Scarlet scars

CHAPTER 4: Handsome Jerald

Scarlet

I walked along the footpath thinking about how many months it would be till I’d graduate and finally get out of my hell of a life. I had only a few months left and after that, I’d get to leave this place. I hoped that I’d at least get a good job and then rent an apartment near my old home and in that way I won't go far from my parents memories. I Would usually pass by my old house on my way to work at Mr Grande's because it was just along the way.

There was a bench on the lawn and I’d usually sit there to look at the house and reminisce about the past. I’d stare at the lawn, remembering how my dad and I would play tag, he would push me on the swings and also how we used to water the gardens together. At least the people occupying the house never sent me away when I sat there, but they probably thought I was a freak.

I prayed that one day I would at least get a good paying job, save up enough money and buy my parents house. My aunt told me she’d sold it a few years after they died. I was so deep in my thoughts when I heard someone call my name.

I turned around to find a handsome man in a suit looking at me. I didn’t know him so I planned on turning and leaving but then I realized he’d called me by Cally. I looked at him wondering what kind of game he was playing because apart from me, in my own thoughts, nobody called me by that name. My parents used to, but they were gone and everyone else addressed me as Scarlet. Who the hell was this man?

I looked up at him, eyes narrowed as I took in his appearance. He was captivating! His black hair neatly slicked back, complimenting his beautiful fair skin and also matching his dark eyes. He was smiling as he looked at me and damn! that smile was beautiful. I wondered how a man could be so beautiful and with perfect teeth. I smacked myself mentally for drooling over a stranger and focused. I wanted to know where he’d heard that name from.

“It’s really you” he said as he crushed me into a hug taking me yet again by surprise. He hugged me tightly laughing “It’s really you Cally” seriously, who was he? I didn’t like this joke he was playing and I wanted answers. I tried to think of anyone who could know me so much. One person clicked in my mind and I pulled away from him to check if I was right.

I looked at him, putting the face of one chubby boy I knew in childhood on him and I gasped when I saw the resemblance.

“Jay?” I asked and he nodded smiling. “How?” I asked again but he enveloped me into another hug. How did he become this handsome though? I remembered the last time I saw him and that was at his Fathers funeral when he was just 15. I remembered how I’d gone to the funeral despite my aunts refusal, and on that day I was punished severely by my aunt for disobeying her, with warning that I was never to see Jay ever again.

I also remembered how I couldn’t even manage to comfort him properly at that time as his only friend because by then I had already pushed him away. I felt so guilty because he had been there for me when my parents died. I suddenly felt ashamed about the past trying to pull away from him.

He placed his hands on my waist, and on the right hand was on the exact spot my aunt and Amelia had kicked earlier. I flinched and groaned in pain and he retracted his hands quickly with a pained expression on his face. I had the urge to explain when I noticed his expression.

It was the same expression I had seen a few times in the past. I remembered, it had been about 6 months since I had moved into my aunt's house and my relationship with him had changed drastically. We no longer went to school together nor did we hang out.

By then I had told him countless times not to talk to me. It was because my aunt had already warned me not to talk to him, because she thought he’d tell the Social services and that they would send me far away from my neighbourhood and I didn't want that and she was right. if Jerald was ever to find out that my aunt was mistreating me, he would have had told his mother or someone to do something about it.

There was this one week I didn't go to school because my aunt had "accidentally " pushed me down the stairs, that was the first time I got the stair case punishment, alongside whippings I used to get for every wrong thing done, or wrong word said. I had to learn to cover my body, to hide bruises at an early age so no one could notice.

But every time Jerald hugged me or held me, I’d wince and hiss in pain. Every time he didn’t see in days, he’d engulf me in a hug asking, "Cally! where have you been" I’d flinch away from him him because I’d have fresh bruises everywhere he touched and the worst part was was that I couldn't explain why I was acting the way I did. Instead I had asked him to stop touching me because I never liked it. He would give me this pained expression and I knew I was hurting him even though we were so young.

"I am sorry Cally, I just got overly excited to see you. that's why I hugged you, it was just on impulse.. it has been long." he explained while scratching his ear. He had always did that every time he got nervous or in an awkward situation. It was a bit funny because he was a grown man but he still had that habit.

“No, no I’m uh” I didn’t know what to tell him. “I just haven’t seen you in a longtime so.. I don’t think it appropriate for us to hug.. or stand this close.”

I honestly felt bad for acting that rude with him, because I was really happy to see him again after so long. He was one of the few people whom I in my life before my parents died. But my body had always been and was always hurting ever since aunt happened and I couldn’t explain that. Besides, we were grown ups now and it didn’t matter, him and I couldn’t even be friends anymore. He looked rich and sophisticated while I was just a waitress and student while working as a family maid.

"Yes it has been long Cally. I am so happy to see you.. I missed you all those years I was abroad. when I came back, I couldn't return to this place due to some reasons." he said while still scratching his ear. Cute! "how are you doing though " He added.

"I am doing fine and you, Ja-Jerald?" I almost called him by the name I used to call him when I was a kid because it was easier on tongue. I started to walk. I knew if I continued to stand here and talk, I would be late. "I am sorry Jerald, I have to go now. Otherwise I will miss the bus, and then I’ll be late for class". I said before he could even respond to my greeting, looking at my watch.

"Can I drop you there? and then we could talk along the way" he asked looking at me expectantly.

"It's okay. Let me not trouble you, I can take the bus. I know you have places to be" I said when I saw a man in a black suit looking impatient as he looked at us.

"Yes sir, we are running late for the TH corporation meeting. Hi miss, I’m Thomas, his assistant" the man in the black suit said, smiling. Jerald nodded his head towards the man.

"Thanks Thomas" He said though I sensed sarcasm in his tone.

"Okay Cally but can I at least get your number so that I can at least contact you" he said while taking out his phone.

" uhm ... I do not have a phone Jerald" I said looking away embarrassed and he laughed. I just stood there looking at him, not seeing the joke.

"You can just say no, you know? Does that trick still work in this era?“ he asked seriously and I just shrugged. I didn’t have a phone and I wasn’t lying.

He said when he saw how serious I was, "you are really serious? but how ? this is practically the digital era" he said dramatically raising his hands in air.

"I don't have one yet" I said plain and simple "I have to go now.. see you around Jerald"

I did not wait for him to say anything more as I waved and I rushed towards the bus stop, ignoring the pain in my leg.