CHAPTER 2

Stella locked the door quickly. Stood still. She heard the door of the master bedroom slammed shut. Her heart was beating so fast at this minute. It was the first time to face Patricia’s boyfriend.

He looked evil! Full of the mafia appearance from head to toes. It made her hair at her neck stand up! She shook her head, tried to get his picture out of her mind, but somehow, she couldn’t get rid of it! Body with tattoos!

She shook her head again and again, still saw that tall body with only a towel wrapped his down below part, the chest was covered with tattoos, Yak! Disgusting!

Stella went to wash her face and told herself to focus on her homework, it seemed to work! And it was done at about 8 p.m.

knock-knock!

“Wine? Are you in there?” The sound of Patricia calling at the front of the door.

“Yes”

“I’m hungry. Did you buy anything from the market?”

“Nope. I saved some fried-rice for you in the fridge.”

“Already had it! That’s for breakfast, now t’s 8 p.m. my dear. Can you cook something else for me? I am half dead right now. Oh God, you know my boyfriend has a high sexual drive, he never wants to stop, and he’s addicted to me so much. Oh, I’m so happy but tired now.”

Patricia said loudly without shame in her voice. Stella pretended not to pick every word she’s barking about but, still remember that tall guy with tattoos on the chest, the right arm, and the left arm! Yak!

She opened the door, there she was, the sex goddess, Patricia was wearing a silk robe her cheeks were pink with her messy long wavy red hair. Without saying a word, Stella walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge to see if she could make something edible for her roommate. She put on an apron with active movement.

Patricia followed and sat on a chair at the dining table. Thinking about Leonard’s order, he wanted her to get rid of the girl. She looked at Stella, the way of the slim body moving fast and seemed to know what she is doing. Who’s going to be stupid enough to get rid of someone who could cook, could do housework and also could pay the rent!

Patricia was not daft to tell Leonard about it. He would go mad if he knew she was taking money from this girl when he had already paid for the whole year's rent!

“Omelette?” Stella asked, seeing some eggs in the fridge. She opened the freezer reached for frozen pizza, threw it into the microwave pushed the button.

Patricia watched with joy, must admit that Stella was a smart and skillful person. But Patricia thought that she had better skills than her, the skills of feeding a hungry man in bed! and that’s very important! Stella’s a loser in this case. She’s too innocent like the most ordinary Thai girls.

“Omelette’s great, need three, I’m exhausted, need to gain my energy back. Oh, tonight I’m going out, my close friend’s birthday party.” Patricia announced.

“Oh, I see. Okay.” Stella responded with no interest and she knew Patricia did not care either if she had anything to say or not. When she first moved in, she used to warn her about her studying responsibility, she had failed and missed classes, but Patricia didn’t like it and said mean words to her. Since then, Stella learned to keep her mouth shut. If one didn’t love herself, what could she do and why would she have to care!

She made omelette, put it in a plate, took the pizza out of the microwave, put everything on the table in front of Patricia.

“Thanks. By the way, my boyfriend, he likes privacy so much, so when he comes next time, will you make sure to stay out somewhere?”

Stella paused for a minute then shrugged.

“Yes, fine, no problems, just let me know in advance so that I can make sure to stay away. Oh, have you seen the letter from your Uni, the third one?”

“About what?” Patricia asked, biting the pizza.

“I think it’s about your absence from classes.”

“Who cares! My boyfriend’s super-rich. In fact, I don’t have to study at all, as long as I serve him well in bed, that’ll be enough. He gives me lots of money each time and this one, he’s God of prosperity, I’m telling you. I’ll make sure to stick with him forever.” Patricia said with confidence.

Stella felt pity for her. She’s got a short vision about life and future. She didn’t think if one day, he would have had enough and got bored and left, what would she do? One day her beautiful face and sexy body would change and go aging, one day it would be no longer attractive and nice to look at anymore.

That guy looked so mean and he just wanted her for sex, Stella was sure about that and it’s sure not last forever like Patricia was wishing for, but she didn’t bother to say out, because Patricia would not listen to her anyway. So, let her be.

Patricia finished eating and left the messy plates on the table, she had that bad habit to have people serve her all the time. Stella got used to it and didn’t want to complain because, at the end of the day, the rent is cheaper than anywhere else.

Sophia Bradley, Stella’s close friend didn’t understand why she had to live with this mean woman. Sophia was from a well-off family who had everything she wished for, so she was another one who didn’t quite understand about the poor, how patient a not-so-well-off girl who lived far away from home had to be. Even Stella’s mother owned a Thai restaurant in Chicago, but it’s only a small one and just earned enough to live comfortably, but not rich and Stella would do everything to help to save, made sure she wasn’t going to spend her mother’s hard earn money without good reasons.

However, for Sophia, even she was from a rich family but she was down to earth, very nice to Stella. She liked to protect her from mean and rude people, she hated the way Patricia treated her. Sophia used to offer her friend to live at her big house. But Stella refused because she didn’t want to disturb her family. Living here with Patricia made her learn how to cope with bad situations, She liked to think positively.

Her mother once said God sent people into our lives with purposes. He wanted to teach us something. No one came into our lives by chance. Mother strongly believed in that. And for Stella, this time, she would like to believe that God had sent Patricia into her life to explain what the word “patient” really meant.