《Heartburn》 Set Free? I don¡¯t know why I waited so long. Actually, I never thought I would go through with it. For so long, I¡¯ve wanted freedom from someone who never loved me. My girlfriend, Marie. She hurt me in ways I could never have imagined. She always tells me, ¡°Leah, you stupid bitch, you never do anything right. You better be grateful that I put up with your shit! I''m the only one who can.¡± This isn¡¯t right, I told myself. Today, I finally broke free. Yesterday was the worst day of all. It was my twenty-third birthday. I came home from work after getting cupcakes and flowers from my co-workers, and she accused me of betraying and cheating on her. Why would I do that? There¡¯s only ever been her in my heart. ¡°Marie, you must be mistaken. These treats are just from my work friends. There¡¯s nothing going on.¡± I put my stuff down on the counter and moved in to hug her. She pushes me away and starts to tell me off again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d throw me away like this, and I did so much for you. I think I would have been much better off if we hadn¡¯t met. You¡¯re such an ungrateful shrew.¡± Marie made me cry, for the last time. So, that¡¯s why I¡¯m running away, going wherever I can just to find peace. Since I didn¡¯t have that much, I took all of my stuff in my backpack, and my cat, and ran away.
I remember how, in the very beginning, Marie was very adorable and kind. She looked great too. Thin with fat in all the right places. A gorgeous smile. And, I can¡¯t forget that waning moon tattoo she has over her hip bone. After three months though, she stopped being so nice. She would have very irrational mood swings, and would never apologize or feel bad for taking advantage of my character. I took care of her constantly, even when I was exhausted. She said she loved me, and would remind me every so often. And even though it seemed genuine at the time, it¡¯s hard to believe that now. Look where we¡¯re at, what we¡¯ve become. It¡¯s been almost five years since we started dating, and I was thinking about proposing before today. But one could ask, ¡°Why would you want to marry someone like her?¡± Well the answer is simple: I can¡¯t, not anymore. People like her can¡¯t change. I stop running and sit down somewhere to soothe and feed my cat, Kota. He¡¯s an all black two-year-old kitten. I know he must be starving. Marie never fed him and was mean to him when I was at work. The only reason I found that out was because I had one of the elderly neighbors, Tom Fayden, go over to feed him one day. He had called me on my work phone to tell me, and I was livid. I loved Kota, and didn¡¯t want him to get hurt. Thinking of that day still makes my blood boil inside. But now that Kota is right in front of me, he¡¯s much safer. I sit down on the damp ground that¡¯s covered in leaves and twigs and take the kitten out of the pet taxi. He cries with hunger and is trembling from the cold. I put him on my chest and covered his little body with my warm and fuzzy sweater, then quickly got his food, opened it and put it on the floor. Still holding Kota, I snag a blanket from my backpack and lay it down next to the kitten food and proceed to gently put Kota down to have him eat. I take out my phone and look at the battery: 70%. That¡¯s surprising, considering how much I¡¯ve used this thing today. I turn up the screen¡¯s brightness and notice the many notifications from Marie: ¡°Where did you go this time? Did you go to your so-called friend¡¯s house again?¡± ¡°You know you need me. Don¡¯t deny it.¡± I scroll through and they look mostly the same, except for a different one she¡¯s never sent before. ¡°I need you. Please don¡¯t do this, I¡¯m sorry, Leah.¡± At this point, I almost feel bad for leaving. But if I go back, the cycle will just start all over. I look at the time: 8:24. Since I have so much time to kill, I should go find a place to lay low for a few days. I look at Kota. He¡¯s stopped eating and curled up into a ball on the blanket. I touch him, he¡¯s still cold. I put the blanket over him and worry about whether he will be okay or not. I lay next to my kitten, not caring about if my clothes get wet. I kiss Kota¡¯s head and place my hand on him. I pick up my phone again and unlock it. Marie¡¯s messages still show once in a while, but I never respond. I call my friend, Raena. ¡°Hey,¡± I say. ¡°Hi,¡± she replies, ¡°Are you okay?¡± I don¡¯t know what to say, even though there¡¯s a lot on my mind. ¡°No, actually I¡¯m not. I need a favor.¡± Raena sighs. ¡°What is it?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Can I stay at your place for a few days? Me and Kota aren¡¯t safe right now.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Also, sorry, I just haven¡¯t been the same since the other week.¡± I am suddenly confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you get here.¡± Raena abruptly hangs up.
I wait ten minutes before leaving, so I can let the kitten rest, then put him back in the pet taxi while he¡¯s still in the blanket. I gather the bins, and put the backpack on, then grab Kota¡¯s taxi. I start walking towards the road but it¡¯s now very dark. Taking out my phone, I check the battery again: 54%. I turn on the flashlight and walk across the road. There¡¯s no cars, no noises, except for the sound of cicadas. I hear Kota start to wake up and cry for me. I see a nearby gas station and quickly walk towards it. As soon as I¡¯m there, I set everything down again and tend to Kota. I gently take him out of the cage and hold him to me. There¡¯s a loud car that passes by, then it disappears down the road of dense fog. A woman comes out of the grocery store and I immediately recognize her with the sunflower tattoo on her neck. It¡¯s Marie. I can¡¯t see her face, thankfully, but I don¡¯t care to. She gets in her car at the gas pump and drives off. I look at Kota. He opens his green eyes and slowly moves up towards my face. I pet him, but no purrs come out. I go into the store. It¡¯s really warm in here, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I go to the cat food aisle and get more cans for Kota, since I know I¡¯ll need them. Then I go to the milk section and get a gallon, before grabbing a bag of Oreos for myself. I go up to the register. ¡°Hi.¡± I say to the cashier. He looks at me with dead eyes. ¡°Will that be all?¡± he says in a monotone voice. I read his name tag: Emmanuel. He scans my groceries. ¡°$7.24.¡± I take out my wallet from my back pocket and hand him $10. He hands me my bagged food. ¡°Have a good night.¡± Emmanuel says. I walk out and check on Kota. He¡¯s tired. I put him back in the cage and he immediately lays down again. My heart sinks. Usually he wants to play at night, but tonight he isn¡¯t budging. He barely ate today. Is he sick or something? Now that I think about it, maybe Marie could have done something to him yesterday. My poor kitty! I put my fingers into the cage and pet Kota. I don¡¯t feel anything yet, but as soon as I touch his little foot, he suddenly meows in pain. I feel so bad that I start to tear up. That evil whore! Marie, you will pay for this! I take out my phone and call Marie. ¡°Oh, now you want me?¡± she asks. ¡°What did you do to my cat?!¡± I scream at her. ¡°What? Is he hurt?¡± she laughs, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would do something to him.¡± What the fuck? ¡°Answer me!¡± I yell. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Marie sighs in defeat, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to hear him cry. So I put him in the closet. Then he cried even more, I had to shut him up somehow.¡± Marie starts crying and begging me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leah, please forgive me! I¡¯ll pay for whatever he has to get done to make him better.¡± I hang up and start bawling. My cat is hurt! My Kota. I call out to him in his cage. ¡°Kota?¡± I say. I pet him and he quietly starts purring. The sound makes me happy, but I know he¡¯s in pain. It makes my heart sting to hear him cry. A car suddenly stops in front of me and a woman rolls down the window. ¡°Excuse me. Are you okay?¡± she asks. I shake my head quickly. ¡°My kitten is hurt. Please, can you help him?¡± ¡°I might be able to. I worked as a veterinarian a few years back. Do you need help, too?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I don¡¯t want to stay out here all night, and I¡¯m trying to get to my friend¡¯s house.¡± I say. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine. My name is Danisha. Please, get in. I¡¯ll help your cat and then give you a ride.¡± I¡¯m hesitant. In my heart, I know it¡¯s not really safe, but my mind is saying to do it just to save Kota. ¡°Alright.¡± I open Danisha¡¯s backseat door, and put my bins and backpack in. Then grab Kota¡¯s cage, get in the car, and put him on my lap. The driver seems familiar, and upon sitting down I recognize him immediately. At least I know I¡¯m safe now. ¡°Oh! Hi, Tommy. It¡¯s been a long time and I was wondering when next I¡¯d see you out. How are you? And nice to meet you, Danisha, I¡¯m Leah.¡± She turns her head and smiles at me. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure. What¡¯s wrong with your little kitty?¡± she wonders. ¡°My ex-girlfriend did something to his foot, and I feel really terrible right now, for him.¡± I force myself to swallow the lump in my throat. ¡°Aw, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Danisha says, ¡°We¡¯ll get him some help. We¡¯re almost home already, we don¡¯t live far from that gas station. We go there all the time.¡± Tommy had waited for us to finish talking before taking his turn. ¡°I¡¯m good, thank you, Leah. I hope you and Marie are doing well, yes?¡± he smiles. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re doing great.¡± I lied. ¡°Never better.¡± The atmosphere turns quiet and I see a long driveway on another road, but we keep driving and go straight past it. Then, we stop and make a right turn, before driving more and pulling in front of a garage. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Tommy says. Really Awkward ¡°Are you staying for long?¡± Danisha asks. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± I reply. ¡°I just want to help Kota and go to my friend Raena¡¯s place.¡± She nods. ¡°I understand. Also, I think you should get changed when we get inside.¡± I put Kota back in the safety of his cage and closed its door. ¡°Let us help you.¡± Tommy says. ¡°Thanks,¡± I reply, ¡°my arms were getting tired from lugging those damn things around.¡± He grabs my bins and has Danisha carry my backpack and Kota. We head inside the house from the front porch. Their house looks tidy and clean. The wallpaper is filled with green vines and leaves, the floor is a shiny brown laminate. They have a big living room with bean-bags, a TV mounted on the wall with a black leather couch against the wall on the other side of the room, two matching chairs next to the couch, and numerous acrylic paintings of flowers and Italian landscapes of Rome and Sicily. The upstairs railing is wrapped in a small string of yellow LED lights. In the right corner is the kitchen, with the same flooring and wallpaper. All their utensils are neatly stacked and on a towel on the counter. ¡°We¡¯ll put your things in the living room, is that okay?¡± Tommy asks. ¡°Yeah,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab some new clothes first and then change in the bathroom.¡± I wait for them to put down my stuff, and then get pajamas from one of my bins. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of your cat while you¡¯re away,¡± Danisha says. ¡°Oh, and you can change in my room, if it makes you more comfortable.¡± It caught me off guard actually, but since she was offering, I didn¡¯t want to say no. ¡°Thanks, where is it?¡± I ask. ¡°Upstairs, the second door to the left.¡± I nod and go up. There¡¯s four doors I see. Danisha¡¯s room is the door in the middle, and there¡¯s two others on both sides, plus another one next to the room on the right. I go into Danisha¡¯s room. It has white carpeting with a huge purple, fluffy rug. Her TV is standing on a cabinet in front of her bed, which has a hot pink blanket. Again, there¡¯s pictures all over the wall of flowers. What¡¯s with this girl and her flowers? I take off my sweater and put it on her bed. Then, as I start to unbutton my blouse, I hear a knock. ¡°Hello?¡± I shout to the door. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Tommy asks me, his voice deep and stern. ¡°A tiny bit, yes.¡± I say, ¡°what¡¯s for dinner?¡± ¡°Mashed potatoes, carrots, spinach, and ham,¡± ¡°Sounds great, be out in a few.¡± I hear Tommy walk downstairs and quickly continue to get into my pajamas. The set is a light pink, both the top and bottoms are long sleeved and light pink with bunnies all over the bottoms. I take my dirty clothes from Danisha¡¯s bed, go out and walk downstairs. ¡°Hey, Leah? Your kitten¡­ His leg is sprained pretty badly. You said Marie did this?¡± I nod, feeling my anger flare up again. Danisha comes up to me holding Kota to her chest, who now has a splint wrapped around his leg. ¡°This is the best I can do, he''ll need time to recover. As for your ex, I hope you see to it that she''s punished for this.¡± She gives me a stern yet reassuring look. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I tell her. "And, I will. But I don''t have the strength to face her. Not yet." ¡°You¡¯re welcome, and I understand,¡± she replies, giving Kota to me, and going upstairs. ¡°I¡¯m changing into something more comfortable, and then I¡¯ll take you where you need to go. In the meantime, food is on the table for you.¡± I hear Danisha go upstairs and I gently put Kota in his cage, then go to the kitchen. ¡°Hey, Tommy, where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± I ask him. He¡¯s at the sink washing up the dirty dishes. He turns and looks at me. ¡°In the room on the left from Danisha¡¯s. Better hurry and make sure your food doesn¡¯t get cold,¡± Tommy says. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Outside of its door, I knock to make sure no one is in there. Hearing silence, I let myself in and wash my hands, then check my appearance in the mirror. My long blonde hair is frizzy and tangled in a crooked ponytail, and my face is oily. I take out my hair from its scrunchie tie and fix it. I come out of the bathroom and go downstairs to the kitchen table. I sit down in front of my meal, grab the fork and knife and begin to eat. I¡¯d been really hungry and hadn''t realized it. Within just a few minutes, I scarfed everything down. I pat my lips dry with a napkin and put it on the empty plate. ¡°This was great!¡±, I say to Tommy. ¡°Who made it?¡± He laughs. ¡°Well, me and Danisha, of course. Did you remember to pray before you ate?¡± he asks me. I hear him turn off the water. He comes to the table and sits next to me. ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not like that, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He sighs in disappointment. ¡°I understand. Not everyone is like me. I keep forgetting I¡¯m just an old man.¡± He has a solemn look, and in the dining room light, I can see all of his features. His face has some wrinkles, especially under his brown eyes. His hair is a thin brown with some hints of grey. He has a plump but loose figure, as if he lost weight, or is trying to lose some. ¡°How old are you?¡± I ask, ¡°and what about your wife?¡± He smiles at me for the first time. ¡°I¡¯m 63. My wife is 58. She doesn¡¯t come around here anymore though.¡± Tommy pauses, his eyes well up with tears and quickly puts his head down. I start to feel awkward. ¡°Take your time,¡± I tell him. He continues after a brief moment. ¡°Agatha left me. I¡¯m not sure why, I guess she just didn¡¯t like the way I was anymore. She said she wanted more children, and more excitement, more of everything. But I just couldn¡¯t give her another child; she wanted a son. Several years ago, we had a daughter. She was eleven years old at the time. Penelope Fayden was her name. My wife spoiled her rotten, and I told her it wasn¡¯t the way to raise her. Penelope always had to get her away, no matter what the consequences were. She used to raise hell. "One day, I tried to tell Agatha to calm down with her lavish spending, buying herself unnecessary things, and tried to get her to save money instead.¡± Tommy excuses himself to get some water in the kitchen, and comes back to the chair. A little intrigued now, I wait for him to continue. However, I hear Danisha come down the steps and call for me. ¡°Hey, Leah, what do you think?¡± I look at Tommy. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll tell you the rest later.¡± He gets up again and goes to the living room, slowly sitting down on the couch. I look up at Danisha and she has a long, blue dress on, and a silver clutch purse in her hand. Her eyeshadow is medium-light purple, with a darker lipstick shade of the same color. She smiles at me with her pearly whites. ¡°You look nice!¡±, I tell her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She laughs a little bit. ¡°I¡¯m going out with some new friends, but I¡¯m going to drop you off at your friend¡¯s place first. Are you ready?,¡± Danisha asks. ¡°Yes, hold on, let me just check if Kota is hungry.¡± I go to his pet taxi and open the door. I get a small can of his kitten food and open the lid, then put it in a corner of the cage. I pet him, and he purrs, and gets up from a nap and goes to eat. I check to make sure I have all of my stuff, which I do. I pick Kota up and pet him while sitting on the couch. ¡°Well?¡± Danisha says. ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, I¡¯m ready, just have to put Kota back in the cage.¡± I stand again put him back on the blanket in his taxi and close the cage. I look at Tommy. He swirls his thumbs and has an angry look on his face now. ¡°We should get going,¡± she says, rushing. ¡°Sorry¡±, I say, closing the cage¡¯s door. Danisha grabs my bins full of clothes, and swings my backpack on her shoulder. She goes out of the front door and doesn¡¯t wait for me. I pet Kota, who¡¯s still on my chest, and ask Tommy if he¡¯s okay. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, just you go, please. I¡¯m having a tough time,¡± he says, not looking at me. I turn back and go out to the car. I notice Danisha has already put my things in the back, so I walk to the passenger door and get in. ¡°Sorry. I had to see if your uncle was doing well.¡± I tell her. ¡°Leah, I¡¯m sorry too, but I really had to get out of there. He always gets sulky like that. I¡¯m twenty-one now, but he always got like that in front of me, and my grandma and my mother. It gets really awkward sometimes.¡± There¡¯s so much sorrow and angst in this family. Maybe that¡¯s why I can relate to them, I guess. Old Friend I keep petting Kota and try to avoid touching his injured foot, but he flinches when my hand gets too close to it. I still feel upset looking at it, but it makes me relieved knowing he will be okay. I lower Kota from my chest and lay him down on my lap, with my one hand holding his little furry body, and my other hand caressing his head. I don¡¯t want to keep him holed up in that taxi anymore. "So, do you want directions?¡±, I asked Danisha. We¡¯ve only been sitting in her car for a few moments, but it felt much longer. I keep glancing behind us with the car''s mirror, warily staring at Marie''s parked car. ¡°Sure, just put them in the GPS while the heat comes on.¡± She starts the car and puts the temperature dial up. Danisha hands me her phone after putting her passcode in. I go to the FriendAddress app and put in Raena¡¯s address: 124 Daisy Lane, Wicken-chester, PA. I tap on the first route that takes 28 minutes by car. ¡°Okay, we can go now,¡± I say. The car is heating up slowly, but surely. ¡°Alright,¡± Danisha replies. She reverses and follows the GPS directions one at a time. First it says: ¡°Go straight for two miles, then make a right on Clover Road.¡± She keeps driving down the mysterious and dense road. There was a silence, which she broke with the basic question, ¡°Leah, can you tell me about yourself?¡± I clear my throat. ¡°Sure, yeah. . . I have-, had a girlfriend, Marie. I just turned twenty-four yesterday. Marie and I aren¡¯t on good terms, and I ran away from her because she was really breaking me down emotionally.¡± I let out a nervous laugh and refused to say anything more on that subject. ¡°What about you?¡± Danisha quickly glances at me and smiles, before turning her eyes back to her driving. ¡°Well, I already told you my age. But. . . I¡¯m bi-sexual, and. . looking for someone to be with. As I¡¯ve said earlier tonight, I used to work as a veterinarian, and I¡¯m looking to head into nursing school. I¡¯ve always had a passion for the human body.¡± She chuckles and reaches over to slowly run her hand down my arm. ¡°Interesting,¡± I smile. ¡°Can you tell me more about your background?¡± ¡°I¡¯m mixed, half Jamaican, and half white. My dad¡¯s side of the family is white, but my mom¡¯s is black. So, I have my mom¡¯s complexion and her eyes, but nothing really from my dad, except the hair. It¡¯s naturally straight.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s really nice.¡± I hear a noise and notice that Kota turned in his slumber. The car is really hot now, and I reach over and turn down the heat and also put down the window. ¡°Sorry, I was really warming up,¡± I say. The GPS voice suddenly speaks. ¡°Turn right on Clover Road, then turn left on Ferris Avenue.¡± I hadn¡¯t realized how long Danisha and I have been talking. It feels like forever, but I enjoy it, actually. I feel cozy in her presence. I check my phone and notice it¡¯s almost 1 AM. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. There¡¯s a message from Raena: ¡°Where are you? Damn, you take forever. You were supposed to be here before midnight.¡± I immediately reply back: ¡°I¡¯m on the way, should be there soon. Got caught up with my neighbor¡¯s niece, she was fixing Kota¡¯s leg. Sorry!¡± Danisha clears her throat and turns the radio on to a R&B station and puts it at a low volume. ¡°How about some music?¡± she asks. ¡°Okay.¡± I say. ¡°What club are you going to tonight? Maybe I might come along someday.¡± ¡°It¡¯s way down the road a few ways, back near my house.¡± ¡°Have you always been there?¡± ¡°On and off, yeah. Tonight will be pretty enjoyable, I¡¯m gonna need a lot of drinks to zone my Uncle out. But, he¡¯s probably fine by now.¡± ¡°I would hope so. He worries me, I¡¯m scared for him.¡± I frown. ¡°Can I come back next week to your place? I would like to check on him.¡± Danisha scoffs. ¡°Well, I guess you can, but I¡¯d rather you not waste your time on him. He looks for anyone to talk to, that¡¯s what he does.¡± The way she says this is really bitter. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk about something else then, shall we?¡±, I ask. Danisha suddenly goes silent for a few minutes, still driving. ¡°Huh? Oh, alright, go ahead.¡± I focus on the music and notice it¡¯s playing a romantic-like jazz tune. In the tender moment, I forget where I am and drift off to sleep. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re just about to reach Raena¡¯s house. Wake up, Leah!¡± I jump up, startled, and immediately feel wide awake. ¡°Oh jeez, sorry. I¡¯m awake now.¡± She laughs. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can talk another time, if you want. I¡¯ll still be around for a few more days before I start the way back home to North Carolina.¡± We stop in front of Raena¡¯s house. It¡¯s now 1:45. I go to check my phone notifications, and it¡¯s dead. ¡°Can I have your number?¡± I ask Danisha. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll give it to you once I help you get your stuff out of the backseat and such.¡± We get out of the car and get my bins of clothes, backpack, and the pet taxi. Danisha carries the heavy bins and I notice her muscular arms. They make her really attractive. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± she says. We walk up Raena¡¯s driveway and stop in front of the door. The lights are on inside, and the curtain shades are lifted a bit, and I see a silhouette of someone sitting on the couch. ¡°Here we are.¡± I smile. ¡°Thanks for bringing me.¡± We put my stuff down, and I suddenly hear Kota¡¯s little meows. I thought he was still sleeping! He worries me, that little furball. Poor thing. ¡°Let me give you my number now.¡± Danisha smiles and giggles. She takes out her phone. ¡°But wait, what¡¯s yours?¡± I proceed to tell her mine. ¡°Message sent.¡± I nod and smile. ¡°Oh, I just noticed my phone is dead, so I won¡¯t see your text until later. ¡° She waves her hand. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Leah.¡± We hug and she gets in her car and drives away. I knock on the door. I hear the person get up and open the door to let me in. ¡°Leah! You¡¯re here, that¡¯s great. Come in! And let me help you with these, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I walk into her house. Raena carries my belongings inside and puts them in her room. She leaves Kota in the living room. I walk up to his cage and open it, gently taking him out and wrapping him up in a random blanket on the couch. He shivers and whimpers. Leah comes back downstairs and we hug gently and pull away. ¡°What¡¯s up, how are you?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m alright, and yourself?¡± Raena smiles at me. ¡°I¡¯m good. Do you have any cat food or something? Kota hasn¡¯t eaten today, not that much. And he¡¯s freezing.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I have, like, mostly everything here.¡± She laughs and we go to the kitchen, where she takes a small can of food from the bottom cabinet. ¡°Thank you¡±, I say, petting Kota. He slowly starts to purr and I feel him get warm. Raena opens the can and puts it on a small white plate next to the wall. I set Kota down and he slowly walks up to the food to eat. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn the TV down and fluff the pillows.¡± Raena tells me. I look at her quickly before turning back to look around. I notice the kitchen is small and basic. Brown laminate wood floor, with white countertop and cabinets. Pictures of her and some guy on the round table. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡± We go to the living room and sit on the couch next to each other. ¡°How long has it been? And since when were you a blonde? Is everything going well now? Tell me the details.¡± She turns her body towards me and I realize how much older she¡¯s gotten, though she¡¯s only almost 34. I tell her everything that¡¯s happened over the last few days, and then I begin to cry. Raena hugs me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says, ¡°you don¡¯t deserve that mistreatment.¡± I sniffle. ¡°What am I supposed to do? Marie knows where I go and always stalks me on the phone. I want to just leave her! She makes me so mad, and even worse, she¡¯s the one who hurt Kota!¡± She shushes and keeps holding me. ¡°Keep it down, hun. My husband is sleeping.¡± I cry silently and develop a headache. I pull away and put my head back on the firm couch. I hear small footsteps and put my head up to see Kota limply trying to walk to me. Raena gently picked him up and put him on my lap. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll give you and your lovely pet here some alone time. Let me know when you feel better, okay? Do you want some tea?¡± I nod and sniff. ¡°What kind?¡± she asks. ¡°Chamomile is fine, thanks. Can you charge my phone, please?¡± I ask, handing it to her. ¡°Sure thing.¡± She plugs my phone into the charger behind the other side of the couch. I pet Kota, who paws at my belly and purrs, and I proceed to fall asleep again. Creepy Vibes I wake with Raena¡¯s soft shake on my shoulder. ¡°Hey, wake up, Leah. Your tea is done.¡± I slowly open my eyes and gently sit up. Kota now lays next to me and looks at me lovingly. He¡¯s adorable. I get up and go to the kitchen, where my tea sits on the counter in a plain white mug. I go back to the living room and unplug my phone. I turn it on and the Apple logo is displayed. A minute later, my lock screen shows, as does Danisha¡¯s text from earlier. ¡°Hey,¡± it says, with a small red heart next to it. I reply immediately: ¡°Hey, I passed out a while ago after I put my phone to charge. Sorry!¡± My text sends and I take a long sip of my drink. I scroll through my contacts and delete Marie¡¯s number, and then go to delete the photos in my gallery. I now realize that Marie and I were barely ever on such great terms, but at those times, she seemed so pure. I look back at the picture in front of the Rockefeller Center. I wore a green sweater with a black scarf and matching ear muffs, with my hair in a long, blonde braid and a bit of makeup. Marie had her arm around my waist, with her head on my shoulder. She wore a white blouse and blue jeans. Her black hair was in a bun. We both were smiling in the picture, though my cheek was red and my eyes looked sad. I don¡¯t remember who took it. Probably some stranger, but, oh well. I try to figure out why we both seemed so happy that day. And then I remembered the reason. I had asked her if she ever wanted to get married or have children together. She looked me straight in the face and smiled. ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. Then there was silence before a big wave of hurt came over me. ¡°But with someone else.¡± I tried to ask her why, but she scurried away to find someone to take the picture. Marie quickly came back and slapped me before growling at me to smile. Then we got into that pose and this is the picture that was taken. Through all the years Marie and I have been together, I always felt nausea in my stomach. Or just that uneasy feeling. Whatever it was, I knew it was a sign of my body telling me that being around her wasn¡¯t good. Anything I did was never good enough for her, and she would always somehow have reason to complain. That night in the city we went to go see the famous tree, of course, but I wanted to propose to Marie; I had the ring in my pocket that entire time but, after she hit me, I decided not to go through with my plan. We eventually went back home and I hid the ring in my nightstand drawer, and I sold it the next day. The day after was when I ran away, so it¡¯s been about five days or so now. I was with Marie for eight years. I had so much love for her in the beginning, until she just started treating me with such disrespect, with no regards to my feelings. That bitch. I now piece together too that she could have been cheating on me, as well as abusing me. Why else would she say she wants a family with someone else? All these thoughts make my mind stir and I feel my blood boiling with rage. I drink the warm tea with big gulps and set the cup down on the coffee table next to the couch. I hear a noise from the door. ¡°Raena?¡± I called out. ¡°No? Leah?¡± I hear a familiar voice and quickly turn my head. It¡¯s Danisha. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She¡¯s dressed in casual outfit, pants and a long-sleeved blue sweater, which brings out her smooth, ebony skin. I take in her beauty and blush at the thought of her touching my cheek. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Her voice quickly brings me back to reality. I get up and go hug her, telling her to sit down. We sit on chairs in the kitchen. ¡°Huh? Oh, I guess so.¡± I say. ¡°How about you? You look really lovely.¡± She blushes and fixes her shirt before giving me her full attention again. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been sort of better. My uncle is something else, though. I wanted to come see you and that way we could hang out with your friend, or we could maybe try to go see if you can be somewhere that¡¯s safer.¡± I nod. ¡°Yeah, maybe. But I don¡¯t know where else I¡¯m supposed to be right now. Have you found another place?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know where else to take you that would be extra safe, besides either out of the country or at a women¡¯s shelter.¡± ¡°A shelter, why there? I¡¯m not in any danger.¡± Danisha suddenly grabs my hands. ¡°Leah, look at me directly right now, okay? Look in my eyes. Whether you believe it or not¨C and I don¡¯t think you do, clearly¨C you are in danger. You¡¯re running away from yourself and your problems. I need you to believe, alright? I want to do what¡¯s best for you; I want to help. Don¡¯t deny the troubles you¡¯re facing right now. You need support.¡± She brings me in for a hug and, without thinking, I hug back. Maybe she¡¯s right. No, not maybe. She¡¯s definitely right. What am I doing? Running away isn¡¯t right. I have to confront Marie. ¡°Thank you, Danisha.¡± I say, as we let go. I stand and go to the living room to get my phone and use my password to get to the home screen. There¡¯s a text from Raena: ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be home in ten minutes.¡± It¡¯s 9:05 now. I go back to the kitchen and sit in my spot, turning up the sound on my phone before putting it on the table. ¡°Huh? Did I just see a cat?¡± Danisha asks. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my Kota.¡± I laugh. I look around, seeing him walk back from the living room. I carefully pick him up as he meows. ¡°Do you want to hold him? He¡¯s adorable and so friendly, trust me. He even likes strangers.¡± She smiles and holds her hands out while I gently hand my cat over. ¡°Come here, you! You¡¯re so tiny.¡± ¡°Would you believe he¡¯s a few years old already?¡± ¡°Yeah? He looks almost grown now. Is he 1 or 2?¡± ¡°2.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Danisha says in astonishment. Kota curls in a fluffy ball and meows more. ¡°Oh, you should sit down. And be careful of his paw. Poor little thing can¡¯t walk too well anymore.¡± She sits down and continues to pet him. I quickly get a blanket and give it to Danisha. Suddenly, I hear the door unlock and open. ¡°I¡¯m home! Leah? Are you here?¡± I peek out from the kitchen. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re here.¡± Raena sets down her bag and we quickly hug. ¡°I hope you¡¯re doing better, hun. And do you happen to know who¡¯s car is in my driveway?¡± she asks, pointing outside. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. My new friend Danisha stopped by, she brought me here yesterday.¡± She chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re not in trouble; it¡¯s fine.¡± She picks up her bag and goes into the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s in the bag? Groceries?¡± I ask. ¡°Yeah, I had to get some milk for my coffee and eggs and orange juice for you. If you like that kind of stuff. My husband Harris usually does. Speaking of him, he should be home soon from work.¡± ¡°Hi Miss Raena. I hope I¡¯m not a nuisance.¡± Danisha laughs while still petting Kota. He¡¯s now sound asleep, with his head peeking out from the blanket. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s no trouble. Do you both want something to eat? I¡¯m about to watch a movie or something if you¡¯d like to join.¡± Raena offers. ¡°No, thank you. Maybe next time. I¡¯ve been here for a while and it¡¯s best I''ll be on my way.¡± Danisha carefully stands and I scoop up my sleeping kitten, holding him closely to my chest. ¡°Okay, goodnight Danisha. It was great seeing you, thanks for checking on me.¡± I say as she heads towards the door. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll text you!¡± she calls out. The door closes and I hear her car drive off after a few minutes. I sigh and sit down on the couch. Kota makes a noise and moves near my neck. His breath is warm and tickly. ¡°Hi, Little Kota, I love you.¡± I pet his head and he slowly opens his green, adorably curious eyes, letting out a light cry. Having finished in the kitchen, Leah comes into the living room with her popcorn and iced tea and sits next to me. ¡°Hey Leah, how¡¯s your kitty¡¯s arm doing?¡± she asks as she turns on the big TV. ¡°He¡¯s struggling to walk but I think he¡¯s feeling a little better.¡± She puts on a random channel and faces me. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ll check on him tomorrow or so.¡± She smiles at me and reaches over to touch my cat. Again, the door opens and closes. ¡°Raena? Dear?¡± Harris¡¯ voice calls. ¡°I¡¯m here! In the living room with Leah.¡± she replies. ¡°Okay, and where is our dinner?¡± Harris walks over to the couch and stands in front of us. ¡°Well, there¡¯s really nothing to make, honey. All I bought were eggs, milk and something else¡ª forgot what it is¨C but that¡¯s all. No other foods, sorry. Maybe get some take out?¡± Harris suddenly makes a disappointed face, which suddenly melts when he notices me at last. ¡°Hi, Leah. I¡¯m sure my wife here has told you tons about me.¡± He laughs. His behavior is quite strange, and I really don¡¯t like the creepy and dangerous vibe I¡¯m getting from him. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m asking you something, sweetie. I said, how long are you staying?¡± he asks me. Not long with you around, rather than have that escape my mouth I say: ¡°Oh, sorry. It might be awhile. Is that an issue at all?¡± I kiss Kota¡¯s head and move him to lay on my lap. I look between both Raena and Harris. It¡¯s hard to discern the faces they give each other. ¡°Not at all.¡± Raena quickly says. ¡°Okay, thanks. I should get ready for bed. Where do I sleep again?¡± She points upstairs, eating popcorn. ¡°In my room. First door on the right as soon as you reach up there.¡± I picked up Kota, got my phone, and walked up the steps and into her room. As soon as I see her bed, I¡¯m instantly tired. I put my cat down and get changed before turning off the lights and tucking in. In the darkness, I feel Kota coming next to me, lying down and starting to sleep. He purrs loudly. Downstairs, there¡¯s faint sounds and talking. I fall asleep feeling better than I ever have for days. Meeting Pops I wake in bed feeling renewed and restful. Looking around, I notice my Kota is gone. I quickly sit up and go on my phone and call Raena. She answers within two rings. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Raena, do you know where my cat is?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Don¡¯t worry he¡¯s fine. I have him.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to wake me up before taking Kota? Where are you going?¡± I asked worriedly. ¡°Just for a ride. And I was going to tell you but you were passed out and probably wouldn¡¯t have remembered. Trust me, I¡¯ll be back in soon. Give me 15 minutes, alright?¡± ¡°You better be. If something else happens to him, I swear¡­¡± Raena sighs. ¡°I know. We¡¯ll be fine. See you soon.¡± She hangs up. I get out of bed and go downstairs. ¡°Harris?¡± I called. Silence. I reach for an outfit from one of my bags of clothes: light blue shorts, a floral shirt with roses and new panties. Unexpectedly, I hear coughing while the door opens. It¡¯s Harris. ¡°Oh, hey miss Leah. Finally got up?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the big issue? I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t sleep that long.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s 3 noon. For you, I think it should be.¡± I ignore his comment and roll my eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± He walks over to sit on the couch and puts on the TV, turning the channel to a football game. ¡°Across from Raena¡¯s room. Well, yours now.¡± I ran up the steps and into the bathroom. I changed into my fresh clothes and put the others on the floor. They¡¯re dirty anyways. I look into the mirror. My hair is a mess again and I look filthy. Damn, I should have just showered. Maybe later today though. I look around to find a random brush and use it since I don¡¯t want to go back downstairs. I wet the brush and comb through all of my blonde hair, putting it into a braid. I take my clothes and go back down, putting them in the bag behind the couch. The door opens again and there¡¯s Raena and Kota. ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Give me my kitten.¡± She hands him over. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t take too long. There was some traffic on the way to getting home and I had to get gas. It¡¯s gone up from five to six dollars.¡± Finally holding my cat, he and I stare at each other. He slowly blinks at me and seems to smile. I kiss his little head. He meows softly and it fills my heart with such warmth. ¡°My kitty, I missed you.¡± I tell Kota as I pet him. I sit on the couch away from Harris and pay attention to my cat. ¡°Six dollars is not that much, dear. If you need money to fill the tank, I could give you a little bit.¡± I hear Harris say to Raena. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a programmer. You should give me more than a little bit; I¡¯ll need to get groceries and everything else.¡± ¡°No,¡± Harris says aggressively, ¡°and frankly you should be a little more grateful. I pay for so much around here. This house. Your car. That TV you wanted.¡± I look up and I see Harris stand and slowly walk over to Raena. She doesn¡¯t look his way but says: ¡°Harris, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m just going to take a nap.¡± She starts to walk upstairs but he starts to reach towards her. I put Kota down on the couch and immediately walk over to them. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡± I say. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± Harris looks me up and down before letting her go. ¡°Raena, go. Now.¡± She thanks me and goes upstairs. ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re lucky.¡± he says. He turns around, grabs his keys and leaves the house. I check on Kota before going to check on Raena. He looks at me with tired eyes while laying on his side. I pet him, and then go to the room upstairs. I knock on her door. ¡°Hey. Are you okay? Can I come in?¡± ¡°Not yet. I don¡¯t want you here right now. I¡¯m just¡­ trying to deal with some stuff.¡± ¡°Well, if you want me to leave, can you give me my phone first? It¡¯s on your bed.¡± Raena opens the door and hands the phone to me before shutting it again. I hear her soft sobs. ¡°Raena, at least let me see your face and that you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°No. Just take a walk or take my car somewhere.¡± Frustrated, I go back down and get ready to leave. Once again. I sit on the couch and text Danisha: Hey. Raena is going through a rough patch and doesn¡¯t want me here right now. Can we go somewhere? I get up and go to the kitchen to make myself tea while trying to control my own emotions. It¡¯s so difficult. Harris reminds me of Marie and I can¡¯t stand it. I just want to punch his stupid ass face. My phone rings. I ran to pick it up. ¡°Leah. Where are you? Do you want me to come get you, are you safe?¡± Danisha asks worriedly. I sigh. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry, and I¡¯m safe, yeah. I¡¯m still at Raena¡¯s place. Can we go for a drive or something? I don¡¯t want to get close to Marie again.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course! I¡¯d be glad to get lunch right about now. My dad and I would love to see you.¡± Huh? I haven¡¯t ever heard her mention her father before. And I thought she hated her parents. ¡°Is there something you want to tell me? What¡¯s that about your dad for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain as soon as we get there. That story in itself is going to take a while.¡± ¡°Okay¡±, I smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± I scrolled through my phone as around twenty minutes passed uneventfully. A text popup appears at the top of my screen as I pet my cute kitty. ¡°We¡¯re here¡± it says. I put my phone away before gently scooping up Kota from the couch and putting him in the taxi. I go out then lock the door behind me. ¡°So you¡¯re Leah! Come on in, we¡¯re going to my favorite joint!¡± Danisha¡¯s father beckons me to hop in as Danisha scrolls through her phone with her headphones in. The car¡¯s speaker is blasting loud reggae music. Opening the car door, I set the taxi down and slid it over before sitting down. ¡°And what¡¯s this here? You¡¯ve got a cool cat with you?¡± he smiles. ¡°Oh, I love cats. Can I hold him later?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. You¡¯ll have to be extra careful though, his arm is hurt.¡± ¡°Right, I heard about that.¡± He sighs before beginning to drive off. As we drive down the road, I turn my attention back to my phone. Another text comes from Danisha. ¡°Sorry about the loud music.¡± She sends a sighing emoji. ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± ¡°Well, Raena and her husband had a fight. He was calling her ungrateful and was getting really hostile.¡± ¡°Did he hurt her?¡± She looks at her phone with a shocked expression. ¡°No. I interfered and I told her to get away from him, but when I tried to go check on her, she turned me away.¡± ¡°Maybe just try to let her cool off and then try again later tonight.¡± Danisha suggests in her text. ¡°Okay. So what¡¯s the deal about being with your dad? Aren¡¯t you living with Tommy?¡± ¡°It was only temporary. Until Dad gets back on his feet; he¡¯s struggling right now. Ya know, financially. So Tommy¡¯s been helping both of us by letting me stay for now and sending some money to Dad.¡± ¡°So where is he staying, your dad?¡± ¡°With his brother. I don¡¯t talk about my mother because she wasn¡¯t doing right by me and was into terrible stuff, so Dad took me away from her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, hope you both are alright now. How old is he?¡± ¡°46. He was a young father.¡± Danisha¡¯s dad says. ¡°Dad, tell Leah your name!¡± she commands jokingly. ¡°Oh, sorry! The name''s Rigoberto. I¡¯m from ¨¦l Salvador if you''re curious.¡± ¡°Nice to finally meet you.¡± I laugh. ¡°Likewise," he replies. ¡°How is everything going by the way chica?¡± ¡°Uh, pretty well so far. I¡¯m staying at my friend Raena¡¯s house for a little bit.¡± ¡°Ah, I hope she¡¯s being a good host.¡± Rigoberto chuckles. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s alright. I wanted to get out of the house today for some fresh air.¡± ¡°Fuck, do I understand that. I¡¯ve been stressing out about finding a job but have been stuck with doing freelance shit. Fresh air always helps when I''m getting real stressed.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t make too much money from those; he makes like thirty dollars a week if he''s lucky. At least it¡¯s something though.¡± I don¡¯t know what to really say to her that would be relatable, because I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve never worked. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± I ask. ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s some ways away. The food is phenomenal though, you¡¯ll see. The drive always sucks ass and it¡¯s the worst part.¡± Crushing We got out of the parked car, having now arrived at the restaurant. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to eat¡±, Danisha says. ¡°Me too, I¡¯ve been starving!¡± I say. The exterior of the place looks¡­ cozy. The building has a white cobblestone foundation, and the porch had iron railings that were green. It had pronounced wooden corner posts that were a vibrant crimson that matched the tile roofing. I haven¡¯t eaten anything recently. I haven¡¯t been avoiding it completely, but there wasn¡¯t enough food at Raena¡¯s place. We walk in and a waitress greets us. ¡°Table for three?¡± She grabs menus and tells us to follow her. Our table is right near the window. ¡°Thanks,¡± Rigoberto tells her. The waitress smiles in welcome. ¡°Someone will be with you soon.¡± She walks away. Minutes later a waiter shows up. ¡°Welcome to Cantina Caliente. Can I get you started with drinks?¡± he smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll have water, please,¡± Rigoberto says. ¡°Strawberry milkshake¡±, Danisha answers. Then it was my turn. ¡°Pina colada.¡± I take out my ID and show him. He nods. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± We look through the menu and decide what we want to order as we wait for our drinks to come. Twenty minutes later the waiter comes back and sets our drinks down in front of us. ¡°Ready to order?¡± he asks, taking out a pen and paper. ¡°I¡¯ll have the supreme quesadillas.¡± I say. ¡°Tacos for me¡±, Danisha responds. ¡°Chili con queso¡±, pipes in Rigoberto. ¡°Okay, all set. I¡¯ll be back with your food soon.¡± Once again, he leaves. I look at both Danisha and her father. ¡°What makes this place special?¡± I ask. Rigoberto takes a sip of his drink. ¡°Well, it reminds me of back when my grandfather used to make his food. He passed down his recipes to me but I didn¡¯t have the talent to cook, so I gave them to my brother.¡± ¡°So I assume he¡¯s a chef or something, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, just about. He brings all the great stuff to the table.¡± he smiles. ¡°Maybe you could meet him eventually.¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be nice.¡± I replied. Rigoberto tries to touch Kota through his cage. ¡°He¡¯s adorable! I wish I could keep him!¡± he laughs. ¡°Maybe he would want to play with a yarn ball or something?¡± he asks me. ¡°Maybe another time; my Kota¡¯s got a bad paw right now.¡± I explain while eating. ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Rigoberto replies. ¡°Hey, dad? Are we getting dessert afterwards?¡± Danisha asks. ¡°Are you nuts? No; I don¡¯t have that much with me to spend. Only for lunch. I told you that before we left home.¡± ¡°Maybe next time?¡± she offers. ¡°Maybe,¡± he says with a shrug. At last, our food comes on big plates. We talk about several different aspects of our lives and our routines. After about an hour, I feel full and bloated. I check my phone and the time. No notifications except from Raena. One missed call from 2 hours ago. Oh shit. Well, I can always check in when we get back to the car. Eventually the other two finish and we leave happily to the car. ¡°I really enjoy the place,¡± I remarked. ¡°Yeah? I¡¯m glad to hear you liked it.¡± Rigoberto says. Danisha looks at me. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Are you going to have to head home when we get back?¡± she asks. ¡°I think so, because Raena called me.¡± I say. ¡°Maybe you can stay longer,¡± she suggests with pleading eyes. ¡°Uh, well, maybe. It¡¯s not like I have a time limit or anything.¡± I laugh. I wish I could feel this happy forever. I always liked hanging out with Danisha. We drive off and head back to the house in silence, with Danisha and I scrolling mindlessly on our socials. I get another call from Raena and decide to answer. ¡°Hey,¡± I say. ¡°Hi, Leah, you could come back now. He¡¯s back but I¡¯m still upstairs. I brought your stuff up here in my room so he doesn¡¯t try to mess with it or anything. I¡¯m sorry I made you leave.¡± she says sadly. ¡°Don¡¯t. I won¡¯t take your apology. You had to do what you thought was right.¡± ¡°Where are you, with Danisha?¡± Raena wonders. ¡°Yeah, I am. I should be home soon.¡± I reassure her. ¡°Okay, try to hurry. Please, for me.¡± We hang up and Danisha gives me a puzzled look. ¡°What¡¯s new?¡± ¡°Just as I thought; she wants me to get back. She¡¯s worried. Well, scared, understandably. And honestly I am not a fan of her husband.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s her husband? Like, his name and all.¡± ¡°His name¡¯s Harris. Very tall, about six feet two, and works in tech. He¡¯s controlling with her and I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Right. You know what you both need to do.¡± Danisha says. ¡°I¡¯ll try to do something, and I¡¯ll let you know about it later on, I promise.¡± She nods and gets back to scrolling on her phone. ¡°There¡¯s some asshole riding my ass.¡± he says angrily. I turn around and notice a familiar car¡­ Marie''s car. ¡°Just speed up, Dad.¡± Danisha says. Rigoberto switches lanes and I catch a glimpse of her. I feel¡­ a flash of different emotions. Pain, anger, regret, sorrow. All at the same time in that second. ¡°Please, can we go a little faster?¡± I ask. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t want to get a ticket, I¡¯m already going ten over fifty five.¡± Rigoberto says. ¡°Maybe try to take a short nap and I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re back.¡± Danisha says. ¡°Lay your head in my lap.¡± I slowly get comfortable and lay my head down. Her thighs are nice and warm. I put my hand to rest on one of them as I drift off. I feel her reciprocate my touch when she puts a hand on my waist. ¡°Leah¡­,¡± Danisha whispers. ¡°Get up, you should go now.¡± I slowly get up, leaving their car and carrying Kota out with me. The other two came out too. ¡°I had fun with you both today. Thanks.¡± I say, hugging both Danisha and Rigoberto. ¡°Anytime,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ll text you later on.¡± Danisha says, kissing my cheek. ¡°Be safe.¡± They go back in their car and drive away. I head in and start to walk up the stairs. ¡°Hi Leah, welcome back.¡± Raena says. ¡°If you want some food, I got plenty of it today.¡± ¡°You mean me.¡± Harris says. ¡°Hmph.¡± Raena passive aggressively dismissed him. She rolls her eyes. ¡°Oh, right. Always him. Anyways, come here.¡± I go over and she quickly hugs me. ¡°Get yourself in bed if you¡¯re tired. I understand.¡± I nod. ¡°Goodnight, you guys.¡± I head up into Raena¡¯s room, put Kota on my bed, and change into another pair of pajamas. I take my phone and text Danisha that I¡¯m safe. I end up scrolling on my phone for a while while sitting in bed when I get a text back. ¡°Thanks for letting me know. Also, we should hang out again soon. I¡¯ll be bringing my Dad back to his brother¡¯s next week, if you¡¯d want to go for a ride.¡± ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m about to go to bed. I might dream of you, you know,¡± I joke. Danisha sends back three hearts. ¡°I might too, have a good night.¡± I plug my phone in to charge and put Kota on my chest before falling asleep. The next morning, a Monday, I wake up but stay in bed for a little longer before heading downstairs, making sure to take Kota with me so he eats. I see Raena sitting in the living room eating her breakfast while watching a crime show. ¡°Good morning, hun.¡± she tells me. ¡°Hey, morning.¡± ¡°Do you want some food?¡± she motions to the kitchen. I yawn. ¡°No, I¡¯m good. I ate too much yesterday. I¡¯ll make myself some tea though.¡± I go into the kitchen and boil some water. I put Kota on the floor right next to the food bowl where he excitedly eats. Aw. I better make sure he gets more grub. The water clicks and I pour it into my mug, stirring it until the water turns dark then I throw out the tea bag. I stir in some sugar, honey and milk. I joined Raena in the living room. We watched the show together in silence. She turns to me. ¡°So what happened yesterday? While you were out.¡± I tell her about Danisha and how I met her dad. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s nice.¡± she tells me. ¡°I think maybe Danisha likes me.¡± I smile. Well, I should assume she was being friendly. You never know, though. Despite all the years of being with Marie and the horrible experiences with her, I can remember what falling in love was like. But I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up just to have them crash. I don''t know if I''m ready. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯ve only hung out a couple times so it seems rather fast for you to come up with that conclusion. You haven¡¯t even known her for that long.¡± Raena replies. She raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Well, maybe. I¡¯ll have to see, but she did kiss my cheek yesterday.¡± ¡°Come on! You can¡¯t think in such a way just because of that. That¡¯s common stuff.¡± With that said, I¡¯m now confused about my own feelings. More than Friends? ¡°I want you to be happy, but I also want to tell you what the reality is, hun. Sometimes people out there just feed off of you and never want to see you prevail.¡± Raena continues. ¡°I know what you mean. I¡¯m sure Danisha wouldn¡¯t do that, but uh.. I guess I can¡¯t be too sure.¡± She smiles. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the spirit you¡¯re supposed to have.¡± I sip my warm tea and decide to change the subject. ¡°Uh, thanks for putting my clothes in your room.¡± ¡°Of course. Maybe you and I can go book shopping, if you¡¯d want. I know you probably want something to do while you¡¯re here. Did you bring any books?¡± Raena asks me. ¡°No, but yeah, I¡¯d love to get some pretty soon.¡± I responded. ¡°Alright. Well, we can go today or tomorrow; whenever you prefer.¡± We sit down on the couch and decide to relax in the silence. I drink all my tea and proceed to make another cup. Kota cries to be held. ¡°I¡¯ll get him, don¡¯t worry.¡± Raena scoops him up and brings him to the couch. ¡°He¡¯s excited to relax with us, Leah.¡± she chuckles. ¡°I bet he is.¡± I smile. I go back to the couch and drink my new tea. ¡°We should watch a scary movie.¡± I suggest. ¡°How about See No Evil? Or Dracula? Or The Grudge?¡± ¡°Hmm.. I¡¯m fine with anything that isn¡¯t sports related. Harris always watches those kinds of channels and I was never one to vibe with them. Just rent the third movie.¡± We turn off the lights and I eventually finish my drink again. We start the movie and halfway through, Raena turns the lights back on. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡± I ask. ¡°Too spooky.¡± she comments. Soon the film ends and we get up to head into the kitchen where I wash my cup and put it away in the cupboard. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°We¡¯re going to be haunted by the grudge¡¯s creepy sound.¡± I joke to Raena. ¡°Oh shut up, no way. I hated hearing it.¡± she laughs. Just then, Harris walks in and clears his throat. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± ¡°We''re watching a movie, can you relax?¡± I ask. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t tell me to relax in my house. Or you¡¯re out of here.¡± he threatens. ¡°Go sit down.¡± I grumble, annoyed. ¡°Harris, you probably went off drinking like you did yesterday. Go up to bed.¡± Raena demands. ¡°Is it so bad that I want to know about the things you do and to spend time with you? Just tell me, what am I doing wrong?¡± he questions her. ¡°Everything. I just had a great time with Leah and you come in here threatening my friend. She has no place to go and I¡¯m not letting you talk to her or me as you please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 12 noon and I¡¯ve just come home from being out. And I haven¡¯t been drinking.¡± Harris¡¯ words become slurred. I walk away before I¡¯m involved in another argument. I¡¯ve lived with my parents before, but this is like part two. If I¡¯m not escaping Marie, I¡¯m escaping whatever this is. I go upstairs and call Danisha. ¡°Hey girl! What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Not too much. Do you want to come over here?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see if Tommy can take me. And I think I still have to tell you something, from yesterday. I¡¯m going to ask him, hold on.¡± Danisha turns off her camera. ¡°Tommy, I want to go to see Leah. Can I take your car?¡± ¡°Um, sure, yeah. Get home whenever.¡± he replies. The camera comes back on. ¡°Well you heard the news. I¡¯ll be over soon, I just have to get dressed again. What do you plan on us doing though?¡± she wonders. ¡°We can listen to music and hang out, or go to the bookstore. I was going to head there with Raena but, like, he came home and just¡­ drama.¡± ¡°He, who? Oh. Alright, well, see you.¡± She smiles and hangs up. When she gets here, I¡¯m definitely going to look at her face more. I wonder what she¡¯ll wear today. Maybe something nice. I go into the bathroom and still hear Harris and Raena arguing downstairs about the same thing. Not caring, I sigh and put some metal music on my phone while I fix my hair into a sleek ponytail. I go back in the room and change into a revealing short black dress with some of my cleavage hanging out. I put on matching pantyhose and then go back to the bathroom to quickly put on brown eyeshadow and eyeliner. All the works just to impress her. Or try to. Eventually Danisha shows up and I hear her announce herself to the others downstairs. They quickly say hi and she comes up. She embraces me in a hug. ¡°Hey, you look so adorable,¡± she says while checking me out. I hug back and take in her appearance. She wears a long, red dress with short sleeves and white heels. Her hair is long and curly, and she¡¯s got pink lipstick on. ¡°So do you,¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous.¡± We sit down and play music while we look for bookstores. There¡¯s one that¡¯s twenty miles away in Petal Town. ¡°Actually, you know what, instead of bookstores, we can just be together like this. We¡¯re too dressed up to go there, anyways, you know? Maybe let¡¯s get more comfortable.¡± Danisha says. She proceeds to take off her heels and I do the same. ¡°Do you want a massage or something to put your mind at ease?¡± She sits next to me and strokes my face while coming closer. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± I say. I lean in a little more to kiss Danisha. I put my hand on her thigh and felt her smooth, dark skin. She kisses me back deeply and slowly pulls me in. She pulls back for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯ll hurt you. I won¡¯t. Do you trust me?¡± she asks. ¡°Yes.¡± We stop for a minute to hold each other. Danisha gets on top of me and wraps her arms around me then lays her head on my chest. We hear a loud knock. A Plan I turn my head towards the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Raena?¡± I hear heavy breathing. ¡°Leah, if you¡¯re in there, get out here,¡± Harris tells me. I didn¡¯t want to move from my lover but I also didn¡¯t want the door to be broken down. I have Danisha get off of me and she sits on the bed, fixing her clothes and hair. I open the door just a little and stand in the doorway. ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m busy.¡± I glare at him. ¡°Well, what are you doing?¡± he asks, being nosy. He tries to get a peek around my room. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business; I¡¯m a grown woman. Get out.¡± ¡°Raena said to get something from her room. Let me in.¡± he demands. ¡°What does she need? I¡¯ll get it for her.¡± I offer. ¡°Well¡­¡± Harris stammers. ¡°I forgot.¡± I became angry. ¡°Stop trying to fucking spy on me. Get out of my sight!¡± Harris goes back downstairs after giving me an evil glare. I¡¯m seething with rage, but as soon as I turn around and meet Danisha¡¯s gaze, I¡¯m calm again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want you to see me like this. Let¡¯s just get comfortable again.¡± I smile at her and we kiss. I get on the bed and lay down. Danisha and I cuddle. After several minutes of laying silence together, she asks: ¡°Do you want to try again? We can continue at my place so we aren¡¯t disrupted anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go too far yet, but I do enjoy your kisses.¡± She smiles again and kisses me passionately. Her lips are warm and soft. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. We keep making out and feeling each other until we¡¯re almost out of breath. I move down to kiss her neck and she wraps herself around me. Danisha moans lightly. ¡°Leah, keep going.¡± she pleads. I pull away. ¡°Not today. And not yet, we should continue at your place like you said.¡± I replied. She comes closer and whispers in my ear while sliding her hands up my thighs and waist. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. You turned me on so much.¡± I get shivers up my spine. ¡°I¡¯m horny too,¡± I say, ¡°but I don¡¯t want to get too crazy just yet.¡± Danisha sighs. ¡°Alright, I understand. I should get home then, and I¡¯ll see you again in a couple of days.¡± She starts to walk out. ¡°Wait. Where¡¯s my kiss?¡± I tease. She turns around and grabs my face, kissing me then gently biting my bottom lip. She lets go. ¡°I¡¯ll call later tonight.¡± Danisha walks downstairs and I close the door. Sitting down on my bed, my heart pounds. Just then I remembered about my cat. But damn, she tasted so good. ¡°Kota?¡± I called. I hear cries under the bed and I reach under to grab him, being cautious of his paw. I hold him in my arms and go downstairs, sitting on the couch. I hope this will make Harris leave me alone. Raena comes out from the kitchen. ¡°I heard him earlier, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± She sits next to me and puts a hand on my knee. ¡°I didn¡¯t set him up to do that, and I really didn¡¯t need anything. He¡¯s just¡­¡± Raena pauses. ¡°I need to find a way to just feel the air. I need to figure out what I need to do to do it..¡± she says. I look at Raena while petting Kota. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all him, don¡¯t worry. I know. And did you really need anything in your room?¡± I ask. She looks confused. ¡°No. No, I didn¡¯t. He said that. I¡¯m sure it was just an excuse. I¡¯m sorry.¡± she repeats. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize for him.¡± ¡°But where would you go?¡± she wonders. ¡°Somewhere else other than here.¡± There¡¯s many questions I want to ask myself, but I can only think of one. Possibly two. Do I really deserve happiness if it gets wrecked at every turn? Does she think I¡¯m leading her on? ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is going to help any, but you¡¯re a great friend.¡± Raena says. ¡°I mean it.¡± I look at her. ¡°Thanks.¡± I smile a bit. I go upstairs and get my phone. Right then, Danisha calls. ¡°Hey,¡± I say excitedly. ¡°Hey, lovely. I¡¯m home but I just wanted to hear your voice.¡± She sounds like she¡¯s smiling again. It¡¯s adorable. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. I wanted to hear yours too, and I was just thinking about you.¡± I lean back on the couch while Kota moves to lay on the couch. ¡°Anything specific?¡± Danisha asks. ¡°Well, you looked really great. And your face is enchanting.¡± I blush. ¡°I picked that out just for you. I can¡¯t wait to be together again.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I know.¡± I want to ask Danisha the question but I put it off until I see her next time. ¡°Hey, Leah?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t really know if you feel the same, and this isn¡¯t really something to say in this kind of way, but¡­ I think I love you.¡± I get butterflies instantly. I feel happy and my heart beats hard again. ¡°I¡­ love you too.¡± I reply slowly, careful to make sure I don¡¯t faint. ¡°If you think this is too fast, please let me know.¡± she says. ¡°Of course I will. I¡¯ll have to let you know next time; I don¡¯t know what to say right now.¡± ¡°Okay, well, I had a wonderful time today. Earlier, I mean. Have a goodnight.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too. Goodnight.¡± We hang up and it seems like I can¡¯t stop smiling. Raena scrolls her phone but looks up at me. ¡°What happened?¡± she inquires.