5.Tell Me What's Wrong

~Tiara Lowe~

Malik just came to pick me up and we were back at his apartment, we still haven't said a word to each other and I didn't plan to although that is selfish I'm just tired of reliving the horrid memories that Tavane continues to put me through.

His was huge though it was a nice two-story house with nice and modern interior design and expensive painting lined the wall with the immaculate carpet, painting, and furniture.

I didn't venture off in his house considering that was rude I stayed put in the living room since we came and this is where we came.

"Can I borrow your laptop to sign into my course stream, I have class in an hour" I said finally breaking the silence, he said nothing to me he just got up and walked up to a room near the kitchen finally coming back after about ten minutes with the laptop and a mouse.

I took them from him and logged on quickly seeing as the laptop was already on with no password.

Malik move around the house while I complete my group assignment with my course mates I didn't bother to say anything to him, he looked frustrated and I knew he would soon leave for business so I decided to rush my work and then cook something.

I got out of class twenty minutes early and decided that I would look for Malik, he was upstairs I walked up stair looking around until I stumble upon some Long black doors I knocked, and shortly after he answered not saying anything just giving me the what look.

I always knew when I was annoying and I learned from many encounters to hold my space I didn't want to provoke him into raping me or abusing me I shrugged it off and walked away going into the kitchen to just prepare whatever I saw after all it's his house I'm praying he eats the food he has here for grocery.

"Tell me what's wrong," Malik said sitting at the table in a fresh suit looking professional as always, I looked at him deciding that I will answer him probably for my safety I was anxious today and was so glad that I have the day off I cant handle drunk customers like this I was traumatized.

"I'm busy cooking at the moment are you leaving or are you going to stay for dinner," I asked him moving around the kitchen nervously, my body felt all type of way like I was under pressure his intense gaze made me want to lay flat and the tile floor and not move.

I didn't like when people stare at me I felt scared and insecure and uneasy, especially at work I always tried my best to just quickly move on to the next customer no matter what I was doing.

"I'll stay for dinner I have two more hours to be here I hope you can cook" Malik answered taking off his jacket and placing it on the living room couch.

"Boy after you taste this you are going to have to move me in and reconsider my job as being a bartender to your chef man I can throw the fuck down no cap all facts," I said getting extra hype in the kitchen because this man better knows the game.

He laughed and sat down the whole time watching me work my magic, he scrolled through his phone and occasionally took calls but I just stood there listening to the music in my earphone.

"So who taught you how to cook!!" Malik shouted across the kitchen, I looked at him as if he is crazy.

"I can hear you Malik and I taught my self how to cook from I was in foster care, From around age seven It wasn't easy at first but they had a cooking lady by the name of Dian I was stuck to her and she always had me in the kitchen there I would watch and try to help myself," I said.

"That's beautiful do you still keep in contact with her," Malik asked I looked at him trying to see where he was going but I considered him a friend so I'm going to open up to him but I didn't know if I should.

"I ran away from foster care at around age fifteen but I always went back until I was sixteen I kept going back and forth with my ex one day I just didn't go back I was still sixteen then, I started to live with him and things started to went left I turned his roommate I had to fight him and his girls all the time and it was just messy, In foster care, we had system schooling but once I left I didn't go back to school or anything," I said sharing his food.

I placed it on the table and he went and sat there I gave him orange juice to drink while I shared my food.

"So that's why you moved here?" he asked while he cooled his food I just sat down across from him looking at the steam.

"Yes the day you saw me in the store was my first day here, I ran away since then and was hiding but he found me last night and he hit on me and raped me like old times it's nothing new so I don't know why I'm getting this emotional about, " I said not even feeling hungry again.

"That's not normal Tiara, you shouldn't think that this is normal being rape and abuse is not, and you can stay here I'll put back the apartment on the market and once someone rents it, we will move you out," he said.

"But he always knows where to find me i'm not safe and you are not safe Malik," I said pushing my plate to the side.

" Tiara calm down I'm more than safe I have men all-around working for me I hate to say it but I'm very dangerous and after this meal, I cant send you back to your apartment you cant die with these recipes" Malik joked about and I gave it some thought after all who said he would be different from Tavane.

"I'll give it some thought Malik but eat up and get to your meeting I'll eat the rest of this later," I said getting up looking for my phone to text Aliyah.