Unclutter, page 15
“But why? Think of the lift as thanks for the amazing present,” he said, referring to the vegetables and fruits.
I laughed. “Alright. And thank you for the ride.”
“Hey, it’s a beautiful day. Would you like to go for a picnic lunch with me? It’s just leftover food from yesterday’s party, though.”
I welcomed the thought of spending more time with Ekon and getting my mind off the unpleasant incident from this morning. “Sure, that sounds great.”
The sun was shining brightly on the soft white blankets of snow that covered the fields. The tree branches, rooftops, and everything else were covered in feathery white, matching the fluffy clouds in the winter sky. I tried to search for animal footprints in the snow like I did with my parents as a little girl, and a wave of nostalgia swept over me. I missed my parents already, and it didn’t help that everything in this town reminded me of them.
“You can skate and code. Are you interested in anything else?” Ekon asked.
“Well, I write poetry as well. I also read and binge-watch series. Plus, I recently started karate,” I replied. “How about you? What are your interests other than your culinary creations?”
“School and being a chef takes up most of my time. I like rock climbing, but I am nowhere near a pro. Other than that, thanks to my roommate, I have started binging series too,” Ekon responded. “What kind of series do you watch?”
“I like anything that catches my interest. Comedy and mysteries with a little bit of romance are my favorites.”
“I, too, like both genres. As for the romance, my roommate and I secretly watch it. We claim it’s for research purposes for future dates,” Ekon told me.
I laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with rom-com.”
Ekon laughed with me. “They are cheesy. Though I like that new author Enida.”
I squealed. “You like Enida W. Alexander too? She is my favorite!”
Ekon grinned. “I’ve read all her books. My roommate and best friend, Aat, recommended her novels to me. Now I’m hooked. But I prefer crime and action thrillers over romance any day.”
I nodded in agreement. “I love those too. We should watch crime thrillers together sometime.”
Did I just invite him on a movie date? I panicked. What if he thought I meant “movies and chill”?
“I mean, not together-together,” I justified. “But together simultaneously, separately.”
Now I was just spouting nonsense.
Ekon turned to look at me. “Together-together would be nice as well.” When our eyes met, he looked away. “Maybe we could go out to the movies sometime.”
Did Ekon blush just now, or is it my imagination? Why is my heart racing?
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. I racked my brain to say something to break the awkwardness.
Ekon spoke first. “Do you want to listen to some music?”
I nodded. “Sure. Let’s play the radio. Here, try this homemade strawberry rock candy. They’re Grammy’s specialty and I’m addicted to them.”
Ekon switched on the radio and lowered the volume. “I would never say no to anything with strawberries.”
Ekon sucked the strawberry candy and made a slurping noise. He paused for a moment and looked at me. “Pardon my rudeness, but these are irresistible.”
I handed him a tissue. “Feel free to lick your fingers. I know you want to.”
Ekon laughed. “Thanks. I’m going to befriend your grandparents for these.”
Within the next thirty minutes, we finished the entire box of candy. I turned up the volume on the radio when MyWay’s new song, “Nostalgia,” came up.
Ekon looked at me. “Do you like this band?”
I nodded. “Oh, yes, the twins from this group were my students. I tutored them in math.”
“That’s cool,” Ekon said. “So that’s why they were at your birthday party. I didn’t know they were from Duckville before that day.”
“I didn’t know you were from Duckville either,” I replied. “Didn’t you go to Strollfield High, though?”
“You seem to have dug out information about me, Tia. I don’t remember telling you that,” he teased.
My face went red, but I continued talking. “I read it in your chef bio on your café website. Everyone knows that about you.”
“I am originally from Duckville. I only moved to Strollfield during my senior year of high school,” Ekon told me.
“I don’t remember seeing you in Duckville High at all,” I said. “It’s such a small town.”
“I was an invisible kid,” Ekon replied with a shrug. He pulled over at a parking spot. “Here we are at Landfill Hill, our picnic spot. Let’s walk around for a bit and then have lunch here. What do you think?”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
We took our backpacks and started climbing up the hill. Ekon slipped, and I caught hold of his hand to help him maintain his balance. A few minutes later, I slid down the ice, and Ekon held my hand. “Are you alright?”
I nodded. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure you didn’t slip deliberately as an excuse to hold my hand? Aren’t you an expert ice skater?” Ekon teased.
I immediately let go of his hand. “You were about to fall first. Besides, I am an ice skater, not an ice walker.”
Ekon laughed and offered his hand again. I didn’t take it. He extended his hand further for me to take it. “You’re so cute when you sulk.”
I bit back a smile and held his hand. “I’m only taking care of you because you have made food for me.”
Ekon laughed again. “Thank you. I’m in your care.”
“Do you speak Japanese or Korean?” I questioned Ekon. “It’s not common to say, ‘I’m in your care’ in this part of the world.”
“Dr. Kim and Dr. Nakamura are like family to me. They say this all the time,” Ekon answered.
“You know them too? Dr. Kim is my therapist, and Dr. Nakamura kind of saved my life,” I told him, immediately regretting oversharing.
“Mi-Seon and Mio saved me as well,” Ekon stated, calling them by their first names. “I’m closer to them than my real family.”
We walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, still holding hands. When we reached the top, we saw a group of people skating. I turned to Ekon. “I would have brought my skates if I had known earlier. I could have taught you as well. Maybe next time.”
Ekon chuckled. “We seem to be planning many future dates, Tia. I’m not complaining, though.”
As if we are a real couple.
I looked away to hide my blush. “Well, I don’t mind, as long as you treat me to your food,” I joked.
Ekon laughed. “Come on, let’s eat first. Can you heat the food in the microwave oven in the cafeteria?”
I stood in line to wait for my turn. I opened the box, my curiosity getting the better of me. My mouth began to water when I saw the quesadillas and the waffle sandwiches. By the time I’d heated the food, Ekon had set everything up.
“I’m digging in. Bon appétit,” I stated.
“Itadakimasu. Jal meokkesseumnida. Smaaklike,” Ekon replied. “By the way, I said ‘thank you for the food’ in Japanese, Korean, and Afrikaans.”
I shoved him playfully. “Show-off. Do you always do this?”
He laughed and took a bite of his quesadilla. “No, I’m trying to impress you. Did it work?”
I laughed. “No, but it was cute.”
We ate the quesadillas, which were stuffed with turkey from the party. Ekon had shredded the turkey and added cheese, scallions, and other ingredients. I was surprised that the leftover meat was still juicy. I bit into the waffles that were made from mashed potatoes. They were crisp, and inside were veggies, pickles, guacamole, and sauces that I didn’t recognize.
“I hate seeing food go to waste. These were actually for my friends,” Ekon told me.
“I’m not going to apologize for finishing them,” I said.
Ekon laughed. “No, I’m glad I could share these with you. I would have ended up eating all this alone because everyone’s away for the holidays.”
We concentrated on the food for the rest of the meal. While I said “delicious,” “yum,” “this is so good,” and “I feel like a glutton right now,” Ekon evaluated his culinary skills. “The ratio of avocado to the rest of the spices in the guacamole is off.”
“I don’t find anything off,” I replied with my mouth full.
He continued criticizing all the dishes, picking on each, right down to the nitty-gritty, and I was fascinated by his knowledge of food.
“Do you always critique your food?” I asked him, wiping my mouth with a napkin.
“Yes, it helps me improve,” he answered. “I know it can be a bit much. Is it bothering you?”
I shook my head and giggled. “No, but it makes you sound like you’re fishing for compliments.”
Ekon smiled. “My friends say that, too, but I’m not. I used to write down all the points during meals. I stopped after it drove my friends crazy.”
I placed my hand on his. “I admire your passion for food. It’s inspiring.”
“Thanks.” Ekon smiled again. “How about we take a walk? Or would you prefer getting back?”
“Let’s pack up and walk,” I said.
The white snow glistened in the sun, resembling powdered diamonds. The ice skating area looked like a mirror, and we could even see our reflections. Magpies flew close to the ground, their blue wings glowing.
The view from the crest was breathtaking. We could see the snow-covered tops of trees and buildings in the town that lay below, along with white, half-frozen lakes with puddles of pristine water and gray-blue outlines of the hills near the horizon. If I were a painter, this place would have been an ideal place to create my masterpiece.
I looked at Ekon. “This place must be more beautiful in the summer.”
Ekon smiled. “Each season brings out Landfill Hill’s beauty in its way. It wouldn’t be fair to compare.”
“I’m coming back every season,” I stated.
“Oh, we definitely should,” said Ekon.
Why did such a simple promise make me so happy?
“Do you want a picture with this background?” Ekon asked.
“Why don’t we take a selfie together?” I suggested.
Then, I froze immediately in fear. I hated looking at myself in a mirror or otherwise. How was I going to pull this off without revealing my secret?
Ekon and I took a picture with our sunglasses on. I faced Ekon and avoided looking at the screen. Not wanting to let him out of my sight, I forgot my fears and removed my sunglasses and put them in my coat pocket. “I want one without these.”
Ekon removed his sunglasses, as well, and clicked a picture. I couldn’t help but gaze into his eyes that were twinkling in the sun. As always, they looked like pools of decadent chocolate. I could lose myself in them.
Ekon held my gaze. “Tia, are you done checking me out?”
“Are your eyes chocolate brown or coffee brown?” I whispered, my breath caught in my throat.
“Coffee,” he replied.
“Nope, chocolate.” I inched closer to him. “I like chocolate better.”
Ekon gently cupped my face. “How about strawberries?”
In response, I put my hands around his neck and kissed him. He kissed me back deeply. I could feel our hearts beating to the same rhythm.
It was electrifying.
It was wonderful.
It felt right.
I definitely like strawberries better.
But the most beautiful moment of my life was interrupted too soon by the sound of my phone ringing. I ignored it, but it rang again.
Groaning internally, I pulled away from our kiss. “I’m sorry. I need to take this call.” I walked a little further out before answering. “Hey, what’s up? Is it urgent?” I asked Jai.
Jai sounded furious. “Pete Hilton has been declared Strollfield University’s brand ambassador for next year. That criminal who threatened to rape you is going to represent the college. Can you believe it?”
“What? That’s awful news,” I exclaimed.
“We need to do something about this,” Jai told me.
I nodded. “Of course, we can’t let Pete represent us. Let’s meet up as soon as I’m back in Strollfield.” I hung up the call.
I looked at Ekon, who had a concerned expression on his face. “Sorry, I need to leave now.”
Ekon placed a hand on my shoulder. “Is everything alright, Tia? I can drop you.”
“No, thank you. All is well, but I need to get back to my place urgently,” I said vaguely.
I felt terrible for running away from Ekon abruptly, but I had more important things to do. I couldn’t see my harassers bask in the glory that did not belong to them.
Ekon didn’t press for details, but his face betrayed his disappointment. “Shall I at least drop you at the bus stop or the taxi stand? You have too much to carry.”
“I’ll book a cab on my phone, thanks,” I replied without looking at him. “Can you open your car trunk for me?”
Without a word, Ekon walked to the parking lot, and I followed him, tapping in my information to the cab company on the booking app. I swore under my breath for this sudden turn of events and wished I could tell him how grateful I was for today. I had truly enjoyed the ride from Strollfield and our little picnic date but there was no time for romance. I had to face reality and get back to fighting my abusers.
By the time we’d reached Ekon’s car, my ride had arrived. He offered to help me move my stuff out of his trunk, but I refused. I got everything except the produce and strawberry candy.
“You’re forgetting something,” Ekon said, handing me the bags that were meant to be his present.
“But these are for you. As a thanks for today,” I replied.
Ekon shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. They’re yours.”
I thrust them into his hands, still not meeting his eyes. “Please.”
I left without looking back.
I didn’t want to feel guiltier than I already did.
I didn’t want to see Ekon upset.
I didn’t want to give in to my heart and lose sight of my goals.
Chapter 22
The next morning, I received a text from Pete Hilton
Pete
I told you so. You mess with me, and you pay.
The text had a social media link. The thumbnail read “Shameless Tina Lauren learns her lesson for being a whore.”
It was the assault video from the fundraiser.
Without clicking on it, I blocked the number and pounded my pillow several times and screamed into it to vent out my frustration. Why? Why me? What had I done to deserve this nonsense?
Last night was terrible, and I hadn’t slept at all. To distract myself from everything else in my life, I had tried to sleep with my room door open but had failed. I ended up completing all my holiday assignments since studying was the only thing I could do without driving myself crazy. Seeing Pete’s message this morning was the last straw. I didn’t care about fighting my abusers anymore. I wanted peace.
I had a sore neck from falling asleep on my study table but had no motivation to get up. My phone rang many times, but I let it go to voicemail. But Jai kept trying my number. I sighed and finally answered it. “Hello?”
“Are you okay?” Jai asked, sounding concerned.
I wanted to say, “would you be okay in this situation?” but he continued talking.
“Sorry, that was a stupid question. What I meant was, can I do anything to make you feel better?”
“I’m exhausted,” I answered. “I’m sick and tired of this whole thing.”
“None of it is your fault.” Jai tried to console me. “Pete should be arrested for uploading that video on social media.”
“I know,” I said louder than I intended to. “But that doesn’t make any of this better.”
“Do you want me to come over?” Jai asked.
“You’re at work,” I replied. “We can meet later.”
“Alright, I’ll come over after I’m done for the day. I work morning shifts anyway. Let’s have lunch together.”
“Actually, let me come over to your place,” I offered. “Grammy and Gramps have given me a lot of food. It’s enough to last Rory and you at least until tomorrow.”
“What about Madison?”
I laughed. “Of course, I saved some for her. Are you scared of my roommate?”
“Extremely,” Jai replied, chuckling. “Especially when it comes to food.”
I felt better after chatting and joking with my best friend. I showered and packed some of Grammy’s dishes for Jai and Rory. Though Rory and I were still awkward around each other, I saved some food for him, knowing how much he loved Grammy’s cooking.
After napping for a couple hours, I took a cab to Jai’s house and called the Duckville mechanic on the way, hoping my car would be ready soon. I missed my vehicle, and taxi fares were really expensive.
I walked up the stairs of the building and knocked on the door, hoping I had the right apartment. Now that I thought about it, I had never hung out with Jai outside the university campus or the healthcare center cafeteria.
“Little Monster, welcome to our humble abode,” Jai said, opening the door.
I removed my shoes and went inside the neat and tidy place. I felt a pang when I recognized some of the furniture in their living room: the walnut-colored coffee table that now served as a TV stand and the bean bags—Rory’s.
“I like your cozy apartment,” I told Jai. “Is Rory home today?”
Jai looked a little sheepish. “About that, actually, I wanted to tell you, uh—”
“Hey, Jai, I found it. Can you believe it? I told you I would, and I did.” Rory burst into the apartment, sounding excited. His tone quietened after seeing me. “Hi, T.”
I laughed. “Alright. And thank you for the ride.”
“Hey, it’s a beautiful day. Would you like to go for a picnic lunch with me? It’s just leftover food from yesterday’s party, though.”
I welcomed the thought of spending more time with Ekon and getting my mind off the unpleasant incident from this morning. “Sure, that sounds great.”
The sun was shining brightly on the soft white blankets of snow that covered the fields. The tree branches, rooftops, and everything else were covered in feathery white, matching the fluffy clouds in the winter sky. I tried to search for animal footprints in the snow like I did with my parents as a little girl, and a wave of nostalgia swept over me. I missed my parents already, and it didn’t help that everything in this town reminded me of them.
“You can skate and code. Are you interested in anything else?” Ekon asked.
“Well, I write poetry as well. I also read and binge-watch series. Plus, I recently started karate,” I replied. “How about you? What are your interests other than your culinary creations?”
“School and being a chef takes up most of my time. I like rock climbing, but I am nowhere near a pro. Other than that, thanks to my roommate, I have started binging series too,” Ekon responded. “What kind of series do you watch?”
“I like anything that catches my interest. Comedy and mysteries with a little bit of romance are my favorites.”
“I, too, like both genres. As for the romance, my roommate and I secretly watch it. We claim it’s for research purposes for future dates,” Ekon told me.
I laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with rom-com.”
Ekon laughed with me. “They are cheesy. Though I like that new author Enida.”
I squealed. “You like Enida W. Alexander too? She is my favorite!”
Ekon grinned. “I’ve read all her books. My roommate and best friend, Aat, recommended her novels to me. Now I’m hooked. But I prefer crime and action thrillers over romance any day.”
I nodded in agreement. “I love those too. We should watch crime thrillers together sometime.”
Did I just invite him on a movie date? I panicked. What if he thought I meant “movies and chill”?
“I mean, not together-together,” I justified. “But together simultaneously, separately.”
Now I was just spouting nonsense.
Ekon turned to look at me. “Together-together would be nice as well.” When our eyes met, he looked away. “Maybe we could go out to the movies sometime.”
Did Ekon blush just now, or is it my imagination? Why is my heart racing?
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. I racked my brain to say something to break the awkwardness.
Ekon spoke first. “Do you want to listen to some music?”
I nodded. “Sure. Let’s play the radio. Here, try this homemade strawberry rock candy. They’re Grammy’s specialty and I’m addicted to them.”
Ekon switched on the radio and lowered the volume. “I would never say no to anything with strawberries.”
Ekon sucked the strawberry candy and made a slurping noise. He paused for a moment and looked at me. “Pardon my rudeness, but these are irresistible.”
I handed him a tissue. “Feel free to lick your fingers. I know you want to.”
Ekon laughed. “Thanks. I’m going to befriend your grandparents for these.”
Within the next thirty minutes, we finished the entire box of candy. I turned up the volume on the radio when MyWay’s new song, “Nostalgia,” came up.
Ekon looked at me. “Do you like this band?”
I nodded. “Oh, yes, the twins from this group were my students. I tutored them in math.”
“That’s cool,” Ekon said. “So that’s why they were at your birthday party. I didn’t know they were from Duckville before that day.”
“I didn’t know you were from Duckville either,” I replied. “Didn’t you go to Strollfield High, though?”
“You seem to have dug out information about me, Tia. I don’t remember telling you that,” he teased.
My face went red, but I continued talking. “I read it in your chef bio on your café website. Everyone knows that about you.”
“I am originally from Duckville. I only moved to Strollfield during my senior year of high school,” Ekon told me.
“I don’t remember seeing you in Duckville High at all,” I said. “It’s such a small town.”
“I was an invisible kid,” Ekon replied with a shrug. He pulled over at a parking spot. “Here we are at Landfill Hill, our picnic spot. Let’s walk around for a bit and then have lunch here. What do you think?”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
We took our backpacks and started climbing up the hill. Ekon slipped, and I caught hold of his hand to help him maintain his balance. A few minutes later, I slid down the ice, and Ekon held my hand. “Are you alright?”
I nodded. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure you didn’t slip deliberately as an excuse to hold my hand? Aren’t you an expert ice skater?” Ekon teased.
I immediately let go of his hand. “You were about to fall first. Besides, I am an ice skater, not an ice walker.”
Ekon laughed and offered his hand again. I didn’t take it. He extended his hand further for me to take it. “You’re so cute when you sulk.”
I bit back a smile and held his hand. “I’m only taking care of you because you have made food for me.”
Ekon laughed again. “Thank you. I’m in your care.”
“Do you speak Japanese or Korean?” I questioned Ekon. “It’s not common to say, ‘I’m in your care’ in this part of the world.”
“Dr. Kim and Dr. Nakamura are like family to me. They say this all the time,” Ekon answered.
“You know them too? Dr. Kim is my therapist, and Dr. Nakamura kind of saved my life,” I told him, immediately regretting oversharing.
“Mi-Seon and Mio saved me as well,” Ekon stated, calling them by their first names. “I’m closer to them than my real family.”
We walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, still holding hands. When we reached the top, we saw a group of people skating. I turned to Ekon. “I would have brought my skates if I had known earlier. I could have taught you as well. Maybe next time.”
Ekon chuckled. “We seem to be planning many future dates, Tia. I’m not complaining, though.”
As if we are a real couple.
I looked away to hide my blush. “Well, I don’t mind, as long as you treat me to your food,” I joked.
Ekon laughed. “Come on, let’s eat first. Can you heat the food in the microwave oven in the cafeteria?”
I stood in line to wait for my turn. I opened the box, my curiosity getting the better of me. My mouth began to water when I saw the quesadillas and the waffle sandwiches. By the time I’d heated the food, Ekon had set everything up.
“I’m digging in. Bon appétit,” I stated.
“Itadakimasu. Jal meokkesseumnida. Smaaklike,” Ekon replied. “By the way, I said ‘thank you for the food’ in Japanese, Korean, and Afrikaans.”
I shoved him playfully. “Show-off. Do you always do this?”
He laughed and took a bite of his quesadilla. “No, I’m trying to impress you. Did it work?”
I laughed. “No, but it was cute.”
We ate the quesadillas, which were stuffed with turkey from the party. Ekon had shredded the turkey and added cheese, scallions, and other ingredients. I was surprised that the leftover meat was still juicy. I bit into the waffles that were made from mashed potatoes. They were crisp, and inside were veggies, pickles, guacamole, and sauces that I didn’t recognize.
“I hate seeing food go to waste. These were actually for my friends,” Ekon told me.
“I’m not going to apologize for finishing them,” I said.
Ekon laughed. “No, I’m glad I could share these with you. I would have ended up eating all this alone because everyone’s away for the holidays.”
We concentrated on the food for the rest of the meal. While I said “delicious,” “yum,” “this is so good,” and “I feel like a glutton right now,” Ekon evaluated his culinary skills. “The ratio of avocado to the rest of the spices in the guacamole is off.”
“I don’t find anything off,” I replied with my mouth full.
He continued criticizing all the dishes, picking on each, right down to the nitty-gritty, and I was fascinated by his knowledge of food.
“Do you always critique your food?” I asked him, wiping my mouth with a napkin.
“Yes, it helps me improve,” he answered. “I know it can be a bit much. Is it bothering you?”
I shook my head and giggled. “No, but it makes you sound like you’re fishing for compliments.”
Ekon smiled. “My friends say that, too, but I’m not. I used to write down all the points during meals. I stopped after it drove my friends crazy.”
I placed my hand on his. “I admire your passion for food. It’s inspiring.”
“Thanks.” Ekon smiled again. “How about we take a walk? Or would you prefer getting back?”
“Let’s pack up and walk,” I said.
The white snow glistened in the sun, resembling powdered diamonds. The ice skating area looked like a mirror, and we could even see our reflections. Magpies flew close to the ground, their blue wings glowing.
The view from the crest was breathtaking. We could see the snow-covered tops of trees and buildings in the town that lay below, along with white, half-frozen lakes with puddles of pristine water and gray-blue outlines of the hills near the horizon. If I were a painter, this place would have been an ideal place to create my masterpiece.
I looked at Ekon. “This place must be more beautiful in the summer.”
Ekon smiled. “Each season brings out Landfill Hill’s beauty in its way. It wouldn’t be fair to compare.”
“I’m coming back every season,” I stated.
“Oh, we definitely should,” said Ekon.
Why did such a simple promise make me so happy?
“Do you want a picture with this background?” Ekon asked.
“Why don’t we take a selfie together?” I suggested.
Then, I froze immediately in fear. I hated looking at myself in a mirror or otherwise. How was I going to pull this off without revealing my secret?
Ekon and I took a picture with our sunglasses on. I faced Ekon and avoided looking at the screen. Not wanting to let him out of my sight, I forgot my fears and removed my sunglasses and put them in my coat pocket. “I want one without these.”
Ekon removed his sunglasses, as well, and clicked a picture. I couldn’t help but gaze into his eyes that were twinkling in the sun. As always, they looked like pools of decadent chocolate. I could lose myself in them.
Ekon held my gaze. “Tia, are you done checking me out?”
“Are your eyes chocolate brown or coffee brown?” I whispered, my breath caught in my throat.
“Coffee,” he replied.
“Nope, chocolate.” I inched closer to him. “I like chocolate better.”
Ekon gently cupped my face. “How about strawberries?”
In response, I put my hands around his neck and kissed him. He kissed me back deeply. I could feel our hearts beating to the same rhythm.
It was electrifying.
It was wonderful.
It felt right.
I definitely like strawberries better.
But the most beautiful moment of my life was interrupted too soon by the sound of my phone ringing. I ignored it, but it rang again.
Groaning internally, I pulled away from our kiss. “I’m sorry. I need to take this call.” I walked a little further out before answering. “Hey, what’s up? Is it urgent?” I asked Jai.
Jai sounded furious. “Pete Hilton has been declared Strollfield University’s brand ambassador for next year. That criminal who threatened to rape you is going to represent the college. Can you believe it?”
“What? That’s awful news,” I exclaimed.
“We need to do something about this,” Jai told me.
I nodded. “Of course, we can’t let Pete represent us. Let’s meet up as soon as I’m back in Strollfield.” I hung up the call.
I looked at Ekon, who had a concerned expression on his face. “Sorry, I need to leave now.”
Ekon placed a hand on my shoulder. “Is everything alright, Tia? I can drop you.”
“No, thank you. All is well, but I need to get back to my place urgently,” I said vaguely.
I felt terrible for running away from Ekon abruptly, but I had more important things to do. I couldn’t see my harassers bask in the glory that did not belong to them.
Ekon didn’t press for details, but his face betrayed his disappointment. “Shall I at least drop you at the bus stop or the taxi stand? You have too much to carry.”
“I’ll book a cab on my phone, thanks,” I replied without looking at him. “Can you open your car trunk for me?”
Without a word, Ekon walked to the parking lot, and I followed him, tapping in my information to the cab company on the booking app. I swore under my breath for this sudden turn of events and wished I could tell him how grateful I was for today. I had truly enjoyed the ride from Strollfield and our little picnic date but there was no time for romance. I had to face reality and get back to fighting my abusers.
By the time we’d reached Ekon’s car, my ride had arrived. He offered to help me move my stuff out of his trunk, but I refused. I got everything except the produce and strawberry candy.
“You’re forgetting something,” Ekon said, handing me the bags that were meant to be his present.
“But these are for you. As a thanks for today,” I replied.
Ekon shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. They’re yours.”
I thrust them into his hands, still not meeting his eyes. “Please.”
I left without looking back.
I didn’t want to feel guiltier than I already did.
I didn’t want to see Ekon upset.
I didn’t want to give in to my heart and lose sight of my goals.
Chapter 22
The next morning, I received a text from Pete Hilton
Pete
I told you so. You mess with me, and you pay.
The text had a social media link. The thumbnail read “Shameless Tina Lauren learns her lesson for being a whore.”
It was the assault video from the fundraiser.
Without clicking on it, I blocked the number and pounded my pillow several times and screamed into it to vent out my frustration. Why? Why me? What had I done to deserve this nonsense?
Last night was terrible, and I hadn’t slept at all. To distract myself from everything else in my life, I had tried to sleep with my room door open but had failed. I ended up completing all my holiday assignments since studying was the only thing I could do without driving myself crazy. Seeing Pete’s message this morning was the last straw. I didn’t care about fighting my abusers anymore. I wanted peace.
I had a sore neck from falling asleep on my study table but had no motivation to get up. My phone rang many times, but I let it go to voicemail. But Jai kept trying my number. I sighed and finally answered it. “Hello?”
“Are you okay?” Jai asked, sounding concerned.
I wanted to say, “would you be okay in this situation?” but he continued talking.
“Sorry, that was a stupid question. What I meant was, can I do anything to make you feel better?”
“I’m exhausted,” I answered. “I’m sick and tired of this whole thing.”
“None of it is your fault.” Jai tried to console me. “Pete should be arrested for uploading that video on social media.”
“I know,” I said louder than I intended to. “But that doesn’t make any of this better.”
“Do you want me to come over?” Jai asked.
“You’re at work,” I replied. “We can meet later.”
“Alright, I’ll come over after I’m done for the day. I work morning shifts anyway. Let’s have lunch together.”
“Actually, let me come over to your place,” I offered. “Grammy and Gramps have given me a lot of food. It’s enough to last Rory and you at least until tomorrow.”
“What about Madison?”
I laughed. “Of course, I saved some for her. Are you scared of my roommate?”
“Extremely,” Jai replied, chuckling. “Especially when it comes to food.”
I felt better after chatting and joking with my best friend. I showered and packed some of Grammy’s dishes for Jai and Rory. Though Rory and I were still awkward around each other, I saved some food for him, knowing how much he loved Grammy’s cooking.
After napping for a couple hours, I took a cab to Jai’s house and called the Duckville mechanic on the way, hoping my car would be ready soon. I missed my vehicle, and taxi fares were really expensive.
I walked up the stairs of the building and knocked on the door, hoping I had the right apartment. Now that I thought about it, I had never hung out with Jai outside the university campus or the healthcare center cafeteria.
“Little Monster, welcome to our humble abode,” Jai said, opening the door.
I removed my shoes and went inside the neat and tidy place. I felt a pang when I recognized some of the furniture in their living room: the walnut-colored coffee table that now served as a TV stand and the bean bags—Rory’s.
“I like your cozy apartment,” I told Jai. “Is Rory home today?”
Jai looked a little sheepish. “About that, actually, I wanted to tell you, uh—”
“Hey, Jai, I found it. Can you believe it? I told you I would, and I did.” Rory burst into the apartment, sounding excited. His tone quietened after seeing me. “Hi, T.”
