Chapter 2:Retaliation
1514 Words
When I was in college, I learned an interesting theory. We, humans, were driven by two primary instincts. The first instinct was called Eros. It was the drive that entailed basic survival, pleasure, and reproduction. The example was right in front of me.
He immediately pulled his pants down to his knees and unbuttoned himself. His manliness sprung, and I looked away in disgust.
"Ssh. Baby girl, don't be afraid. You'll feel good soon."
His actions were the catalyst for the second instinct, the Thanatos. Others called it the death instinct.
"Why were you quiet? Aren't you excited you'll escape the virgin life?"
I sprayed him with the pepper spray I hid in my pocket, kicked his pendulum, got my bags, and sprinted outside.
Dear neighbors, please forgive this desperate woman for disturbing the peace.
My chest hurt, and my legs softened like jelly. In fear of getting ahead of me, I didn't dare to look behind. The goal was to get somewhere where I could hail a cab. Booking a ride online would jeopardize me more. The furthest I'd ever gotten was a bus stop.
I prayed for the bus's arrival before the jerk got up from the pain. The deities were at my side tonight because the bus arrived in just a minute.
I weaved through the crowd of passengers and climbed onto the bus as I caught my breath. My trembling hands almost dropped the card, but I successfully scanned it before I lost my cool and cursed the machine.
I sat next to an old lady who shot me a concerned glance at me.
"Are you alright, my dear? "
"Thank you, Madam. Work has been crazy because of the holidays."
"You didn't have to tell me. That's the reason why my daughter has never visited me yet. I know how busy younglings could be, but you shouldn't forget to visit your parents."
Many people told me they were comfortable talking about their problems with me, given my professionalism, but I wasn't in the mood to become an emotional dumpster—not today.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she comes home before Christmas."
She didn't say anything after that.
Whether my conversation with this grandma or I was far from my apartment and I haven't seen Nick's shadow anymore, the adrenaline rush's effect wore off.
There was another dilemma, though. What would I do next? I couldn't go back to my apartment until I changed the locks. He would definitely give me a hard time at work.
I leaned in my seat and took a deep breath. There was no way I could back down from this. I scrolled through my contacts and video-called my only friend in this city.
"Please, answer it."
"Hey, girl! What's up?"
"I need a place to crash, please."
"Girl, you look like you fought a thousand lions. Do you need a ride?"
“I’m on the bus now. I’ll explain everything later.”
Tonight was the unluckiest day of my life because the moment I hopped off the bus, the rain poured as if testing my patience. The bus shelter prevented me from unleashing my rage. I should’ve accepted Liv’s offer.
“Perfect timing,” I muttered as soon as I saw an approaching taxi.
My hand was already on the handle when another annoying male popped up.
Was he tall? He's a staggering six feet tall. I wondered if he wanted to be a mysterious guy because he wore a long coat and a black scarf concealed half his face. The flickering streetlamps hinted at his facial features. He would easily win any woman’s heart, but I still thought he was troublesome since he lacked chivalry.
“Excuse me, I got dibs on this ride.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Miss, I certainly called the driver twenty minutes ago.”
“Nice try."
The taxi driver asked if I was with the man, and he said no.
“Miss, do you want me to teach you how to book a cab?"
I didn’t back down, even though I wanted the ground to eat me.
“Don’t worry about me.”
He shrugged his shoulders, and when I thought he would leave me alone, he said, “It’s safer to book on the app. Some fake drivers lure gorgeous women like you.”
You were too late, pretty boy.
Once I arrived, Olivia noticed the soaked clothes and the mismatched winter boots. I thought I would never cry narrating the story.
The feeling of having someone to rally behind your back made my tears fall. All of my repressed emotions spilled out.
“Girl, you’re safe here. And you can stay here as long as you need to be. We’ll be roomies just like our old college days!”
She handed me a cup of hot chocolate, and we continued to chat.
“I told you that man was a walking red flag! "
“Yeah. I should’ve listened to the dating expert.”
“I won’t let it slide. Let’s sue him.”
I placed my hand on top of her phone to stop her. Yes, Nick belonged to prison. However, I didn’t have evidence to prove my claim. He would say we were in a secret relationship and spin a narrative painting me as a villain. That guy was a former theater kid. He could easily shed a tear if he wanted to.
“Liv, I appreciate it, but this might do more harm than good.”
She clenched her fist. “Arg! Men like him drive me crazy! Don’t worry, we’ll figure something else.”
I put the mug on the coaster. “Thank you."
Sleeping that night was a hard task. Whenever I closed my eyes, I felt like Nick hid in the shadows, waiting for me to fall asleep before he could do the unthinkable. Despite having only two hours of sleep, I feel refreshed.
“Good morning, Liv, do you have an office outfit I could wear? ”
She frowned at my question.
“Ahh. I still have to look presentable when handing my resignation letter to HR.”
“I know you’re not going to make a dumb decision twice. The psycho might sway you, and to prevent that, I’ll be going with you. No ifs and buts.”
I shook my head at her resolution.
At around eight in the morning, I headed straight to the HR office. Even though she was surprised by my sudden resignation, I was thankful she didn’t ask me thousands of questions about why I would quit. Instead, she said six years was too much of a service for the tyrant.
“Miss Montgomery, are you going for an early coffee break? Did you finish the reports?”
Why did I have to bump into my boss?
“Yes, I finished all the pending reports, sir.”
“Very good. I know you’re the perfect person to train my future son-in-law.”
Five minutes earlier, I contemplated whether I had made the right decision.
A playful smile curled onto my lips. “I’m afraid your search for a suitable person doesn’t end here.”
He raised an eyebrow and blinked. "What do you mean?"
“I apologize, but, starting today, I’m not your secretary anymore. I’m thankful for everything you taught me.”
Everyone seemed to freeze at my announcement. I wanted to get out of this building, but I didn’t want to annoy my former boss.
“Miss Hawthorne, that’s not a funny joke.”
“I wish I was joking, sir.”
“And the HR accepted your resignation letter?”
I nodded.
“I won’t allow this! Do you want a higher pay? I’ll double it.”
The buzzing and murmurs of the employees irritated my boss; he growled like a beast. Most of them ran as fast as they could out of his sight.
I took a deep breath. “I appreciate your generous offer, sir. It’s never about the money. These days, I realize there are things I want to do, like find love and travel all around the world.”
His daughter whispered something.
“Although it pains me to let you go, I won’t stand in your way. The doors of this building will always welcome a talented person like you.”
For the first time in six years, I felt liberated. I thanked him one more time before I met Liv. Then we went to my landlord and paid my last rent for this month.
Back at Liv’s apartment, I packed for an upcoming trip. It was supposed to be a holiday excursion for us. Yet he ruined my plans.
“Where are you going with this luggage?”
“Remember when I told you I wouldn’t go on the expensive cruise holiday with you?”
“Yeah. My flight’s tonight. Don’t tell me?”
She squealed and clapped her hands like a child who watched a magic show. “You’re actually coming with me?"
I nodded.
- Writer
