05 || Rooftops

MJ Billings did not want to find herself in the company of the woman who made her life a living hell. After what happened at the restaurant, all she wanted to do was to shoot at something; it was a pity that she could not put a face to the man who had slurred at her. 

She did not understand why some men had to be perverted. It was as if all they could muster was trampling all over women like dirt under their shoes. They refused to see a woman's worth; all they saw in a woman was a new set of bedding to cover their beds for the night. Just the thought of it made MJ hate the man even more. 

Throughout the entire ride, her mind kept wandering off to the stranger. She wanted to know who he was so that the next time she saw him, she would smash the bottle on his stupid head. 

Usually, she was good at containing her anger, but his resilience and Sonya Smith’s threats pushed her hand. Sonya had been sending her threats during the entire dinner. If anyone noticed her tension, they did not show it because anyone would have been suspicious at the rate her phone kept beeping in her purse. 

She needed to calm down, so as soon as Liam dropped her off, she walked down the street to a nearby fast-food shop and bought burgers and chips for the both of them, she for one, needed the food if she was going to survive another hour in Sonya Smith’s presence. 

After leaving the shop, she walked back to the apartment building and strode to Sonya’s apartment. She stood outside the door for a while, debating on whether to go in and confront her worst enemy or not. 

Finally deciding what is best for the both of them; she turned around and went to the rooftop to calm her rage. She sauntered around the rooftop, scanning all around it. It was not the best-looking rooftop, but it was still a rooftop despite its filthy surface and the huge cell where the caretaker, Mr Brown, kept his pigeons and doves, as well as the boxes that were scattered all over the place. 

MJ sighed and walked over to the edge of the rooftop where she could peacefully watch the beauty of the city at night and enjoy the fresh air. 

She placed the paper bag and her clutch on the small bench, and then she ran a hand through her neatly styled hair and shook it into more loose strands, relaxing a bit after the simple gesture. 

She took out a small tissue from her clutch and tried to wipe the bench, but gave up on her attempts to get rid of the dust that covered the old bench and sat down. At this point, she did not mind if she got dirty, the view was worth it. 

From where she sat, she could appreciate the beauty of Cape Town. She watched as lights of different colours illuminated the night like fallen stars. The range of the buildings was mesmerizing and relaxing, it gave her a peace of mind. 

She did not get to do this often, she could not even remember the last time she went outside just to watch the stars and wish on them because she was always working and traveling. At least she had gotten the chance to see something that she could relate to stars -something better than stars- HOME. 

MJ was born and bred in South Africa, in none other than the infamous Cape Town, but moved to London at the age of fifteen. The move made a drastic change in her life and cost her a lot. 

MJ’s train of thoughts was cut short when she heard shuffling sounds at the rooftop right where the boxes were. She turned around and watched as a small figure slumped down on one of the boxes. It was a homeless kid. 

MJ took in a shaky breath and took slow, steady steps towards the intruder. 

She reached the place, and as if the stranger could sense her, he looked up, and their eyes connected. There were no words muttered, but there was a mutual understanding. MJ walked back to where she was seated and took her clutch and the brown paper bag with food and then walked back to where the boy laid. "What's your name?" She asked. 

The boy stared at her, briefly contemplating on whether to tell her his name or not. She looked like one of those mean rich women on TV who did not like poor people, especially homeless people; they saw them as criminals. 

He gave her a small smile and said with a tiny voice, “Chad.” MJ gave a brief nod and gestured at the entrance. “Follow me.” She ordered and walked ahead of him. 

Chad watched as she disappeared into the building. ‘What if she is one of those bad people who stole kids to sell them?’ He wondered as his eyes wandered around the rooftop. 

It was cold and he was hungry as if on cue, his stomach grumbled. He sighed, got up, and ran after her. He was surprised to find her waiting for him inside; she did not look like someone who liked to be kept waiting. 

Once he caught up, she continued walking, and he silently followed her, wondering where she was taking him. 

She led him to one of the storage rooms where old pieces of furniture were stored, and placed the paper bag on a small table and ordered him to eat. When he did not budge, she turned to him and gave him a piercing glare that sent him scurrying off to the worn couch that sat adjacent to the old table. He sat down and started eating as if he had not eaten in years. 

MJ took in his appearance. Chad could not be older than fifteen years. He was a short, skinny boy with dark skin- probably due to the dirt, and was wearing a rigged black T-shirt and jeans. 

He was a good-looking boy, who would have been probably breaking hearts at school if things had been different. The boy had light brown eyes that looked almost like green and short jet-black curls. 

She sighed and looked around the room, at least he had a roof over his head for the night and he could go to sleep with food in his stomach. "Chad." The boy looked up at the sound of her voice, his cheeks flushing at the awareness that she was watching him eat while he ate like a pig. "You can stay here for the night, but make sure that you leave as early as possible tomorrow morning before Mr Brown sees you. Understand?" She asked and he nodded before muttering a heart wrecking ‘thanks.' 

MJ nodded and left him to go back to her apartment. 

She arrived at the apartment to be greeted by silence and darkness. She closed the door and then she switched on the light, almost regretting it when Sonya’s sleepy eyes fluttered open. 

"About time you came back," Sonya muttered sleepily, her voice barely hiding the sneer that accompanied the comment. "We need to talk." She said as she stood up and met MJ halfway across the room. 

"We have nothing to talk about," MJ said sharply and gritted her teeth. 

 

"Like hell, we don't!" Sonya snapped. "This doesn't have to be hard; the both of us are tired. You know what you have to do, you owe that much!" She hauled, her body shaking from the anger she had stored the whole day because of MJ. 

MJ was equally seething, but after all that she had seen since she left England, she had no fight left in her because either way, with or without a fight, she had no choice but to do whatever Sonya wanted her to do. 

“I am MJ Billings and I am capable of anything, but I am not going to do what you asked of me.” She said and shook her head furiously. 

“But, MJ, my boss is going to fire me if I don’t come up with a temporary PA tomorrow morning," Sonya said in a singsong voice and watched as MJ flinched at the demeaning title. 

“Sonya, I don’t give a shit what happens to you!” MJ said coldly. 

“But you give a shit about your damn secret and your brother!” Sonya snapped back, silencing MJ. “You know that if he finds out your little secret, it is going to crush him. He cares too damn much about you that it is almost sickening.” Sonya said bitterly, her hatred barely concealed. “It’s a pity really that you share his sentiments.” Sonya continued working on MJ’s weak points, tormenting her with everything she did not want to hear. “You know, MJ, for once, I thought you knew me better and that you were at least going to consider this.” She sighed as if feeling slightly guilty about her actions. “But you just had to be a bitch about it. Gosh, I hate you!” She seethed, shaking her head as if she could believe that she was associated with the woman standing before her. 

"The feeling is mutual, Sonya Smith," MJ said coolly and strode past her to her bedroom. 

She hated Sonya with every bone in her body and there was nothing she could do about it. Yet. She thought as she closed the door. 

 She changed into grey sweatpants, and an oversized, black, long-sleeved T-shirt. She slipped under her covers and switched off the light the same time Sonya’s bedroom door closed, but she could not fall asleep after that heated conversation. 

She sighed and turned on her bedside lamp before she got off the bed. She walked towards her closet and scanned through it to find something warm. She took out a navy blue hoodie and retrieved a few hundred rand notes from her purse. 

She slipped her feet into her white fluffy sleepers and then quietly walked out of her bedroom. She took the small blanket that Sonya had left in the sitting room and left the apartment. 

She quietly walked into the storage room where Chad was sleeping soundly and draped the blanket on his small form, and then she put the money in the hoodie pocket and placed the hoodie next to his head. She fixed the small blanket and planted a soft kiss on his head. “I am sorry, Chad.” She whispered, fixing a few strands on his head. 

She finally left him and went back to the apartment. She arrived in her room, took out her laptop, and drowned herself in work.