Chapter 13: A Rocky Evening

Running after Tifara, Saul called out her name. But Tifara ignored Saul and kept moving. Jus' keep movin', Tifara, she thought. Jus' keep movin' and don't look back. I gotta get home before my parents become suspicious of me and get angry with me.

Once Saul successfully grabbed Tifara's arm, she annoyedly turned around and looked up at him. "What?!"

"Why did went off on your own out here?! It's too dangerous for a girl like you to wander off alone especially at night, y'know. Plus, you didn't even say good-bye to me," Saul snapped, turning to the bookstore and Tifara back and forth.

"I didn't want David to find me, that's why," Tifara snapped back before she frowned and looked down below her, slightly tilting her head to the right. "You see…David and I are Homeroom classmates and we sat next to each other;we jus' don't get along at all." Then she returned her attention to Saul. "Didn't Sam ever tell ya that? 'Cause I told him and my friends 'bout that."

Saul frowned and moved his eyes sideways, before he returned his attention to the bookstore, moving his eyes sideways as well. He gazed at it for a brief moment. "No…I'm afraid Sam didn't…"

Tifara turned her eyes to the left with her annoyed face. Dammit, Sam. Why didn't you tell Saul 'bout David and I don't get along with one another, yet you have the gall to tell him 'bout me, May and Dalila?!

Then Saul turned back to Tifara. "But I'm sorry you suffered from David."

Tifara sadly grinned at and returned her attention to Saul. "Oh, it's alright, Saul. Now did David notice me when I left that store?"

Saul turned around to study his surroundings behind him for a while one last time. "No…I don't think so..." Then he returned his attention back to Tifara.

"Good," Tifara said, grinning at Saul. "And I'm sorry for my actions and reaction earlier. Will you forgive me?"

"Yea, I forgive ya," Saul said, smiling at her. "Let's go take you home."

"Mhn," Tifara said, shaking her head as she walked home with Saul.

Once they made it to Tifara's apartment complex, they turned to one another, grinning.

"Well, it's time for me to head inside. See ya tomorrow," Tifara said as she was getting ready to walk upstairs, waving at Saul.

"Ah! Wait!" Saul grabbed Tifara's wrist.

"Huh?" Tifara turned around. "Yes, Saul?"

Saul put his head down. "So immediately after church on Saturday morning, will you do the utmost honor of…" He lifted his head up. "Goin' out to dinner with me?"

Tifara widened her eyes for a moment. Aaaah! She thought with her cheeks reddened when she looked up at the darkened sky, placing her hand on her cheek. Aaaawwweee, did you hear that, Tifara?! Saul's takin' me out on a date! Ohhhh! That's so excitin'! She then smirked, moving her eyes left with her hand placed on her chin. Take that Calpurnia, May!

"Uh, Tifara? Are you okay?" Saul raised his eyebrow at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Tifara returned her attention to Saul, closing her eyes, scratching the back of her head. She then opened her eyes and smiled at Saul. "I meant to say, 'Yes.' I would like to go out to dinner with you, Saul."

"Ah!" Saul widened his eyes and opened his mouth for a moment before he just grinned back at Tifara. "Great. See ya there."

"Oh, bye, Saul! See ya tomorrow!" Tifara waved at Saul as he let go of her hand.

"Bye, Tifara! You too!" Saul waved back at her before he walked away from her and left her apartment complex.

Tifara sighed out of her love for Saul. Oh, Saul…she thought, placing her hands on her blushed cheeks, twisting her body sideways. I love ya as always, my future husband. Tonight's certainly better than last night. She sighed again before she headed upstairs.

Opening the door, Tifara entered her apartment. "I'm home."

"Welcome home, Tifara," her parents and sister said while Todo barked and dashed towards her.

"How was school?" Her mother asked, watching Tifara close the door and switch her school shoes with house shoes. "Did you turn in your office referral?"

"Yes, ma'am. I sure did," Tifara responded while rubbing on Todo's head. "And my second day of school was slightly better than yesterday, that's for sure."

"Oh, that's good," her mother said.

"That's good," her father said. "Did you get in trouble today?"

"Nope, I didn't," Tifara answered with her eyes closed and a smile, shaking her head sideways.

"Well, good! I'm glad you didn't!" Her mother said, also closing her eyes, grinning at her daughter, bobbing her head. "Now, you know tomorrow's third day of school. You know what that means, don't you?"

Tifara then opened her eyes and frowned, tilting her head to the left. "Yes…"

"And that is?" Her mother asked.

"I'll be havin' homework tomorrow?" Tifara asked back, returning her attention to her mother.

"That's riiiight," her father sang. "So I expect you and Yulogia to bring your homework here and do it, understand?"

"Yes, sir," Tifara said.

"Good," Her father said, standing up from his chair at the dining table, leaning forward towards his wife's cheek. "Now I'm gonna go check the noodles in the pot."

"Okay, babe," his wife said as her husband kissed her on the cheek.

Tifara curiously turned to her mother. "So what are we having for dinner tonight?"

"We're havin' Chicken Alfredo tonight," her mother answered.

"Mmmm! My favorite," Tifara said, closing her eyes and grinned.

After her father went to the kitchen, Yulogia walked over to Tifara while Tifara was rubbing on Todo's belly. She sat on the floor and also rubbed on Todo's belly. "So what did you do today?"

Tifara looked up at the ceiling. "Well…let's see…I did introduction and free sports at P.E., jus' introduction in my Akkadian class, and did jus' introduction in my Social Studies class. Then helped Dalila with her healing, and that's jus' 'bout it." She returned her attention to Yulogia. "Now what 'bout you? What did you do today?"

"I jus' did introductions to the subjects and P.E., and that's pretty much it," Yulogia asked, twisting her red-brownish hair with her index finger.

"So did you have a good day at school today? Or is it the same as yesterday?" Tifara asked.

Yulogia looked down below her and frowned. "It's unfortunately the same as yesterday." Then she sighed.

Tifara began to feel bad for her little sister. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Yulogia. I'm sure it'll get better in the end someday."

Then Yulogia stopped rubbing on Todo's belly and clenched her fists, expressing her angry face. "Why do you even ask that?! It's not goin' to get better, Tifara. And you know it." She turned to Tifara. "Life hasn't even got better for you since Upper Elementary, so what makes you think mine's will?! Why did Elohim allow both of us to suffer?! Don't you see that He doesn't even care about us?!"

"He does care about us and we will win in the end, if we place our trust in Him, even with only prayer and Bible study," Tifara answered, only paying attention to Todo. "We will make a difference, Yulogia."

Yulogia glared down at her older sister, standing up from the floor as she tightened her fists, growling at Tifara like she was some sort of a wild animal. "You still don't get it, do you?! We already tried prayer and Bible study and it hasn't worked for us! Why don't you admit that it doesn't work for you?!"

"Because I have patience with Elohim, even if I doubted Him at first," Tifara answered calmly. "That's how I'll win in the long run, and you should too. There is no doubt that you'll lose in the long term. You jus' gotta be patient in His timing, that's all."

Yulogia growled at Tifara more, stomping on the floor.

"Yulogia!" Tifara's mother roared, glaring at her youngest daughter.

"You know, what?! Forget it! I'm goin' to my room!" Yulogia yelled, storming towards her room.

"Ah!" Tifara cried, putting her hand out forward.

"Yulogia!" Tifara's mother roared before Yulogia slammed the door. She growled as she stood up from the chair at the dinner table, turning to her husband in the kitchen. "Babe, I'll be right back. I'll deal with Yulogia right this minute."

"Alright, babe. I got ya!" Her husband's voice echoed from the kitchen while Tifara's mother stormed her way for Yulogia's room, yelling at Yulogia the moment she entered her daughter's room.

Tifara looked up at the sky and raised her palm up. "Dear Lord, please help my sister have faith in You again, at least someday. Please deliver us from people's judgements based on our physical appearances, because we know You're with us through and through. In Yeshua's name, Amen."

Tifara's father peeked from the corner, looking at Tifara. "Alright, Tifara. Dinner's ready."

"Okay, dad. I'm comin'!" Tifara said, standing up from the floor and dashed towards the kitchen. Once she and her dad sat at the dinner table, they ate their food and waited for Yulogia and Tifara's mother to put out their anger towards one another and eat their dinner at the dinner table as well.