Chapter 6.

A slap. An ear piercing, pain throbbing slap. Yes, that was the perfect way to describe the words that Gabriel Marshall had been throwing at Melissa. His words felt like arrows and he kept shooting them at her without stopping, without remorse, yes, Melissa was convinced that the man, sitting in front of her, looking down on her, didn’t have a shred of remorse in his conscience.

She clenched her hand into a fist, it was the only way Melissa could control her burning rage. Just who was this man? Why was he acting so sniffy in front of her? Was he some kind of celebrity?

Melissa exhaled harshly, trying to quell her rage as she spoke.

“And who are you, to say all these things to me, right to my face?” she entreated, Her ire was heard in the way she spoke, despite trying to calm herself.

Gabriel rested his back on the chair and crossed his legs, his hands folded on his thigh like he was sitting in a meeting room. A small smirk seemed to appear on his lips, it was the closest emotion Melissa had seen him exhibit.

“This is quite amusing,” He jeered. “You, a mere commoner, trying to cling on to the little pride you have.”

Melissa looked down at her food that she hadn’t touch as her lips quivered. His words had a way to touch her deepest insecurities. Clinging on to the little pride she had? That was an accurate and detailed description of her display. Melissa shook her head. She didn’t have to sit here and listen to this man degrade her. It was unacceptable. She slammed her fist on the table and shot up from her chair.

“This date was utterly ridiculous. I’m not going to sit here and watch you belittle me.”

Gabriel didn’t respond, he just watched her with those eyes, those cold eyes that Melissa couldn’t shake off. His silence infuriated her further. She had expected him to as least apologize or say something to her, but he just sat there, staring at her. This man had no smidgen of human decency in his bone.

Melissa turned to leave, but paused and turned to look at him again.

“Meeting you was a big mistake. You’re the most egoist and prideful bastard I’ve ever met in my life. I hope you fall in a ditch somewhere.”

She rummaged her purse and slapped a couple of dollar bills on the table, not bothering to count it.

With that she breezed away from the table and ran down the stairs, her eyes burning with the tears she had held back. The tears were out now, blurring her vision daring to slip down her eyes. But she held it in as she ran all the way out of the restaurant, ignoring the stares she got.

Melissa hailed a taxi and got in without thinking.

“Where are you going ma’am?” The driver asked.

Silence.

The driver looked back at Melissa.

“Ma’am?”

Melissa flinched and looked up at the driver, tears slipping down her eyes, staining her cheeks.

“Um, are you okay?” The driver looked worried.

“Yes, uh yes, I’m fine. I’m going to clover street.” Melissa replied as she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

The driver nodded slowly and drove down the street.

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Melissa slammed her door shut loudly and kicked off her shoes angrily. She laid back on her bed, her mind still filled with rage. Melissa had been treated like utter garbage by two men in one night. She was feeling very shitty.

Her anger began to subside as it slowly changed to sorrow. Everything Gabriel had said was right. He hit the arrow right at the centre of the target. He wasn’t wrong and to hear the truth she had never wanted to say out from someone else was agonizing, excruciating even.

Melissa curled up in a fetal position and cried some morebawling her eyes out like a child. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. It made her feel worse that she was crying because of a stranger.

Melissa sat up on the bed and walked over to the mirror. She looked at her get up. She had tried so hard to look good for her date and he had the audacity to call her curls distasteful. Melissa ran her hand through her hair. She had fixed it up herself, putting her hair in tight curls and letting it fall freely on her shoulders.

Grimacing, Melissa walked back to her bed and sat on it. She was worn out, mentally. She wanted to forget this night, like it had never happened.

Melissa heard footsteps outside her room and shot up from her bed. Brandon. She had been so wrapped up in her little blind date and had forgotten all about Brandon. So much for being a parent to him.

She walked out of her room and into the living room. It was empty, but the television was turned on. Melissa walked over to it and put it off. She passed the short corridor that led to Brandon’s room and knocked at his door softly.

“Brandon.”

Silence, not a single reply from within the room. Melissa sighed and was about to leave when she heard the door click open. Brandon’s door slid open slowly and he appeared from within his dimly lit room.

“Oh, uh when did you get back from school?”

“A little after six thirty.” He answered dryly.

“How about dinner? Did you get something to eat?” Melissa asked.

Brandon nodded. He seemed disconnected even though he was looking at her.

“Is that all?”

Melissa looked wistful for a moment and nodded.

“Yeah, that’s all. Good night.”

Melissa walked away from him and into the small corridor.

“Mel.”

Melissa flinched and made a sharp turn to his direction. He was rubbing his neck and looking down at the floor nervously.

“Um, are you okay?” He asked.

“Oh..”

Melissa had completely forgotten the state of her face. Her tear stained cheeks mixed with her muddled up make up was an obvious sign that she was crying.

“I’m fine Brandon.”

He didn’t want to press and further and just nodded. He retreated back to his room shutting his door lightly. Melissa couldn’t help but smile. The fact that Brandon cared about her enough to ask, made her sadness go way a bit. She walked back to her room, feeing a bit better. Snatching her phone out of her purse, Melissa dialed Tory’s number.