Chương 2: Leaving the City

Jody was going to shower, and she was astonished to see the shower crank removed after she touched it. The pipe squirted cold water in her face. Jody grabbed the sink, but as she handled it, it broke. She checked her hand to see what had happened. Jody stared down at her hand and promptly called her parents. Jody dashed out of the shower to her room and called her father. Her mother walked straight up to her room, and her father followed. They were astonished to see Jody soaked but still dressed.

"Jody, what happened?" her mother asked.

"I'm not sure, Ma. The shower and sink have both broken," Jody said.

As the couple stared at one other again, the sink cracked. Jody's father quickly switched on the controller beneath the sink to stop the steady stream of water from the damaged shower.

"I think we need to renovate the house, Ma," Jody said.

"Better still, use the downstairs bathroom first. Take a bath to relax." Jody's mother, Sola, said.

"All right, Ma," Jody said as she hastily exited the room with her toiletries.

The couple exchanged glances when Jody emerged.

-----

Jody took over an hour to take a bath. She was careful not to shatter what she was holding. Jody didn't think their house would fall apart so easily. Jody grasped the door handle and would have opened the door by unintentionally pulling the door from its frame. She yelled once again for her parents to call.

"Papa!" Jody yelled.

Jody and Sola were sitting on the sofa in the living room. Jody couldn't figure out what had happened to her that day. Ronald replaces the bathroom door.

"I am not sure what's going on, Mom, but it seems like the agent for this home duped us," she said. "The materials they used were poor."

"I noticed, too, Jody," Sola said. Jody received the ice cream from Sola. Her mother always offers her ice cream for reasons she doesn't understand.

It began last month, and Jody's mother gave her ice cream daily. She was astounded to see gallons of ice cream in the refrigerator. Jody isn't complaining; she's been in trouble with her temperature for the past month. Even with the air conditioner on, she was often sweating.

"Perhaps we made the right decision to move," Ronald speculated.

He repaired the bathroom door and picked up a glass of ice cream. He sat next to Jody and ate ice cream.

"Should we move? In Corinthians Garden?" Jody asked.

Ronald laughed at Jody's comment. Corinthian is a well-known subdivision whose homeowners are wealthy.

"I've resigned from my work," Ronald said.

"What?" Jody was shocked as she took another scoop of ice cream from the gallon. "Are you serious, Dad?"

"My friend has a wonderful offer for me in their town. Where I truly live. I accepted his offer. It would be a shame, too, if I couldn't." Ronald said.

"Did you accept the offer, Papa?" Jody asked. "It means your friend's offer to you is good because you exchanged your big salary and position for him."

Ronald gave the nod. "What about Mom?" Jody asked.

"I quit as well, Jody," Sola said.

"You, too, Mom?" Jody was astonished. "Aren't you blown away by the offer? How about me?"

"You'll be studying there. There is a college there, so you can still graduate," Sola said. "I already have a job at that college."

"Me too. I don't expect us to return to our house, Sola," Ronald said.

"That's why I've already prepared everything we'll need for tomorrow," Sola said.

Her parents were excited, but it startled her.

"What exactly do you mean, Ma?" Jody asked. "Are we leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes. You've finished your clearing, haven't you? It's also a good idea to leave earlier, so we don't get delayed in traffic," Sola said.

"But, papa, what about my debut? You promised me that, didn't you?" Jody asked.

Ronald smiled. "I'll never forget your debut. Do you have any faith in your father? "

Jody smiled at what her father said but quickly lost her smile. "However, we're leaving tomorrow. When we go, how can I invite my friends to my debut? "

"There's an internet connection there, Jody, and your father has informed me about his idea. And..." Sola said.

"And what about it, Mom?" Jody asked.

Sola brushed her hair against Jody's. "We'll make sure you have a good time on your debut. We will ask your friends to attend to this momentous occasion in your life. "

"Rivendell is lovely, Jody. When your friends go to that place, they will undoubtedly visit you. The atmosphere is very calm you will never get bored. In addition, my friend has agreed to fund your debut." Ronald said. "He has a lot of cash."

Jody was excited. She mirrored the joy she saw in her parents.

————

Jody couldn't sleep that night, so she chatted with her friends in their group chat. She claimed her father had planned a surprise debut for her, which would take place in Rivendell, not in any other city.

Cassy: OMG! Have you looked at Rivendell's place yet? You're aware that it's near the water.

Laurence: I searched, guys, on the internet but couldn't find anything.

Audrey: Perhaps your internet service provider's fault. Let it go, Jody. It's a surprise. You won't be interested when you find it if you look for it.

Jody: You're right there, Aud. Papa also said they would hold my 18th birthday there, so I don't need to worry.

Laurence: Are you going tomorrow? What will happen to your house?

Jody: Dad is going to sell the house. The broker also deceived us. They used low-quality materials. Consider how the sink abruptly dipped as I touched it.

Cassy: Someone might dupe your parents. Did you break the sink with that slim body? You can only tear five sheets of bond paper. Hahaha!

Jody: There you go again, Cassy; you're a bully.

Audrey: Wow, Jody, we will miss you, huhuhu.

Laurence: I'll miss you too, friend.

Jody: Let's get together for my birthday. Dad promised.

Sola peered into Jody's room. The couple watched Jody as they closed the room's door carefully. They walked into their room and sat on the bed.

"What if she doesn't like it there?" Sola asked.

Ronald shifted his gaze to Sola. "As her birthday approaches, it will become much more unsafe for her to live here in the city. We can't protect her, Sola. We don't have the strength," said Ronald. "I know Jody will be furious or unhappy when we arrive in Rivendell, but that place is the safest place for her, and you know that."

"Why can't we tell her the truth right now?" Sola asked.

"You know her, hon; she won't believe you immediately. At least while we're in Rivendell, we can easily explain. For the time being, let's make her happy. Because every day that comes her way will be terrible, and it will begin tomorrow," Ronald said.

"What do you mean? What you said has made me nervous," said Sola.

"Why are you nervous? I only want to emphasize that Rivendell will be her home again, where she came from," Ronald said.

———-

Jody got up early the following day. She began packing her belongings early. Everything Jody needed was already in her luggage. She saw her parents dressed as though they were going on vacation.

"Why is my mother sexy now?" Jody asked, smiling.

"Because I'm excited," Sola said.

"Is it because Papa is excited, too?" Jody asked.

"What are you, Jody? Have you just realized it has excited me for a long time?" Ronald asked.

"By the way, Dad," Jody said. "I looked up Rivendell but couldn't find it. But why isn't it on the internet?"

"Perhaps your spelling is wrong," Ronald said. "Get on board, so the traffic doesn't catch up with us."

Jody jumped into the backseat of the car while Sola sat in the front of the passenger seat. Ronald secured the gate and got into his car.

"Dad, what is the spelling of the place we're going to?" Jody asked her father as the car moved.

"It's best to ask your Mama, so you don't get into problems. She's good at computers, you know." Ronald said.

"Mom, could you please?" Jody said.

Their car moved. They got through the gridlock on EDSA since it was too early, and they avoided the sun's heat. Jody was scanning the internet for the place where they were going to lose the signal. She realized that the place they were traveling was distant from what she had imagined. Jody took a glance around. She could see vast mountains and plenty of trees in the distance.

Soon after, there was another signal, and she had already spotted the Rivendell site. Jody couldn't believe her eyes when she saw that little town surrounded by mountains and trees.

"You're going to enjoy Rivendell, Jody. That's where we come from," Sola said.

"No one seems to dwell in this town. There are no residences visible to me. And there is no signal on my phone. How can I contact my friends?" Jody said, irritated.

"Forget them, Jody; you're not like them," Sola replied.

"Forget them? Are you seriously telling me this now, Ma?" Jody asked. "They are my only genuine friends."

Jody's words drew the couple's attention. "We brought you here for your protection and the safety of others around you, Jody," Ronald explained.

"What exactly do you mean, Pa?" Jody inquired.

"Rivendell is the safest place for you to shift,"

Jody smirked. "Shift? What are you saying, Pa? Are you serious?"

Jody gazed out the window, and her eyebrows furrowed at what she saw.

My Mythical Fate, written by shentiments, is only available on Webnovel.