Chapter 22: Unforgotten History 2

Dorah and Jace sat on the bleachers, watching two teams play. Ronald, Jason, and Max were on the field, each playing for different teams. "You should really try playing sometime," Dorah said, taking a sip from her water bottle. "No, I'm not interested," Jace replied, shaking his head. "Pfft. Suit yourself," Dorah scoffed. "What did your mum say about my dad?" Jace asked, his tone turning serious. Dorah sighed deeply. "I couldn't talk to her yesterday. She was really down. All she needed was a shoulder to cry on, not someone bombarding her with questions." "Oh," Jace mouthed. "What about your dad?" she asked, curious. "He left," Jace said quietly. "Last night. I didn't even get a chance to ask him anything. He ghosted both Grandma and me. Just texted that he got home already. We tried calling, but his line's been unavailable." He palmed his face in frustration. "I hope he's okay," he continued. "The last time I saw him like this was when Mum died. I can't stand this angry version of him." "I hope everything works out. This is so frustrating," Dorah said sympathetically. Just then, Ronald ran over, interrupting them. "You guys saw my skills, right?" he asked, grinning. "Yeah, dude. You were good out there—better than the others," Jace said. Dorah turned to him, eyes wide. "Seriously?" "Yeah," Jace shrugged. "Are you kidding me right now? You didn't even glance at the match!" Dorah said, narrowing her eyes. Jace rolled his eyes. "Geez, babe, c'mon. At least try to play along. The least you can do is just keep quiet." "So you weren't watching?" Ronald asked, frowning. "Nope," Dorah answered bluntly. Jace simply nodded. "Then what are you even doing here?" Ronald asked. "On break. First half's over. Pass me the water, your highness," Ronald said, stretching out his hand to Dorah. "Here," she said, tossing him a bottle. "Thanks," he replied, gulping it down. "I won't go easy on you this time," Max said from behind, giving Ronald's arm a playful punch. Dorah tossed bottles to Jason and Max as well. "Chill, bro," Jason said, patting Max's shoulder. "So, you're here chilling with the guys after telling us you're busy?" came a voice behind them. They turned to see Emma and the rest of the squad. "Trouble," Dorah muttered. "You say what?" Miranda asked, hands on hips. "I'm sorry," Dorah said, giving them puppy eyes. "Eeww, you're ugly," Prudence gagged. "Well, to me she's cute," Ronald said, taking another sip from his bottle. "Love is in the air!" Jason sang in a teasing tone. "Please take your PDA somewhere else. I don't want to be oppressed today," Max said, looking away as everyone laughed. "Anyone else hungry? I'm starving," Jace said, stretching. "I am," Miranda smiled. "I'm staying here. Just get me something from the cafeteria," Emma said, sitting beside Dorah. "Looks like it's just you and me now," Jace said to Miranda and stood up. "I'll go with you guys," Prudence added. "Let's go," Jace nodded. "Okay, I have a lot of gist for you," Miranda said, walking with him. "Really? Can't wait. I've actually missed you—it's been a while since we talked," Jace said as they held hands and walked off. "When did they get so close and I didn't notice?" Emma asked, confused. "I was just about to ask the same thing," Dorah said, eyes trailing after them. Prudence followed quickly behind. The whistle blew, pulling everyone back to reality. "We should go," Jason said. They dropped their bottles and returned to the field. "Isn't he cute?" Emma asked, blushing hard. "Who? Oh—Max," Dorah replied. "Yes!" Emma squealed, pressing her palms to her cheeks. "I don't care," Dorah shrugged. --- Later that evening… Dorah groaned as she stepped out of the car. "Thank you," she said to the driver before heading inside. She found her mum sitting in the living room, looking completely lost. "Mum, I'm home," she called. Agnes didn't respond. "Mum?" Dorah said again, gently touching her shoulder. Agnes jolted and looked around, startled. "What's wrong? And why are you home so early?" Dorah asked, sitting beside her. "I'm fine. Go shower—your food is on the dining table," Agnes said, pointing toward the dining room. "Okay. You sure you're alright?" Dorah asked, getting to her feet. "Yes, I'm fine," Agnes said with a small, unconvincing smile. Dorah hesitated, glancing back at her mother several times before heading upstairs. She took a shower, changed into comfortable clothes, and went down to eat. Agnes was still seated in the exact same spot, looking even more miserable. "You didn't go to work today?" Dorah asked as she passed by toward the kitchen. "No," Agnes said absentmindedly. "Okay," Dorah muttered. She grabbed a clean plate and opened the warmer—only to scream. "What the heck is this?!" she yelled, dropping the cover. Agnes immediately sprang up, panic in her eyes. "My baby! Are you okay?" she asked, tears forming. "I can't take this anymore! You should've just avoided cooking. What's all this?" Dorah said, pointing at the completely burnt food. "I'm sorry. I can cook another one—" "Enough, okay? Sit down. We need to talk," Dorah interrupted. "You need to tell me what's going on. You're not the same anymore."