I rubbed my leg against the other and took a step back while I tied my hair in a pony tail, trying to distract him from asking me again. But he did.
“I don’t like to repeat my question girls. I want them answers now” he said firmly, only this time. He sat his ass on one of the boxes. Good things it wasn’t unpacked yet, or else his bottom would be sinking right in the middle surface of the box.
“I’m not doing this” Chloe said while stomping big steps across the carpet, and excused herself while watching her headed out the door, made Tyler followed her instantly. I was already sweating like a pig, everyone was eyeing on me. And I could not deal with it anymore but just cleared out the air. “Nothing Mr Hampton, just some personal matters. Promise this won’t ever happen again. And ....
“We would do better” continued May, gliding herself right beside me smiling showing off her teeth. I could tell she was faking it, but I just fell for it for the sake of getting ourselves out of trouble. “ Alright then, I expect you girls to clean up this mess” he looked over to the stain that was calling out to him on the carpet floor. I kicked one of the boxes and it covered up the stain just a tad bit, but I was too late. “ And I expect my expensive imported carpets to be well cleaned and vacuumed.” He smirked and walked out the door.
I looked over to May, she was still smiling. It was rather annoying to have someone fake that they’re okay when you know deep inside they’re never were. I kept questioning myself instead of pretending I was a psychiatrist trying to give her some advice to redeem her true self again. I just watched May as he continued unpacking, not saying a word. I felt guilty there and then already but there’s nothing that I could do. Thanks to Chloe’s big mouth.
“What happened?” Leon sat on the couch near the counter, and focused on my every move trying to get the stain of the syrup off the carpet floor. I wring out the water and some of the droplets sprinkled to my face. I needed a bath so badly that I just wanted to pour the whole pail of water on top of me. I leaned and crawl, while humming a song to myself. Brushing off the stains roughly
“Need help?”Leon asked again, crawling on to the carpet and crossed his legs, sitting next to me.” It’s okay, I’m fine with this” brushing it harder that time.
“What happen to your....” I looked down to my thigh that was covered up with layers of cloth stripe bandages earlier and quickly covered it up, putting the pail right in front of Leon so that he wouldn’t see. Distracting his own view, he lifted the pail and put it away and asked again “Did you burn yourself Lea?” he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him, I was too stubborn to move my body over the other side. So he came over and leaned next to me instead. His eyes still keeping an eye closely on my thigh that really made me felt very shy to have someone look at you that way.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ve paid a visit to the doctor down the street and he gave me some medications earlier. The pain will ware off.” I pushed his face away to quit him from looking at my thigh that made me felt really insecure and hated myself for wearing short skirt that day. “ Let me do it” he took the brush from me and started brushing off the stains, I just stared at him, folding my legs against the other and admiring the ways of a gentlemen right in front of me.
“Alright, I’m done.” May came out from the back with two big black garbage bags. “Anything else?” she looked around with her arm pressed on her waist.
I looked over at her and realize she was still faking her emotions. Her red nose that was showed earlier had now faded to pale white flesh. And her eyes from watery went to dry as the sands in beaches. I was curious enough to walk over to her and asked her a stupid question. “ You okay?” I took the garbage bags from her hands.
“ Of course I am, Why wouldn’t I be?” she nodded and gave out a smile again. I bit my lips as she looked at the time saying that she had to be home for dinner. It was only 7pm, and to me, 7 pm was the earliest we ever had to go home on a weekend. She took her bags and put her coat around her, while waving goodbye to me and Leon that was still stunned.
“ She seems to be in a hurry” he got up on his foot, putting the pail and the brush together on the counter, watching May leave the store. “After what happened today,..” I stopped. “ I wouldn’t stand a minute here either” I continued.
Only I and Leon was at the store, and Chloe was nowhere to be found. All I know is, she could be somewhere in a pub with Tyler drinking all her problems away. I wouldn’t have the slightest idea on how to talk to her after what had happened. Not only she betrayed me, but she hurt May. She really did. But knowing Chloe, she isn’t those who like backing down, and neither do I. As our egos got more huge the older we get, we promised not to argue with each other because it wouldn’t be taken as a fling but it would be good god serious to turn into cold war that in need for internal determination. I imagined myself in a corner, where sorry was just a couple of steps away, and love is only a couple of seconds away. Making people forgive and forget. Making people more matured that I thought that can ever happen that way. But nothing was too good to be true. Nothing was even true enough to be in my belief story. Only make beliefs.
“Need a ride home?” Leon was already reaching in his pockets searching for his keys, and tossing them up and down in his palms, already waited in front of the door waiting for me. No one was around, and the keys to the store are left for me to be in charge, so whether I like it or not, I had to be the one to lock the whole place up and keeping it safe and sound. Looking after it like a baby, Mr. Hampton’s baby.
“ Nah, you go ahead. Thanks for the stain thing. Appreciate it.” looked down to the carpet that looked almost brand new, spotless, couldn’t even tell that there was a stain before. “You sure? I don’t mind you know” asked again.
“It’s fine. Drive safe home alright? I’ll close early today anyway” look around the store, all surrounded by nothing with just half unpacked boxes and those crooked rags that looked like those scary hollow trees that were out to get me. I was totally scaring myself. The gloomy skies that surrounded by lightning bolts all crashing into one bundle of rain droplets down, barely could see any clear open air. Leon turned around back to me, thinking I would change my mind into going back along with him according to the weather report that I was having. But I waved at him continuously while waving him goodbye.
The store that was just across the road, beside the coffee hut was having trouble chasing their apples and oranges that went rolling down the streets because of the strong wind that came blowing right through the stack of fruits. An old lady struggling with her umbrella in one arm, while the other holding on to her poodle which kept barking. Everyone was hassling to get into their car, and just drive back home. Sitting on a warm couch, with someone they love cuddling up their sleeves while having a hot cup of coco. Putting on some old long colourful socks and just dig under warm comfy sheets, would be a nice way to go.
I kept everything neat and tidy in a jiff, didn’t really had the mood to be doing all those decorations without anyone’s help around. So I took off just as I finished laying out all the clothing’s.
“Honey, how was work today?” dad came in the hall, putting down his suitcase just right on top of the coffee table, blinding my view when I was watching television with Jeff. Spongebob Squarepants was on, and I always get to be Patrick, because Jeff insist that I’ll be the dumb pink one, while he gets to pick the main character and he does love to wear yellow. So we made a deal for every cartoons to be picked out. “It was okay” answering lazily and covered my face with the pillow while tossing the remote control to the other side of the couch, almost hitting Jeff in the chest. “Sorry bro!” took a peek at the edge of the pillow. Mum standing there giving me a look.” What happened to your leg!?” she lifted my skirt.
“ What?It’s nothing really” I said, feeling so annoyed. “I supposed something happened today?” Dad and Mum say the words so clearly that it echoed it my mind repeatedly.
“You can say that...” I got up and crossed both my legs while hugging the pillow tight, facing my head down low. “What happened? Wanna talk about it?” mum pushed my hair over behind my ears, leaving the others still flowing down my face, blocking one of my eyes.
“It’s complicated Mum; I don’t find the need to explain everything today. I’m just really really tired.” Dad came and asked me to scotched over as he landed his bottom right beside me, while untying his tie that seem rather tight, like it was actually alive to strangle him. I leaned my head on my dad’s shoulders that was really high for me to even reach it, lucky for me. He slides down just a little lower for me to reach it, and pat my head softly.
“I’m really tired today. Can we talk about this tomorrow.” Keeping one eye close and faking a smile. Jeff in the background was making noises and he giggled his way off watching Spongebob. I was about to land my head on my dad’s thigh. Someone was at the door ringing the door bell repeatedly.
Without having anyone decides who to get the door, mum was already at it. I breathe in and tried to continue my sleep.
“ Lea, someone wants to see you” I didn’t open my eyes but waved my hand sideways “ ask whoever to go away. I’m tired !” dad still patting on my head.
“ Lea?” a voice that sounded familiar enough to make me drop from the couch. I grabbed back the pillow that was tossed away from me and looked up above me. There stood May, nodding her head down, her face was barely showing as her hair was all over the place. “I need you “she said softly. I grabbed her by her shoulders, and took her upstairs to my room. There we sat under the fan that was spinning like a tornado. A complete silence, and me just waited for May to speak up.
“It’s horrible! “she said to me, breathless. She was sniffling; no crying and she kept hugging onto my bed sheets. “ I can’t believe this is happening “ she continued. In the back of my mind, I was thinking about Jeremy. No one else could make her feel like this before. No one else, but I kept my bad thoughts to myself. “ He broke up with me, “ she said, sobbing “ That bastard, he broke up with me over the phone. Just a few minutes ago.”
“Jeremy?” who else would it be right? I pictured him and May having their last argument at the end of the call that ended recklessly into a break up mode.
“Yes” looking straight at me with her eyes going all red. “ I can’t deal with this” she pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her hands.
“ May “ I reached out to put my arm around her, unsure of how to act or what to say. This was the first time it had happened to someone close to me. This was the first time I had to deal with May’s first love break up. “ I’m so sorry to hear that” the only words that I’ve thought of saying that know wouldn’t go wrong.
“I’d been calling him so much after I left, but he never did answer. I wanted to ask him about the thing you and Chloe was arguing about. Whether it was true or isn’t” she said, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. I swallowed my saliva as I heard she said me and Chloe’s name, flashing back the scene. Thinking about what Jeremy told me before. “And?” I said
“ I was leaving all these messages...” she stopped and wiped her eyes. “ And he called up tell me he’s so done with us. Saying that I don’t understand him, telling me that I’m better off without him! “ she covered her eyes with both her palms, sobbing louder this time.
“ He’s a jerk,” I said defensively, hearing that judging tone in my own voice.
“ He was hoping I’d lose interest....Why couldn’t he see, how much I love him Lea? How much I would do for a guy like him. He completes me Lea. He is everything!” she punched my pillow hard, and I did the same only the difference was imagining Jeremy’s face on it. I was angry with the way he treated May. Such a bastard I would call, throwing away someone so fragile as May.
“I can’t go through this. I’m weak Lea, I’m not strong. I never was.” She made little hiccupping noises, bumpy sobs. I kept patting her shoulder, trying to help. “Why am I so stupid” blaming herself was the last of it.
“ He’s an asshole.” I could see Jeremy, someone I thought I could trust before. Now back into my hater list. Lurking at the end of a telephone line, mouthing the words I wanna break-up to May. I hated Jeremy, now.
“It’s so awful,” she said, resting her head against m shoulder and sobbing full strength, while I cupped my arm around her head and held her close. “It hurts”
I’d never really been in love, I deal with crushes during high schools, people admiring me from far. Sending me love notes, all those secretive cupid shit. But I’d never really been in love, I wasn’t sure what is it. Where it lies, how it felt. I know the ways of admiring someone. Just like how I admire Leon. But right then, I wasn’t even sure if what I was having with Leon was something to be called Love. I never felt that surge of feeling or that fall from its graces, to be safe in someone else arms. I only watch those close to me weathered them. Just like May for instance. But watching what she has to deal with now. Making me back away more now from all those four letter words.
“ It’ll be okay” try to erase all the pain she’s going through, rubbing her shoulders, keeping her warm with my bed covers around her.
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