I Want You

CHAPTER 1

“Strip.”

“What!?” My heart smashed open

“You heard me” he said with a bored look on his face.

“But sir, I….” I began looking everywhere but at him.

“But what? You said you would do anything to make it up to me” he said picking up his phone, not sparing me a glance.

“Yes I said so—” he cuts me off

“So you lied?” he turned, facing me. Still that bored expression on his face.

“No I didn’t. I meant it when I said so but I...” I stared at my feet and back at him

He took a step towards me, not breaking his stare. I had a strong desire to take a step back but I can’t seem to move my legs. Guess fear has me glued to the floor.

“Then you do not know what the word’ anything' means”

“I… I do” I stammer.

“No you don’t” Another step towards me. He is closer now. I can perceive his perfume.

“I really want to make it up to you. I really do” I babble. As he takes another step, I take one back but I find out that I am against his bookshelf. Now I am cornered. I looked up to find him watching me. He leans in more, in such a way that I only can look at him.

“You know a 100,000 thousand dollar debt can’t be paid off…easily— he paused— but I am willing to let it go if you do this one thing for me.”

“Which is” I ask a bit confused.

“Strip.”

I open my mouth to talk but no words come out. He has rendered me utterly speechless.

“I’m waiting” he said as he stared into my eyes. I touch the Hem of my top but that is where it ends. I can’t do it. And at the same time I remember my mother’s cries. I remember her face the moment she realized that my father was never, coming back. It was like a horror movie, I was being forced to watch.

“Please Sir, have mercy” I begged.

“Mercy? — He scoffed looking away— you don’t know me girl” he said. I look into his eyes. They are the most beautiful I have ever seen but they are cold. So cold that they hold no emotions in them. I look away when he suddenly looks back at me. I am still holding the Hem of my top. I decided that I’ll lift it up when I count to 3. He stops me in my track when he begins to speak. The next thing he said shatters me into tiny fragments.

“Make a choice. Marry me or strip”.

*********************************************

Aliya’s POV

I peered into my phone and began to tap my foot against the floor. I had played all the games on my phone and was contemplating downloading more.

Gosh I could die from this anxiety.

As I sat there, just like a TV serials, making a replay of its old episodes, my brain began to dredge up a memory, a nightmare, I badly wanted to forget. Marriage to settle one of my father’s debtors? Nahhh. The thought of it made me want to puke. I shook my head as if to shake the thoughts away.

“Aliya Brooke” a soft voice said aloud.

“Yes that’s me” I sprang up like a kangaroo.

“The doctor will see you no—“

I immediately began walking into the doctor’s office. As I made my way there, my heart thundered in my chest.

A raspy knock later, I was already seated in front of the doctor. In his hands, is the thing that kept me up all night, after I had woken up from a nightmare

A nightmare that has been consistent for the past 3 weeks because one of my father’s debtors had made it, his life achievement to cuss the hell out of I and mum, every time he came for his money.

“So I will not waste your time— he waved the yellow file in the air and I nodded like an over enthusiastic child— your mother has ALS” he said sighing.

When I still stare at him, it makes him know that I don’t know what that means.

“Okay let me explain. ALS means Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This is a sickness that—“

“Doctor I just want to know if she can walk again” I leaned in, eyes wide.

He sighed deeply and gave me a weak smile.

“No I’m sorry she won’t……” and then he trailed off telling me about what ALS was all about.

The bottom line for his band aid speech was that, my mum would be bound to a chair all her life.

As I left the hospital, hot tears threatened to spill from my eyes. What offense have I committed to have such a miserable life?

I slammed the doors into the confectionary as I walked in. I didn’t utter a word as I went straight to my locker and got changed.

I slapped the customer tray a bit too hard as I began to pile orders.

“Hmm sleeping beauty decided to come to work today” Beauty, a girl with a funny smile said aloud.

“Shut the f**k up” I snapped. I could hear the gasp from her but right now I didn’t care.

“Here is your order” I placed the coffee on the table.

“I didn’t order for that” he said almost immediately. I shut my eyes briefly

“Oh I’m sorry” I plastered a smile on my face. I spun on my heels and just as I was about to leave, I bumped into a something or rather someone. The tray fell to the floor and coffee and cake went flying everywhere.

“Watch where you are going” a deep baritone said. I looked up and saw that the man was in sun glasses.

“See who’s talking. Maybe if you had taken that thing off your eyes, you would be able to make use of your eyes” I spat. I could hear the gasp from around the room.

The man took off his shades and I was greeted with a pair of very dark Pupils. They were the exact color of his hair, which put together, made him intimidating. My breath hitched in my throat as his eyes bored into mine.

Out of fire, I raised my middle finger at him and smirked