finally after three weeks of hard work and extra hours, ihad earnt an extra three thousand and five hundred dollars finally able to pay ethen back the money he had paid my boss to let me have a break. i know most people would have just been thrilled, but with me i just cant accept it. the thought of someone just throwing there own money around like that for some stranger angers me and i like to take care of myself as i have been doing it for years now...
i walked for an hour to the increadably huge building in which was where ethens office were. if your wondering why i walked, well to get some extra money i sold my car and im working on buying a push bike.
when i arrived i felt underdressed and as if i didnt belong in the place as every single person that worked there was absolutely stunning and were all dressed in expensive clothing i went to the fifth floor and to a lady behind a desk with her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytale and black glasses on with red lipstick on. "um, excuse me. im looking for mr.blackwell. is there any chance i'd be able to have a quick word with him in person?" i asked politely as she continued to type on her computer before looking at me. "have you made an appointment?" she asked flatly. "no, but he knows who i am and im sure if you told him i was here he wouldnt mind seeing me for a second" i replied before she sighed and went back to typing on her computer. "come back when you have made an appointment" she replied and i sighed as i ran my fingers through my long snow white hair. "fine, but can you make sure you give this to him. its important" i replied inpatiently as i handed her a yellow envelope with the money i owed him inside and stormed off.
when i made it out of the building i felt a wave of relief wash over me as i did not blend in at all in there. just as i stepped out from underneath the shelter and began making my way back home, it began to rain. well, thats just perfect isnt it. all i needed was rain!. i began running as the rain grew heavier and i was completely soaked. my dress that came just above my knees was clinging to my skin and my hair stuck to the sides of my cheeks framing my face. i had my shoes in one hand an my other hand i held up above my eyes trying to sheild the rain from my eyes attempting to make it clearer to see. i must of have fallen over at least ten time already as i had grazes on my knees and elbows. goosebumps covered my skin as my body racked with shivers and my teeth were shattering no matter how hard i tried to stop them. the end of my fingers were numb and all i wanted to do was get home and into my warm shower.
"he..ll..oo?" i answered after pulling my phone out of my pocket when faintly hearing my ringtone and feeling the vibration on my hip. "rose, where are you!?" snapped an angry ethen and i rolled my eyes. "hey, ho..how did yo..you get m..my n.nu..number!?" i replied and was answered with an angry growl before the water had goten into the phone and ruined it, cutting off the call. a blue car slowed down beside me and a muscular man jumped out from the drivers side and rushed over to me with an umberella in his hand. "need a ride?" he asked as i hugged myself tightly for some kind of warmth. "no i.. im fine. thank..you" i replied with a smile before i began walking away but he gripped tightly onto my arm and my eyes widened with shock as he yanked me back towards him and his large hand covered my mouth as i let out a scream. my heart thrashed around inside my rib cage and adrenaline pumped through my veins as i thrashed around in his grip. when he couldnt get me close to the car he threw me to the ground and went to smash his fist into my face but out of nowhere a hand gripped tightly onto his wrist and stopped him in his movement. "rose, i strongly suggest you get into my car... now" said zereks voice firmly and quickly i did as he said as i didnt want to be around him when he was angry. a minute passed and he jumped into the drivers seat drenched in the water before speeding off down the road.
apart from the sound of the rain and the engine, It was quiet in the car. he seemed to still be angry and I didn't want to say anything just in case I said the wrong thing and he snapped. I felt bad for soaking his car seat and felt so horrible for making him worry about me and coming to get me. I couldn't just sit here and say nothing though, and if it angered him I won't say another word.
"I'm sorry" I said softly and he gripped the steering wheel tightly and out of natural habit I flinched back thinking that he was going to hit me at any second. When he loosened his grip and said "it's not your fault", it shocked me and my muscles relaxed slightly.
I sighed with relief and re adjusted myself so I wasn't pushing myself up in the corner against the door. "I didn't mean to scare you" he added and I looked out of the window embarrassed. "it's okay" I replied and realised that the car was slowing down to the speed limit.
"Thank you ethen, you didn't have to do that for me" I added.
"Do what?" he asked actually sounding confused.
"Coming and picking me up" I replied and a strange expression came across his face.
"Well it's the least I could do for my workers rudeness. I came the second I heard you were there" he said firmly.
A small smile came across my face but quickly I wiped it off. how could someone like this seem to care. it must all be an act, it has to be.
"Thank you" I said when he pulled up in my drive way and as I went to close the door he held out his hand with the envelope I had given him with the money in it. "you didn't owe me anything" he said.
"I did" I replied and closed the door before he could say another word and froze when I saw a letter taped to my door with familiar writing.
Rose,
I will see you one day. and when I do you'll regret ever leaving me. I'm the best you can get.
until next time,
Ben.
I ripped it off of the door and scrunched it up as my hands began to tremble.
"Everything ok?" ethen asked from behind me and quickly I hid the note behind my back. "yeah, it's nothing" I said quickly and shoved it into my pocket hiding it from his view.
"Thank you ethen, you should probably go home before someone sees you or you catch a cold" I added then went inside and quickly closed the door.
I sighed and slid my back down the door until I was sitting on the ground.
That night I had nightmares, well actually it was more like memories. memories of when Ben would beat me and through me across the room.
When I woke it was as if I had awoken from the dead as the night was wrestless. And to top it all off, Ethen was at the cafe and would only be served by me.
"Rose!" said Andrea as she grabbed my arm and dragged me into a corner. "what's this?" she hissed and shoved a magazine in my face with Ethen and I as the front cover. " I have no clue" I replied as I snatched it from her hands and stormed over to ethen siting beside him. "I can't afford to have this, you'll be in big danger if someone sees this!" I snapped as I put the magazine in front of him and he smirked.
"Rose, I'm in no danger. And I don't see what the problem is, it's just a picture." He replied simply.
"Have you read the headline, 'who is mystery girl?' and 'are they dating?'. this isn't good, if ... this can't get out or I'm done for. just please let people know you don't like me!." I said as I could see my boss walking towards me.
With a curse I stood up and walked towards him.
"Rose, you've been turning up late and slacking off. i did you a favour by giving you this job." he said and I knew this wasn't going to end well. "you know our number one rule is not to sit and chat with customers" he added.
"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again" I said quickly and then he frowned. "damn right it won't happen again, you fired!" he said and I went to argue with him but he held up his hand and walked away.
With a curse I ripped off my apron and took off my name badge. This was my best paying job and now I had been fired. I'm going to have to cut down on my electricity, water, food and start looking for a new job...
