Chapter 2
1182 Words
Brook had agreed to my favor, and I had been working double shifts for a week. My body was tired, and my mind was messed up. I always told myself to never give up and to keep fighting. On my second shift, which was on Sunday, I worked until 9pm. I noticed that my vision had gotten blurry, so I sat on the chair for a second, waiting for it to go away. However, my head started to hurt like hell. I curled down, holding my head as it felt like it was breaking.
"Aahhhh......" I screamed out of pain, the intensity overwhelming my senses.
That night, I had been working alone, as all my colleagues had already gone home. There was no one around to lend a helping hand. "Heeeellppp!!!!" I shouted desperately, but my cries fell on deaf ears. Suddenly, everything went black, and I lost consciousness.
When I regained consciousness, I was startled to find myself lying on the cafe's sofa. I immediately stood up, confusion filling my mind. Why was I sleeping on the sofa? It took a few moments for my memory to catch up—I remembered the excruciating headache that had plagued me earlier. To my surprise, it had vanished upon awakening.
Then, to my surprise, Brook emerged from the kitchen, holding a dripping wet small towel. His eyes widened when he saw me standing there.
"Hey... you're awake! How are you feeling?" Brook asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Why are you here?" I inquired, puzzled by his presence. It was rare for Brook to visit the cafe on Sundays, and it was already late at night, so I assumed he would be fast asleep.
"I left my wallet inside my office, so I came to get it. But when I saw you lying on the floor, I got worried. Are you really okay? Maybe we should go to the hospital," he suggested, his worry palpable.
"I'm... fine. I just had a terrible headache, probably due to lack of sleep," I replied, trying to reassure him.
"I should drive you home. It's past 9pm already, and your shift was already over," Brook insisted, glancing at his watch.
"I'm sorry, Brook. I can just make up for the hours I missed during tomorrow's shift," I replied, feeling guilty for causing any inconvenience.
"What? No! You were gone because you passed out. It was health-related, so I cannot accept that offer," Brook firmly stated, concern etched on his face.
"Go get your things. I'll wait in the car," Brook instructed, his voice filled with determination.
"Okay," I replied, obediently heading off to gather all my belongings.
Once we were in the car, Brook couldn't stop expressing his concern. He kept urging me to go to the hospital, his worry evident in his voice. But to me, it was just a headache, nothing more.
"Just a headache? Shona, you passed out! That's not something a mere headache would cause," he exclaimed, his voice rising in frustration as he kept his eyes on the road.
"I know! I know... calm down, okay? I'm fine now, end of story," I reassured him, hoping to put his worries to rest.
We finally arrived at my place, and it was the first time Brook had driven me home. As he glanced around, his surprise was evident on his face. I lived near the ghetto, and the building I resided in was small, old, and appeared dirty from the outside.
"Alright! You can go now. Thanks for driving me home," I said, stepping out of the car and leaning over to the window to speak to Brook.
"You live here?" he asked, his tone filled with curiosity.
"Yeah! I've been living here since I was 16 years old," I replied, my gaze fixed on the building.
"Hold on... wait for me," he suddenly said, getting out of the car.
"Where's your apartment? I'll walk you there," he insisted.
"What? Are you serious? I mean... I'm fine, Brook. I can walk on my own now," I protested, surprised by his offer.
"I don't care. Let's go!" he declared, taking hold of my hand and allowing me to walk ahead of him.
My apartment was located on the 4th floor, which happened to be the top floor. Since there was no elevator, only stairs, Brook started to catch his breath as we climbed. I couldn't help but chuckle at his exertion.
"What?" he asked, slightly puzzled, as he heard me laugh.
"You don't need to walk me all the way to my apartment, Brook. I'm safe here. I know everyone around. Besides, look at you. You look... tired," I said, unable to contain my laughter.
He simply rolled his eyes in response and continued climbing the stairs. Eventually, we reached my apartment.
"I'm here now. You can go," I said, hesitating to open the door. I felt a bit shy because my apartment was incredibly small, with only enough space for me to fit comfortably.
"Go inside," he said, still catching his breath.
"I will. You go first," I insisted, wanting him to leave first.
"Just get inside," he insisted, his determination unwavering.
Growing slightly annoyed at his stubbornness, I opened the door to my apartment. As I stepped inside, Brook widened the door and took in the sight of my living situation.
"Shona..." he said, his voice filled with concern as he looked around my small apartment.
"Here it is! My home," I said, trying to lighten the mood and reassure him.
Out of nowhere, Brook embraced me tightly, his grip firm and his sobs audible. I tried to release myself slightly to look at him, but he held onto me even tighter.
"Are you crying?" I asked, concerned by his emotional state.
"Does your family know about your situation here?" he asked, his voice muffled against my shoulder.
"No," I replied softly, my voice filled with a mix of sadness and resignation.
"Why are you living like this? You can afford a much bigger apartment with your salary," he questioned, his tone filled with genuine confusion.
"You know I can't do that," I responded, allowing him to continue hugging me.
"Why can't you just be selfish for once?" he pleaded, his voice choked with tears.
"I can't let my family starve," I replied, my voice tinged with a mix of determination and sadness.
Brook released his embrace, but he still held onto my shoulders as he faced me directly.
"So you're going to starve yourself just so your ungrateful family can eat? Shona... You've been supporting them since you were 16, and all they do is ask for more and more money from you, yet they remain ungrateful. Come on, Shona!" he exclaimed, his frustration evident in his voice.
"Just... go, Brook," I whispered, my voice filled with a mix of sadness and resignation. I sat on my bed, bowing my head and staring at the floor, trying to hold back my tears.
Brook looked at me for a moment, his expression filled with concern and sadness, before silently leaving the room.
- Writer
