Apricots - Ruel Van Dijk

Chapter 3 - Morning Taste

Teliah's POV

When I think more than I want to think

I do things I never should do

*

I woke up the next morning feeling worse than the previous night, if that was possible. I was still in my jeans and work shirt, now crinkled and messy. My mouth tasted like a mix of 'morning taste' (whatever that is) and old apricot from the previous night. My hair, definitely due for a cut, was so knotty it looked like a spider web, and I didn't even want to see what my makeup looked like. I quickly sat up, wanting to get away from this terrible state.

Grabbing the only pair of shorts and t-shirt I owned at the time, I made a beeline for my 'bathroom', not looking at myself in the mirror. I didn't wish to see what a hideous mess I looked like. I turned on the tap for my makeshift shower, which was basically just a shower head and a small gap at the bottom of the wall for the excess water to run through. It wasn't the most luxury of showers, but I guess it did the job. I stripped off my wrinkly jeans and t-shirt, stepping into the cold stream of water. It was very very cold, but I'd learnt to get used to it. I didn't have hot water. I could barely afford to pay for the little water I used, let alone pay for hot water.

I quickly ran the water all over my body, and through my hair, and stepped out in front of the mirror. I slipped on my shorts and t-shirt, brushing my knotty brown hair. I quickly brushed my teeth, eager to get rid of the disgusting taste I had in my mouth, and stepped back out into the kitchen. 

I immediately spotted the crate from last night, still full of apricots. I grabbed one, biting down in it. I needed some breakfast, so I figured, why not? But I had to get rid of them somehow, and they looked fairly ripe, so if I didn't get rid of them by tomorrow, they would be rotten. So that meant chucking them out, handing them out, or eating them all myself which wasn't possible. And as much as I wanted to just chuck them out, that would be so wasteful. I sighed, picking up the crate, which was surprisingly light, and started to walk over to the wooden board separating me and the rest of the world. I really didn't want to do this, but I really had no choice.

I somehow made it down the ladder AND the stairs without dropping the fruit. I walked out the front door, my feet scraping against the pavement. I wasn't wearing any shoes, but I didn't really care too much. I was just planning to leave the crate somewhere on the ground and let people take however many they wanted. As I said, I wasn't looking to make friends, so I didn't care to hand them out. 

But as I was walking to put the crate down out the front of my apartment building, some guy ran straight into me. I bumped straight into his chest, falling back directly onto the ground. The crate and all the apricots went tumbling to the floor with me. I gazed up at the figure now towering over me, an angry frown now crossing my face. Thanks to this guy, all the perfectly good apricots were ruined. 

"Fuck, I'm sorry," he muttered through his hair, which was so loose hanging over his face I couldn't see his eyes. He stuck a hand out, trying to help me up, to which I declined and stood up by myself. I dusted off the invisible dirt particles off my shorts, bending to pick up the now spotted brown apricots. He bent down to help, but before he could I quickly grabbed the apricot he was about to pick up.

"I don't need help, just go away," I mumbled, picking up the last of the apricots and putting it in the crate. He looked at me, seemingly startled at my choice of words. Instead of lingering on the thought, I picked up the crate and put it next to the rubbish bin, not seeing much use in leaving gross apricots out for people to take. I started to walk back towards the building, ignoring him standing there. But this guy would not leave it be. Two seconds later, I let out a rough sigh as I heard him jog up behind me.

"At least let me replace the apricots!" he called after me. I ignored his comment, continuing to walk. I hoped he would give up and leave me alone, but he didn't. "Hey, please?"

I stopped abruptly, and turned around to face this guy, initially to tell him to fuck off, but from when I came face to face with him, I couldn't. He was standing about a metre away from me, at a height that should be illegal. He looked to be at least 6'1, gazing down at me. His eyes were a hazelish-green, now visible thanks to the fact he wasn't staring down at the ground. His hair hung in a messy kind of way across his eyes, in some sort of curtains, but lengthening out into some kind of hairstyle I didn't know the name of. He looked to be fairly well off, his clothes looking likely designer. He wore patterned trousers, a white button up, which was slightly unbuttoned, a jacket matching with his trousers laying on his forearm. A string of pearls sat loosely on his neck, his hands decorated with various rings. A sympathetic look was playing on his face, giving me the sense he actually was sorry for what he had done. He was...I guess what you would call hot. Calm down Teliah, you're supposed to be mad at this guy! But somehow I just couldn't be, it was something in his delicate features that made it impossible to solidify my facial expression. 

"Its fine, I was going to give them away anyway," I hesitated, looking away from him and down at my feet. 

"Still, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" he asked again, making me swiftly shake my head. I couldn't spend more time with this stranger, because I could already tell he would be a really nice person. Not that that was a bad thing, but he was hot, and a good person, which meant I would certainly fall for him. And I couldn't afford to fall for someone. Not now.

"Truly, its okay. Have a good day," I waved him off, leaving him standing there. My body was screaming at me not to, to ask to spend more time with this random guy, but I had to force myself to walk away. It just wasn't worth it.

a/n

and they meet. I am spamming atm bc im feeling motivated, so expect another chapter tomorrow:)

REMEMBER TO BE THE AMAZING PERSON YOU ARE I BELIEVE IN YOUUU

3/12/21

- Bri <3🍇

Word Count: 1172