Page 14 of Conquered

Noelle wheezed in surprise. She knew all about that prestigious event. It always made the papers.

“You’re kidding right?” she replied with hesitation. He had to be.

Hunter noticed the look of uncertainty and replied, “You don’t have to decide now. It’s still days away. I know I’m asking too much from you. But I hope you say yes.”

If only he knew that it wasn’t about asking too much from her. Noelle just didn’t know how she would navigate that strange and unfamiliar world.

But he did drop by constantly after the hotdog date and their growing familiarity followed a natural course. He never mentioned the Governor’s Ball, preferring not to pressure her in anyway. The invitation did stay in Noelle’s mind and it bothered her that she wasn’t yet ready to commit.

Surprisingly, Miranda wasn't as comfortable around Hunter. Noelle confronted the girl thinking something was wrong. Miranda replied that she was scared she would jump him if he made so much as eye contact with her because he was so sexy. They both had a good laugh over that one.

Noelle couldn’t be faulted for thinking that when heaven poured its blessing, it was usually a deluge. Everything was going just right.

Then one morning, Miranda met her at the door with a worried look on her face.

“Some dude here to see you,” she said just above a whisper. “I refused, saying we’re not open yet. He insisted its okay. Says he’s family.”

Noelle walked over to a figure seated in a corner. He was reading a newspaper that covered his face. He lowered it when she came near.

“Hello Noelle,” the man greeted her.

She almost lost it.

“Diggs? What are you doing here? I thought you were…”

“In prison?” He finished. I actually thought I’d rot in jail. Turns out I could be set free for good behavior. So I sucked it up and did everything to convince them retards I’m a changed man. I’m on parole and decided I want to visit my favorite girl.”

Noelle felt her skin crawl. Seeing Diggs was the last thing she expected. She thought she was finally free of him when he was sent behind bars five years ago.

Diggs Romero was her ex-boyfriend and the father of her son, Nikko. She met him when she was just out of high school. Diggs was a local thug who had an arrest record as long as his arm. He dealt mostly in petty crimes and swaggered about the neighborhood each time he was released. He often bragged the penal system couldn’t keep him behind bars for good. He was far better than the system, he said.

To a naïve young girl barely out of school, Diggs represented a figure of awe. He was somebody who could protect her from a dubious neighborhood. And when he started showering her with attention, Noelle was thrilled. Diggs became her boyfriend, to her mom’s dismay.

The more her mom insisted she broke up with him, the more Noelle regarded him as the love of her life. The rift between mother and daughter widened. Noelle could no longer take the constant battles and moved in with Diggs.

Slowly, then with ever increasing awareness, she realized his true nature. Diggs dealt with drugs. Noelle couldn’t remember the number of times some stranger would knock on the door of their apartment. An exchange would take place. Diggs would then splurge on alcohol and often stayed in a drunken haze for days.

It was during one of his binges that Noelle nagged him to change his ways. The argument eventually became heated. Noelle threatened to leave him and return to her mom. Diggs retaliated by pushing her hard against a wall. She slipped and hit her head so hard that she lost consciousness. She woke up in the hospital with a slight concussion. It was there that she discovered she was pregnant.

Noelle realized Diggs was violent by nature. The concussion was only an omen of what was in the offing if she didn’t make the right decision. She had a heart-to-heart with her mom who was only too willing to take her back. Noelle was determined not to have anything to do with Diggs Romero.

But her growing belly couldn’t be kept a secret from him. Diggs cajoled and made endless promises to mend his ways. Noelle was torn between giving him another chance for the sake of their child.

And then one day, news broke in the neighborhood. Diggs beat up a girl who landed in the hospital in critical condition. Her family took him to court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for First Degree Attempted Manslaughter.

Noelle had no idea he was seeing another girl on the sly while trying to win back her affection. The news was all she needed to come to a final decision. She never wanted to see him again. Destiny took control and spared her from a miserable life.

Until today.

“I think telling my assistant you are family constitutes a violation of your parole," Noelle accused.

“But I AM family,” Diggs replied smoothly. “You had our child.”

“You stay away from my son,” Noelle warned, immediately regretting the outburst. She just told him what he wanted to know.

“He’s my son too. I think my parole officer would be happy to hear that I want to take part in my son’s life.”

Noelle recognized the subtle innuendo. She wanted to puke in panic. Diggs was unpredictable. He could make trouble for her and Nikko.