Morrisa

Chapter 3

I placed the order of the elderly couple, gave them a polite smile, and walked back to the kitchen. Working in the restaurant was easy. I already knew some serving etiquettes, which I had learned from mother.

"Marie?"

My boss called for me. I went towards him. "Yes, sir?"

"How are you going home?" he asked.

"By walking sir."

"By walking? At such an hour? It is not safe dear... for a lonely girl like you." he said. My boss was in his late thirties and was a bachelor to date. His ex-wife had run away with her lover. He had not been in a relationship since then. "Do one thing, pack your things and wait outside. I'll drop you home."

Me being the good girl I am said, "But sir, my shift is not over yet."

"I am leaving you early. Now go and pack your things." he shooed me off. I did as I was told.

Minutes later I was standing outside in the freezing weather. A car pulled up before me. The window rolled down and my boss came into view. I went around the car and sat in the passenger's seat. Warm air struck my face and I let out a soft moan. The engine revved to life and we took off. I stared out of the window into the dark night sky. It was the full moon.

I felt a hand on my knees. I instantly looked at my boss. He had a wicked grin on his face. He removed his hand and I glared at him. I looked out of the window. He took the wrong turn. I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion.

"We took the wrong turn!" I informed my boss.

"No dear, it is the right one." he said without moving his eyes from the road. I opened my mouth to say but was cut off. "This is the shortcut. Plus, I have some stuff to take care of on this road."

Something about him was not right. My intuitions told me not to trust him and go alone. "Sir, please just drop me here. I'll go by myself from here. It's not too far from here." I said. But he did not budge. He did not make any motion of pulling over. "Please, Mr. Ferguson pull the car over."

"No darling, I'll drop you safe and sound." his voice had a noticeable edginess to it. Goosebumps covered my hand.

"I insist sir. Please let me get down. "I knew there was no point in pleading. I moved the hand towards the handle. But it was locked. It was an old-style car so the lock could be opened by the passenger. I opened the lock but he grabbed my hand.

"I told you to sit quietly. Why don't you obey me, like you always do? Like you do with every other elder in town. Aren't you the 'good girl'?" he laughed and his voice slurred. His hand made its way up near my breast. I slapped his hand away. With the other hand, I punched him in the face. His cheeks started bleeding as he was thrown back to the window. I took the opportunity to open the door. I unlocked the door and leaped out. I was thrown on the ground. My palms, elbows, and knees scratched the ground. The car was long gone ahead.

He can come back.

The thought creeped me out. I, somehow, managed to stand up and ran. Ran up till I was before my new house. I unlocked the door and dragged myself to my room and fell on the bed. My elbows and knees were bleeding. My palms were burning.

The cost I had to pay for being good. I scoffed. Now the word good girl left a terribly bitter taste in my mouth. Tears welled in my eyes. I threatened them to fall. I blinked them back. I was not going to let people walk all over me. Being good did not help me in any way. It just made me an easy lay for the motherfuckers.

"Marie?"

I instantly sat up to see Caitlin on the doorway. Her face was laced with worry. Her eyes wandered to my elbows, and the torn jeans. She walked up to me and sat beside me.

"He is jailed."

I looked up at her and knitted my eyebrows. "Who?"

"Mr. Ferguson" she said nonchalantly.

"How-"

"We were right in front of you when you leapt from the car. Ferguson escaped but Jean and I filed a complaint against him to the sheriff. The sheriff locked him in." she completed. I nodded an okay and went into the washroom. I washed and changed. I came back out she was still there but with a first aid box this time.

She motioned me to sit beside her. I hesitated but sat eventually. She brought the cotton dipped in spirit towards me. I leaned away from it, but she gave me a stern look and then continued dressing. The way she did the job, reminded me of an elder sister. A sister I never had. Tears threatened to fall again but I fought them back. I am not a damsel in distress. I will shed no tear. Took a deep breathe at the vow and concentrated on the matter at hand. My job. I won't work at that restaurant now. I had to find a new job and that too quick.

I hissed in pain when Caitlin dabbled the wound on my knee. She mumbled a 'sorry' with such pain as if she was the one who was hurt. I stared at her while she wiped and applied ointments. Her hands moved gracefully and gently. Trying her best to not hurt me. Nobody has ever done this to me. Not even mother. The lady right here beside me had earned the greatest respect ever within moments. Abandoned by my family, hell! They were not even my real family. That was when my thoughts wandered to what dad had said. I was found in the jungle in a fruit basket. How did I even reach there? Why would my biological parents abandon me?

Stupid, sappy, self-pitying thoughts had accumulated my brain. I would have to remove them. Today, I make a decision,

Never will I ever let my past consume me. Never would I ever shed a mere tear for them. I would stand with my head held high and square shoulders. Never ever would I let anybody walk over me. From now on, I would be the real me. Far gone would be the good girl. What remains is the bold, powerful girl with a head of her own. The world, the gossip may go to the nearest dumping yard.

I vowed to myself. I couldn't hide the ugly snarl on my face. I was so consumed in my thoughts that I did not register when Caitlin left.
I fell back into bed and went to sleep.

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Hola folks! This is all for today! I know it's short but it's an early update! Thanks for reading!

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Jess