SIN

The Gift

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November, Monday

Melanie

I wish I didn't get my car.

That's the first thought that comes to my mind, literally, as I sit in my car staring at my phone. It is as though the car brought bad luck, because as soon as I opened it, very happily may I add, my phone dinged with a message from a number that I certainly thought I'd block.

Maybe Marcus: Babyy imy so mch beautiful. we need 2tlk
Maybe Marcus: Plz Melanie
Maybe Marcus: I need u

The more he texts, the more knots I feel in my stomach, and I know it won't be long before I'm throwing up in my sister's driveway. I quickly slap a hand over my mouth when I feel the bile level up higher in my throat. Today was going to be a wonderful day. I woke up and didn't have to go to school, Melissa left me breakfast with my car keys next to the plate. My mother and I had a girl's day out, and even though later on that day I walked in on my mom and my dad having facetime sex, it was still going to be a good day. I asked my mother to go out to see Jeremiah, and I was granted permission.

It was definitely going to be a good day. Until I unlocked my car, sat in the driver's seat and inhaled the faint scent of weed mixed with perfume, that my day went to absolute poop emoji.

I guess the saying, "All great things must come to an end" certainly applied to me today. As soon as I opened those freaking messages, my good day came to an absolute end quick.

Marcus: babyy plz respond

After reading that next one, my stomach could no longer handle it, whatever it was, I fling the door open just in time to throw up the delicious lunch I had with my mother earlier. It hasn't even been a full two hours since I consumed it. Dammit Marcus!

I spend a few more minutes heaving over the ground before finally entering my head back in the car and laying it against the headrest. "Jesus Christ" I sigh, reaching for the water bottle that I brought in the car and twisting off the cap to rinse out the taste of vomit. After doing it a few times and spitting it out, I reach for my purse in the passenger's seat and seek for the pack of gum that I always keep in there.

As soon as I start my engine, and prepare myself to back out of the driveway, my phone starts to ring. Without reading the caller ID, I swipe my thumb across the screen and answer.

"LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE MARCUS! GO TO HELL! LITERALLY, IT HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOU! GO TO FREAKING HELL AND LEAVE MY AS-"

"Whoah Melanie! It's me! Jeremiah" The deep, baritone voice of the man that was certainly not Marcus, speaks through the phone, completely startling me and causing me to drop my phone.

"Oh sh*t" I whisper to myself in complete embarrassement. Damn that wasn't Marcus! It wasn't Marcus! I place a hand over my burning forehead, and the other against my pounding heartbeat. Why didn't I check the caller ID again?

"Hello? Are you there?" I faintly hear from somewhere. Suddenly I realize that I dropped my phone through the crack of the seat.

"Um, yea" I bang my head on the staring wheel from trying to look under the seat too fast. "OUCHH!!" I shout in agony. Are you freaking kidding me? Stars float behind my eyelids and I feel light headed all of a sudden.

"Are you alright?"

Nope, apparently I just can't stop embarrassing myself where you're involved. Is what I want to say, but complied to just massaging my soon-to-be-bruised forehead. "I'm fine"