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Fleur’s Point of View

A sense of gratitude started my mood, for I just finished cutting a block of dark chocolate that I had newly mixed in the cookie dough. It still needs to chill for tomorrow’s batch of orders.

The whole room, No! The entire apartment is being consumed by the yummy base notes of vanilla.

I looked at my overworked fingers covered in chocolate lace and considered licking it all off, but instead I went over to the sink and washed off all the stickiness, because my fast weight gaining body don’t need the extra calories tonight. I can’t afford another sugar rush, only to bear an ugly raccoon’s eyes in the morning.

I’m working a full-time job at a department store, but I still can’t afford to waste money on cable or Netflix. I miss those little luxury but for now I am very satisfied to watch whatever is on a local channel.

I happened to end up enjoying the very first program that was on the first time I turned this old TV on. The cooking show has inspired me to start a small side business to help pay for this apartment without having to rely on another person to pay half the rent. After the stuff I went through, I like certain things my way, plus I value my privacy. It’s the one thing I was deprived of for a long time. I like being neat and clean. More like being a low-key minimalist, a way of life I learned to be a low earner. It’s only a matter of being content.

I made sure everything was clean and organized before leaving my tiny kitchen. This place is small and clutter makes it even smaller. As I wiped the counters clean, my eyes settled at that time and saw that my favorite cooking competition show would be on in an hour.

I hung my over due for a laundry apron on a cute finger design hook and headed upstairs to take a hot relaxing bath so I can feel fresh and ready to go to bed after I watch my cooking show. Its the one thing that’s keeping my life interesting.

As I try to get rid of the overwhelming smell of the cookie, I have a lot of thoughts that’s always knocking in whenever I am in the shower. It always consists of how to make money, paying the bills and just simply getting more money to pay the bills. Money is the major factor that has changed my outlook on life.

As I cut my daze on money, I step out of this small shower, sinking my feet to the newly cushion matt for floor. It doesn’t require anymore extra steps to reach my bathroom dedicated mirror.

I wipe the moisture on this old stained mirror to check out my skin and see how the new serum works wonders.

Not spending anymore time checking out my workout self, I headed out of the bedroom with just a towel on because I was so lazy and, for the most part, just purely exhausted. I just wanted to sit and finally get to relax. I was standing the whole day and even while having a meal.

Half an hour into the show, my eyes are closing on their own. I released a long stretch of a yawn, feeling tired from today’s event called LIFE. It’s worth it because I get to call it my own. My life has been complicated from the very beginning, and I have come to terms of accepting it this way.

I put on my old black PJ set that says, nap queen and went to the secondhand black leather couch I got for free on the street from an affluent neighborhood that I always pass by going home from work. “How lucky did I feel for seeing this thing being thrown out however getting it inside the car was a different story.

I turned off the small cute old boxed TV to go to the fridge and got myself bottled water just in case if I get thirsty in the middle of the night, which has been happening for a few months now due to nightmares. I intend to get medication for it, but it will have to wait while the fund grows slowly.

I reflected on how slowly I am amassing more possessions for myself.

I considered buying a new soft pillow on sale or maybe a new phone from across the department store where I work with my next paycheck. I can probably get another discount from one of the agents I befriended. I let out a breath because there was always something needed to buy.

It’s such a hard decision since I need both. One is for my aching neck and better sleep, and the other one is for better quality cookie required photos for my page to attract more sales. But I have a goal to stick to slowly bumping my way up and not have to struggle like it is now.

Who would’ve known I was such an accomplished baker, I said to myself. It’s insane how many orders I get every day, so I get up really early to bake my cookies and then go straight to work. I have to prepare the dough for tomorrow’s batch once I get home. It’s not like I’m unhappy or even complain loudly to anyone, but it is exhausting.

I dragged my feet lazily and opened my bedroom door, turning on the light, which seemed to flicker a few times before staying on.

My eyes widened, dropping the bottled water on the floor. When I noticed a man sitting on the edge of my bed, my entire body froze.

I recognized that it was Mario right away. I saw a gun tucked in his shirt deliberately for intimidation. He knew he would get a reaction from me.

I feel my throat dry up quickly—Heartbeat drumming like crazy.

Mario, my ex-boyfriend, looked a lot bigger than I remember; his muscles were bulging from his crisp shirt, matching it with his usual work pants.

He had the same enticing smile that any girl would fall for.I tremble at the fact that he’s in my room and found me this fast. Has it been three months since the last time I saw him?

“Hello, fleur... my dear lovely sweet lovely Fleur”; oh, how your room smells so sweet, just like your pussy. Come here! ”

He was pointing at his lap, trying to signal to sit on it.

I didn’t move from where I was standing right away. It took me a few more seconds before I could feel my legs.

I feel my bellyaches, and my head suddenly feels heavy. I feel nothing but blind terror. I know what he is capable of doing. I slowly walked to him, thinking of ways to run, But what’s the point? I need to be smart about my choice at the moment. He has a gun and if I was shot, who knows what injury could happen to me.

He’s twice stronger and faster than me. In addition to all that, he has a gun! All I can think about is that gun.

Once I was seated on his lap, I hugged his neck. I could tell he was pleased because he caressed my back and his smile was genuine, his eyes tells a different story. I’m not so sure how I will be able to survive this night, we ended things not so nicely.

“How- How do you like my new place, Mario?” This question automatically spilled out, hoping it would mask my fear. I have mastered a whole lot of forced submission to him, that it’s now become an automatic thing whenever he’s around, like it is embedded in me to submit.

I asked in a slight tone, trying to convince him I was calm, but he knew better my body gave my feelings away. My heart is hammering in my chest, and my legs are wobbly with fear. It won’t stop shaking.

His big hand made its way to my head, massaging it. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I feel his breath on my neck. He kisses and licks it! and suddenly grabs my hair painfully.

“Aghh,” I yelp in the burning sensation. He pulls it even harder every second that passes.

I struggle to get out of his pull, trying to break it away by holding my locks against his hand and my legs pushing him off.

“Mario, you know I love my hair more than anything, please let go” We can talk about this. I begged and smiled, trying to keep my cool, knowing what was to happen next, but my body has a mind of its own. It keeps betraying me.

“Why did you leave without saying a proper goodbye?” Mario kissed hard on my neck, leaving a hickey.

I couldn’t answer from the pain, and his grip became harder. I wasn’t really sure if he was asking or simply mocking me.

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

Reminding me to answer right away. I felt my cheeks burning as I spoke.

“Mario, I didn’t take you for a person who would be such a sentimental loser”-my face clearly states that this was a joke in an attempt to suppress my fear of what was to come.

Another hard punch on my tummy. I feel acid is coming out of my mouth! And I coughed hard! My body is slammed and crouching on the floor. I could briefly breathe from the pain.

“I miss you and your smart mouth on my dick.”

In one go, he ripped my top in half. He yanked my shorts off, leaving me topless and only in my high wasted nude panty (I don’t wear a bra to bed).

“That’s my favorite Pj, you jerk!” With all my energy, I pushed him, and I yelled, “I’m not the same person anymore. “I only did those things to survive, but now I have a simple life, so please have fun with me and let me go.”

He laughs at my face as if I said a joke of a lifetime. He walks around the room. Grabbing the bottled water, I dropped it off the floor and handed it to me to drink. He bent on my level!

“Fleur, Just because you changed your town, your house, your clothes, your look! It doesn’t change who you are! He caressed my breast, squeezing it hard while he utters these words.

“You’ll forever be MY SLUT!”

"You’re mine, and there’s nothing you or anyone can do to change that” Mario lets go of my breast

Did you honestly think you got away all this time? You got your little job because I let you have it! Your pathetic cookie business I had people order them so you can pay for this crappy shithole you call home “—Mario still laughing like a lunatic, giving me shivers on my back.

“You see! Your world belongs to me! I can make you or break you. ” His words shook me to my core; this was happening, and I closed my eyes, hoping it was just another nightmare.I feel Mario touching my chin. As I look into his face, a scary glare is the only thing that I can see and it is worse than having a nightmare.