1 The Encounter
The gleam of light pass in through the gaps of the curtains. I felt a ray of sunlight pouring down on my face, blinding my eyes, as I opened it sleepily.
We moved to Santa Fe.
"Urgh! It can't be morning already", I murmured myself. I lay down there contemplating whether to move out of my bed before my consciousness slowly starts to fade away. Finally I dragged myself, threw back the covers and sat slouched at the edge of my bed. I saw a familiar girl who was wearing a white vest and pyjama bottoms creased in a frightful messy hair, staring completely to me.
"Looking good Er", I cheered myself and shuffled past the mirror, yawning and searching for my cell phone. There it was!
Rubbing my eyes, I saw a texts from him. Livius. My boyfriend.
What?
My brain stopped functioning. I was just getting ready to text him back when my phone vibrated again.
"Can I call?"
Without realizing I push the yes button.
An hour later. I let out a deep sigh. It was a long sweet call. I didn't even got a chance to speak. He was rambling on about the university entrance test which he had just messed up. All I can do was nod my head even though he can't see through the phone. He seems to be disappointed and frustrated by himself of losing the last chance to enter the same university as mine. It took an hour to calm him down.
I realized I was staring blankly all this time outside the window, all I can see was bright and crystal clear sky just like my path seems so like. While completely lost in the trail of thoughts, the sound of purring diverted me and I saw my angel rubbing against my legs.
"Luna, let mamma snuggle you" I picked her up and start grooming her thick fluffy fur ball.
After a few minutes, I remember I had a meeting with my best friend, Naomi. Without checking in mirror I wore the nearest worn out jeans hanging around my desk with my favorite kimono top and hooded jacket to cover my messy hair. I grabbed my bag, hanging lifelessly, and throwing my messy stuffed into it.
I skipped breakfast and dashes towards the door as quickly as possible. I struggle to get a grip on myself as I was late. I pulled into the familiar parking lot of our neighborhood, local coffee shop, located just a few steps away from my house at the corner street,
0253 Cafè.
I spotted Naomi standing near the recessed entryway of the cafè shop.
It's been three years since I saw her last. She has been living with her step father in Catalonia. The sight of her - an alter neck tight - fitted button down, clingy dress, showing more of her cleavage and the body, had became more skinnier and tinier, deep dark bags under the pair of pale eyes as she was suffering from a sleepless night, no one can defeat her in this true beauty.
I slammed the door of my rusty three year old, '63 Cuda' and walked slowly towards her. Her pale eyes wrapped up in a brilliant excitement, her tiny oval face showing more curves underneath her cheekbones. As she greeted me with her toodler smile.
"Eri!! Eri!! I miss you so much!!" She cried out in a weird loud enough voice, in an excitement, hugging me.
"I... can't .. bre..athe!" I hissed, struggling and glancing around the lot, to make sure, no one had watched us. It was too late--
When I saw some passerby giving us a weird look.
She ignored me.
As I was being dragged by her, inside the cafè. I feel so embarrassed to look up, lowering my head, which made my hair to loosen up and cover most of my face. I allowed myself to let in.
The same, smell of coffee beans greeted me as it's aroma mixed with the atmosphere. We sat on our regular table to the extreme corner of the back window.
The server came over to take our orders. I looked up to see a cute, baby face, raven haired, hazel eyed, dressed up from head to toe in a black attire, smiling at Naomi in a flirtatious way. He look youngest among the other attendants.
"Hello, My name is Ryan. I will be your server. What can I get you to drink for lovely Lady?" He asked while ogling at her unnecessary, completely ignoring me. Am I some ghost?
"Two cold coffee please," she said while winking at him.
"I'll be right back with that," he flashed his gleaming smile, winking back.
My eyes stay fixated on them. Flirting in a broad daylight. Huh.
"What?" She asked with an innocent face when he left.
I rolled my eyes. Pretending to be invisible, busy watching the menu.
"How are you feeling?" She demanded out of the blue.
"I am ..fine" I replied back, sounded more like a question, surprised by her sudden potence.
She raised her one eyebrow with a puzzle look.
"I am asking about, are you still in a contact with that person?" She asked in a worried tone, watching me intensely with her pale eyes.
That person, I struggle for a few seconds. She noticed it too. The atmosphere near us became extremely tense. Right before, the sudden appearance of that playful server with our drinks and an Italian starters, had repressed the unpleasant vibes.
"Is there anything I can get you Miss?" he faced towards Naomi, placing the orders on our table, the coy smile never leaving his face.
Should I smack his face? I imagined myself.
"Umm... I will have sizzle dazzle brownie" pointing out the first thing I saw on the menu.
He turned unwillingly to me and turned back to her again with a sweet smile,
"And you Miss?"
"I m fine" she said in a hurriedly, kind of rude, with a fake smile. He noticed too and left sulking.
Her eyes were serious, waiting for my answer. I slide my hands under my jacket to avoid my trembling hands, I don't want to go through that pain again. I took a deep breath to calm myself a little bit.
"No, I am not" I confessed, very precise.
Her eyes narrowed, she seem unsettled, her tiny soft angled eyebrow, furrowed in v shape, demanding me to tell her everything.
I took a long pause. I am not able to handle the pressure she was giving me.
"I will tell you.. but there is a condition" I paused.
"Shoot" she was becoming impatient.
"Don't ask me anything, just hear it out, okay!", I said in a low voice.
She nodded.
"We are --" I was startled with the sudden presence of the two dark shadow behind me.
Naomi's face froze for a while in a place, changed to furious murderously look.
"Erika?"
I recognized his voice without even looking up, the same voice which made my anger boiled up in rage and I knew what his next words would be.
"Is this - really you?" He asked again in a plain voice.
"Who is she?"
I heard an unfamiliar voice of a girl asking to him. They seem to be familiar with each other.
The waves of sudden pain and anger smashed like a thousand nails piercing through my chest, dazed and disoriented, a few small shudder tremble washed over my body. My mind swirled with a dizziness, I can feel my heart racing with a stinging pain. I don't dare to look up. Don't look up. My mind was comforting me, holding back my tears.
The server was back again with my brownie. He sat them down on a table without a word this time, and left giving a glare to the next two person who was standing, mumbling something.
I was under a shear, my body was squeezed with an unknown source. Naomi saw through me. I ran through the possibilities quickly in my head.
Option one: Don't face him, run away right now.
Option two: Run away with your brownie..
It was a wise choice. I thought myself.
I could see no option left.
Before I could act, Naomi snapped, "Sorry, you got the wrong person!"
Dragging me across the table to the bill counter. I can feel many eyes on us, murmuring.
There was a bill in her hand already. She slipped into the folder and handed back to the male attendant, who look fluster.
Without another look, we went straight to the lot. We got back into my car. She turned on the engine. It was a silent ride, it had not taken long when Naomi stopped the car in front of my house.
She studied my face and asked,
"Are you alright?"
"...Yeah, ..fine." I realized I was holding my breath until now.
Whatever just happened - whether it was about him, the pain I was enduring, the wound I was carrying, the past I wanted to forgot - all just opened up.
It was the beginning of my worse nightmare - because he is back, in this town.
For the first time, I ran away from him.
