TOO SHAMELESS

∆IVORY∆

"You ungrateful bitch!" 

My mother's voice followed me as I walked away closing the door with a loud thud.

I didn’t turn back, no matter how hard she shouted. I couldn’t either, if I did, I knew I might break, and I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. 

For a moment, I stood in the empty streets, staring ahead with a blank face, clutching the straps of my bag tightly, I'm controlling myself not to be weak enough to end up in tears.

I wasn’t just walking out of their house, I was walking out of their lives, their control, and all the heartbreak they had caused me over years.

I went to the flat of Jacob and mine, but it had always been more mine than his. He didn’t like living with me, always finding excuses to stay in his own place. "I’ll come back tomorrow," that's all he said from the day I graduated and moved to live with him, but that tomorrow never seemed to arrive till now.

This flat was just another reminder of the emptiness I’d felt for so long. 

By the time I reached the flat, my chest felt heavy, but my decision was firm. 

I moved through the apartment, the memories flooding back, the couch I used to spend hours of time waiting for him to come home though it doesn't happen, the wine glasses we never used together, the bed that always felt too big. I wasn’t going to stay here, not anymore. This place, like him, had no space for me. 

Packing was quick, since I don't have anything to call as mine here. I stuffed my clothes into suitcases, gathered the little money I had saved, and wrote a resignation email to Jacob’s company, I wasn’t going to depend on him or his family anymore. 

With my suitcases in hand, I stepped out onto the streets, unsure where to go. That’s when my phone rang. 

"Pearl," I answered, trying to sound normal. 

"How did it go with your so-called family? Did they bark just as always?" She asked with a cautious tone, 

I hesitated before saying, "They kicked me out, and told me I wasn’t part of their family anymore, it's over, everything between them and me."

There was silence for a minute, then she immediately said, "Stay where you are, I’m coming to get you." 

Just as she said, Pearl arrived within a few minutes, her car screeching to a halt in front of me. She jumped out, looking furious. "Those idiots! So what if they kicked you out? My home is your home now, let’s go." 

I smiled faintly at her affection towards me, and climbed into her car. 

At Pearl’s flat, she settled me into her spare room like I was her little sister. 

"I can’t just sit around," I told her after a day of rest. "I need to find a job, I’m not working for Jacob’s company anymore, so I've to search for a job, as soon as possible." 

She sighed but nodded. "Okay, but no rushing. We’ll find something good, take some time to enjoy yourself, finally you're away from that stress and depression." 

I knew she would say that, after all she is the only person, who cares about me the most.

The days passed quickly, though I felt like I was stuck in place. I sent out applications, scoured job boards, and attended numerous interviews. It wasn’t easy, but I kept pushing forward. 

Then one morning, Pearl burst into the living room, holding her phone with a voice fuming with extreme anger.

"You need to see this," she said, sitting beside me. 

On her phone, it's a post from Jessica. There she was, arm-in-arm with Jacob, both smiling like they were on top of the world, the caption shows how shameless they are, "Our little holiday getaway, life feels perfect with loved ones."

"A bitch and a bastard will always feel perfect together," Pearl sighed with a frown, I can't say it didn't hurt me, after all, the years of love isn't easy to forget, but I forced myself to shrug. "Let them have their happiness." 

Pearl, however, wasn’t having it, within minutes, she’d uploaded a photo of us from the night before, with a caption, "Single and looking for a hot, loyal man instead of a shameless cheating dog."

When I took a glance at it, I couldn’t help but laugh at her mischievous posts indirectly targeting them. 

Almost a week later, I received a call from my grandfather.

"Ivory, it’s my birthday party this weekend," he said in his gruff voice, "I want you to attend it at any cost." 

I hesitated, being uncertain, "Grandpa, I’m not sure..." 

"No excuses," he interrupted with a serious tone, "Be there." 

He hung the call, my grandfather is a man with few words for sure, I'm not prepared for another drama, but I'm forced to attend it.

Since, there's nothing I could do, I attended the party.

The party was grand, as always. My grandfather’s house was filled with important people, businessmen, family friends, and, of course, my family too, all of them are busy with my grandfather.

Most important Jessica was there too, her fake smile plastered on her face as she clung to Jacob. 

Knowing that, I'm always an outsider, I sneaked into the garden, only to hear whispers about me.

"Did you hear about Ivory and Jacob?" 

"I can’t believe she thought she could hold onto him, it's good that she left him."

"Jessica will always be the better choice. Poor Jacob, atleast now, he got the right woman instead of a boring idiot!"

I ignored them, keeping my head down as I made my way to the refreshment table. But Jessica’s friends weren’t about to let me off so easily. 

"Well, look who’s here," one of them sneered as I reached for a drink. "Ivory, how brave of you to show up after everything, if it's me, I would never come out of the house at least for a month."

Another one joined her. "Honestly, Jessica is too kind, if I were her, I’d be furious about the way you tried to accuse and insult her, for your own faults."

My grip tightened around the glass, but I stayed quiet, as I don't want to cause any trouble.

"Are you even embarrassed, or do you just not feel shame?" One of them added, smirking. 

"I’d say she is too shameless," Jessica said, appearing out of nowhere. "But maybe we should be more understanding, after all, it must be hard being replaced so quickly." 

The laughter around me was loud and cruel. 

I finally decided to respond, but before I could, someone bumped into me, hard enough for me to stumble backward, bracing for the impact of the cold marble floor.

But I never hit it. 

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to their embrace, I wanted to thank the person for helping me, but I never expected to be surprised in return.

I gasped, looking up at the man holding me, "You?"