my late mother was very pretty, her picture is still somewhere in the house.
"Does she smile?" I added immediately, it will so good to laugh with her when we go on trips.
"What is she like?" I searched my father's eyes like there were answers in them. "How did you meet her?"
A smile spread through my father's like and I wonder why he was smiling and not responding to my questions. "That is a lot of questions dear, you will meet her very soon." He told me.
"I can't wait to see the woman who has caught my father's attention after sixteen years." I smile broadly. "I am so happy for you dad."
I was honestly happy for him, it was not easy to stay without a woman, he could be lonely and he had no one to cuddle into on rainy nights, and no one but me.
"Thank you, Cindy." He said softly and embraced me, I knew he was also happy. "I will go meet her and make a day for your meeting." He stood up to leave but I held his hands.
"Dad." He turns to me and I scanned his outfit. "Wear your best and have fun with her, and always be by her side, don't even give her space," I told him and my father chuckled.
"I wonder who thought you all these, it seems you are dating." He gave me a suspicious glance and I blushed, leaving his hands. "You will tell me of it soon." He pointed at me before leaving the room.
I lay down on my bed with smiles on my lips, my father is in love and it was going well, since I accepted, I am not like a stepmother that opposes two lovers.
I wish my love life will also go well, but there were obstacles, Suzy.
I pull my quilt over my shoulder and closed my eyes, no matter what happens I will cheer my dad on, now I can't wait to meet the lady that has made him so happy.
The next day after school I left for the shopping mall with my friends as we picked up dresses for the trip.
Kelly and Janet were so happy as shopping was one of their hobbies, it was funny to say, but they enjoyed it more than they enjoyed sports.
"We need to get some bikini suit, I heard there is a swimming pool there," Janet said as she looked at me and Kelly who made a face, Janet was not a shy girl and she always does what she wants.
"Thanks, gross." I hugged myself, we were still in high school and it wouldn't be good to expose our body, even if it was for a camp.
"What's gross there, try it, Cindy." Janet brought the bikini suit close to my body and I knew this was all her way of fun, I ran off and they went after me, honestly being with my friends makes me feel happy and excited.
"Girls, over here!" Janet saw something and stopped, pointing to a direction in the mall, I and Kelly traced her finger and our eyes pupils widen.
We looked at each other and said at a time. "Friday new shipment!"
"Wow! What are we waiting for? Come on!" Kelly said and we three head over to pick out new wears.
While picking out some clothes, my phone beep in my pocket and I took it out, seeing a message from an unrecognisable number I looked at my friends who were happily trying out some new dress.
I walked to a distance and opened the message and instantly tears swell in my eyes and a knot rose in my chest.
"Is this real?" A lump rose in my throat as I mumbled what I could even hear everything in the mall suddenly went quiet and I held my chest in pain.
It looked like my heart had been stabbed. "My worst fears have come to reality." A single tear rolled down my cheek as my eyes were dilated.
It was a picture of Jeffery and Suzy, having fun together and just then another picture came in and more tears rolled down my cheek.
Jeffery was leaning over her and kissing Susy in this picture, I couldn't take it anymore, the hurt I feel in my heart was too much and I knew I can't shop with my friends in this mood.
I turned to go pick my bag and leave, but I saw the two people in the picture just walk into the mall, I stood like a statue and watched them shop together.
Smiling and giggling like lovers, he even picked out a nice colour of clothing for her and when it was bagged, he took the bag from her, telling her that she was tough and he would help her with it.
I looked like a moron staring at the both of them, I was stupid to have believed Jeffery, to have thought he would be different, my tears kept rolling as they head out to the door.
"Cindy," Jeffery called out when he saw me, I turned my back at him immediately to walk away, but I heard him tell Suzy to head back first and the next thing my hands were held and I was whirled to face him.
I was so angry and I pulled my hand from his grip. "Cindy is not what you think." I could see the fright in his eyes, but I won't let that deceive me."
I tried to calm myself and I wipe off my tears with my palm, I won't cry over him anymore, I forced a smile even with the pain in my heart.
"I have enough Jeffery, I have been deceived and lied to twice now Jeffery," I told him and he shook his head profusely.
"No Cindy, I can explain." He held my hands again and his eyes bored right into mine. "You have misunderstood me, I love only you."
I scoffed at his words and flings his hands away from me, I have kept quiet when Suzy told me they kissed, I had chosen to believe him, that he loves only me, but now the evidence was right in my phone.
I wanted to show it to him, but there was no use, it will be useless to show it to him, he already knew and might lie to me.
"I can't take a chance on a man that plays with my emotions, no boyfriend, bo drama. Jeffery, everyone knows you love Suzy, you both look perfect for each other." A lump rose in my throat.
"I deceive myself for too long, thinking you and I love each other, but I am wrong." I could see the sadness in Jeffrey's eyes, he was scared of what I will say next and I wonder why he was like this after hurting me first.
I ignored his expression and continue with my speech. "Jeffery, I will be cheering you and Suzy on, enjoy your love life."
"Cindy..." Jeffery wanted to say something but I cut him off.
"I would go into my world now, I don't belong by your side, I should have figured it years back, but now I know, we were not even dating." I made a little chuckle as I was so paranoid.
"Cindy no..." Tears filled his eyes and he tried to hold me, but I stepped back. "Don't..." He shook his head. "I know you are mad at me.
"I am not mad at you Jeffery," I said softly, my eyes were down now as I was mocking myself, cause I should be mad at myself instead of him.
"Let's just stop now." It told him and looked up at him.
"Don't leave my side Cindy please." His lips quiver and his voice were filled with sadness as they came out hoarse.
"Please pretend not to know me and I will do the same." I turn around and walk away.
"No Cindy!" Was the last thing I heard before I ran off in tears, I have just broken up with Jeffery was all I thought in my head, as a knot rose in my chest.