The Life of Her

Meeting the Jordan

Everyone turned their heads and saw a woman, clothed in her loose, large yellow with white spots gown. Her eyes were in rage as she held tight her slipper, hoisting her right arm high. My eyes went vaster when I witnessed a man, without a shirt and just wearing his boxers running away! His hair was still damped with water and shampoo, and his body was still soaked with soap.

Margarita peaked her head outside the small opening of her store and laughed in an anticipating manner. It was boorish, which made Albert winced from her loud voice.

“That’s my Jordan. Yeah!” She screamed at the top of her lungs as she made the rock sign with her fingers.

“That’s her.” Berjohn said.

“Yeah. That’s totally her.” Weaston said.

“I’ll definitely want to vanish right now.” Albert said. “I don’t want to lose my money.”

“Me too.” Kyle and Weaston commented.

And just before the woman stood in front of me and caught the guy she was chasing for, the three of them vanished in a swift, leaving me, Berjohn and Margarita at the store. The woman clasped the man’’s short and arms. He was still strangling, but the woman is much larger, twice than his size.

I stood still in my post, not moving an inch and trying to find what’s truly is happening.

“Way to go, Jordan.” Margarita chuckled.

The woman gave her a thumbs up and focused her stare with the man she’s been holding.

“I-I’ll pay you, okay? You don’t have to do this, Jane.” The man said.

She brushed her fingers through her hair in frustration. Then, gave the man a foreboding grin.

“That’s an old excuse there, Prince.” She flicked his forehead. “And when I let you leave right now, man…I know you’ll be off in hiding yourself away from me. I’m done playing hide and seek with you, boy. You should better pay me this week or you’ll be beaten to death. Understood?” She added with such a hoarse voice, giving much authority.

The man didn’t move and without any hopes for him, he let out a big sigh and nodded in return. “Okay. Okay. I promise. I’ll do anything that I can to pay you this week.”

“And if you cant, I’ll tell your good o’ mother that you’re having a debt with me. You should be coming home straight to explain things directly to her, or you’ll end up roaming in the streets.” She caressed his hair and patted it gently. “And, oh. I’m sorry for stopping you in enjoying your bath. Boy, you should better clean yourself.”

Slowly, the woman let the young man escaped from her grasp. She locked her arms as she patiently watched the man ran away from him. He crossed the main road and vanished from our sight. Loud, shallow claps came beside me and realized that it was Margarita who just went out from her store. She was complimenting her friend and it was clearly seen in her eyes how she was amazed with the woman’s actions.

“You never failed to make a scene here, Jane.” She exclaimed.

The woman moaned and smirked at her. Raising her shoulders a bit, she told. “Well, I’m the queen.” She moved in our positions and there, our eyes met. She stared with my outfit for seconds and back to Margarita. Somehow, I quivered with how she looked at me as if she could see my deepest secrets and soul. I gulped and a sweat was visible on my right forehead.

“I thought I have seen Albert and his pals here a while ago.” She said and turned to look at Berjohn who was just heeding his own business on his phone, giving the least attention to her. “Did you see them?” She asked and he had known that she was talking to him.

He simply shook his head as a reply, concentrating on typing something. This man is really having such an intimidating personality!

“If you get to see them, tell them about me. They’ll know what they need to do.” She coldly spoke.

Berjohn approved and suddenly hoisted his head to meet her cold graze. “Sure. I’ll tell them. I need to go, something urgent came.” He glanced at me. “I’ll see you around.”

I gave him a muffled smiled. Berjohn left the scene without telling goodbye to us. I guessed that how he excused himself. I bet he doesn’t want to be entertained with the other ladies at this moment. Somehow, he reminded me of Summer.

A face suddenly moved just an inch from me. I could have gone into my wildest heart attack just by seeing a woman staring so close to me. Her eyes were locked to mine, and slowly moving downwards. Making things more implacable, she smelt me like a sniffing dog. I could feel a tingling sensation from my bag as I stood in front of her.

She pulled herself away and said. “Your voice seemed familiar. Have we meet before?”

Margarita looked me and personally answered her. “She’s the one who took the vacant unit.”

The woman rubbed her chin. And if I saw it properly, she suddenly reverted in having such pleasing personality. She grinned at me like she’s an angel in disguise – no hint of madness like a while ago. It was not fake, she was just being natural.

“Oh, so it’s you! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jane Jordan, the one you have talked yesterday. I’m sorry for what happened a while ago. You know, I just hate those who can’t pay me and just giving me false hopes.” She laughed a bit as her cheeks reddened in humiliation.

“I-It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Jordan. I’m Amber Kate Madison.”

We shook each other’s hands. “I guessed Shinshin had already told you about the rules and regulations of the apartment. There’s no curfew, so you can do anything you want. Just pay me in the right time.” She said.

I nodded. “I-I’ll do my best.”

“So, are you together with your parents?” She suddenly blunted.

“No. I’m just with myself.”

“Oh. Well, enjoy your stay here. If you need something you can just call me or Shinshin anytime. I’ll get going. I’ll talk to you later.” She said and waved her hand at me and started to move hurriedly. She flung herself back to her house. The residents were greeting her with their smiles on their faces, but it was just a show. They were clearly anxious of the woman, hoping that she won’t ask for their payments. Mrs. Jane walked with such posture – head’s up, swaying her hands sideways and with a smile.

Margarita cleared her throat and walked beside me. “From your looks, you’re not used of living in this kind of place. Why did you move here? Did you kill someone?” She frankly said, raising one of her eyebrows.

This woman is somehow getting to my nerves all of a sudden, but I have to behave myself and act cool.

“I’m not the person who’s thirsty for blood…Well, maybe not for now. I just moved her…to continue my studies and I wanted to try how to be independent.” I boringly responded.

“I see. Don’t get yourself too much here. I’ll be observing you city girl.” She said and rolled her eyes at me and immediately walked off.

She left me dumbfounded. I was too lazy to pick up a fight with her, leaving me without a choice but to go back to my unit, bringing with me the foods I bought from her store. The people in this place are just so hard to predict and I guessed that’s how they welcome and treat someone that is new.

I shrugged and rolled my eyes. I’ll get back to you soon.

___

I went inside the dwelling with a frown face. Closing the way, I layed on the couch and arranged the foods on the table. Rubbing my eyes, I yawned. I closed them slowly for minutes, then I decided to prepare my breakfast. Beating the eggs is my favorite thing to do in the kitchen.

I used to make scrambled eggs, eggs beauregard and eggs benedict. Mom taught me to make dishes – t’was our hobby back then. We enjoyed most of our time in the kitchen, experimenting foods. We loved to make jams and sandwiches and sell them to our neighbours.

Today, I’ll just fry them off. I cooked the rice and poured gently the oil on the frying pan. Yes, I did get one of our pans to use in my apartment. I was hell prepared before I get myself here. I smirked.

I turned the music on in my phone and placed it on top of the kitchen sink as I fried the eggs. The scrumptious smell engulfed the whole place. I was vibing with myself – swaying my hips around the kitchen and singing. Yet, I made sure that no one will hear me from the outside.

I suddenly caught my breath in my lungs when I smelt something was burning. It was my eggs! I hurriedly turned off the stove and carefully transferred it to a plate. I took a sigh and settled on my seat. Opening the rice cooker, I took a cup of rice and placed it on my plate. Then, I dig in.

There was a sudden knock on my door. Then came the rapid, ebullient ones. I stood up and instantly opened the door to welcome the quests. There were the Jordans. Shin’s hands were full of fresh fruits while Mrs. Jane was bringing a tray of freshly baked lasagna.

“H-Hi.” I awkwardly said.

Mrs. Jane gleefully entered the house as her eyes cautiously scanned the place. Shin deliberately followed her and tapped me over the shoulder. She turned her body and stated, “I’m glad you have cleaned the place.”

Her mother positioned the tray on top of the table and gradually walked beside the couch. She crossed her arms, her head raised a bit and stared in the ceiling wall. A smirk slowly formed around the corners of her lips. Is she satisfied? But then, it just eventually vanished. She moved her fingers, tracing the couch, and instantly pulled it away from the wall.

My eyes went round when I saw large, hideous writing on the lower part of the wall. It was vandalism. Luscious red paint was splashed around the words. I covered my mouth as I read those words silently.

Die in hell Mrs. Jane.

You deserve to die.

Go rot, you ugly stinky pink.

H*e!

Piece of trash.

B*tch!

“I guessed she didn’t clean the whole place at all. I was expecting that these trash are still on this wall.” She calmly said.

She took a sigh and rolled her eyes. She looked at me with those cold stare. “You didn’t see that coming do you? The last persons who rented this unit have gotten themselves a little mess with me. Somehow, that little argument had put them into jail. But then, at first, just like you, I didn’t expect that those diehard fans of mine have littered this apartment.”

She let out a soft chuckled. Shin walked over the kitchen, and got herself a glass of water. She was feeling home, isn’t she? She returned to us, now eating a green apple.

“You got a nice outfit there.” She complimented me and eared her mother.

“Thanks.”

As I observed them both, it’s not a shock that Shin and Mrs. Jane will end themselves into a fight with somebody. Her mother is a wild, friendly, tacklinf person, whom you don’t want to mess around, while her daughter is slowly, in deed, making herself a representation of her.

They were assholes in such form – like shadows slowly appearing during the night falls. Now, that she mentioned about the persons who have vandalized the unit, I started to wonder where her husband it. Are they still together?

Probably not.

I took steps near to her and asked, “Why do you often get into a misunderstanding with your neighbours and some of those who rented here?”

It was a confronting why and I had wished that my tongue will be pulled out from me. I swore to God that I regretted what I have said. Fiddling my fingers at the back of mine, I saw Mrs. Jane moved towards me without pulling her sight to me. I gulped as soon as she stood in front of me. Suddenly, she burst in laughter, holding her belly as she could cry her eyes out.

“I guessed it’s just my nature to put myself in a fight to those who are near me, dear. To think, most of them didn’t pay me well or talking things behind my back or using my name to fool others.” She bit her lip.

“We’re not the ones who cause the chaos but those who can’t do their part.” She added.

I laughed in an awkward manner. “I see. Oh, uhm, is this for me?” I immediately grabbed the tray.

Shin added and put her arms on my shoulder. “Yes. It’s our welcome gift. We do it to everyone who is new to the Zealous.” She stated.

I smiled to them. “Thank you. Uhm…do you want to it this with me?” I offered.

Mrs. Jane’s hands were placed to mine. She shook her head. “No, it’s all yours, dear. Shin and I are going for a trip this week. If you have something to ask, you can ask Margarita. She’s my cousin.” She promptly said.

So that woman is related to her. “Oh, it’s okay. I can take care of myself.”

The woman simpered. “That’s good. We’ll get going now. Take care.”

She walked towards the door and waited for her daughter to be with her.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Amber. I hope we’ll get our time to tag along.” She said.

“I hope too.”

“We’ll see you around. And oh, is it okay if you’ll get rid with those marks on the wall. I don’t like having it there.” Mrs. Jane spoke.

I rubbed my back slowly. “Y-Yes. You don’t have to worry about it. And, thank you for the foods.”

“It’s our pleasure."

Mrs. Jordan and Shin left the apartment directly. She reminded some to pay their payments and somehow warned them. I chuckled a bit as I saw how their reactions promptly changed into timorous ones.

I slowly closed the door and was excited to taste the food they brought for me. Taking myself with the lasagna in the kitchen back again, I enjoyed myself to every bits of my meal. Hell, sure I’m enjoying my stay here.