FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF BENEFITS

A NAMELESS MAN

                                                                              III. LOUISA

Why I can’t have a good night or should I say daydream? Ha? I wake up from the full voice of Gloria Gaynor singing her famous line “ I will survive” to the top of her singing voice. No offense Gloria, don’t know about that line. Because I feel like just staying myself afloat on a vast ocean. So vast that I don’t even see if god already created land for me to stop and take a breather.

My life I don’t know how to describe it. I grew up with just my late mother and granny with me. At that time, I thought that is a normal cause that is what people considered normal. But as I get to see other kids my age, on the playgrounds, at school, on the market, and even on my favorite candy store back then. I see them it’s either they have one of their parents, either the husband and the wife or both.

That is when I started to feel left out. Yeah, I will not deny the fact that I experienced getting bullied on the time. Every time that there’s bring your father kinda thing on school, or when someone asking who his father is? That my mother or my granny will always be the one who is answering my questions.

Until one day I ask something about it to my mom. That is getting a little more tricky, cause my mom definitely doesn’t forgive my so-called father at that time and I cannot blame her.

From what I have gathered from my granny that I have pushed her to the extent that I have to do tend her ever-loving cat, Julio to the vet for her monthly check-up. I don’t know with the cats in my family, they hate me. From Julio that is already with my granny and mom up above and now to Luca that my mom just adopt when she gets to see him alone and starving in a parking lot of a supermarket. Those cats were hostile and sweet from their respective hooman but to me, nah! even if I try to please and lure them with treats and feathers. They will not bat an eye, they hate me. The faint scar from my cheeks is one of the proofs of their hatred. So, I just give up and get our own separate ways.

They have their own space where it is located near the kitchen door and I remember every midnight back then is like I’m going to go against the keepers of the golden kitchen just to get past and get some snacks and beverages. I don’t know if they can smell the blood of my cheating and soulless father inside of me. Yeah, my father is a cheater, a manipulator, and a soulless body roaming here on earth. Thinking he is god and can do anything he desires. Say, my mom is a hopeless romantic one. Who has charmed by the nectar words of that stinging hella of a bee.

Like the usual one, he promises the world and anything that he doesn’t have and everything that he will never give. My mom who is with starry eyes with a heart that can easily fool, ohhh bless her heart. Caught by those empty promises and they live happily ever after, as she thought. But as the day passed and her tummy get bigger and bigger because she already had me inside of her when the time they decided to live together. The wolf on the sheep's clothing reveals his true nature.

And I can’t imagine how she feels when the man that she loves wholeheartedly and gives her whole world, trust, heart, and body is just the biggest jerk that lands on this world. She just use her to get what he wanted. Money, that my mothers have. Should I say, my mom, yes she has starry eyes in terms of love but she is a badass woman, a businesswoman.

Just at the age of 23, she has her own flower shops and other investment here and there. But everything she work for so hard from her five years of working the money she got from my late grandpa and getting it somewhere. All of them just vanished in a blink of an eye. My mother who truly trusts her partner just goes away with all the life she has built.

Well, that is the time she goes back to granny. Lucky that she had saved on her other bank account that the mole of a man didn’t know. And have enough money just for my arrival to this shitty world. She tries to go to the police and try to get that asshole behind the bars but I guess this man is a whole piece of s**t on another level. Because the name that he has given to her is not his true one. They can’t trace him. Because I think he already change that stupid name that he gave my mother.

A true con artist is what that man is. My mother who is on the verged of giving up is already on its last semester and only weeks and I will be pop out of her body. I’m grateful that granny is there to help my mother collect herself and put some hope and sense on my mothers' mind.

She put a foot on that nameless cheating liar bastard and just focus on herself and to me. And the rest is in the history, of the beginning of the life of Louisa.

I’m abruptly pushed out of my rearview mirror of the past that I have never seen when my phone ring and sing the song of Gloria Gaynor once again.

What Am I thinking about putting that song as my ringtone?

It is caused by despair and hopelessness, said the other side of my head. I remember putting that as a ringtone so every time my asshole ex calls me again, then I will know and remember that I deserve more than that piece of a twinkie. As they said the fruit doesn’t fall far from its tree.

I released a half-laugh at that thought. Yeah, laugh at your misery Louisa.

With that, I get up and I hear the squeaking noise of my fifteen-year-old bed. I reach out of my phone, located at my bedside table. I didn't even bother to look at who was calling me. Because I totally knew who is the only person who will call me on these days.

“Hey, Dee!” I greet the caller which is my only friend Mandy.

“Hey, Lou did I wake you up? I called a while ago thought that you were already up it’s been 5 in the afternoon, and looks like it is not sorry if I have woken you up.” She says.

“Nah, Gloria did.” I laugh at my own joke.

“You still have that ringtone on your phone!?” She also laugh at that stupid joke that I spoke, what I true friend I have here. We share our two remaining brain cells.

“It's been almost a year now.” She added after she get back after laughing at my lame joke.

“Yeah, I don’t have time to change it, and most of the time my phone is in silent mode as I’m either on my job or sleeping.”

“Well, what’s up?” I added when she doesn’t reply soon but seconds passed I heard her voice away from the phone calling her kids on whatever they doing.

“Sorry about that. The boys just get home after their football practice.” She said after a long pause on her side.

“Oh cool. I know they will play this end of a month I will try to go and watch them play.” I said feeling excited cause yes I’m not good with cats but kids, I adore them. I think I just love their innocence and how they look at the world so bright. And Mandy’s twins are so adorable and cute in their own little ways. So, yeah, I hope I can go to their play.

“Oh! That is so great!” She said.

“Actually, that is the reason why I call you. Well not all, I also want you to invite because the next after the game is William’s birthday.” She enthusiastically says. And I’m happy for her cause I know that she deserves whatever her life is right now.

“Well I can say that I will for sure go, I can’t miss those lasagna”

“And I think it’s the right time to use my long-awaited leave,” I added thinking, I can be with my friend and relax for a minute.

“You will definitely do that, you deserve to have some rest. I know you don’t want to but you need it Lou, and because of that I will make your favorite tres leches.” She says happily with a note of if you don't do what I have just said, I will get mad at you. And oh... Those tres leches. It’s been a while seen I have that.

“You don’t have to bribe me to do that, with just those little ones I will file my leave pronto.” We both laugh at my reply.

“Yeah! See you there! Call me if you needed anything! And I'm dead serious about that Louisa” She added, and I laugh.

“Oh thank you, mother! You know I will see yah, bye !” I said and after I release a happy sigh. It is really good to have a real good friend. That will stand with you till the end of time.

After that chat with Mandy. I get up and do my usually morning routine. Then I get off my room where I am welcomed by Lucca, who is casually sitting where the sunshine just hut and the floor. When he finally notices me he get up and do his long stretch, then bump my legs and after that, he gave me a friendly bite.

“Oh... good afternoon too, Lucca” Well it takes some time where I learned that bite is actually a sign of greetings. Well after my mom died, he became more civil to me. Like we both find someone to lean with each other. Though he is still not as close and sweet as he acted with my mom. Though it gives a warm feeling that you have someone that you can relate to, cause on some stages we both feel the loss of our loved ones.

After the few scratches on his chin. I check his automatic food dispenser to see there is still enough food for him throughout the whole night until I get back. Funny though when my shift gets changed into the night shift. This is the first thing that comes to my mind and it’s good when I get to the shift change the black Friday just arrives and I get it without creating so much dent in my savings.

Well, my mother has a little saving left from all we have used for her medication, but I would like to use it as a backup, and emergency.

When I feel my angry tummy is rumbling. I start looking on my pantry and I can see that it is time to go and grab a few items for my pantry. I just grab the cereal and the remaining banana on the counter. And while I was eating my cereal, my mind wander again about the man I met on my shift. Those tantalizing eyes and how expressive they are, how those thin kissable lips just go upward every time he finds something funny. And mostly the warm feeling that I get when he is around, and I must be out of my mind or this is just lack of social encounters or worst, s*x.

It’s been a year seen my douchebag boyfriend ditched me for no apparent reason. Like the two years relationship that we had just popped into thin air. Though I might say I do not have a relationship that really last that long I think that the last relationship I had is the longest by far, that is why I get affected by it cause I think that our relationship can work much longer and can go to the another stage

But I know that is an example of wishful thinking. Or I’m just sticking to the concept that in 30’s you just have to figure out it all or at least get married and have a family. Though, the good news is that’s not how it works even I insist my self on a relationship that shouldn’t have existed in the first place. If I just listen to my own gut and not my own to fear.

Well, I will just indulge myself in that gorgeous specimen that I met on my shift. Wait, what does his name?— Dan?! Yeah that’s it, Dan. Even though I’m not sure if it is his true name. It is much favorable to me cause I will not daydream on some nameless man

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS ONLY A DRAFT AND NO PROOFREADING, AND EDITING HAVE BEEN DONE YET. SO, READ AT YOUR OWN WILL.

THANK YOU AND ENJOY!

© VANN REIGN