koi

“Yeah, you just keep watching the show, Imma be right back with you.” Jeremiah, your long-time boyfriend urged, shoving the popcorn into your hands as he vanished into his room. You raised a brow at his sudden departure.

You just reached home after an exhausting day from working at your part-time job. A small, retail shop in the middle of a mall. The staff there were more than accommodating. When you had first joined the team, they were very patient in teaching you the ropes even going as far as to shoulder a complaint on you when you had messed up once. The shop sold apparel, accessories and even toiletries, an odd combination but you bite your tongue at the boss’s accentrics. 

The real problem, however, was the manager. He was a stout, middle-aged man who was a little enthusiastic when it came to female workers, like yourself. Your coworkers had warned you about the manager, of how not to stay too close to him as he tends to get really touchy. In short, he was a touch-starved pervert.

Once, a former staff member had enough of his antics and went to file a complaint to the HR, but it all led to a dead-end as the manager himself and the HR were in on it together, no thanks to some under-the-table bribing. No one had the power to do anything. So, in a team effort, you had all decided to avoid the manager whenever he was around. It was difficult as he’d often be seen out front, preaching about “customer happiness” and how “the customer is always right”, which was a load of crap if you asked me. 

After a long day of work, you just wanted to lay down on a soft, comfy mattress and sleep, but it seems that your boyfriend had other plans. Out of nowhere though, he had decided that he wanted to pamper you. When you stepped into your shared apartment, he surprised you with snacks, ice-cream and even a teddy bear. He had mentioned that it was because you have been “working very hard”.

You were elated, of course, as he was never the type to pull surprises like this. You were both just laying on the couch sharing the snacks that he had bought, when his phone abruptly rang. He excused himself in a hurry, hastily padding into his room. Out of exhaustion, you shrugged and excused his behavior, maybe one of his friends needed help with something.

However, something in your head urged you to eavesdrop on his conversation. At first, you snuffed that thought out, as you felt that it was rude to eavesdrop on other people’s business. But, was it paranoia or exhaustion-filled anxiety? You had no idea. With a lot of effort, you unwrapped yourself from the fluffy blanket he had smothered you with and tip-toed to the door of his room. 

"Babe, I’ve told you- No! Not now, I’m with my girlfriend. What?- I-I can’t, she’s going to get suspicious- Listen, let’s talk another time okay? I promise- Just-” You hear him sigh, “Okay, fine… I’ll try alright?”

You feel your heart shatter into pieces, as your suspicions were confirmed. You stood there, completely broken as your mind screamed “See! I told you.” , over and over again. Hearing incoming footsteps, you quickly dashed back to the sofa, pretending as if nothing happened. He came out from behind the door and sauntered back to where you were. Steeling your nerves as you have done many times before, you swallowed the lump in your throat and asked, “Who was it?”

“Oh, no one, just uh- Travis. Listen, babe, um- He said he needed help with something now, and-”

“This late?” Your emotions faltered a little, but your pride refused for you to break now.

“Y-yeah. He’s in a bit of a pinch now and I really really need to go. Are you okay with staying home alone for tonight? I know I said I’d pamper you tonight but, Travis man…” He looked away and you swore you could see the guilt clouding his eyes.

The words, You mean Madison? Were on the tip of your tongue but you decided to swallow those words and nodded at him. “Yeah, sure. Go ahead, I’m feeling sleepy anyways.” You lie, faking a yawn and a stretch. He grinned widely, accompanying you to his room before he said a quick goodbye. 

Pfft like hell I’m going to sleep, you thought sitting up from beneath the covers. Right now, you were furious, not only had he been cheating on you for god knows how long but he also straight up lied about it. You rolled your eyes at his words from earlier, feeling your eyes cloud over from tears. Shaking your head vehemently, you bit back the tears. I can cry all I want later, now I need to get out of here. 

Grabbing the duffel bag you had packed a long time ago from the drawer -in case anything like this happened- , You went to the dresser where you kept your share of clothes and stuffed them into the duffel bag without a single care. You were moving on autopilot, refusing to allow any other thoughts into your mind at the moment.

After changing your clothing into one more suitable for going out, you slung the duffel bag over your shoulder and slipped on your shoes, the only sound heard was from the still running television.

Glancing back at the apartment one more time, your eye caught on the teddy bear that laid on the sofa dejectedly, pity reflecting on its beady eyes. You double-checked that you had everything and closed the door one final time. Hearing the lock click into place, you left and quickly dialed a cab back home and since it was rather late, it was evident that it took awhile for the cab to answer. 

While waiting for the cab to arrive, you were feeling rather apprehensive, for fear that he may come home any time and catch you leaving his home. Fortunately, the headlights of the car approached the dark street, granting you a sense of relief. The kind driver assisted in placing your bag in the truck as you entered the backseat of the car. After confirming your location, the driver took off without another word as silence permeated in the car. 

Pulling out your phone from your pocket, you gave your best friends an update on what had happened. They were thankfully still awake and were dead set on calling you, but you told them that they can do that later as you were in a cab home. Some of their texts had you in tears but you refused to cry just yet. 

It wasn’t long before you reached the apartment complex which was your home. You haven’t been here for awhile as you lived with him. After handing you your belongings, the driver took off with a sincere goodbye. You sighed, trudging solemnly to the elevator, the sight making you feel rather nostalgic. 

You clicked on the button and waited for the familiar chime of the lift, signaling that you have arrived on your floor, but felt your phone vibrate. You felt bad that for a moment you had forgotten about your friends. Unlocking your phone, you glanced at the message your friend sent. 

Rubae ❣:

That limp-dick asshole didn’t deserve you anyway lol.

Niall-edIt ✧:

Right? Like imagine cheating on someone as faithful as (Y/N). What a clown.

Olyviuhh ☾:

What a prick. You know what, let’s all go out tomorrow. Drinks on me.

MeiMei ❅:

I’m so sorry for what happened, (Y/N). I just want to let you know that you are super strong for pushing through all of that and making the decision to leave. It was very brave of you! ^_^

Tears pooled in your eyes, making your vision blurry. Before you could even reply to them, the elevator chimed and you bolted into your apartment. Shutting the door behind you, the dam finally broke as you fell onto the floor and sobbed. The tears wouldn’t stop bursting forth, as you cried your heart out.

Amidst your whimpers, you suddenly hear your phone vibrate in repetition. Fear shot through your heart, has he already noticed that you were missing from his home? You weren’t ready to confront him just yet. With shaky hands, you peeked at your phone. Alas, it was just your very worried friends. Clicking on the green button, you were met with questions.

“Are you okay (Y/N)?! You hadn’t sent a reply and we got worried. Did that limp-dick asshole find you?! Is he with you?!” The plain-spoken Ruby asked frantically.

“N-no. I’ve just reached home, I’m sorry guys. I just… took a step home and broke down-” You whimpered as more tears fell from your eyes. 

“Aw, sweetheart… He doesn’t deserve you, at all. It’s going to hurt but, we’re here for you always.” The kind-hearted Mei promised gently.

“Mei’s right, we’ll be here for you. I’m going to be real here, he’s definitely going to call you or find you later but we’ll be with you, so don’t worry ‘bout it, ‘kay?” You could almost hear the wink in Niall’s tone.

You sobbed even harder and from the care of your friends, they were the people you never knew you needed in your life, and you were eternally grateful for them.

“Alright, alright. For now, you can cry all you want but afterwards, no more tears, not even tomorrow. It’s going to be difficult but, remember, you can’t show him that you’ve actually cried for him. He doesn’t and never will deserve your tears. Never give him that sense of victory.” Olyvia advised with disdain.

You let out a hum of approval at her words. She was right. After a bit more talking and assurance from your friends, they suggested that you get cleaned up and try to get some sleep, as you all had classes the following morning. You got up from the doorstep and placed the duffel bag on the small couch that you owned, deciding that you would deal with that tomorrow. 

Strolling over to your bathroom, you splashed a handful of water over your face, cleaning away the tear tracks and snot that dribbled out of your nose from all your crying. You also made the effort to brush your teeth, all the while avoiding the mirror. Rinsing your mouth, you couldn’t help but glance at your own reflection. You looked horrible, needless to say. Bloodshot eyes, red-faced and heartbroken. With a sigh, you headed into your bedroom to plop down on the mattress. You frown, as you feel your thoughts spiral again. 

Why did he cheat?

Was he willing to break his promise of not leaving because you were a horrible girlfriend?

What did Madison have that you didn’t? Good assets? Great sex?

Were you just not good enough?

You let a broken sob escape your throat as you feel another flood of tears coming. As much as you were hurt, you were also infuriated. You had done everything he had told you to do, endured his unfairness and even took care of his needs, even if you got the down-side of it all. So exactly, what did you do wrong? Unbeknownst to you, you fell unconscious before you had the chance to think about any other things.

Sleep that night was, understandably, grueling. You woke up multiple times from seeing his face in your dreams, pleading for it to go away as you tossed and turned, the stress from your never-ending amount of coursework and the unnecessarily costly rent that you had to fork out by yourself. Before you knew it, your alarm blared, resonating throughout your room. 

No thanks to the amount of sleep you had, you had a pounding migraine. Getting up from your bed, you trudged into your bathroom akin to a zombie . While washing up, memories of last night came flooding into your head. Unanswered questions, doubts and deadlines to chase. You furrowed your brows, feeling your headache worsen from those thoughts. You placed your palm on your temple, guess I’ll have to take some painkillers before classes if not I won’t be able to focus properly.

Opening the cabinet compartment of your mirror, you squint, trying to find the bottle of ibuprofen. Grabbing the white container with a red and white logo, you went over to your kitchen to grab a glass of water to ingest the pills with. After taking 2 pills, you quickly make your way back to your room to change and gather materials for your class.

Just as you were placing your pencil case into your tote bag, you heard a knock at your door. You flinched, panic spreading over you. Could it be Jeremiah? He must’ve realized that you had put your phone on silent and got impatient so he came over instead. The knocks on the door started to sound more and more impatient. 

With a shaky breath and even shakier legs, you carefully made your way to your door, the knocks sounding as loud as your beating heart. Biting your lip, you peeped into the peeping hole, releasing your breath in a tentative sigh to find out that it was only Olyvia. You opened the door without a second thought.

“Girl, what the hell were you doing?! You got me worried sick for god's sake! Did you suddenly lose your phone or do you just not know how to answer calls?” She nagged, giving you a hug. “Sorry! Sorry… I was just getting ready for the day. I had to-...” You paused, “I had to take some ibuprofen. My sleep was not good, no surprise there, and I woke up with the most nasty headache.” You explained sheepishly, hugging her back.

She released her hold, “I understand but please, if you’re silencing your phone because of that douche, silence him only, don’t shut us out too alright? We’re all worried for you.” You nodded and gave her a smile at her concern. “So are you ready or not? Classes will start in forty-five and it’s going to take me around half-an-hour to get there.” You nodded again and told her to wait as you went up to grab your belongings. You still refused to check your phone as she handed you a spare helmet and ushered you onto her bike. 

“Ready? Hang on tight.” You gripped onto her waist as she revved the engine and took off. The drive to your college was pleasant save for the small pounding of the headache that was still present, as Olyvia tried her best to avoid talking about the incident last night and you from thinking about it as well. You mentioned to her about her speed when she had stopped at a red light. She huffed with a smirk, “You should see my meter when I’m alone. I’m only holding back because I have a passenger.” You shook your head and made a joke about crashing in style, causing her to chuckle along with you.

It wasn’t long before you neared the driveway of your college. You squint your eyes, seeing the familiar faces of Ruby, Niall and Mei standing at the entrance waiting for the both of you. They greeted you with a smile as you got off and handed the helmet back to Olyvia. Your friends have also decided to avoid the topic of yesterday while Olyvia went to park her bike. 

Mei stretched her hand out, nudging you with a brown paper bag. “Here, I know you don’t normally eat before class, but I got you your favorite bread and something else worth trying from the bakery near my house.”

You tilted your head in question, taking the paperbag from her hands. Your friends had found your aversion to food in the morning worrying, but after realizing that you were fine, they were slightly less worried. You gasped when you eyed the contents of the bag, it was your favorite Ham and Cheese toasted sandwich! It sat snugly next to another bun as well as a carton of milk. 

“Mei… Thank you so much for this. I don’t know what else to say.” You gave her a tearful smile. She shook her head and laughed, “No need. As long as I know you’re feeling better, I’m happy.”

“Not to break the moment but… I’ve been so curious that I might die,” Niall broke in, “But did he say anything?” You shook your head, “Um… To be completely honest, I haven’t checked my phone yet…”

“Yeah so much so that I almost broke down her door because she didn’t pick up my phone.” Olyvia chimed it with a roll from her eyes. Ruby placed a hand on your shoulder, “We can all see it together if you want, but now, let’s head to class, it’s about to start.” You all agreed and quickly went into the lecture hall.

The day went by slow, as you focused on your classes instead of other, irrelevant thoughts. Your friends were with you, luckily, sometimes all or just one as they needed to head to other classes. But one thing is for sure, neither of them left you alone. To your astonishment, you did not once check your phone. They had told you that you didn’t need to as they would help communicate to each other in the groupchat for you.

Lunchtime came by. There you sat, on one side with your friends huddled up opposite of you, outside of Starbucks. The moment of truth causes the familiar uneasiness in your belly. Your friends suggested that they take a look at the messages first, as they might cause you to break down again. You agreed to that suggestion, fearing the embarrassment of wailing unabashedly in the public eye. 

Upon entering your passcode and pulling up the chat, frowns decorated their faces the more they unveiled the messages sent by your ex-boyfriend. Anxiety gripped onto your heart like the thorns on roses. You bit your lip out of habit, the reactions from your friends causing more tension.

“Nah, no. You shouldn’t see this. Nope, nada, nuh-uh. This motherfucker. I swear to god...” Niall groaned, disgust spilling from his words. “Niall’s right. This asshole is the lowest of low.” Ruby glowered in disbelief. Mei shook her head with a sigh, “We should never have approved of your relationship with him.” Olyvia looked like she was about to smash your phone into pieces, “Should we all pull up on him and give him a lesson, I have a metal bat that would love meeting his skull.”

“Hey, it’s alright. May I at very least see what he said?”

Your words caused a flurry of ‘no’s and head shakes. This time, it was your turn to frown, “Please? It can’t be that bad… Right?”

Niall gave you a look, “No means no. Okay look- how about this, we can screenshot his messages and keep them on our phones, or on one of our phones. But erase all traces of him on your phone.”

“What? Why? For what?” You raised a brow, frown still decorating your features.

“I agree with Niall,” Mei cut in, “We fear you might not be able to endure this…”

You fell back onto your chair in stupefaction. It was unusual for Mei to agree with Niall and his methods sometimes or to hide anything from you even. Was it really that bad?... You feel the familiar blur of tears clouding your eyes again until a firm hand on your shoulder snapped you out of your thoughts.

“When you’re better, which you will be without a doubt, you can see these messages again if you wish to, but for now, I think we should just focus on getting you better first. However, we are all ears if you don’t want to see the messages or for us to delete it.” Ruby affirmed, massaging your shoulder. Even Ruby, who was usually straight-forward and blunt, agreed with protecting you from the messages. 

Niall got to work screen-shotting the photos and sending it to your friends. You began to feel the spark of anger from their selfishness. “The messages are meant for me. Don’t I at least get to see something? Come on guys.”

Feeling your frustration, they looked at each other, until Olyvia broke the tension with a sigh. “Fine, we’ll show you one part okay? But don’t say we didn’t warn you about it.” She pulled out her phone and saved the images of the chat. She thought for a moment on which one to show you exactly but Mei piped in, “I think you should show her the part where he was begging. That wasn’t too bad.”

Olyvia nodded and strode over to where you sat, showing you the screen of her phone. You teared up reading his messages.

Baby? Where did you go?

Oh shit.

Don’t tell me you know?

Fuck.

I’m sorry baby.

Please come back, please.

I promise I’ll explain okay?

It was an accident. I promise it won’t happen again, I swear on my life it won’t.

Please answer me. 

Please baby answer me.

There were more message bubbles below but it was cut off. “Can I see one more? Please?” You pleaded, while Olyvia handed you a tissue to wipe your tears with. “Trust me it gets worse. Until I know you’re ready to stomach the rest, this is all you’re getting. Please understand that we only want what’s best for you.”

At her words, you stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling very sick in the stomach, surprising everyone. “I… I think I need a moment.” You walked away briskly, to somewhere, anywhere. You needed some time to rationalize with your thoughts and emotions, and they let you.

You walked around the campus for a while, just hearing the sounds of people talking, birds chirping and water sloshing from the fountain. You thank whatever deity was out there for an additional hour of lunch, this would mean that you wouldn’t need to rush back to your friends or to class. 

Sitting below a large tree, you relished the tranquility. Just for a moment, you thought, you needed some peace for just a moment. You brought your knees up to your chest, trying to calm yourself down. Part of you was mad at your friends. It felt as if they were trying to blackmail you or something. But part of you knew that it wasn’t the case. They were just trying to protect you from whatever awful things that your ex had sent. 

You sigh with a groan and bury your head into your knees, trying to soothe whatever conflicting emotions that you were muddled with. Rent is due soon, I have work tomorrow so I should be able to cover the costs right? But what about food? God, do I have to resort to eating instant noodles again. I should never have bought that cheating son of bitch gifts that he didn’t appreciate. Today’s assignments are just as much, do I have enough time to finish it? Do I have enough time to study for the test next week? You groaned again in frustration, curling your fingers into your hair. 

What am I going to do? Should I ask for more shifts? But that would mean less time studying. Maybe I can do it. But I can’t afford to mess up now, if my grades slip any further I might get expelled. You bite your lip so hard you could taste the metallic tang of blood, tears falling from your eyes. 

Sniffling for the last time, you wiped your tears and brought your head up from under your arms. There were a couple of students that glanced at you with pity. It wasn’t unusual for a student to cry because of stress. You sighed, deciding to leave whatever issues that may arrive later. You stood up, dusting off dirt from your skirt and began to walk back to where your friends were.

“(Y/N)!” Ruby ran over to you, enveloping you into an embrace. “I’m- We’re… So sorry.” She let go before you could even do anything, your other friends walking towards you slowly.  “I apologize, (Y/N). We were prying into your business more than necessary.” Mei gave you a sad look. 

“Yeah,” Niall scratched the back of his head, “I shouldn’t have suggested the idea of us saving the photos. It’s your call to see what he sent and I’ve taken it as if I was the one in your situation. I’m sorry, (Y/N).” 

Olyvia glanced away, “Whatever your choice is, know that we’ll always respect your decision and we’ll still be here for you.”

You smiled a little, heart warming at the sight of them admitting their mistakes and apologizing. “Thanks guys, but… I think I’ll stick with Niall’s plan. I can’t afford to break down now. I’ll let you all know when I’m ready. I really appreciate that you guys are trying to shield me from what he said.” They ‘aww’ed and Niall initiated a group hug. Soon, he let go and everyone strolled back to classes.

Before you knew it, classes were finally over for the day. 

Olyvia had suggested going to a pub to ‘drink the pain away’. Mei countered that it was an unhealthy habit but allowed it to slide as it was a once in a while thing. “Can we not go toThe Spades? It’s, well… You know…” You thought back to when you first met your ex at that very pub and cringed.

The silver-headed female placed an assuring hand on your back, “Of course not. We’re going to another one this time. I promise you that it’s just as good.” Olyvia sent Niall, Ruby and Mei the address of the pub and you all went your separate ways. You sat behind Olyvia while Niall drove Mei and Ruby. 

The winds and lights rushed by as you stared idly at the view in silence. Not long, you see the large, yellow-blue neon sign of the pub. ‘After Glow’ it read. You raised a brow but smiled nonetheless, at the innuendo. 

Settling down at a high table, your friends ordered their choice of drinks and some snacks. After some small talk, the waiter came back with a tray of food and drinks. ‘Cheers!’ your group sang, taking a sip of your drinks. Everyone had the same thought that it was far from the weekends therefore, not too much drinking.

“I swear, Mrs. Miller is the worst. Imagine giving us like, 300 assignments a day. I swear to god.” Niall complained after a sip of his sour whiskey. “Right? That old hag. Who told her that it was okay to give that many assignments to a student in a day. She had no right whatsoever to do that honestly.” Ruby agreed with a reddening face. 

Mei only chuckled, “We’re in college boys and girls. They’re loading us with so much work to teach us how to manage our time properly.” The short-haired woman twirled her glass of old fashioned. As they resumed talking, you can’t help but zone out of the conversation. Your mind, heightened with the alcohol, started to spiral with thoughts again. Rent, Assignments, Work, Money, Test, Jeremiah. It circled over and over, making you feel sick. 

You took another sip of your drink, tasting the bitter aftertaste of the alcohol, trying to drown out your nausea and thoughts. Just then, a hand placed itself over your back, soothingly going up and down. Olyvia must’ve sensed your distress and in an attempt to comfort you, she ran her hands along your back. 

“You good? Wanna talk about it?” You sigh at her, trying not to cry. “I… Just… There’s a lot of shit going on right now and… I just can’t stop worrying about it,” You couldn’t stop for some reason, “Now that I’m living by myself again, I’ll need to deal with the overpriced rent alone. Which might cause me to go on another instant noodle fest. If my manager decides to dock my pay again, I might end up homeless. That shitty landlord won’t take late payment because of trauma I’m guessing. And then there’s a test coming up next week, and I don’t know if I’m going to have time to study for it, I might have to take up more jobs if I’m going to be able to pay for the rent next month.” You groaned, massaging your temple.

You look up to see Niall raise a brow, “Wait, where did all the money you saved up go? I thought you had more than enough to pay for your current rent?”

“I used to. Then Jeremiah demanded that I pay half the rent for living at this place too because it ‘wouldn’t be fair’ if I’m living with him but using his utilities for free and that if I don’t, I should just go home. Turns out, I’ve been paying 75% of the rent. But I kept quiet because I was so damn blinded and stupid.” You confess with a sigh. “ Ruby gave you a look of incredulity, “Are you serious right now? That motherfucker… What kind of a man is he?”

“I can still pull up. My metal bat is still eager to meet him.” Olyvia chimed in nonchalantly whilst chewing on a fry.

Mei gave you a gentle smile, “It’ll be alright, (Y/N). Don’t worry too much about money. If you need, I’m sure all of us here would be more than happy to lend you a hand.”

You shook your head, “No. I can’t. I won’t borrow money from any of you. I’ll just have to deal with it.”

There was suddenly a pause. The song from the radio, people chattering and the clinking of glass bounced off the walls of the cozy pub. Ruby licked her lips then, ready to speak. “I know it’s going to sound crazy but, (Y/N), how,” She paused, eyeing you hesitantly, “How about finding a sugar daddy?”

There was another pause before Niall howled in laughter. “Her? A sugar daddy? Please, Ruby! I think you’ve had too much tonight.” You see Olyvia trying to stifle a snicker and Mei shaking her head with a smile. Ruby frowned, “Why not? I think it’s a pretty good idea if you asked me.”

“First of all, (Y/N) is not the type to find one-night stands unlike her shit-stain of an ex. I mean, have you seen how faithful she is? Remember Noah from the other class? Remember how he tried to hit on her but she rejected him each and every time?” he paused, taking a swig, “Secondly, (Y/N) gets attached to the people she dates very quickly, too quickly actually, and sugar babies are all about getting the money and then dipping. Lastly, it would totally traumatize her and she’s been traumatized enough by that douche. I mean, I’m pretty sure a lot of sugar daddies don’t only have ONE single sugar baby, right? They’re rich, so they most likely want variety.” He concluded smugly, taking a bite of the pizza.

You purse your lips, unable to deny his claims. “Gee Niall, I thought we were out to comfort me tonight, not to call me the fuck out.” Everyone at the table laughed at your words. “Well, if you’re still keen, I know a friend that has access to a safe and trustable sugar daddy meeting website.” Ruby restated, taking a bite out of the fry. “Safe and trustable? Who is she? The CEO of the website?” The male gibed.

“Niall for the love of god. You should probably keep your mouth shut if you don’t earn as much figures as she makes from fucking rich old men from that website.” The red-haired woman rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Hey! Who says I don’t make a lot of figures, I’ll have to remind you that my parents are both CEOs of DIFFERENT companies.” He bragged, glaring at her. 

“Sure that’s cool and all, but that still ain’t your money right, mommy’s boy?” Ruby provoked, leaning against her hand.

“Mommy’s boy? You take that back right now, I ain’t no mommy’s boy!” Niall stood up from the chair, pointing a finger at his provoker.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough. Let’s call it a day, yeah. You both had a little too much tonight.” Mei stood up, placing her hands between Niall and Ruby. 

After settling the bill and bidding each other goodbyes, you hopped onto the back of Olyvia’s bike. Watching as Niall, Ruby and Mei enter Niall’s car. “Will they really be alright?…” You thought aloud. “Eh, I’m sure they’ll be fine. Mei’s in there.” Olyvia secured the black helmet on her head. “Let’s go now.”

The ride back to your home was short. Olyvia had insisted on escorting you all the way back to your apartment to make sure you were safe, in case Jeremiah had decided to pop up out of nowhere. Fortunately for the both of you, he was nowhere to be seen. You closed the door after bidding the silverette one last goodbye and headed to your bathroom to shower. 

You feel the droplets of refreshing, hot water clearing today’s negativity, clearing your mind of clutters temporarily. Exiting the bathroom with a towel around your torso, you hear your phone chime. Walking to your bedroom where your phone was, you sat down on the bed and checked your notifications.

Rubae ❣:

Here’s the website that I was talking about. Check it out, or not. Up to you ;)

sugaryparadise.com/signup

You shut your phone and thought. A sugar daddy? But what Niall said… It’s true, I don’t think I can do this…

You stood up and dressed into your pajamas. Settling down on your study desk, you pulled out your assignment folder, and got to work, trying to finish as much as you can. All the while, the thought of getting a sugar daddy permeates throughout your brain. Biting your lip in frustration, you lightly bumped your head on the wooden table.

I mean… If I take up another job, I would be able to pay for the rent. But that would also mean that my grades may slip from the lack of studying. But then… You huffed, scratching your head. You decided that it was time for a break. Standing up and arranging your table neatly, you took your water bottle and strolled over to your kitchen. 

That’s when you noticed it. A white envelope with a stamp.

How did I not notice this when I came home earlier? You set your water bottle down on the dining table and investigated the letter. Peeling open the top, you took out the paper within.

What you saw made your stomach drop.

Dear Residents of Areca Apartment,

Due to the rising cost of electricity and water bills, we will be increasing every individual’s rent by 20%. Because of that, we will permit the rent of the current month and the new rent to be paid by the end of the next month.

After the end of the following month, prompt payment is to be expected at the end of every month again. Failing to do so will result in us taking legal action against you, which we strongly advise against.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

For more information, contact your landlord at xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Benjamin

Your jaw dropped. What the hell? Is this even legal? You sat down on the dining chair in shock, leaning against your hands. With a whimpering sigh, you begin to cry again. “What did I do to deserve all this?...” You whispered solemnly. Wracking through your head for a solution, any solution. With your current pay, you would need to survive on instant noodles again, this time, for a whole month instead. You doubt you’d survive. Then it hit you.

The sugar daddy website Ruby suggested.

Scampering to your room, you grabbed your phone and entered the dm with Ruby. The blue-highlighted website stared back at you. You bit your lip hesitantly.

Is it really worth it? Losing my dignity for money? But I NEED the money to survive. What would the others think? Taking in a deep breath of air, well, what’s the worst that can happen?

You clicked on the url.

==========

After clicking the link, it redirects you to the internet explorer on your mobile phone. You typed into the blank boxes accordingly, following the guide. The last step was to put a picture of you as your profile picture and to create a bio. You scrolled through your gallery, trying to find the best photo of yourself that you can, then clicked on it. You typed a short info about yourself in the box and then hit enter. It redirected you yet again, this time, to an application on the internet explorer. Clicking download, you waited for it to install on your phone. By then, you must have passed out waiting for it to install as the next thing you knew, your alarm was ringing beside your ear, jolting you awake.

You shut the alarm and got ready for another day of classes.

After brushing your teeth, a familiar chime rang. Sauntering over to your bed to check the notification, you realized that it was Olyvia.

Olyviuhh ☾:

Morning babes. Do you need me to drive you to school today?

Me:

It’s fine, I got it. Thanks Olyvia <3

Olyviuhh ☾:

aight. keep me updated tho. if not i will break into wherever you are, even if you’re in the toilet. >:)

Me:

I will. No toilet heist for you I fear.

You smiled at her message with a shake of your head. When you pressed on the home button, you noticed that there was an unfamiliar app. You glanced over at the name and- oh. You blushed in shame after realizing what you had done the night before. With a shaky sigh you tapped on the icon, opening the app. You figured that exploring a little wouldn’t hurt. You were greeted with an information screen and guides on how to get started on the app. 

You’re all set! Happy sugardating!

You feel your blush creeping up again. Sugardating, huh… You shut your phone and began packing the necessities for the classes today, trying to shake off the embarrassment. Not long after, you left your house and gave Olyvia a quick update. Clutching onto your jacket and slipping on your earbuds, you made your way to the train station, which was just nearby. 

Stepping into the cold train, you realized that it was starting to get crowded, which was something that you were used to. All the seats were taken so you stood near the door, leaning against the handle. While heading to the next station, your phone vibrated, which was accompanied by an unfamiliar chime. You brought your phone up to see what it was, expecting it to be some spam mail or message. Until you saw the icon and the name of the app. 

Sugary Paradise

Stephen Arthur:

Hello, sweetheart.

You audibly gasped, not loud enough, fortunately, for anyone to hear. Glancing around to see if anyone was looking, out of paranoia, you decided that this was not a good time to reply to the stranger. You blushed, thinking about what you just saw. So, needless to say, your heart was beating rather quickly. By the time you were reaching your stop, it was fully crowded, everyone was crammed together like sardines in a can. With a few muffled apologies, you squeezed through the crowd to the exit doors, stepping out of the horde with a huff of effort. You walked briskly to the bus station, the nervousness in the bottom of your gut felt like it was going to explode at any time. When the bus finally arrived, you nearly sprinted to the far end of the bus for some needed privacy. Settling down on the plush cushion, you unlocked your phone and entered the app, you took a moment to take a closer look at the stranger’s profile photo. He had tanned skin, a well-trimmed beard as well as slicked-back hair. You bit your lip, needless to say, this man was attractive as hell.

Thinking of a proper reply for the stranger. It was a cycle of typing and then backspacing, typing and backspacing. Just ‘Hello’ would be too formal, ‘Hello!’ would be too childish and ‘Hello :)’ sounds slightly creepy. You pondered, this is harder than coursework… Oh, fuck it- You typed the reply that was dancing around in your head and hit send, then locking your phone right after.

Me:

Hello, handsome.

You hoped that no one would look at you as you were sure that your face was as red as a tomato. You pressed on the bell, signaling for the bus to stop. After coming to a halt, you exited and began your walk towards the gates of the college. You muttered a curse and apologized to Olyvia for the sudden halt of messages and that you were alright and currently meeting up with the others at the front door. 

Anxiousness gnawed in your gut as you awaited the stranger’s reply. Were you too forward? Did it look suspicious? Was it a little too much? Your thoughts raced and you began to chew your bottom lip out of habit. What if he finds it too creepy? Was it too creepy? What if he finds it weird? Was my profile picture too weird? No, no he wouldn’t say I was beautiful if he thought otherwise. But then again it could always be a lie too. Was it a lie? What exactly is his intenti- You were roughly tugged backwards abruptly, halting your spiral of thoughts. 

With a yelp of alarm, you stumbled backwards from the sudden loss of balance. Luckily, a firm hand on your back prevented you from falling. “(Y/N). Are you okay?” You glanced up to see Mei’s concerned eyes. “Wh-what was that for?...” You uttered breathlessly. “I apologize that I had to use slight force. I was calling you multiple times but you ignored me and kept walking. Did I do something wrong?” A flash of panic colored her dark-blue orbs. “No!” You insisted rather loudly, making the other students give you a look. “...no. I… I’m so sorry, Mei. I was just thinking about stuff.” You looked away guiltily. 

Mei shot you a forgiving smile, “It’s alright. Do you want to talk about it?” She placed a reassuring palm on your shoulder. You swallowed, no one has to know that I’m actually looking for a sugar daddy at the moment, if it actually goes well, then I’ll tell them. You gave her a sheepish smile, “H-how about I share it when everyone’s gathered? Repeating something can be a little tiring.”

“Of course, (Y/N). Whenever you want.” Mei’s smile remained on her face as she greeted the incoming Ruby. The three of you stood there for a little longer, as Niall joined in the conversation, followed by Olyvia. You walked into the lecture hall with Ruby alongside you. Niall and the others had a different class for the period, so it was just you and the red-head.

Settling down with Ruby on empty seats, you waited for the lecturer to begin his lesson. Just as you were about to write on your notepad, you felt a nudge from the female beside you, prompting you to look at her. Ruby wore a smirk,  “So… Did you check out the website I sent?” Her brown eyes gleaming in excitement. You tensed at her question, looking away while pursing your lips.

The red-head silently squealed, “You did?! Really?! What happened? You’ve GOT to tell me now!”  You hear the professor clear his throat, giving your friend a stern glare. She quickly apologized, sitting back down onto the chair. “Anyway, you’ve got to spill! Did anything happen?” She whisper-yell, wiggling her eyebrows.

You sighed at her stubbornness, shaking your head. “I clicked on the link but it prompted me to register and all. I figured that it was too much work and besides, I don’t really need a sugar daddy at the moment. I’ll be fine by myself.” Ruby gave you a look of disdain, “Aw. That’s too bad. But when you decide to actually explore the app, let me in on it too.” She winked, then went back to focusing on her work. You felt guilty for lying to her, but you truly did not want to spread any false alarms. You still couldn’t trust some random dude that is trying to hit you up from a sketchy app. Speaking of the man, you snuck a peek on your phone, slightly disappointed that he had yet to reply to you. Was he as busy too? Or did he actually find your reply repulsive? You inwardly sigh and resume your note taking.

The day went by in a blur. During lunch, you had snacked on something light with your gang. Shockingly, neither Niall nor Ruby brought up any topic regarding the sugar daddy website, much to your content. The topics changed from left to right, and before you could talk about your issue with the landlord, lunch break was over. You stroll alongside Niall, heading to your next lecture hall. During the entirety of the walk, he went on and on about how he was going on a vacation to Bali during the upcoming holidays. Vacation to another country huh… Wouldn’t that be something nice… Too bad I can’t afford that luxury… You thought solemnly, as Niall blabbered on and on.

When the last class of the day finally ended, you immediately rushed out of school after bidding your friends a quick goodbye. If you don’t reach your workplace soon, you’re going to be late, and you would absolutely hate to be nagged by the manager. You tripped and almost fell a couple of times while trying to make it to the train in time.

Rushing into the stall of a washroom, you stripped and frantically changed into your work outfit. You slam open the door of the stall, startling the ladies nearby. You dashed out of the washroom, nearly sprinting into the shop. You coworkers greeted you with a nervous smile. Your stomach flopped, understanding exactly what they meant. The manager was not in a good mood today… You opened the door to the staffroom, only to be met by the devil himself. He took his eyes off of another staff member, dismissing the poor girl who had tears pooling around her eyes. He took your form in and huffed, “(Y/N). Do you realize that you are 4 minutes late?” You held in a sigh of annoyance. Normally, he does not give a single rat’s arse about being a few minutes late, but due to his bad mood it must’ve touched a congested nerve. This man was in no way thin, instead, he was slightly on the obese side. He probably docked the staff’s pay to spend on his meals in god knows which lard factory. “Hello? Are you deaf? I expect an answer!” He yelled abruptly, causing you to flinch. You were in no way resilient when people raised their tone. You chewed on your bottom lip, feeling the familiar sting of tears. “I-I apologize, sir. I’ll try not to let it happe-”

“Try?! Are you kidding me?! I don’t want you to try! I need you to actually be on time! You’re all so useless! How did you even get accepted into your college for being this stupid? You don’t deserve the spot at all! Is there anyone in this place that can do their job properly?! Can you answer me, huh?! Can you tell me who?!” His tone raised with every word that came out of his lips, his veins popping out from the effort he was using to shout. You clenched your jaw while looking downward, a single tear falling out from your eyes. You stood there quietly, just enduring his berating words. 

Suddenly, the door to the staffroom opened, revealing one of your coworkers, Aubrey. A tall, yet petite woman with tattoos around her arm and a nose piercing. Her brown eyes matched her equally brown, short hair. “There’s someone that is here to see you, sir.” She announced nonchalantly, shooting you a look of pity. The manager sighed and composed himself, before straightening his back and walking out with a smile. You were disgusted at how fast his personality could change. You were downright revolted by how he was taking advantage of girls like you. 

You hear footsteps walk toward you, the white fabric of a tissue paper appearing before your cloudy vision. You gladly accepted it from the hand, wiping your eyes. Aubrey placed a reassuring hand behind your back, moving up and down soothingly in an attempt to comfort you. “(Y/N)... I appreciate that you’re always shouldering his mood swings for us. But this can’t go on forever, and it’s unhealthy, you need to stand up for yourself sometimes. Even if that bald-headed asshole is an absolute prick.” She muttered the last part with venom, causing a short giggle to come out of you, amidst the sniffles. “Thanks, Aubrey. I’ll be fine in a moment, you should head back out before he notices.” You made sure to clean up your face properly with the tissue paper. “Don’t worry about it. You know how I’m indifferent when he starts whining.”

After a few more moments of deep-breathing and checking if you were presentable, you put on the simple navy apron that has the logo of the shop decorated on the front pocket. Just before you could step out however, the manager had walked back into the staff room. Upon seeing that you were still in the room, he gave you an infuriated frown. “What the hell are you still doing in here? Get your pathetic ass out there and serve the customers!” You scurried out of the door without delaying any second longer. You prayed that today would go by quickly so that you could go home and release all of your pent up emotions. The customers today were rather kind, fortunately. Not a single complaint unlike some other days.

It was nearing the end of your shift, you persuaded your sore and aching feet to last for just awhile longer before you were finally free. Just then, you heard a small “excuse me!” coming from the accessory aisle. You walked briskly into the aisle, acknowledging the blonde lady. “Ah, hello there! I’d like to get your opinion on what pair of earrings I should get for an upcoming anniversary with my husband. We’ll be going out for dinner together.” You smiled, feeling elated from her happiness, as strange as it may sound. “If I may ask, what color of dress would you be wearing?” She shot you a shy smile, “The dress I’m wearing will be in a soft yellow.” You feel a sense of confidence surge within yourself, as you guide her along the aisle, advising her on which earrings would suit her the best with her dress. You took pride in your ability when it comes to style. Once she was done deciding on which pair to get, she thanked you gratefully for your help. “Dear me, after nearly 13 years of being together has got me feeling rather puzzled when it comes to what might be able to surprise him.” You gasped in awe, 13 years? The time that you and Jeremiah had been together couldn’t even compare- “What about yourself?” She suddenly asked, causing you to tense up. “I- Uh-” You stuttered trying to find an answer. “I…m open to finding partners at the moment…?” You wanted to slap yourself at how stupid you sounded. To your surprise, the lady only laughed at your words and you could only stare at her incredulously. “You’re such a delight, sweetie. Thanks again and good luck with finding a partner, though, I’m sure the right one will be coming along soon enough.” She walked away with the pair she had chosen in hand. 

You watched as she gave you a final wave, before leaving the shop. You waved back at her with a smile. “(Y/N),” You hear another one of your coworkers, Layla, call you, “Could you close up the front? We can all head out together then!” You gave her an affirmative ‘alright’ and got to work on pulling down the shutters and locking them in place, then making your way back into the staff room. You walked over to where your locker was and took your belongings out, ready to head home until you hear your name being called once more.

“(Y/N)? Can I have just a moment of your time?” You hear your manager ask, the rage in his voice before unpresent. After slinging your bag over your shoulder, you nodded and waited for what he has to say.

“About just now…” He scratched the back of his head, “I’m so sorry about yelling at you. It’s just, the bosslady has been up my arse for a while now and it hasn’t been easy for me too, “ He took a step closer, and you feel your heartbeat quicken, ready to take a step back. “Will you accept my apology? I’m really sorry. I’ll try to take my anger out somewhere else next time.” You flinch when you see him raise his arm from beside him, resting it on your shoulder. You looked away, panic flooding every crevice of your body. The unwelcomed feeling of anxiety and nervousness dancing around your gut. “So, what do you say? Or would you rather have a different method of me saying sorry?” You shot him a look of an equal amount of disgust and shock, your features worsening when you feel his hand slip from your shoulder to your arm. Your heart rate quickened, alarm blaring inside your head to move, to do something, anything. You clenched your hands, watching as the manager’s smirk grew with each second. Just then, what Aubrey had said earlier rang inside your head.

You need to stand up for yourself sometimes.

A surge of self-preservation jolted your hand, the sound of skin slapping skin permeating throughout the room. You huffed loudly, horror decorating your features as you realized what you had just done.

You did NOT just slap your manager.

The sting that was ringing around your palms said otherwise as you saw him slowly turn his gaze upwards. His eyes blinded in absolute shame and fury. Before he could begin to yell, your voice cut him first. “Never, ever, lay your hands on me or any of the other girls ever again, you disgusting pervert. I will contact the relevant authorities about your actions today. I’m sick and tired of dealing with a repulsive manager such as you, preying on innocent, vulnerable girls.” 

He was stunned at your words at first, then began to retaliate loudly. “What the fuck did you say to me you bitch?! Not only did you assault me but you also dare talk back to me and call me a pervert?! Do you know who the fuck I am?! I’m going to make sure that you’re fired!”

Thanks to the adrenaline pumping inside your veins out of fear and anger, you scowled at him, “Fine, fire me then, this place was underpaid and overworking the staff anyway! The other girls here are also miserable working in this shit-stain of a place and especially with a manager like you, you fat tub of lard!”

He gaped at your words, the veins on his forehead looking like they were about to pop out any time soon. “You fucking bitch!” His fist met your cheek as you fell onto the ground, clutching it with tears. “Take back what you said! Now!”

“Over my dead body.” You growled back, as he landed another punch on the side of your head, causing you to yell out in pain. Just as the man was about to land yet another punch, he paused when he heard a familiar click of a photograph being taken. He turned around with livid wide eyes. The other girls were waiting out back for you, and got worried when you hadn’t exited after awhile. They heard noises and immediately rushed in to check on you, only to see the manager raising his fist. Aubrey was able to snap a picture of what he had done. 

“There’s no running away this time. I’ve got proof and I’m going to deliver it. See you in court you sick fuck.” Aubrey spat bitterly. 

The man above you panicked, “W-wait, Aubrey, let’s just calm down and talk about this. This doesn’t have to be a big deal, yeah…?” He faltered, wracking his brain for a solution to save himself from this mess, “Look, look! How about I raise your pay? And I can return you all the pay that I’ve docked tomorrow! I promise, all of it! I swear on my life so please just delete that photo, yeah?” He begged with his hands.

Aubrey laughed, “Yeah, no. I said what I said. See. You. In. Court. Try anything funny and I’m going to upload this onto the web, where everyone can see your pathetic face.” She glanced at Layla, who meekly ran over to you to help you up, then taking you and your belongings out of the room. The last thing you saw was the manager falling onto his knees.

The throbbing ache from your already swelling cheek and head caused you to cry even harder as Layla carefully brought you outside. “Do you need to drive you to a nearby clinic? The swelling looks horrible.” The ginger suggested, checking the injuries. You shook your head, “It- I’ll be fine. I just need to go home and place an icepack on it.” Layla did not seem convinced, her mouth opening to protest but you stopped her, “If it worsens I’ll head to the doctors okay? I’ll update you too.” She finally nodded and decided not to pry any further, soothingly running a hand down you back as you whimpered. Just then, Aubrey came out looking rather vexed. “To think that he’d actually lay his hands on a girl. What a pig. Do you need medical attention, (Y/N)? You look like you need it, honestly speaking.” You shook your head once again, thanking her for her kindness, saying the same words you had just said to Layla earlier. Aubrey nodded, “Alright. I’ll update you on the court’s proceedings. (Y/N), you obviously have to be there. Lay, you’ll need to come too, as witness.” The ginger nodded. “For now, get her home and go home. We can talk more about it tomorrow.” 

Layla gently guided you toward her small car ushering you inside. At first, you refused her offer to drive you home but her persuasion skills were just too powerful. It was no wonder why she got the job here. The ride back was filled with concerned queries from her. It warmed your heart at how kind she was, making sure that you were feeling alright, even if she kept asking every 5 minutes. She stopped right below your apartment complex and bid that you feel better soon then drove off. You trudged back to your apartment, hissing as you cradled your cheek. You finally entered and after making sure to lock the doors, you dashed into your freezer to grab an ice pack, whimpering when it met with your skin. You sighed taking a seat on the dining chair. What wrong did you do to deserve all this pain? You thought as you felt a tear run down your cheek. With your free hand, you switched on your phone. It was off nearly the entire day because of “work policy”. The fact that the manager himself will actually take the time to check one by one if the staff had actually switched off their phones was ridiculous. You were greeted with chimes from different notifications. 

Reminder: 12 assignments due tomorrow!

Five Idiots: 42 messages

Gmail: 2 unopened

You squinted your eyes and gasped when you saw it.

Sugaryparadise: 1 message

You immediately unlocked your phone, wincing slightly when you accidentally shifted the ice pack that was resting against your cheek.

Stephen Arthur:

Forgive my tardy reply. You look rather stunning, I must say. Though, I’m certain you’ve heard this same compliment from many other men.

You smiled -as much as you can anyway- through your tears at his compliment. You pondered for a moment on what would be an appropriate reply.

Me:

Excuse my late reply as well but you flatter me, Mr. Stephen. You’d be surprised to hear that no one actually compliments me the way that you did, so consider it as a small achievement.

While waiting for a reply from him, you headed to your chaotic chat group and updated them on what had transpired. They were, not surprised, ready to kill someone. The onslaught of messages that came after were relentless. 

Rubae ❣:

SUE THAT BALD-HEADED FAT FLAPPED PIG! NOW! THAT’S STRAIGHT UP ASSAULT!

Niall-edIt ✧:

Ruby’s right, you can even earn money from bringing this to a court, there’s NO way you would lose with solid evidence.

MeiMei ❅:

You should really seek medical attention first, (Y/N). Since he had managed to land a hit on 2 spots, you might be in serious danger. I could call you an ambulance right now.

Olyviuhh ☾:

I agree with Mei. you might suffer from brain hammer-rage or whatever it’s spelled.

You assured them that you’re fine, and the cheek’s swelling has gone down a little, and that you’ll be tending to your head injury soon enough. Not missing out that you’re coworker will contact relevant authorities tomorrow. A heart-racing chime caught your attention, you glanced up to see the message bubble.

Stephen Arthur:

They must be blind not to be able to see your beauty, then. And I’d very much like to take that as an achievement. Just Stephen will do, adding honorifics make me sound old.

You couldn’t stop the giggle that emerged from your throat. With a red face, you decided that it wouldn’t hurt to be bolder.

Me:

Well then, you look quite dashing yourself, Stephen.

You couldn’t stop the hiss that escaped your lips when you changed the ice pack from your cheek to the side of your head. You were starting to get a headache from the pain, you just hoped that the swelling would go down just enough for you to sleep properly. If not, you might wake up with a sore back. Your phone chimed again.

Stephen Arthur:

I appreciate your words, truly. Enough of that for now, tell me about your day. What has gotten you so occupied that you took 4 hours to give me a reply.

You feel your throat seize up at his questions, will it really be okay to talk about what happened? With a shaky hand, you decided against telling him about your injury.

Me:

Oh, nothing much. Just been in classes all morning and then working in the afternoon. I wasn’t able to reply earlier because of some stupid work policy. My phone needs to be shut off during work hours. The crazy thing is that there's no way to sneak past it as our manager actually checks if our phone is switched off or not. He gets really upset when he finds out that we hide things from him. So, I apologize once again.

You sigh and decide that the swelling has gone down enough for you to take a quick shower. You brought your phone and bag into your bedroom, then took a quick shower in the bathroom. When you stepped out of the shower, with the intention of brushing your teeth, you cringed at how you currently looked like. Still-swollen cheek, bloodshot eyes, eyebags, the small bump on the side of your head. Groaning, you quickly brushed your teeth and headed to bed. You made an effort to stay laying on one side as you had injury on -thankfully- another side of your head.

The chat group was going wild when you were busy at the other app. You were loaded with messages advising that you should skip tomorrow since you were unwell and that they’d fetch you to a clinic right after classes. You fought against the idea vehemently, saying that you’ll just wear a face mask to cover up the bruise tomorrow. Your friends however, were dead set on you resting at home. Eventually, you were convinced by them and gave in to the idea of skipping classes for just one day. As they cheered in victory to convince you to stay home, you switched to the other app restlessly, excitement flowing through your veins.

Stephen Arthur:

No use of phones at all? That’s peculiar. Are you able to tell me what code this ‘work policy’ is under? There must be a misunderstanding coming from your manager. The prohibition of phones during work is understandable, however, forcing employees to shut their phone is a violation of privacy.

Me:

Is it really? And I have no idea what code he is looking at, sorry :(

Stephen Arthur:

What is the name of the business then, I have connections with authoritarian figures, I will call them down to take a closer look at the working policies under that establishment. 

You gulped in fear. Was it really okay to trust this man? While brainstorming, you switched to your chat group. They were all about to head to bed, as it was getting late. After making sure that they’d pass you the notes for classes tomorrow, you wished them a good night, then went back to thinking about Stephen and the situation. This random stranger from the internet whom you had only known for less than a day was willing to go as far as contacting authority on your part-time job? Or wait… since he threatened to fire you, you no longer work there… which means you’re currently… jobless! You sat up in alarm dread and panic infiltrating every single cell in your body. What were you going to do? You have less than a week to find a new job, if not, you might end up in the streets if your friends refuse to take you into their home. You chewed on your lip, the familiar spiral of never-ending doubts flooding your mind. 

Before you could fall any further, you hear knocking on the door to your apartment. You raised a brow, it’s midnight, who would need anything at such an hour. Maybe it was one of your neighbors and they needed help with something. You made a fatal mistake on not checking the peephole, a decision you would come to regret as you opened the door slightly, only for your smile to drop when you saw who it was. 

There stood your ex-boyfriend, Jeremiah, who was looking rather awful. 

You could only stare at him through the small crack of the door, body stiff in fear and anxiousness. He broke the silence by calling your name softly.

“Hey, uh… I know it’s only been a few days but… Can you please let me in and hear me out? I promise that it will be worth the while.” He pleaded guiltily, a small sparkle of hope shining in his eyes. You looked away, “T-there’s nothing to talk about,” you swallow, recalling the disgust from your friend’s faces, “Your messages have said more than enough. Go away.”

Just as you were about to close the door, he jammed a foot on the door. “Please, (Y/N). I want us back. I want you back. I broke up with Madison for you, I promise I’ll be a better man, I promise I’ll change so please just give me another chance.”

“No, Jeremiah. Go away.” You urged, trying to push his feet away.  You made a mistake of revealing too much of your face, as he caught sight of the bruise that painted your cheek. He frowned in disgust, “Can’t wait to find another man to fuck you after leaving me, huh?”

You raised your gaze in trepidation, “W-what… I’m not! Go away!” You pushed against the door breathlessly. “Is that why you’re so scared? Because you found another man you thought was good and then he beats the shit out of you like this? Are you just embarrassed? Because I hope the fuck you are, you cheap, worthless slut.” He laughed, “He did a good job showing you your damn place, bet his dick is way smaller than mine. No one can please a whore like you better than I can, and you know it. I’m going to repeat one last time, open the door and let me in, NOW, (Y/N).” 

“I said no! Fuck off, Jeremiah, I’m going to call the cops if you stay any longer!” You yell, thanking whatever gods out there that you hadn’t removed the chain bolt that connects your door to the wall. It was the only thing keeping you safe right now. His sudden kick threw you off balance, as you tumbled onto the wooden floor of your apartment, you screamed in fear as Jeremiah kept up with his kicks, trying to break your door down. Peeking up at the bolt, it looked like it wasn’t going to last much longer from the continuous assault.

“Hey! What the fuck are you doing!” You hear a man shout from across the hall. That finally got Jeremiah to stop his strikes. He turned his body around and saw your neighbors peeking out from their houses and a man approaching him down the hallway. “This isn’t over yet you ugly slut. I will come back for you. And when I get my hands on you again, you will regret every choice that you have ever made.” With those words, he turned to walk toward the man. Initially, the man had a grip on him but he roughly pushed him away, running toward the stairs. After shutting the door you wailed, the tears never-ending. You were so fucked up right now. Jobless, a lunatic ex, a broken door, nowhere else to go. What could you do? You hear someone walk to your doorstep. 

“Honey? Are you in there?” You hear the gentle tone of the old lady that lives next door. “I know you must be in a lot of pain and fear right now, but you must contact the police. That boy deserves to be locked up in jail for frightening you like that. I won’t ask you to open the door as I know you’re not feeling the best but, please take my advice and call the cops, okay? We’re all also worried for our own safety.” She offered you a kind goodnight and went back to her house, the door loudly shutting behind her. You stood up as quickly as you could, the pain from your headache ringing around your head. Heading back to your room, you grabbed your phone.

SugaryParadise

Stephen Arthur:

Sweetheart, are you still with me? You must be exhausted from class and work. I hope you have a good rest.

Unlocking your phone with teary eyes, you typed in what you had desperately needed at that time.

Me:

Hey Stephen. Sorry for another late reply. Something else came up. Also,

You paused, thinking if it was really a good choice, you really needed someone, anyone to hear you out right now. Your fears, worries, anxiety and everything else. And you would hate to bother your already sleeping friends. The chime from your phone snapped you out of your thoughts and surprised you, as you had thought the man had already gone to bed.

Stephen Arthur:

What is it? 

You bit your bottom lip and began typing.

Me:

Is it okay if we called right now? I really really need someone.

There was a short pause from his end, fear gripped your heart once more. Had you already messed up? Is he going to block you? Were you too desperate? The three bubble icons popping up made your stomach do flip flops.

Stephen Arthur:

Of course sweetheart. Whenever you’re ready.

You breathed a sigh of relief at his words. After a short moment of hesitating, you clicked onto the phone icon at the top right hand corner. The sound of the tone dialing only made the knot in your gut worsen. You felt sick, like you were going to vomit. You hope you don’t vomit, that’d be embarrassing, you should try to stop crying too, he’s going to find you pathe- the sound of the line cutting broke you out of your train of thoughts.

“Good evening, sweetheart.”

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