Chapter Five

Zara

It’s Saturday and for me ,that means deep cleaning. Only, this time, it’s aggressive cleaning.

The nerve of that man!

I wasn’t exactly expecting him to kiss my feet and make me a path of rose petals but I also was not expecting to be treated like a bug

…You can get dressed and leave

Ha!

I was dumbstruck for a few minutes after he not so rudely told me to leave . He had proceeded to walk into the en suite bathroom like he did not just trample on my dignity.

You give a man your virginity and he does not even have the decency to thank you…

Last night may have been my first time but I know enough to not get treated like that. Tears prickle the back of my eyes. I wipe at it furiously. I haven’t cried over a man in my entire existence, I’m not going to start now…

It doesn’t exactly help that I am sore all over.

Imagine my surprise when I got up to stomp out of the jerk’s place and couldn’t walk straight. I had to limp all the way to the elevator and into the waiting cab outside.

Why on earth is it so hard to clean underneath furniture? Goddammit!

My attention is drawn to the sound of my phone vibrating on the coffee table beside me. It’s an unknown number. I swipe on it reluctantly.

“who is this?” I drawl

“ please tell me he was not that bad, babe. I expected you to be tired at least but …lively. You sound like a cast in The Living Dead”

“Valerie?”

“ The one and only, babes. What’s up? Did he do something you didn’t like? Cos if that’s the case, I will not hesitate to find him and drag his ass all over the asphalt in front of my apartment “

A laugh escapes me despite my sour mood. “ I’m fine, Valerie. Just cleaning, that’s all”

“ You sure?”

“ Hundred percent “

“ So I don’t have to go to jail then?”

“ Not at all. Thank you for your concern, though. How did you get my number anyway?

“ I found your card in Emily’s spa”

Oh…

“ You didn’t tell me you’re a lawyer.”

Yeah, that’s right. I might have had a non existent love life but one thing I could brag about anytime, any day is my career. I worked my behind off to get to where I am currently and I take immense pride in my vocation.

“ My bad. It was so chaotic yesterday, I forgot to introduce myself properly”

“ No, no…it’s totally fine. It’s just …wow”

I chuckle “ I totally get it “

At first glance, you wouldn’t think, wow! A career woman. Outside the office, I love my comfort clothes. My clothes always have to have enough breathing space and I have never been one for restrictive footwear. What can I say? I love to keep it simple. Modesty is key

Yeah , right! You were so modest with your breasts all up in strangers’ faces...

The memory of last night makes my cheeks warm.

“…hello? You still there, Zee?”

“ Yeah , sorry. I may have zoned out for a minute there”

“ So he was goooood”

I blush a brighter red. He was good , alright but that was in my books. I don’t have much to compare with. Valerie’s voice drifts through the phone again, “ Emily and I are having a movie night tomorrow and we would like you to join us.”

“ I don’t really know…my Sunday evenings have always been reserved for some downtime, and unwinding with a good book…”

“ It’ll be fun. I promise”

“ Are you sure ? I’d hate to be a bother “

Valerie tuts at the end of the line. “ That’s nonsense and you know it. Stop deflecting. You coming or not ?”

I chew the corner of my lower lip in contemplation. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to hangout with them. I could use some distraction.

“ Sure...I guess”

“ Great! I’ll text you the address. See you tomorrow, babe!”

I smile. Making friends may not be so bad after all.