9. I ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF IT.

It took me a minute to gather my thoughts together. What have I just done? I slapped my hands over my face and blew air threw my mouth.

Yep, it's official. I am crazy. I let a man I barely know make out with me. And I enjoyed every bit of it.

But that's not even the problem. I knew now that the guy was a thief and yet, my body relaxed in his hold. Maybe I developed a mental condition after that night at the club.

Pulling my robe closer to my body and tying it tightly to hide the imprints of Leo's hands on it, I hurried to the door. Just when I was holding the knob to open it, it creaked open with force.

Jake's face appeared like he was taking a peek. Then he opened it wider.

"What were you doing? You were taking all day." He said, stepping into the room.

Retracting, I gave him room to walk. "I said I was coming. Why are you so much in a hurry?" 

"As I said, you were taking all day and I was going to die of anxiety. And look," he pointed at me. "You're still in that fucking old robe after all these minutes." 

"Jacob Matthews! Language." I warned.

Ignoring me, he looked around my room, as he went further into it. "Were you in here with someone else? And why is this spilled all over the floor?" He pointed at the small bottle and splashes of cream on the wooden floor.

"What?" I said, a little too fast and loudly. "What? No. What are you saying, you crazy idiot? Who would be in my room other than me? Dude, I just survived a robbery, don't stress me." 

I went to pick the bottle up, avoiding his gaze in the process.

"Technically, you weren't in when it happened so quit playing the victim." He returned before walking forward. "Wait, why is your phone on the floor?" He was already picking it up before I could say anything in reply. "Holy fuck!" He screamed. "What the hell happened to it? It's badly cracked!"

I hurried to him and snatched it out of his hands. True to his words, it had an ugly line running from the top to the middle, where it now branched into several more lines in different directions.

I realized that it must have fallen off my hands when I was in the entanglement with Leo earlier. 

Shit!

"Ugh, it fell off my hands earlier. Just before I came to get the door." I lied. 

"Then you should have picked it up. God, it's badly broken. Where are you going to find money to buy another one?" He asked, standing where Leo was a few seconds ago.

I know right. I could barely feed and buy the basic things I need. I have to go on that blind date for Sophia just to get money for rent. 

I should have been more careful but that guy keeps messing with my senses. It was almost humiliating that I didn't even know the phone clattered to the ground.

I sighed.

"Don't worry. I'll figure it out." I said to him. "I'm done with my housemanship now. I will be given a rise soon."

He threw his weight on my bed. "God! You make me worry so much."

I scoffed. "You're one to talk," I said, sitting down beside him. When my legs came in contact with each other, I felt the moist feeling that I felt earlier. I clamped my legs together as if my brother would figure out I was wet under there. 

"So what did the police say? What happened?"

I run him by everything that happened so far. Of course, except for what happened a few minutes ago. And what also happened at the club.

"I asked the man out," I said, instead of saying I asked him to fuck me. There was no way I was telling my little brother that I was almost getting fucked by some man I barely knew. And that in the first place, I had asked for it.

Thinking of it that way, I felt stupid myself. I could not imagine what he would think of me if he came to know.

"I haven't seen him since then. The officer in charge says he came here only for his jacket seeing as nothing is missing. He wouldn't come here for anything."

He sighed before he turned to me. " So, you were actually at a club?" I never thought I'd see the day that happened. Asking a man out? That's pretty bold of you. Didn't think you'd ever summon the courage to do that. That's crazy."

He had a stupid grin on his face as if he was proud of a little sister for passing her tests with flying colors.

"Shut up, you crazy boy. I am 25, need I remind you. I should have done that a long time ago."

He laughs some more before saying, "I am proud of you."

I fondled the necklace on my neck. "For what? Asking a man out? That's stupid."

"No, for finishing your housemanship." I smiled at him but just before my heart could swell with pride, he added, "at least now, you can make enough money for us both."

I pushed him on the shoulder. "Oh, go away. Like I haven't been making all the money."

"What? I have been making money as well."

"Right. The two dollars you make per nonsense story you upload on that stupid site."

"Yeah, whatever. Just make enough money to pay rent and get food."

"You're not even ever around to eat anything. Do you like Kim that much? More than you like your sister?"

He dodges my question by standing up. "Well, I can see that it's a misunderstanding. We need to change the lock and hope that he doesn't come back."

"I already talked to the building owner about it. He's calling a locksmith."

"Whoa, that's surprising."

"I know right? I was surprised. I was expecting a lash out at me but he simply said he'd call a locksmith to fix the lock."

"Alright then. Figure out how you'd get a new phone. I don't think that one will work anymore."

He made his way out of my room, with me close behind. "When are you abandoning me to myself again?"

"Soon." That was all he said before he stepped out of my room. 

Shaking my head, I closed the door behind him.

I was a few steps into the space of my room, still feeling the wetness of myself on my lap while considering a bath when I heard a scream from Jake's room.

"Holy fuck!" He drawled out. "My computer is broken!"

Right.

I was reminded now of that. It seems now that it won't only be my phone that'll need fixing or replacement.

I ran into the bathroom. I needed another bath as well as an escape from Jake's incoming outburst. 

He was gone by the time I came out.

I heaved a sigh and proceeded to clothe myself. I picked out a jogger and a wide t-shirt and put them on.

Jake and I have been like this ever since my parents died. He spent a lot more time outside the house than he spent with me like he was afraid to meet my eyes.

He always wanted to go to the university to study creative writing but we didn't have enough funds and he could not get a scholarship for it. 

Well, he is still in the middle of finding one.

In the meantime though, he took up writing for an agency and was paid very wee amounts for the cheesy stories he wrote.

Jake always blamed himself for our mother's death. I told him endlessly that it wasn't his fault but he wouldn't listen.

I threw my weight on the bed and tried to sleep.

I failed woefully, as the thoughts of Leo enveloped my mind. Heat crept up my cheeks and I was sure I was as red as a beetroot. I took a look at my phone and figured out that it still worked, although ink was spreading gradually all over it.

Soon, I slept off, without knowing when.

When I woke up, it was evening and nearly time for my shift. I cooked up some noodles to eat before going to work. Midway, there was a knock at the door and I got it. Turned out, it was the locksmith the building owner sent.

He got to work immediately.

By the time he was done, I was also ready for work. I thanked him, collected the new keys, and went to the hospital.

There, I was informed of the director's presence and so, I climbed the stairs to go meet him.

I knocked gently at the door of his office until I heard his old tired voice permit me. Gently, I stepped into the large room, taking in the exotic furnishings.

I half expected the director, with his firm and strong gaze to pierce through me and figure out all the naughty things I have been up to but he simply responded to my greetings and the next thing I heard was...

"Debby, you have been transferred."

I was lost for a second. Stunned and dumbfounded.

"Transferred? To where?"

"Hallow-hospital." 

I stopped breathing for a moment.