22 Apology

"I thought you made that coffee for me" Jake spoke making Abby flinch which caused them to spill their coffee all over Jake's handwritten notes..

Abby quietly winced in pain as they felt hot coffee spill on their hand but their eyes widen when they saw Jake's notes..

"Oh no!" They quickly stood up and place the cup on the floor.. Before they could try to 'save' his notes, Jake grabbed their hand..

Abby was surprised by his sudden move but they just stared at him without saying anything.. They were surprised to see that the notes he spend hours on, he didn't even bother looking at them..

He quickly grabbed some tissues wiping their hand.. The emotion they saw in his eyes confused them..

'Is he… Worried? Why would.. Why would someone be worried for someone like me' they thought..

It was like Abby had forgotten how it feels like when someone is worried for you..

Jake quickly ran and grabbed a cold water bottle from the mini-fridge and went back to Abby.. He gently placed the cold bottle over their burn..

He was scared.. The thought of seeing them in pain scared him.. Although it was a small burn, it still scared him..

He finally looked up at Abby to ask them if they were okay or not, but he noticed that they were already staring at him with an unexplainable look on their face.. He couldn't help but look at their eyes hoping to find a meaning behind their expression—He saw a mixture of confusion, sadness and nervousness..

It took him a short while to realize that he had been holding their hand, looking into their eyes and maybe that's what was causing them to get nervous..

He quickly let go of their hand..

"S-Sorry about that"

"For what?" Abby wanted to know—They wanted to understand..

"For.. You know… holding your hand … Like that…. Without permission" he hesitantly said looking everywhere but at them..

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Their question confused Jake and he finally looked back at them..

"Why would.. you apologize.. For holding someone's hand"

"Uh.. I-I didn't want you to get uncomfortable or anything because I just.. It must have surprised you.. So yeah.. Sorry about that"

"Why?" Another question that confused Jake.. He couldn't quite understand what they wanted to know..

'Why does it even concern you? Why would you apologize for touching me without permission.. Why would you get worried about me like that.. Why do you care?'

Abby's mind was full of questions that they couldn't ask out loud..

In past, no one ever apologized to Abby ever—No one ever apologized to Abby for 'touching' them, even when they should've..

Abby could feel their eyes tearing up..

"Excuse me" with that, they ran to the restroom leaving Jake confused..

They locked themselves inside the bathroom and covered their mouth with their hand hoping no one will hear them.. Uncontrollable tears begin to pour out of their eyes..

'Why would he apologize when he didn't even hurt me! Why would he! Why would he get worried for someone like me!'

They closed their eyes for a while hoping to calm down, but it only made it worse..

Even though their eyes were closed, they were somehow still able to see—The memories played in their mind like a video on a never-ending loop..

Ever since Abby married Zayn, all they ever received was tears and an unimaginable amount of pain.. He treated them worse than trash.. They were nothing more than a doll to him—A doll to take out his frustration and anger on..

Every night they would pray to God to save them from that hell and reward them with death but God never listened to them..

Every night Zayn would come home and beat them until he felt satisfied—He would use them to take out all his frustration on Abby..

Abby couldn't remember how they felt about their father before they lost both, their memories and their father because of getting into a car accident but now all they felt towards their father was hatred..

They hated their father for arranging their marriage with someone like Zayn..

The painful memories made them clench their hands into a fist as even more tears left their eyes..

'He never apologized for using me.. He never apologized for torturing me.. He never apologized for turning me this way, for making me want to die—Then why would you! Why would you apologize to me!? Why would you look at me like that!? Why..'

'If it was someone else at your place right now, I'd do the same thing for them too' Jake's words echoed in their mind..

'Maybe because you're a good person? But why would you be good to someone like me.. I'm nothing but garbage.. Why would you be nice to me? Why me.. You're doing it out of pity for me, aren't you?' they thought..

'I hate you..' they thought..

But in reality.. They hated themself, not Jake.. They knew no one can hate a person as good as Jake..

The whole day they couldn't stop thinking about Jake—Even though they didn't know why..

The shift ended an hour ago, it was late..

More than half of the people went home long ago..

On Jake's floor, it was only him left..

Abby got into the elevator and was about to press the ground-floor button but something inside them convinced them to press the 7th-floor button..

Most of the lights were off on that floor, no one was on that floor..

They were about to leave when they noticed that there was still one person left on that floor..

Abby watched from afar as the light coming from the computer screen made it easier for them to recognize that person, although they already knew who it was.. It was Jake, working all alone in the dark..

Jake felt someone standing behind him.. He slowly turned around..

His heart almost jumped out of his chest seeing a figure looking down at him..

"AAA! YOU SCARED ME I THOUGHT YOU-"

Abby couldn't help but laugh out loud at his reaction.. His face reminded them of a scared puppy..

"Hahaha! I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you hahaha!"

"You should've seen your face!"