Scarlet scars

Chapter 20: boyfriend

Scarlett's POV

“I come back home and this is what I find!” my aunt yelled as she approached me holding a baseball bat in her hands.

“You ingrate! I’ll kill you with my own hands today!" she added and I for some reason my whole body went numb. My mind was screaming for help and telling me to run but my feet didn't obey.

“kill her already mom", Emelda said

“Kill her" Amelia added, "Kill her". They continued to chant until my aunt reached me hit me on the head, i screamed and they were all laughing at me. Jerald was also among them laughing and chanting “kill her” along with everybody else.

My aunt gave the bat to Jerald and he slowly approached me.

“Please Jay,” I whispered “please don’t do this” I pleaded but he had this sinister smirk I had never seen before. He lifted the bat to hit me but when it almost reached me my body reacted and I fell off the bed in a thud. My eyes searched the room for any sign of people but found nothing.

My whole body was drenched in sweat and I had tears in my eyes. I pulled myself up from the floor wondering If such nightmares will leave me be for once. I tried to get back to sleep without even checking the time but immediately I did, everything I dreamt about came back to me

“Ja..a.y?” I muttered to myself. “It can’t be, he is not a bad person. Is he?” I asked these questions to nobody in particular. My aunt is capable though. My aunt! Oh no! My aunt would be back on Sunday. Everyone else will be, and I didn’t the clean the house yesterday.

I work the morning shift during weekends, which means I will have a few hours to do the chores and rest early before they are home. “So work first, clean and then rest since tomorrow is going to be a long day” I wrote down my whole schedule in my notebook. The one I keep in my head.

I tried to get at least an hour of sleep before work but nothing worked so I read a chapter of a novel Mr Grande gave me when he discovered I liked reading as much as he does. But still I couldn’t because my thoughts were occupied by him. My nightmare scared me but what if it’s a sign that him and I can’t be together. I mean can’t be together as friends, don’t let your thoughts run wild.

Jay: good morning Brave, how did you sleep? Did you dream about me?

I smiled when I saw his name pop up on my phone screen but when I read it and I suddenly remembered the dream I had of him, all colour drained from my face and I put my phone to my chest thinking about my next step.

“ahem” someone cleared their throat, grabbing my attention “don’t make me regret being happy about you getting a phone” Mr Grande said in a singsong voice while looking at my phone. On impulse I hid my phone behind me and apologised as tried to make my way past him.

“Did something happen?” he asked

“uhm-no.. Why-why do you ask?” I queried looking anywhere but him.

“You look like you've seen a ghost” he put his finger on his chin as if in thought. “Or- or you have a boyfriend now?” he finally said and I couldn’t help but blush. This man, how can he make such jokes at work?

“Mr Grande” I whined and he burst out laughing. “You are impossible” I whined more, grabbed my note book from the counter and left him there.

I had worked my entire shift and was ready to go home to start on my housework. I put everything in my locker and grabbed my bag. Immediately I stepped out of the locker room I found Mr Grande acting all weird and creepy. I gave him one of my suspecting looks and tried to pretend I didn’t see him but he called me out. I knew he was not just standing there by coincidence.

“So I was right huh” he said smiling creepily at me and gave him a fake one because I didn’t know where this was going or what he meant.

“About what?” I asked him trying to move out of the way for one of my colleagues to pass through.

“About you getting a boyfriend? I“ I cut him off.

“Mr Grande I don’t know what you are talking about. But I really have to get home. You know how my aunt gets if I go home late” he of all people knew because my aunt had called a couple of times in the past whenever I went home late. Also this was becoming a bit annoying.

“Oh I know but your boyfriend is outside and I want to make sure that you, my girl made the right choice. Do you know he- “

“My boyfriend is outside? What are you- what boyfriend?” I asked confused. “Jerald!?“ I mused.

“He looks like a good boy. He even sent his assistant to help out yesterday saying you were not alright.” He said smiling goofily. This man will never get old I tell you.

“He did. Didn’t he?” I muttered. He made Thomas work on my behalf? He should have just told and I would have gotten a sick leave. But then again knowing me, I wouldn’t have agreed to lie about not being okay. That was so unfair on Thomas’s part.

“That reminds me, how are you doing now?” he asked cupping my cheeks

“I-I-I’m fine now. Thank you. I’ll your leave now.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow sweetheart and he is a good boy, I can tell. But if he hurts you know what to do” he said patting his chest and I couldn’t help but laugh. He was always like that and many times I liked it. Sometimes he just a bit too intense even for a love deprived person like me.

There he was leaning on his car like a god he is. I swear every time I see him, he is always more hot than the last and now I’m starting to get jealous. How could there people created by the same God and yet one could get the looks. Add talent to that.

“Take a picture baby” he said and I snapped out of my trance. It was like Déjà vu. I rolled my eyes and walked in the opposite direction. I needed to get home as quickly as I could before he could start with his antics.

“Back to level one now. Are we?” I heard him say. But I didn’t respond. I just kept on walking forward.

“Okay what did I do?” he said and I could he was following me “okay at least get in the car and we can talk it over while I drop you off to wherever you are going” he said catching up to me. He pulled my arm to make me face him but I stood my ground.

“I thought we had a great time last night, what happened?” okay I felt bad for treating the only person who treats me so well badly.

“I have to go home Jay, I have to make it on time because I didn’t do my chores yesterday and now they’ve piled up. My family is coming back tomorrow.” I said it all in one breath.

“Okay then let me drop you home at least.” He offered and I felt bad that I was going to reject him.

“I can’t. I don’t want to burden you. I’m sure you already have so much on your plate” I said to him, hoping he would listen but who am I kidding?