Chapter 1

Meet the protagonist, Clarissa Myers.

Clarissa Myers

Sweets and Creams Café and Restaurant

New York City

February 14, 2015

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to have a break, Clarissa?” my middle-aged manager asked me when we saw each other in the ladies’ room.

“Yup!” I answered quickly.

I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I should put another layer of my lipstick. My lips are so dry, maybe I’m dehydrated or worst, anemic.  

“I’m so impressed! Don’t have a date?”

“As a matter of fact, I’ll be having overtime today. As for your question, none.” I kept my lipstick inside my pocket. “I got nothing to spend my time with.”

“You mean, you don’t have anyone to spend the time with,” my manager teased me.

“I’d rather tire my a*s all day than waste my time with some guys who knew nothing than to flirt and get whatever they want,” I said.

“Whatever.” My manager hurriedly went to the door but stopped to face me before twisting the knob, “Admit it, you haven’t moved on from your ex-boyfriend, Raphael, right?”

I rolled my eyes and stared blankly at the mirror while she went out laughing at her victory over me.

Raphael… that idiot. Selfish… ugly…liar…

I shook my head to erase his image inside my mind. He deserves nothing from me. He doesn’t deserve to be thought of anymore. He’s probably happy with his new girlfriend (who’s my ex-bestfriend by the way) while I’m stuck in my old messy life, missing the life he once showed me.

 

But Clarissa, he was lying. Whatever he showed you and made you feel like, it was all fake and pretence.

Suddenly, my tears came rolling down my cheeks. They never get used to the pain and it sucks all the time. All those books I’ve brought about moving on, that book entitled Why Being Single is Happy? and that weird book (which I still bought out of desperation), How Being Lied To is the Best Feeling didn’t help me get through life’s misfortunes and constant pressures.

I was sobbing already when suddenly somebody came in. I hurriedly turned my back on that person and wiped my eyes and pretended to be dialing somebody on my phone. I noticed that the door immediately closed like that person is in a hurry or something. Other than the click of the knob, I heard no further movements inside. Out of curiosity, I slowly looked back and when I saw who was standing in my front, I began to scream.

“No,no,no! Wait, please! Shut up for Pete’s sake!”

It was a man in a formal suit with his brownish hair gelled to make him look like a mixture of some famous member of a boyband and a well-respected politician. He was covering my mouth and pinned me on the corner.

“Ssshhhh…”

I managed to release his hand from my mouth.

“Nooooo! Rape!!!”

“What?!” He yelled at me. “Do I look like a cheap rapist to you?”

“What do you mean cheap rapist? You have different levels now? So you’re from what hierarchy, the highest or ---“

He covered my mouth again. I should’ve started screaming when he rested his other arm on his knees and breathed heavily. He was obviously tired from running. I slowly removed his hand and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

He didn’t answer me. He rested his back on the wall and slanted his legs blocking my way. I looked at him thoroughly, he has long masculine face. His eyelashes were perfectly curved; his eyes were a shade of blue that perfectly matches his fair complexion. He has a well-structured nose fit for a model or an actor and his lips are thin and naturally red and I can see that he doesn’t smoke. He has an averaged body size, not too muscular but not too thin. I can imagine the muscles on his arms inside that suit. He was tall and handsome as hell (I think there’s a song that clearly describes him).

 

“You done?” he suddenly asked.

He was now looking at me straight to the eyes and I was stunned to be able to meet his glare. Gosh, how can a man like him be with me today? What have I done right?

“You’re gonna stare at me all day or what?”

Suddenly, I was back on my own earthly self again and I blushed when I realized what I was just doing a while ago.

“I don’t know about you but I really have to work now and you blocking my way isn’t helping me,” I sulkily said while crossing my arms. My shameful pride’s getting the best of me.

He just grinned and immediately straightened his pose. We were walking towards the door when we heard ladies’ voices coming near us. He was alert to drag me into the farthest cubicle and lock ourselves in. The ladies took a while before finishing their businesses and went outside. I was sweating and at the same time nervous because I’m five minutes late from my duty. I opened the cubicle and walked hurriedly outside.

“Hey, miss!”

He grabbed my arms and pulled me so we’re face to face.

“What?” I asked with a mixture of irritation cause my manager’s gonna fire up in a short while now.

“I wanna say thanks,” he said. “For cooperating with me.”

“It’s fine. Whatever it is you’re running from, it’s best if you face them and deal with the consequences or else you’ll end up in a much more trouble like that,” I said while pointing my lips to the ladies’ room.

“I don’t think that’s a much more trouble,” he looked at me playfully.

“Oh of course you don’t. Cause you don’t know you just drag another person’s precious time into your problems and now she’s late for work!”

I left him there and I can sense that he’s surprised by my bluntness. Nevertheless, it made my Valentine’s Day terrific!

Author's Note

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