by Rua Hasan
I let a squeal of surprise slip between my lips as I figured out the situation I was in. Someone’s mouth brushed against my ear, making shivers go down my spine.
“You really think you could get away from me baby?” Tyler whispered at my ear.
Despite the blush creeping down my cheeks, I rolled my eyes.
“A girl could dream,” I said as I escaped from his grip and turned around to look at him.
“I know girls dream about getting some of this,” he said as he pointed to his body with a smirk growing on his lips, making me narrow my eyes. “But no girl I met ever wanted to get away from this.” He added in a fake offended tone.
I bent down to the ground and picked up my backpack then put my hand on my hip.
“Well let me be the very first,” I said as I gave him a fake obvious smile then opened my car door and got in. Tyler leaned over and knocked on the window as he looked at me as if he was expecting something.
I rolled it down and lifted an eyebrow.
“What?”
“What?” He repeated my words.
“We agreed we’d finish the project today,” he said.
“Actually you decided that on your own. I have to get home, finish my homework, get some sleep and head to my first day of work.”
“You got a job?”
I nodded.
“Yea, it’s not the best but it’ll help me earn some money,” I said as I ran my hand through my hair.
“Okay, then how about after you’re done with your shift?”
I leaned closer to the window as I stared at him suspiciously.
“Why are you so persistent to get the project finished today?” I asked making him lean away as he scratched the back of his head nervously and shrugged his shoulders.
“I just want to. Is there a problem?” he asked as he crossed his arms under his chest.
“No, not at all,” I answered as I put my hands up in surrender dramatically.
“But I leave my shift at nine thirty and I don’t think I’ll have time to finish it with you today so let’s make it tomorrow okay?”
“Wait, you leave your job that late?”
I shrugged.
“It’s not that late.”
“Oh yes it is.”
“Why do you care?”
“You know what? Let’s make it tomorrow then!”
“Get home safe,” he said with a grin and walked away.
I just stared at the distance as I tried to figure him out. Oh well, I guess that was one of the mysteries in life. I started my car and placed my bag in the seat next to be as I drove home. It took no longer that a minute and once I got out of the car, Tyler’s car was parked in the drive-through.
I walked toward my front door as I tried to ignore the stares he was burning in the back of my head and opened the door. I then got into my empty house and placed my shoes on the side as I locked the door. I was about to walk over to the kitchen when I heard the doorbell rang. Curiously, I looked through the peephole and saw none other than Tyler.
Great.
I opened the door to see him standing with his hands in his pockets.
“What do you want?”
“Where do you work at?” he asked as if he was talking about the weather.
“Why do you want to know?”
“So that I could pick you up and take you home.”
I leaned over to pinch his cheeks playfully.
“Aw, does that mean you care about me?” I cooed.
He swatted my hand away and straightened his back.
“No. It’s just I don’t want to lose my project partner when you get kidnapped because I don’t like working alone.”
“You don’t have to worry about me getting kidnapped. I can defend myself but thanks for asking,” I said before closing the door in his face.
It seemed like Tyler gave up because I heard his footsteps disappear without a trace. I looked through the peephole to make sure he wasn’t going to barge in and break the door down but thankfully I saw nothing.
I walked over to the kitchen and placed a slice of leftover pizza into the microwave. I ate my heart out and enjoyed every bite. After filling my stomach, I walked into my room and looked at the time. It was almost three thirty so I decided to get an hour of sleep so that I’d wake up at four thirty and head out.
I placed my phone on the counter next to my bed and got under the covers. I closed my heavy eyelids as I tried to get rid of the random thoughts which always appeared when I wanted to sleep. It was like a circus was in my brain the very moment I laid my head into my pillow. I felt my nerves act up once I remembered that tomorrow was going to be the first day of my training for next month’s competition. You see, I got called into the principal’s office today and was informed that I was one of the three people who entered within the first couple of hours which means they’d have to test who was the best to compete in this competition. I was going to meet my trainer tomorrow. I just hope I would make it through this round because if the school found someone better than me, then I wouldn’t qualify.
I shook off the thoughts and let the darkness take over. My body became heavy as my brain began to shut down.
I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating next to me. A groan escaped my lips as I opened one eye and grabbed it and realized that the sound was coming from my alarm. I then remembered I had to get ready for work so I forced my eyes opened and shut the alarm off. I wish I could have stayed asleep but I knew that I had to be early for my first day. Not only that, if I slept longer then I wouldn’t be able to get some sleep tonight. I removed the cover wrapped around me like a cocoon and got up as I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I walked into the bathroom and cringed to myself when I saw my hair formed like a bird’s nest.
I took the shower after stripping and enjoyed the warm water hit my bare skin. Twenty minutes later, I was all dressed up and ready to go. I couldn’t actually enjoy a long shower because I didn’t want to be late so I did it really quick. I was dressed into skinny jeans and a blouse with my hair tied up into a messy bun. I wore my converse shoes and walked out of my house after locking it. I placed my house keys in my handbag and took out my car keys.
I decided I was going to drive to work because firstly, I had only five minutes left before it turned five. Secondly, if I was leaving late, there was no way I was going to walk home.
I let a smile of relief take over my face once the small supermarket appeared in front of me. I thanked the lords when I found an empty parking space and hopped out of my car. I opened the door, letting the sound of bells jingle above me. I looked around the place as I remembered where the manager’s office was. I walked up to the door and knocked. I then opened it once I heard someone shout, “Come in!”.
After greeting the manager, she gave me instructions which were pretty simple: Stand behind the counter with a smile on my face and remember that the ‘customer is always right’.
I walked behind the counter and sat on the chair as I looked around the place. It wasn’t too long before I started to get a lot of customers. I was surprised to see the place full. I wouldn’t have expected it because the market wasn’t that big but it looked like it does quite well.
The first hour went by in a breeze. I’d receive the money of a few costumers and sat down a bit but once the sun started to set, the number of people increased. I even recognized a few people from school but thankfully they didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like I was embarrassed of my job, I didn’t need anyone distracting me from working.
I looked up from the counter when I saw a little girl in baggy torn clothes walk into the place. I watched her closely as she nervously walked in as if she wasn’t supposed to be here. A lot of questions were running in my head. Why was she here all alone? Where are her parents? Her anxiousness made me curious. I then saw her walked behind an aisle and disappeared.
I tapped my fingers on the counter as I waited for her to show up. Not a minute later she walked up to me with a cho
colate bar in her hand as she looked at the ground. I made sure to give her an assuring smile.
“Well, hello there.”
She gave me a small smile but it went away quickly.
“How can I help you?”
There was a moment of silence as she slide the chocolate bar to the counter.
“Uh . . . ”
“I-I’m hungry a-and . . . ” She took out fifty cents from her pocket.
“How much is this?” she whispered.
I felt pity for her she mentioned she was hungry. Didn’t she have parents to feed her? I then took the chocolate bar and scanned it. It turned out to be a dollar. I glanced at the child and gave it.
“Where are your parents, little one?”
“Home.”
“Did you have anything to eat today?”
She nodded.
“Yea, but I’ve never tasted chocolate before,” she said as she looked at the bar in awe.
My eyes widened and I felt bad for her. Chocolate was one of the best things a child could ever taste and her not having one just got to me. A life without chocolate was like earth without oxygen.
Yes, it mattered to me this much. It reminded me of a certain SpongeBob scene. You know that one episode when Patrick and SpongeBob were selling chocolate and there was this one crazy fish screaming out chocolate?
Yea . . . that would be me.
“Really?”
“Why not?” I asked making her shrug.
“My parents can’t usually afford a lot of stuff,” she muttered.
I nodded then walked around the counter and took her hand as I led her to the chocolate area. I then took a big box of chocolate which had different flavors in it and walked back to the counter with the little girl following right behind me.
“What are you doing?”
“What’s your name?” I asked dodging her question.
“Ally.”
“I’ll tell you what, Ally. Take this chocolate bar,” I said as I gave her the chocolate bar she chose earlier. “and take this home with you as a gift from me.” I finished as I scanned the box and handed it over to her. She looked at me in shock.
“B-but I can’t afford it.”
I smiled at her as I took my wallet out of my back pocket.
“It’s okay. I’ll pay.”
“What! No really you don’t have to,” she said but I shook my head.
“It’s okay dear. I’d be happy to help,” I said as I placed five dollars into the cashier.
She gave me a smile and took the box into her hands and said goodbye before heading out of the store. I then sat in my seat as I looked at the time. It was almost eight, which means I had an hour and a half left before I could go home.
Seeing that no one in at this moment, I picked up my bag and took out a couple of homework I was assigned from school. I decided to finish some while I waited. I stopped a couple times so I could take money from a couple of customers and help them around. Seventy minutes later, I placed the papers in my bag and took out some gum, popping them into my mouth.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, letting me know that I received a message from someone. I opened it to see it was from Matt.
‘Have I ever told you that I loved you?’ It said.
I lifted an eyebrow as I stared at it. What was he supposed to mean?
‘What did you do?’ I asked.
It took him no time to answer.
‘Nothing’
‘Speak!’
It took Matt a whole five minutes to answer. Probably because he was either thinking of some lie or hoping I’d get fed up and not text him back but after spamming his phone, he finally answered.
‘Just promise you won’t get mad’ It read.
‘You’re starting to freak me out! Just tell me!’ I wrote quickly.
‘Just promise me!’
A groan left my lips as I ran my hand over my face. What did he do this time? I swear it’s like he was a magnet that attracted all the problems in the world but gave all the weight to me.
‘Fine, fine! I promise. There, now tell me.’
‘Well...’
‘Go on!’
‘I might have told a certain person where you work.’ He wrote.
I stared at my phone as I heard the door open. I glanced up then cursed in my head as I replied to Matt’s message which said, ‘I hate you’ then closed my phone and put it away. I let a sigh of annoyance escape my lips as I crossed my arms under my chest and glared at Tyler who was walking over to me with a confident smile on his face.
“How did you get him to speak?” I asked.
“It was simple. I bribed him.”
“With money?”
“Nope.”
“With food.”
Ugh, I should have known!
“Okay, now tell me what you’ve gained from this?”
“The satisfaction.”
“Of what?” I asked as I crossed my arms under my chest and stared at him, trying to figure out this confusing puzzle. Yes, Tyler Grey was like a puzzle and so many of the pieces were missing.
“Of knowing you’re safe.”
I couldn’t believe his words. I wasn’t expecting him to say that at all. If we were in some other universe, then yea, but not at all in this moment. Tyler was always a let loose guy, but he’d been serious around me. He hadn’t been bothering or harassing me like the old days which did surprise me.
Why would he act like he cared about me? I badly wanted to ask that question but decided not to. Instead I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You’re acting like I’m going to confront the mafia,” I said but couldn’t fight the smile that took over.
He gave me a grin and shrugged his shoulders.
“What can I say? The mafia could turn up any minute now,” Tyler said making me roll my eyes.
“As I said before, I can defend myself thank you.”
“Oh I’m not afraid for you. I’m afraid of that one person who will cross paths with you,” he said wiping a fake tear from his cheek.
“Are you done?”
“Yup.”
“Are you done?”
“Done with what?”
“Done with working.”
I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at the time. I had ten minutes left before I finished my shift which surprised me. Time flew by faster than I thought. When I imagined myself standing behind a counter, taking money from people. It sounded pretty boring and would take forever. But I guess time flies by the quickest when you least expect it.
“I have ten minutes left,” I told Tyler but as soon as I said that, the door to the manager’s office opened. Katherine, the manager, walked over to us with a smile on her face.
“Crystal, thank you for your hard work. I’m closing this place early so you can leave now,” she said.
I didn’t ask any questions. I just nodded my head then picked up my bag. Tyler and I walked out from the store while Katherine headed to her office to grab something. I looked up at Tyler to see him already looking at me.
“You aren’t going to leave, are you?”
“You’re a very smart girl,” he said as he patted my shoulder. I rolled my eyes then started to walk to the exit with him not surprisingly walking behind me.
“You do know I brought my car, right?” I asked as the cold night air hit my skin.
“And you do know I walked here, right?”
I shook my head slightly. What was I supposed to do with him?
“I’m starting to think the only reason you came to me was to get a ride home,” I said playfully as I took my keys out.
“Walking all the way from my house to here and get a ride back home from you doesn’t make any sense, Gem.”
“That’s kind of true,” I admitted as I got into the driver’s seat. Tyler then opened his door and sat in the seat next to mine.
“How was your first day of work?” he asked as I started my car and drove home.
“It was ok
ay.”
He nodded then leaned in to turn on the radio.
“You know that’s unnecessary because this drive won’t take no longer than a minute,” I said as I looked out the road.
“Yea, I know. Just trying to get rid of the awkward tension,” he said playfully.
“That awkward tension wouldn’t be there in the first place if you weren’t here.” I pointed out.
“If you think that’s going to make me leave you alone then you’re wrong Gem,” he said as he sent me a teasing grin.
“You’re stuck with me for the rest of your life. You can thank me later,” he said as he patted my shoulder. I glanced at him as I let him see the look of horror written all over my face.
“You say it like its a good thing.”
Chapter 22
I’ve done so many things in my life which I’ve regretted. Things that made karma slap me in the face with a brick. Like the time when I ‘accidentally’ set the science lab on fire because I just didn’t want to take Physics. Or when I told Matt in the third grade that he got some dangerous disease which was going to kill him in twenty-four hours when he actually got the chickenpox. All those attempts backfired on me because I got a payment ten times worse.
One, I failed the Physics final exam.
Two, I got chickenpox at the age of ten.
Yes, they would not be that much big of a deal but they did teach me a valuable lesson. Life has some unexpected turns or shall I say―Karma’s a b*tch.
I knew I deserved all those punishments but I had no idea what I did to deserve this! I mean what did I ever do to the universe because they sure as hell seemed like they were against me. Did I make some kind of mistake without noticing? Or was it that I wasn’t supposed to be born in the first place but a miracle happened and boom! There I was. Maybe that was why I’d always have such bad luck. I wasn’t not supposed to be alive and since I was, the universe was getting back on me!
Okay, that would not be the case because hello! I’m awesome and who wouldn’t want me alive? I was about to answer myself because no one else would. I was talking to myself when I was brought back to reality―school.