Chapter 19
Beauty
Johnson combed back his full hair, as he watched his reflection in the mirror. Life hasn't been easy for him since he moved into Blueberry, a town far from home. Yes, he was from a rich home but he didn't want to be comfortable with such a life. He wanted to be an independent man, a man capable of doing the things most of his friends talked about. Fortunately for him, he was able to get a job with the aid of his new friend, Ryan, whom he met on a bus to town.
He worked in a coffee shop during the weekdays, while on weekends he did jobs that came in handy occasionally. He took on a brown jacket which was close by and put it on. He sighed as he started for the door.
Down the stairs, he greeted his next neighbor who was all smiles on his face. He started down the sidewalk that led to the direction of his workplace. An American Casper, a white, fluffy, neat dog raced passed him, the dog's lease was tied to his neck and it trailed behind him as he ran into the highway. He swirled at once without thinking, running after the dog. An incoming vehicle was coming up to it. With a raised hand, he flagged down the car and picked up the dog into his arms.
He thanked the driver with a nod of his head and walked back to the sidewalk. Who would leave such a creature to run off by itself? he asked himself as he ran his fingers through the hair of the dog.
"Ghost! Ghost!! Oh my God, Ghost!" a petite lady in jeans bumper shorts and checkers shirt raced towards Johnson.
Johnson's eyes slightly bulged as he stared down at her, she was clearly out of breath. He blonde hair was already tuzzled by the wind, her hands were both placed on her knees when she bent low to catch her breath. When she finally stood up, Johnson was taken aback by her beauty, she had cat eyes, pretty legs, and an intricate oval face.
"Than..k God, thank you. I...I thought I lost him," she met his eyes, her eyes were tiny, colored like minted green sweets.
"I...I ... it's good I... I mean the driver was kind enough to stop," Johnson shuttered.
She smiled, taking her dog from him with extra care, "I feel so awful. Thank you very much...." she looked up at him, expecting his name.
He got the signal, "My name is Johnson," he said.
"Johnson, thank you so much for saving Ghost. I appreciate you, " she smiled at him.
Johnson couldn't resist smiling back, "It's nothing I believe Ghost is a special dog. But why the name though?" he was curious.
"He behaves like a ghost, always disappearing every time on me, he's more like a shadow, " she chuckled, nuzzling her dog.
Johnson laughed at that.
"You look new here, " she said to him, looking up at him.
"Em..yes, I moved in about 3 weeks ago, " he replied her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said.
"The pleasure is all mine. I'm off to work actually," he told her, "I work at the coffee shop at the far end."
She nodded, "That is great. I'm Stacey, I'm in bit of a a rush, Johnson."
"Will I get to see you again?" he asked, ecstatic about the way she looked and carried herself.
She paused before she turned away, smiling as she revealed her perfect dentition, "maybe," she shrugged.
And he watched, dazzled as she walked away. He would certainly love to see her again, or she might probably be a ghost like her dog.
*******
Jerry who had just returned from work was too lazy to pull off his work clothes. He slumped into his coach watching as Louis played soccer on the computer. He was famished and tired, he had resigned from his teaching job and hadn't heard from them in a while. That was the best thing to do, he told himself. Losing Meliana still hurt him as hell. She doesn't pick up his calls anymore She refuses to acknowledge his text messages. He tried going to her family house but she wasn't even staying with her parents anymore. His life felt totally out of place without her, he knew he had hurt her, he had offended her... He had hurt a loving heart he shouldn't have in the first place.
He yanked off the top button from his shirt, pulling if free, and lanced at Louis when a knock sounded on the door. Louis turned to look back at him from the corner of his eyes.
"Common, get the door and stop giving me those eyes. All you do is play games all day," Jerry said.
Louis stood up dressed in a basketball top and khaki shorts. His hair was rough and overgrown. He walked towards the door, and the wrencwrench and door opened. Two older men in casual clothes stood in front of him, one took out an identity card from his popocpocket Mister Jerry Gani?" the man in a grey top asked Louis.
"That's my brother," Louis replied.
Jerry twirled his head from where he sat towards the door shouting, "Who is that, Louis?"
"I don't know them, they are asking for you," Louis answered him.
Jerry stood up from where he sat, pushed off his shoes from his legs then started towards the door. "Good evening, how may I help you?" he asked, pushing his younger brother back into the house.
"We are from the station, we received a report from Mr. Cruise that you manipulated an underage into a sexual relationship with you."
"What?" Jerry couldn't believe his ears, he would never have would Jane's parents, it had been and a half weeks to be soto me kind of mistake," Jerry said to the men.
The other man brought out handcuffs from his back pocket, "Were you not a tutor to May-Jane?" he asked.
"I...I...I think... I was," Jerry stammered.
Louis geared his head into the scene, he certainly didn't understand what was happening. "What is happening here?" he asked.
"Mister Jerry, you are under arrest for having sexual knowledge with an underage girl," the bigger of the officers grabbed Jerry's hands and wounded the cuffs around him.
"Please, don't take my brother away, he's innocent!" Louis cried out as they began to drag him to the police van.
Neighbors gathered around, some had their eyes peering from their windows while others garthered across the road to watch the scene.
"This is a mistake, you can't do this!" Jerry shouted, "That girl manipulated me, you can't do this!" Jerry yelled out.
Louis pulled at the other officer's arm, begging him but none was even listening to him. He ran back to the door as if to get something then raced back to the officers who had pushed his brother into the van.
"I'll be fine, Louis!" Jerry assured his brother before the van drove away.
Louis raced into the house, his mind in a tumult. He picked up the telephone and dialed Meliana's number but it wasn't going through. She must have blocked Jerry. Then he called Ella and relayed the news. In turn, Ella called Meliana and relayed the awful news.