When I returned home, daddy was in the hospital and mom greeted me at the door. She saw my unhappy expression and started asking questions.

"Sadie, weren't you going to visit Bull's house today?" She asked. "How come you have returned so early?"

I threw myself on the sofa and ignored mom. It will be another four hours before daddy comes back. Ugh! Life of a doctor!

"Sadie," Mom said. "I am asking you something here."

"Mom, I am just tired, O.K.?" I replied. "I had a tough day at college....so I didn't go with Bull."

Mom came closer to me. "Tough day?" She asked. "Did someone say something to you? Did you have a fight with someone?"

Ugh! Mothers and their imaginations!

"No, mom!" I said. "I'm just tired because of studies."

Of course, mom didn't buy it.

*

"Sadie, Kaylee! I'm home!" Daddy announced the moment he stepped inside the house. Mom emerged from the kitchen and took daddy's work bag from him.

"Welcome home, honey." She stood on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. Daddy hugged her from the waist and returned the kiss on her lips instead.

"How is my sweetheart?" Daddy was talking nose-to-nose with mom. "Did work exhaust you?"

"Nah," Mom answered. "Only one thing did."

Daddy frowned. "What?"

"Your daughter."

Daddy burst into laughter, releasing mom from his embrace. "Kaylee, I don't know why she is such a handful for you. She is an easy child."

"Ahan? She is an easy child?" Mom challenged him.

"Okay, not always." He laughed.

"Sit down. I will get you a glass of water."

"Where is Sadie, by the way? Gone to visit Bull?"

"No, she didn't go and appears to be very upset since she returned. Better check on her."

*

The clock ticked on, the window curtains were performing a slow dance from the breeze, and everything else seemed to prepare for the prevailing night. I was playing with my fingers and my parents sat before me.

"Hey," Daddy began. "What's wrong, my baby?"

Daddy placed his hand on my cheek to cherish it but I moved my face away. This angered mom.

"Sadie, until you tell us what's wrong how would we know? How are we supposed to solve your problem?" Mom said.

I looked up at daddy and flooded all my words at him. "You have been keeping something from me!" I pointed at him.

Daddy was bewildered.

"Me? Keeping something from you?"

"Yes! You didn't tell me something so important!" Tears appeared in my eyes.

"Sweetie, there must have been some misunderstanding." Daddy said. "Why would I keep something from you? You know I tell you everything!"

"Yes, he doesn't even tell me as much as he tells you." Mom said and her sadness over this fact was somewhat visible on her face.

"Then why did Bull say something like this?"

"Bull?" He said. "What did he say?"

"He said that you didn't tell me how you saved his life ten months ago!" I said. "And that by donating his kidney he only repaid you! If it is so and you had told me this earlier, I wouldn't have wasted my time chasing him!"

Daddy and mom went silent. Daddy took many moments to process the information I provided. It seemed like he himself didn't get what I was saying.

"I.." He said. "I saved his life?" It was a question.

"Yes! You saved his life! Ten months ago!"

"No, it wasn't-" Daddy stopped abruptly.

Mom looked at him. He thought for a moment as if some realization was shining down at him and then he...smiled. A smile that showed admiration and awe. As if what Bull said took daddy's heart. He lifted his face showing shining small tears peeping out from his eyes and nodded his head.

"Yea....maybe I did save his life."

Huh?!

What is that supposed to mean? Is it a yes or a no? And why is he smiling like that?

My anger rose again. He isn't keeping anything from me this time!

"See! You are again hiding something!" I shouted and jumped on him. "Tell me already!"

"Hey, hey! Sadie!" Daddy tried getting me off himself. "Stop it!"

"No, no!" I said. "No more secrets."

"Darling, get off. Listen." He said. "I am a doctor. My patient's history is a secret I must keep. They don't tell me their life just so that I can go around telling other people about it. They trust me with their secrets and their life."

"What has Bull to do with it?"

"Bull was once my patient, O.K.? And I helped him get treated. So I cannot tell you everything."

"But I want to know what had happened!"

"Then go ask Bull!" Mom shouted at last, it was as if she had enough of my drama on her husband.

*

Bull was easily taking his books out of his locker when he turned and saw me leaning against the next locker.

"Shit." He said. "Don't go around scaring people, you idiot."

He eyed me properly. "And what the hell are you doing here again? Didn't we settle everything yesterday? That you won't be following me anymore?"

I took a cool moment before speaking. "Your plan failed." I answered coolly. "In fact, it back fired."

Bull raised his left eyebrow. "Huh?"

"You wanted to get us to fight, right? Well, guess what? I am after you again."

"I wanted to get who fight?"

"My parents and I!" I shouted. "You wanted us to fight for the crap you tell me so that you could live your own life in peace!"

"I am done." He said and walked past me.

"Hey, come back!" I said. "Daddy has told me everything about the event that took place ten months ago."

I thought this would make him stop but he kept walking.

"Has he?" He casually asked. "Good, now stop-"

"No, I won't stop following you."

He turned around. "You know what I can do?" He menacingly said. "I can get you famous for being a creepy stalker in this college. This will turn your college life into hell."

How dare he?

"A-And I can get you famous too!" I said.

"Ahan? For what?"

"For....for...donating a kidney to my father! Or for helping Riley! O-Or for generally threatening me!"

"Fuck.Off."

"Ugh! Don't say that! I hate it when you say that!" I covered my ears and shut my eyes.

Bull walked away again.

*

When college was off, I followed him again. Much to his annoyance.

But cleverly, he managed to ditch me in the middle of the road. And I was left looking and searching for him everywhere.

Next day, I again told him to take me to his house. He shouted, growled and face-palmed himself. He said I was too stubborn. But he managed to escape me again. The following day, I secretly put my mobile in his backpack when it was time to leave. I waited for a few minutes and rang up myself through another girl's phone. He took good two minutes to pick up.

"Hello?" His voice was so uncertain and confused. It was so cute. For the first time Bull was uncertain and confused before me.

"Oh, hi, Bull!" I greeted. "Looks like I forgot my mobile in your bag."

Silence.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you? You brat!" The annoyance was heavy in his voice.

"Of course, not!" I tried to laugh it off. "Just tell me where you are and I will com-"

"No need." He cut me off. "You'll be getting it tomorrow."

"No, Bull! I need it!" I pleaded. "Please!"

"Then you should have never kept it in my bag!"

"Look, I will tell daddy!"

"Ugh! Stay where you are 'mummy-daddy'!" His breathing became unstable.

"Bull, are you running back to college?" I panicked. "No, tell me where you are and I will be there."

"Shut up!" He shouted. "And hang up already."

"No," I said. "I am coming."

I started running in the direction of my house since I know Bull takes the same street. I didn't know how I was going to find him only through the call but I just ran. The girl whose phone was in my hand shouted at me.

"Sadie! My phone!"

"Stupid girl, stay there!" Bull yelled from the other side of the call. Both of our breathing was rough.

"No, I can't just stay here." I said. "Or else my plan to visit your house will come shattering down."

"The stupid things you do to visit my house!"

Bull was running, I was running and so was the poor girl behind me.

*

Our faces were pink and sweaty, our hair was disheveled, and we were panting with cell phones to our ears - facing each other and standing a distance apart. Bull and I looked at each other with wide eyes and stood catching our breath. He was astonished to see I had found him but so was I. He was a faster runner than I was but we finally met. In an unknown street. I wish I could capture this moment of mess.

"Retard." Bull cursed under his nose and quickly walked to me. I just stood there staring at him as he closed the distance. He placed my cell phone in my palm and took the one I had in my hand. He walked to the exhausted girl behind me who was catching her breath while holding on to a wall.

"I am sorry you had to put up with her." He said to the girl, giving her the phone. The girl nodded and took the phone with her sweaty hand and placed it inside her pocket. Bull then turned to me. I had still not turned to face them.

"Hey, you!" He addressed me. "Don't you have to apologize to her?"

I turned and said a small sorry to the girl.

"Will you be safe walking from here?" Bull asked her. "Where is your home? I can take you there."

"I-It's in the opposite direction." She answered through her panting.

"O.K." Bull nodded and faced me. "Come. I will walk you home too."

I shook my head. "I am not moving from here."

"What the heck?" He said.

"I-I know you live around here so I will just stand here until you take me to your house." I said, putting up a brave face.

Bull in a flash covered the distance between us and gripped my arm sharply.

"I don't live around here!" He yelled. "I work around here!"

I blinked. "Work?"

"Yes, and this place has all kinds of men roaming around by the time it's sunset. Do you want to be harassed?" He shook my arm.

"Ouch! You're hurting me!" I tried to pull his hand away. "Let go!"

Bull let go of my arm and looked at me with anger and annoyance.

"You just won't give up, will you?" Bull asked. "You want to go to my house no matter what."

I nodded my head while rubbing my arm.

Bull thought for a moment. "Do you promise me you will leave me alone once you have visited my house?"

"Yes.....we'll see." I said.

Bull regarded me with his steel-like vision. I didn't flinch. Bull sighed, finally.

"Alright."

*

Bull, I and Kennedy (the other girl) walked in silence towards Kennedy's house. I will always remember this walk. Because it made me realize...

"I am sorry you that to deal with Sadie."

"Nah, it's O.K. but for a minute I thought she was going to run away with my phone."

"Do you two study in the same class?"

"We take Mathematics together."

"I see."

"What are your subjects?"

"Business studies, IT, Coding and a couple more."

"My older brother took Business Studies."

"Really? Is he still in the college?"

"No, he graduated two years ago."

"Ah."

"But my cousin studies still. He is Business Studies too."

"I see. I was looking for someone who could help me a little."

"Yea, sure. I can give you his-

It made me realize that...I had a little something for Bull.

Because every time Bull and Kennedy talked, I would want to push myself between them and eliminate Kennedy from the picture. But it was her cell phone that brought me to Bull in the first place. And now it has become my ticket to Bull's apartment.

Thank you, Kennedy. And no thanks at all.

(To Be Continued...)