Chapter 3

A man saw Tasha at the roadside and helped her. He drove her to her street entrance, and she got out of the car. 

"Thank you." She bowed her head in gratitude.

She walked slowly until she reached home. She started taking her clothes off from the parlour until she went into the bedroom. She flung the clothes on the bed and went straight into the bathroom.

She opened the shower and stood in it for a few minutes. She felt relaxed and her body cooled down a little.

The memory of what Talon did visualize in her face and she sighed. She brushed her hands through her hair and relied on her body on the wall. 

She closed her eyes and opened them. She turned off the tap and went out to the bedroom. She sat down on the bed and picked up her phone. 

She wanted to dial a number saved with "the best", but she stopped and looked at the screen for seconds.

"I shouldn't call him." She pressed the back button. 

"I hope you are fine, Talon. I am sorry if I have caused you pain."

She put her phone down and wore a short skirt and top, and a cardigan.

She walked to her bag and took a little of the remaining cash from her wallet. She walked out of the house and it was very dark.

"The restaurant will have closed already…" she thought, and turned back to the house.

She paused and turned back. "Let me try my luck."

She dug her hands into the cardigan side pocket and took a deep breath before walking down the street.

She tried to increase the speed of her walk, but her body didn't collide with her soul.

She got off the street corner and saw the restaurant attendant packing stuff to close.

"Hey!" 

She shouted and waved till she got to the restaurant. She entered and placed her hands on her knees, breathing tiredly.

"What’s wrong with you?" The attendant showed concern.

Tasha raised her head and grinned. "Nothing. I was afraid you would close before I got here."

"Okay. What do you want?"

"Give me fried rice with chicken and yoghurt." She asked.

"Okay." The attendant went inside and packed her request in a takeaway. 

"Here, ma." She handed it to Tasha.

"Thank you." Tasha collected it. She paid and walked out of the restaurant.

She took her steps more slowly because of the way she forced herself to cross the road to the restaurant.

A message popped into her phone, and she stopped to check it. She passed the food to the left hand and dug the right hand into her pocket.

She raised her eyebrows in shock. "It’s payday already?" 

"Where will I find such an amount of money?"

She sighed and returned the phone back to the pocket.

As she took her first step, a guy came out of a corner. He smiled at her and waved his hand.

"Hey, lady."

"Who is he?" She mumbled. She ignored him and continued walking.

He followed her and called her. "Hey, lady!" 

She fixed her gaze on her feet and fear made her legs unfreeze and her walking speed increased a little.   

He whistled and Zac came out of a corner at the left side. He whistled again and Nils also came out. 

"Stop that lady, I want her for tonight." The guy ordered Nils and Zac.

"Okay, boss." They bowed their heads and followed her.

"Hey, lady!" They called her.

"Are you a fool? Can't you see she is not ready to listen? Run after her and you must catch her."

Nils and Zac ran after her, and her strength fully zoomed into her body like a flash. She ran and continued running to a level where she couldn't hold the food anymore and she flung it away. 

She didn't look back till she got to a corner that led to her house.

Her leg hit a stone, and she fell on the ground. She struggled and stood up but she fell again. She crawled backward with her bottom and they ran to her front.

Nils held her hair and dragged her up. "Is this not you? Are you more than this?"

He shook her head, and she dragged her hair with him. He pushed her away, and she fell on the ground.

"What should we do?" Zac asked.

Nils gave him a deadly look. "You are still asking what to do? Take her to the boss!"

"Why should I take her? You should carry her!" Nils opposed. They argued and faced each other to fight.

"Okay, you will carry her halfway and I will carry her to the boss." Zac suggested. They concluded and Nils bent to pick her up but he didn't see her again.

"Hey!" He tapped Zac, who had turned back majestically.

"What?" Zac looked back.

Nils foolishly pointed to the ground. "The lady?"

"Where is she?" Zac asked.

They raised their heads up and saw her running away.

"Catch her!" Zac shouted, and they ran after her.

She looked back and saw them running after her, and she increased her speed. She felt pain, but she didn't dare wait to check.

They were very close to her, and she concluded to give up.

A guy appeared in front of her and she wasn't able to control herself till she got to his front and hit her head on his chest. He held her hand tightly.

She thought he was one of them and she struggled to free herself. He moved her to his back and guarded her.

Nils and Zac ran to his front and paused. They looked at him for a second and Nils walked to his back to take her but he held his hand. 

"Who are you?" Zac raised a question.

The guy tore a chewing gum and threw it into the air and it dropped in his mouth.

"I am a homeless guy that wished to help this poor girl."

Nils and Zac burst into mocking laughter, and Zac moved closer to his front. "Don’t interfere in what doesn't concern you. Leave this lady for us and go your way."

"Okay, I will listen to your advice." He moved a little.

"Hun?!" She looked at his face in shock.

"Come get her. She is all yours." He permitted.

Zac moved to his side and placed his hand on his shoulder and tapped him twice. "Good boy, keep it up." 

"Come on, girl." Zac moved to Tasha with a smile. He wanted to hold her hand, and the guy grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing, man?" Zac asked.

"I want to help her." The guy answered.

Zac struggled to free his hand, but he wasn't able to. He wanted to punch him with the right hand and the guy grabbed his right hand too.

"Leave my hands!" Zac yelled.

"Is this all you worth, hun?" He turned Zac around to face Nils.

The guy put Zac’s hands on his back and hit his leg on his knees and Zac kneeled down.

The guy dragged Zac up and pushed him on Nils, and they fell on the ground together.

Nils stood up angrily and pointed his finger at the guy. "How dare you?"

"Kill him!" Zac ordered.

Nils took the first move to punch the guy, but he dodged it and stood between them. 

Zac wanted to hit the guy on the knee. The guy dodged it and he hit Nils on the mouth. 

The guy went to the left and used his left hand to deal with Nils, while he used the right hand to torture Zac.

He changed their positions three times and beat them till they couldn’t stand up on their feet.

He clapped his hands and blew air on them to clean the dirt. 

He crossed his hands on his back and walked to Tasha. "Young lady, you can go home now."

"Okay. Thank you, sir." She bowed her head, but she didn’t move an inch.

He easily read the fear in her eyes and wore a comforting smile, asking, "are you afraid they will attack you later?" 

She was too shy to raise her head, and she jerked her head. "Yes."

"Okay, what if I escort you home?" He offered.

She smiled and accepted without thinking twice. "That will be great, thank you so much."

He walked to her side, and they turned to leave. 

Zac became conscious, he stood up and hit the guy with a stick on the back of the head.

The guy fell on the floor. Zac helped Nils up, and they ran away.

She checked if he was bleeding but he wasn't. She hit his cheek to wake him up.

"Open your eyes!"

"Open your eyes, please!"

Tears rolled out of her eyes as she held his shirt and shook him. She bent her mouth to pass him a breath with a kiss, but she ceased doing it.

‘I don't know him from before. Why will I kiss him?’

She put her hands on his chest and pressed him with full force till he coughed and opened his eyes.

She was happy, and she quickly hugged him in relief. "Thank you for waking up."

She separated her body from his body and quickly helped him to stand up. She put his arms around her neck and took him home.

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

She took him into the room and quickly let him sit down on the bed. She ran to the freezer and took an ice block. She placed it on the table and ran into the room to get a towel.

"Sit very well, let me press the spot with ice block." 

He smiled and collected the towel from her. "Let me do it by myself."

"No. Let me help you." She dragged the towel with him.

"Okay. Thank you." He gave her.

"Can you bend a little?" She asked.

"Okay." He bent his neck.

She placed the towel on the ice block and put it on the injured area. She did it continuously for some minutes.

"Let me get the ointment." She excused. She went into her room to get the ointment. She came back with the ointment and applied it.

"Thank you." He appreciated it.

"I should thank you." She smiled slightly, and he snickered.

She wore an insincere smile and squeezed her hands in embarrassment. "I threw away the food that I went to get and I don’t have any food stuff at home. Should I get you a tea?"

"Don’t bother yourself. Let me go." He stood up.

"No, you can't." She held him back to sit. Her leg slipped, and she fell on him on the chair.

Their lips stared at each other, and they opened their eyes in shock. She blinked her eyes and pushed him away.

"Wait, I will get the tea." Her voice stammered.

"Okay." He accepted.

She stood up and quickly rushed into the kitchen. She slammed the door and rested her back on the door, placing her hand on her chest as her heart beat fast. 

"Why are all these happening in a day?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Everything is fine. Nothing happened."

She walked to the cup and picked one. She opened the cupboard and took out a coffee sachet. She cut it and poured it in the cup.

"Here is the tea…" She announced, coming out of the kitchen behind him. She walked to his front and met him sleeping.

"Sir…"

She tapped him to wake up, but he didn't wake up, and she gave up.

"Should I allow him to sleep over?"

She caged her waist in her hand and watched him for minutes. She went to her room and brought him a duvet. She covered him and looked at his face.

She veered around to her room but turned back to him.

‘Can I trust this guy?’

She breathed in and out, jailing her waist in her hand. She walked to the other seat adjacent to him and sat down.

She eyed the guy from up to down and bite her lower lip.

"Damn, this guy is hot!" She shouted.

She quickly covered her mouth. She hoped he hadn't heard her say that and at the same time she talked; the guy changed position.

She stood up and ran to her room. She jumped on the bed and slapped herself continuously.

"Oh, god, why did I say that?!"

{1:00 AM}

Tasha found it extra difficult to convince herself to sleep. Her heart kept sweeping in negative thoughts that darkened her mind and she was worried he might harm her.

‘He wouldn’t save you if he will harm you.’ 

A part of her mind urged her to be positive, but the negative part was winning the battle and polluting her mind.

‘Check him!’

She stood up and sat on the bed for seconds. She stood on her feet and walked to the sitting room and she met him sleeping.

"I am just overthinking…" She sighed. She observed for minutes and went back to her room.

She jumped on the bed and closed her eyes. She forced herself to sleep but her eyes chose another path on which her soul laid and they opened wide.

She took a deep breath and covered her entire body with the duvet.

{2:00 AM}

She was falling asleep gradually, and a thought zoomed into her mind.

‘He may be a thief!’

She quickly opened her eyes and ran out to the sitting room, but he was still sleeping. 

Her shoulder dropped in a mixture of frustration and disappointment and she reversed to her room in a weak motion.

"I should keep my head straight and sleep."

She sat at the bedside for minutes and crawled to the middle with her bottom. She laid down and turned her face to the left.

{2:55 AM}

A lot of thought provoked Tasha to open her eyes, but she controlled herself and refused to open them till she fell asleep.

{The next morning}

It was Tasha's first time waking up late in the last three years. She slowly opened her eyes to the shield of the sun that came in through the window.

She stood up and rested her back on the bed handle. She stretched her body and yawned. She picked up her phone and checked the time.

"I should do some environmental sanitation today. I don't want any trouble…"

She put the phone down and yawned again. She suddenly remembered the guy and her eyes widely opened.

She ran out of the room to the parlor but she didn't see him. She walked closer and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

She brushed her hands along her face and took her steps one after the other. I tidied all the parlor up.

She opened the kitchen door, and she saw her long time abandoned dirty plates smiling at her because they were so clean.

She walked into the kitchen densely and touched the cupboard and other equipment. I amazed her at how they were shining. She used to think they were old and needed to be changed; not knowing all they needed was a professional washer.

Her negative thoughts about the guy vanished into the air and she ran out excitedly to see him.

She opened the door and met him sweeping the floor. She relied her body on the door and watched him from afar.

‘What’s he doing?’

She looked at the left side and instantly fell in love with the beauty her long-time abandoned rose flower regained. She cracked up and walked closer to touch the flower.

"Wow!" An excited tone left her mouth.

He heard her voice and looked back at her. And she quickly let the smile fade away before he could see her.

He packed the dirt; he swept it into a basket and walked to her with a seducing smile on his face.

"Good morning." He curtsied his head.

She twisted her brain in confusion and looked at him for a jiffy.

"Good morning." She responded.

"How was your night?" He cared with a smile. His smile was stunning and it could easily drive a lady crazy and want him at all costs.

His smile weakened her heart, and she almost lost guard. But she quickly controlled herself and beamed lightly. "Splendid and yours?"

"Fine. Thanks to you, I had somewhere to escape the cold outside. If what happened didn't happen, I would spend the night out."

He started his statement with a smile and ended in a low, painful, pity-seeking voice.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't have anywhere to sleep," he answered, and saddened tears rolled out of his eyes, down to his cheek.

"I always spent the night wherever it met me."

She took three steps closer to him and helped him to wipe it. "Stop crying."

He quickly went on his knee and held her left hand tightly. "Please, allow me to stay here for a while till I find a job."

"But… I-am…" 

Her voice stammered. She pitied him and wished to help, but it was dangerous. He was a stranger and not just a young boy, but a grown man that was probably the same age as her or a little older than her.

She took his hand off him. "I am sorry, I can't take you in."

"Please." He cried.

She drew him up. "I am sorry I can't help you. Please stand up."

He stood up and lifted his eyes to his gaze. "Are you afraid I will hurt you? I don't have any bad intentions. I swear, I mean no harm."

"No. It's not that but…" she said and paused because she was out of a lie to tell him.

"Please help me." He continued to beg her.

"I will prepare breakfast, eat before you leave." She offered and turned to the door.

He sighed in sadness, and its sound penetrated into the depths of her ear.

She turned back to him in pity. "I wished to help but I don't know you."

"I know it's dangerous, but please believe me, I am just a helpless guy roaming around. Please help me."

He held her hands firmly and tears rolled out of his eyes more. 

His words had weakened her body and she couldn't lift her hand to wipe his tears.

"Don't worry about what I will eat and drink, I will feed myself and do house chores as rent payment. I know it's not enough but help a poor guy." He cried like a baby that lost his food money.

She shook her head. "It's fine, you can stay and leave whenever you want. You don't need to do house chores, just find a job."

He hugged her excitedly. "Thank you!"

She felt uncomfortable and pushed him back a little.

He stood in front of her in guilt. "I am sorry."

She beamed in a welcoming manner. "It’s fine. What's your name?"

"Malachi." His reply came.

"My name is Tasha, call me by name." She addressed him.

"Okay, thank you." He appreciated her.

"When did you wake up?" She inquired.

"5 AM. I noticed you were busy to do the cleaning, so I helped you. I can't stand dirts." He uttered.

She was a little embarrassed by his words because she hadn't cleaned her place in a while, and everywhere was too dirty.

"Okay, thank you."

"I have cleaned everywhere except your room. Should I clean it first or prepare breakfast?" He asked.

"Do you know how to cook?" She asked in a high voice.

"Yes, just tell me what you want." He bowed his head.

She was carried away and hit his chest, lightly. "You are just too good. I think I like you."

She raised her eyebrows, questioning herself about what she had just done. She crossed her hands on her chest and cleared her throat.

"Don't worry, I will clean my room. There are no foodstuffs at home, we will buy breakfast at the restaurant."

"Okay."

She led him into the house, and he followed her to her room.

She looked back and saw him. "What?"

"I want to collect money for the breakfast. I should go and get it while you do the cleaning." He voiced out.

"Okay."

She walked to her wallet, and double blinked her eyes at its emptiness. She was embarrassed to turn to him. "I am…"

He easily read her facial expressions, and he wore a cover-up smile. "I have a little cash with me, I will use that. What should I get for you?" 

"Rice." She answered.

"Okay."

{Thirty minutes later}

After Tasha cleaned her room, she took the laundry basket out and set about washing the dirty clothes.

"You hurt me and you are not worried about it."

She heard Talon’s voice from behind. She stood up and quickly turned to him. 

She ran to him and put her hand on his forehead. The back of his head was plastered. 

"How are you?" She asked worriedly.

He flung her hand away and chuckled. "Asking how I am, as if you care. You are happy to hurt me, right?"

"It’s not like that." She tried to give an excuse.

"How is it?" He raised his voice at her.

He looked straight into her face and pointed his middle finger to the ground. "Tasha, it is either me or nobody. I will not see you go with any man except me," 

"If you don’t heed my call easily, I will frustrate you till you call me by yourself." He threatened.

"What if I protect her till she never run to you in the future?"

A voice interrupted, and Talon traced it to his back.

"Who are you?" He threw a question at Malachi.

Malachi walked closer and stopped beside Tasha. He turned to Talon and rounded her body in his arms.

He looked straight into Talon's eyes. "If you see a female adult and male together like this, don't you know what it means?"

Talon looked at Tasha and yelled at her. "Who is this guy?!"

"Tell him to leave!" He ordered. He hated seeing her with other guys and it saddened him. It pained him more than the wound on his head.

"Hun?!" Tasha sounded in shock, lifting her head to Talon. 

She quickly took her eyes off him and swallowed her saliva, thinking of what to say. She wrapped her arms around Malachi in a mutual manner and looked up at Talon.

She sighed and wore an insincere smile. "I am sorry that it takes this long before I tell you, Talon. I would have told you last night if not for what happened,"

She separated her body from Malachi and pointed to him. "Meet Malachi, the man that occupies the largest space in my heart,"

She pointed to Talon and looked into Malachi’s face. "Malachi, this is Talon. He has been my best friend since we were crawling,"

"He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His parents were rich, but they died early, and he inherited everything they had."

"Oh! He is an orphan?!" Malachi covered his mouth in a concerned manner.

He moved closer to Talon. "Take heart man, you can survive."

He put his hand on his shoulder and patted it but Talon flung it away with a full force of hatred.

Malachi shook his head and wore a devilish smile that only Talon saw.

Tasha walked closer to them. "Malachi, you need to thank Talon because he has always chattered for my needs."

"Wow! That's interesting," Malachi beamed. 

He turned to Talon and bowed his head. "Thank you for taking care of my dear on my behalf. Thank you so much." 

"His influence admitted me to nursing school and he paid my school fees from college till I graduated." She stated.

"That’s also great." Malachi grinned.

"Yeah. You can say that again because he bought me many things, and I became a nurse at Brook's hospital with his help."

"Oh!" Malachi turned to Talon and curtsied his head. 

"Words can't thank you enough but I appreciate your efforts on her. You are indeed a great man, at least till the last moment I stepped into her life,"

He lifted his head and crossed his hands on his back. He looked straight into Talon's eyes in a beast manner.

"From now on, I will take it up from where you stop. Please, kindly move away from her."

"No Malachi," Tasha shook her head in opposition. "I cherished Talon so much. His place is high in my heart."

Every word from Tasha pained talon, but he stood still and watched her roll her mouth as she liked.

Malachi walked to Tasha and kissed her on the forehead. "His place is high, mine is higher, right?"

She nodded. "Of course, yes."

Talon walked closer to Tasha with anger. He grabbed her left hand to drag her downstairs and Malachi held her right hand to make her stay with him.

Talon looked back and tried to drag her by force but Malachi held her and Talon couldn't move her.

Talon looked at Tasha and directed his head to Malachi. "Tell him to leave your hand."

Tasha looked at them, dumfounded and she didn't know what to do.

Malachi let go of her hand and looked at her face. "It’s your choice to leave or stay. I won't decide for you."

Talon scoffed and dragged Tasha, but Tasha froze her body and he couldn't move her. He tried to drag her again, and she freed her hand from him.

"I am sorry, Talon,"

She fixed her eyes on the ground and squeezed her hands on her lap. "Malachi is the man I love and I will stay with him."

She moved to Malachi and hugged him.

Talon smiled devilishly with a part of his mouth. He scoffed and shook his head. "Do you think I will give up because of this? No one can have you if I don't!"

"I eavesdropped on you saying that earlier, stop the threat and strike and I will wait for you to take her away from me." Malachi smiled.

Talon looked at Malachi with his mind boiling with anger. He bit his lower lip and took a challenging step closer to him. He set his hand to punch him in the face, but he calmed himself down.

He moved his mouth closer to Malachi's ear. "Mark my words, no matter how much you protect her, she will hurt your feelings and make you sad."

Talon moved backward, he scanned Tasha for a second and opened his eyes wide. "This is the end between us."

Tears rose in Tasha's eyes, watching Talon walked away. She sighed and tried hard not to cry and wiped the tears before they could come out.

After she saw Talon driving away, she turned to Malachi and hit him lightly on the chest. "Why did you lie to him? You just hurt his feelings. He will be sad!"

Malachi rounded his hands and his waist and bent to the left a little. He snickered and looked at her.

"When I lied, why did you back it?"

"Hun?!" She made a questioning-confused tone.

"Yes," he shook his head in clarification. 

"You should have opened up to him. You are the one that hurt his feelings, not me. He is sad because you rejected him. If you truly care about him, run after him and ease his fear…" 

He stoned words at her. "If you love him, don't make him suffer."

"I love him and I care about him but I have never thought of dating him," she voiced out.

She looked guiltily down and added, "He has always been my best friend and I never think of him as that."

"Then, why did you make him fall for you?"

She didn’t expect such a question, and a sound left her mouth. "Hun?!"

 She raised her gaze twice before her eyes met with his eyes. "What do you mean?"

He looked away and wore a smile. "Nevermind, let’s go in and eat."

She eyed him for a second and went inside first.

He took a deep breath and watched her from behind.

"Is it true you will hurt me no matter how much I protect you?"

"What will I do now that I am already in love with you?"