Hearing footsteps coming close, Shyla quickly shoved the book under her bedsheet and began arranging a few things, pretending to be packing. A second later, the door opened, and she was surprised to see John.
Seeing her startled look, John said, "Shyla, why aren't you coming down? Your mom and sister are waiting for you. Come on, now quickly head to the dining table otherwise—"
He was interrupted by Shyla's irritated voice. "Ok, ok… I'm coming. Just leave first."
John was disappointed. He wanted to care for her and love her the same way he did for Nora. For him, both were his daughters—except when Shyla brought up her father. That always irritated him.
"What is wrong with this girl? I don't get it. Whenever I'm around, she gets irritated, uncomfortable. She's also my daughter. Oh, my lord! She's still the same, she hasn't changed… whatever, forget about it," John thought to himself, staring at her.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by Shyla's sudden words: "I will not change."
John froze. "What…?" He stared at her. "Has she read my mind? How is that possible?"
Shyla realized what she had just done. "Oh my… are you kidding me? What the hell, Shyla? How could you be so careless? Have you forgotten the promise you made to Dad? Now what??" she scolded herself silently.
Breaking the awkward silence, she said quickly, "Nothing! I… I just thought you were about to say that."
John frowned, looking more confused, his face serious. Shyla felt uncomfortable. "What now? What are you going to say? Shy, you're impossible!" she scolded herself again in her head.
"It's nothing… Mom always says it, so I thought you would too," she added.
John's face softened. He looked satisfied with her explanation.
"Oh dear… you don't have to change. You're a good soul. But one thing should change—you should forget about the past and move on," he said, his tone fatherly.
Shyla let out a sigh of relief. For a moment, she thought she was caught red-handed. But as she processed his words, her brows furrowed. "What the hell is he saying? I don't have anything in my past I want to forget. If he's talking about my father, then he has some mental issue. How can a daughter forget her father? Impossible."
"Okay… let's head to the dinner table before your mom kills me," John joked lightly as he walked toward the exit.
"Ohh, that's the only thing I'd actually want to happen," Shyla muttered in her mind as she followed him. Still, her thoughts kept returning to the book.
"Why was Dad reading that old book about vampires? I don't get it. It's really complicated. Whatever… right now I'm hungry. I just want to eat. Oh God, and then Nora will give me a headache downstairs. Ugh."
Both John and Shyla entered the dining room at the same time. Lily noticed the small smile on John's face and felt relieved—no argument between the two. They sat down. Shyla silently thanked God when she saw Nora wasn't there.
"Hurray! She's gone. Thanks for the help, God," she thought with relief, and the three of them ate quietly.
After finishing, Shyla was about to leave when her mother stopped her.
"Shyla, what have you thought about joining college in New York?" Lily asked in a worried tone.
"Mom, I haven't thought about it yet. But I'll know once we shift. My friend Anna lives there—I can take her help or maybe join her college," Shyla answered.
"It's okay, dear. Whatever you like," John said, then looked at Lily with a knowing smile, as if hinting something. "Am I right, honey?"
"Yes, honey, you are right," Lily replied, smiling back at him.
Shyla rolled her eyes. "Ugh, they've started again," she thought, turning to leave. But she paused, turned back, and said, "Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, John."
Then she walked upstairs.
.