Agatha
The smell of popcorn greeted me when I entered the studio type apartment I rented with Marvin and Stacey two weeks ago. And again, my stomach grumbles, reminding me of the last time I ate for today, which was early this morning before I got out for my morning run. I ignored my stomach and walked towards the living room, only to find Marvin and Stacey in front of the TV, watching with a bowl of popcorn between them.
They both look surprised when they saw me. The bowl of popcorn fell on the floor when Stacey stood up immediately, cluttering the well-mopped floor. The floor I personally mopped two days ago,
"Agatha, you- you're back," Stacey stated the obvious.
I noticed she's on her nightgown looking as sexy as always. No wonder Marvin liked her so much, she sashayed with it every morning. Tempting the beast in him and she won.
"I'm just here to grab my things. The apartment is all yours now." I said.
"Where will you stay? You don't know anyone here Agatha." It's Marvin.
"Wow the concern, huh?" I chuckled.
"We can't avoid the fact that it's a place where you've never been before." He said.
"And you think it's better for me to stay here? You know what, it feels safer outside than here! I never thought I will be surrounded by snakes."
"Watch your mouth sweetheart," Marvin warned. Stacey held his arm.
"Oh really? I'd better say watch your mouth lover boy! Watch where it's roaming!" I can feel the heat of anger inside me. I've been emotionally abused all my life and I won't let them do it now. Before I give up, I have to at least fight.
"Agatha you don't understand-" Stacey's voice trailed off.
"Oh yes, I don't Stacey! I don't understand and I will never understand why my best friend on all the earth did these to me! I don't understand why you left me! You were supposed to be the person I'll go to when he cheats but I never thought he'll cheat on me with you!"
"We- we fell in love and we're too afraid to tell you that knowing it will hurt you-" Marvin tried to explain but failed.
"And what do you think you are doing now asshole?! Do you think I'm not hurting? I am! And it hurts so bad that I regretted trusting both of you and it hurts so bad that even the smallest amount of love I have now was gone too!" I pushed him in the chest. He's too strong for me and too big that I know even how much I push he will not fall.
"I'm sorry Agatha." Stacey is now crying. The audacity to cry! She sat on the couch and sobbed continuously.
"You should be," I said in a low voice before I went inside my room. For a while, I cried some more as I pack my things as fast as I could. I decided to change my clothes. Grateful for the small amount of warmth I felt when I wore my mom's old sweater. I grabbed my phone and my parents' picture on my bedside table and went outside.
"Agatha, I'll give back the money I owe you. It's your savings and-"
"No! I won't accept a penny from you Martin. Let's just pretend we never even met. And Stacey" I looked in her direction still crying in silence.
I can't understand why she's crying. I was the one who got betrayed, cheated on. I was the one who walked in the cold winter night. I was the one who is hungry. I was rejected in an interview. I was the one who's supposed to be crying.
"Friendship Over" I smiled sadly that made her bawl in tears.
"Agatha," Marvin called me out.
I looked around, saw his handsome face and I felt nothing but anger and regret. Marvin, how could he do this to me? "I love you." He said.
"Until when?" I asked, pained.
"I do love you."
"But that love isn't enough to settle with me, right? I get it." I turned to walk away again.
"Agatha, baby!" Marvin called me again and it hurts my feelings more than ever. I turned and gave him a glare he will never forget.
"Don't you dare call me that or even call my name again, you fucker." I bravely said and pointed my finger at him.
He raised both of his arms in surrender and sigh. "I'm sorry." He said.
"Fuck off!" I blurted before walking the remaining steps to the front door.
I tied my coat around my waist tighter and wore my bonnet. When I opened the door, I wasn't just greeted by a cold chilling night wind, but a pair of dark grey smoldering eyes too.
"You," I whispered.
His expression is too cloudy to predict but somewhere in his face, I noticed a stray of anger. He didn't say a word. He just stood there in front of me. Staring intently on my face.
How long have you been here? Did you hear anything? Did you know? Those are the things I wanted to ask but can't. I felt my jaw tightens, my heart beats abruptly, and I felt my body warming and warming as each second's pass.
The next thing I knew, I felt the ground shaking and the world revolving. His face is starting to warp in my vision. I blink twice trying to suppress the dizziness I'm feeling and hold him still in my gaze but with no luck, the world turns black and it crumbles around me.
The last thing I can recall, strong arms uphold me. And he whispered in my ear the words I was dying to hear from someone the whole day "I got you."
Shawn
It's been thirty minutes but I haven't recovered yet from being called an asshole in my own office. I lean against my chair and looked up at the ceiling. Keep tossing and catching my baseball up in the air, still enthralled. Two knocks on the door brought me back to reality.
"What?" I asked annoyed.
Margaret's head popped up behind the door and smiled "Mr. Lewis, I'm just wondering if you're now ready for another applicant?" she hesitantly asked.
I stopped for a while and looked at her. Thinking to myself why on earth I am enthralled with an uneducated woman who called me an asshole twice today. "You know what?" I started.
Margaret holds his position and waited for me to continue. I exhaled, feeling defeated "Send everyone home. The interview is over. I found a personal assistant already." I said. I stood up and worn my coat.
"Hum, May I know who would that be, sir?" she asked.
Yes, she's my secretary, she has the right to know "Ms. Morrison. Give me her address."
Margaret cleared her throat, "Hum, but sir, you asked her to bring her application form with her. She rips it in half and crumpled it."
"What?" I frowned. What's wrong with that woman?
After several minutes of scavenging her destroyed application paper in the trash can, Margaret was able to get a hold of it. And luckily, the part where she has written her address was still intact.
I look around as I drive into the neighborhood of Bronxville. Looking for her house number. The sky is dark and everywhere you look is covered in snow. It's the coldest winter ever recorded and I wonder what a small vulnerable girl was doing outside without any sweater or coat on.
When I saw the house number, I felt pride rushed through my heart. I turned the engine off and stopped for a while. Frowning, I thought to myself what on earth am I doing here. Why am I driving in this neighborhood and why do I need to chase her?
The girl did not leave a phone number. Either she doesn't have one, or she can't memorize it. It's not a surprise if it's the latter. I can't remember meeting someone in my life who was homeschooled and who never finished even high school. What's wrong with this girl?
With all the questions in my head, I decided to get going and finish what I started. I climbed out of my car, look around and I was met with a deafening silence. It's just six o'clock in the evening but most people are already indoors, drinking hot chocolate and spending time with their loved ones.
I walked towards the front porch as I hug myself. I wonder how she managed to survive in this cold winter without anything to keep her warm. That only is a red flag already. How can she be so careless as to forget to bring a sweater?
I stopped in front of the door and was about to knock when I heard two people arguing inside;
"Agatha, baby." A voice of a man rang out. The second word makes my jaw clench.
"Don't you dare call me that or even call my name you fucker!" now, that voice and feisty is familiar. I waited.
"I'm sorry." The man said again.
"Fuck off!" she blurted and I heard her approaching footsteps.
A few seconds more and the door was opened wide, revealing a girl in a white bonnet, sweater, and her backpack. She looked at me with her big blue eyes and I can't find any words to say as to why I was here.
"You." She whispered.
I just look at her. Her eyes slowly flapped and she breathed heavily. Her posture became somehow sluggish and I knew right there she will collapse, and I was right. She closed her eyes and gave in, in the world spinning rapidly around her.
"I got you," I whispered in her ear when I finally caught her in my arms.