Chapter 6 The Name “Owen”

• Stephanie ran around the park searching for Princess. She was covered in sweat even though the weather was cold. She feared someone must have kidnapped her little sister. She saw some children at the other end of the park. They were also blowing bubbles.
• She ran towards them to check if Princess was among them. She searched and searched but still didn't find Princess.
• “Princess!” She screamed in frustration and kept panting.
• “Stephanie!”
• She heard that tiny little voice that she wanted to hear. It was Princess’s voice.
• “Princess!”
• She turned to look in the direction of her voice, and she saw her waving at her from the middle of the crowd.
• She noticed someone carrying her on the shoulder because she could see her above the head of the people.
• “Oh God, Princess!”
• She rushed into the crowd and cleared the way with her hands. She kept her eyes on Princess as she moved.
• She got to where Princess was, and she saw the person carrying her was Sebastian.
• “Sebastian, what are you doing here?” She asked in surprise. Princess laughed happily as Sebastian still lifted her on his shoulders.
• “I came here for a while. I wasn't aware you were here until Princess ran up to me.”
• Stephanie heaved a sigh and looked at Princess.
• “Don’t you ever run off like that, okay?”
• Princess bounced her head sadly after seeing the anger on Stephanie’s face.
• Sebastian carried her from his shoulder and placed her on the floor carefully. She embraced Stephanie’s legs and hid her face in her thighs.
• “I am so sorry, Sebastian. She keeps troubling you.”
• “I have told you times without numbers, Stephanie, It is cool. I love her around me.”
• Stephanie smiled faintly and nodded.
• “We were about to leave when she ran off.”
• “Leave? It is still very early in the morning, Stephanie. You still have a lot of time to explore.” Sebastian said looking at his wristwatch.
• She looked at his wristwatch and noticed he was wearing a pretty expensive one. It was the Vacheron Constantin Overseas.
• “I know it is still very early, but I'm bored and tired already.” She lied.
• She wanted to get away from the Park as soon as possible, so she wouldn't have to meet Owen the second time.
• “C’mon, Stephanie. You promised Princess a nice stroll but you want to keep that promise.”
• “She told you that?”
• Stephanie stroked Princess’s hair, and Sebastian nodded.
• “Two more hours, and you can go home. I would love to take Princess somewhere, and I would love you to come too.”
• “Sebastian...”
• “Please, Steph. Just two hours.”
• Stephanie smiled and looked at Princess, who looked at her face with her mouth pouted.
• “Okay. Two hours.”
• “Yay!” Princess jumped and raised her hands so Sebastian could carry her.
• He lifted her with his hands and made her sit on his right arm. She began to blow her bubbles again.
• They walked out of the park, and Sebastian headed to the car park.
• “You didn't come with your motorcycle?” Stephanie asked as she walked behind him.
• “No, I came with my car.”
• Stephanie was jaw-slacked when Sebastian stopped in front of his car.
• “The Acura DN-X? Are you f**king playing with me?” She uttered in excitement.
• “How are you so familiar with automobiles?”
• “I work at an Automobile manufacturing company. This is a badass sports car!”
• Sebastian laughed at Stephanie’s reaction and opened the door.
• “I am going for a race tonight with this car. Would you love to come?”
• “What? Hell yeah! I never knew you could race. I should have suspected it when I saw you riding the motorbike.”
• “I race once in a while. Most times, when I want to clear my head or have fun. You can't recognize me when you see me racing.”
• “We will find out tonight.” Stephanie laughed.
• He put Princess on the back seat, and Stephanie sat in front with him.
• “So you are a marketer?” He asked as he ignited the engine.
• “A business administrator to be exact,” Stephanie boasted, and he chuckled.
• “Hmm... Impressive.”
• He drove out of the park and hit the road that led to the Forest Hills.
• “Where are we going?”
• “We are going to the best ice cream shop in Forest Hills.”
• “We have good ice cream shops in Manhattan too.”
• “True. But, you need to taste this. It is the best I have ever tasted.”
• “Let us give it a try. Then, I'll take you to one of my favorites in Manhattan.”
• “Deal.”
• Stephanie wanted to make more bubbles in the car when the container fell from her hand, and the fluid poured out.
• “Owen! My bubble water is gone.” Her voice was full of sadness.
• Stephanie looked at Sebastian and looked at Princess afterward.
• “His name is Sebastian, not Owen, okay?”
• “I’m sorry, Stephanie. I forget his name most of the time.” Princess lowered her head in unhappiness, and Stephanie sighed.
• Stephanie rested her head on the headrest and looked out of the window.
• Sebastian looked at her and noticed her countenance had changed. She didn't wear a smile anymore, and she seemed lost in thoughts.
• Sebastian looked at Princess through his interior mirror, and he saw she was downcast.
• “Don’t worry, Princess. I will get you another one.”
• She bobbed her head but still didn't look up. She hated Stephanie being angry with her.
• “Are you okay?” Sebastian asked Stephanie.
• “ Yes. Why?”
• “You seem different.”
• She shook her head and kept her eyes out of the window.
• She hated the way she always felt when she heard his name. She wanted to erase all the memories she had with him.
• She thought she'd gotten over him. But, after hearing his voice in the park, she realized she was still very hurt.
• Sebastian disliked the awkward silence in the car as he drove.
• “Everything was going fine until Princess mentioned that name. I need to know why that name affects her so much and why Princess won't stop calling me Owen.”