Akira

I receive it, putting phone to my ears, "Hello."

"Where the fuck are you?" Comes a voice of very angry Sydney.

Ooops.

I glance at Alex, who is curious but trying to act nonchalantly, "I left with a friend."

She bursts from other side, "You left! Without even telling me or anyone for that matter, when you came with me at first place! Do you have any idea how worried we were when we couldn't find you?! And you were not even answering your phone!"

Crap.

I have not thought about this. I'm really an idiot.

Stupid.

Stupid Ira.

Of course she is right, I should have told her before leaving. I thought I would spoil her fun with my craps and I didn't really think she would be worried about me. Even though my intention were right, I was wrong.

Gulping. I reply, "I'm really sorry Syd. I was not feeling good and I tried to find you but you were nowhere to seen, so I called a friend to pick me."

I don't mention anything else. I don't want her worried for me, more than she already is. Telling her about my earlier encounter would only lead her to worry more and right now I just want to go home and forget everything about this night.

I can't tell how many times she's tried to call me. I'll check it later. I seriously need to stop putting my phone on silent.

She release a breath, "Okay fine but next time please tell us before you decide to leave like that. If it wasn't for King throwing fits, we wouldn't had noticed about it."

What?

"What do you mean by king throwing fits?" I ask, confused.

What does he has to do with any of this?

"That fucking asshole! I was having an awesome sex with my boyfriend and out of nowhere that fucker appeared asking about you and when I told him, I didn't know, he flipped right away and started cursing me, dumping whole house upside down!" She sounds angry all over again.

Why would he try to find me?

What is this all about?

I try not to dwell in it because I know it'll end up creating more confusion for me.

And I can't afford that.

I have had enough for tonight.

"I'm sorry Syd, I really am. I wasn't thinking when I left there."

I feel bad for making her worry like this. It doesn't matter what my intentions were, I should have told her or at least messaged.

"It's alright. Where are you?"

"Er..I'm at a café with Alex." I hesitate.

"Is he your same work friend?" I can picture her furrowed brows.

"Yeah he is." I say, looking over Alex, who is now pretending to busy on his phone.

He is really bad actor.

"Oh Okay. Enjoy but not too much. I will proba-" she abruptly stops at mid sentence.

Bam!

What's that?

I hear some more commotion from other line, followed by another loud bang. I almost jump.

"What was that?" I grill, getting anxious.

"Nothing,"she answers quickly, too quickly for my liking, "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." She says with a frustrated huff.

I open my mouth to ask what is going on, but stop when I realize she has already hung up.

What the hell!

Is everything okay there?

I hope it is.

I don't want any problem for her because of me.

I smack my forehead getting irritated.

" -okay?"

I look over Alex, feeling his eye on me.

"Huh?" I ask dumbly. Realising I zoned him out, when he asked me something.

"I asked, is everything okay?" He repeats, patiently.

I like how patient he is.

"I uh, I don't know." I say uncertainly.

He frowns but doesn't comment on it, "Are you hungry? Cause I'm starving." He asks.

And at the cue, my tummy grumbles, I smile awkwardly, twisting hem of my dress, "It looks like I'm hungry too."

He chuckles at my awkwardness before calling someone. Same young girl, I recall her name Ella, comes with a menu.

"My usual," he tells her before turning to me, "and you Angel?"

I don't need to look at menu, I know what I want, "Hamburger and steaks." I reply, smiling.

Food makes me happy.

Very happy.

She nods with a forced smile and retreats, turning away.

"You know you can always tell me anything. I'm here and I promise I won't judge you." He speaks after a moment of silence.

Oh you totally would.

You would think of me as a naive, pathetic girl. Who can't even stand for herself. Who can't control her hormones and who is a crybaby.

Because I'd judge myself too.

And I'd think same.

I smile drily, "There is nothing to tell, not really. I told you that party is not my thing. I tried to do it and ended in a mess."

He nods, "If you say so."

I know he's still unconvinced but what more he could do if I don't want to tell him. He can't just dig it out from me.

We spend few minutes in silence before our food comes.

We start feeding our stomach in silence, I decide to break it, " You always work this late here?"

"It is 24/7 cafe, I'm here whenever emergency kicks it. Otherwise my manager is quite experienced." He points at small cubical office beside kitchen, where a middle aged man is behind the desk.

I nod, "What about your family?"

He scowls before smothering it with an easy smile, "I'm youngest child after my twin brothers and my parents, you can say, are quite sophisticated people. They want me to work with them and I don't do well with with orders."

"So opened your own beautiful café." I smile. I have hard time picturing him angry, when he always sweet and considerate with me.

He returns his own charming smile, that I'm sure that helps him to get girls on his feet, "I'm the black sheep of my family. I'm not always on good terms with them but they are my family and I love them. What about yours?"

No, no, no!

Don't go there!

I stop breathing.

My throat goes dry at the mention of my family. I feel an upcoming panic. My hands start shaking and nerve gets difficult.

"Akira breath." Dr Phillip says, "It will get easier. You need to talk about it."

"No. It's hard I can't talk about them." I shake my head frantically.

"You need to Akira. It will really help you." He sighs dejected.

"Angel, hey, look at me," Snapping out of memory, I oblige glancing at his worry filled green eyes, "Here, drink this." He pushes a glass of water to my lips and I drink it.

"You okay now? You look pale as white sheet." He questions after I finish drinking.

I cough lightly, "I'm fine, thank you. It's just that my parents are dead and It's hard for me to talk about them." My voice is thick with emotions, my throat tighten.

"I'm sorry about them. You don't have to tell me anything. I understand." He sincerely looks sorry.

I don't need his sorry.

It doesn't help.

It Never did.

"Don't be. It was not your mistake." I continue chewing my food, dropping conversion altogether.

After this we don't speak and eat silently. When I finish mine, taking out my purse, I put money in menu. He sees this and opens his mouth to object but I cut him off, "Last time You said I could pay for next lunch so no argument." He wisely keeps quite although sulks a little.

Shaking my head, I ask, "Can you now drop me back to my room?"

He utters a short 'yes', getting up.

I copy his action before following him to his car. We take our seats silently and he ignite engine and it start moving. It doesn't take more than few minute before we are at campus.

I turn to him, "I can't thank you enough for helping me but still thank you." Saying I start sliding out.

"Don't think I forgot about your one remaining treat." His voice stops me.

I look back to see him smiling, I return it, "I wouldn't dare. Goodnight Alex."

With that I ease my way to my room as I hear his car sprinting off behind me.

Opening my door I slide inside before briskly taking off my dress and after a long cleaning shower to get rid of that mans filthy touch. I change into my comfy pyjamas.

Once inside my bed, under the safety of my blanket, I feel loosen up and content. This is what I needed for whole night.

My body and brain is so tired that I don't even think about any nightmare that happened today and start to doze off. It doesn't take few seconds before I'm out like dead.

Thump!

I wake up from a loud pounding on my door.

What's that?

Thump!

It comes once again.

Pushing blanket away I get up, rubbing my eyes.

I glance at watch it is 2:45. Who could be here this late? Is it Syd? But she has her own keys. Maybe she's forgotten it.

Moving across the room, I unlocked the door.

And stand still.

A shocked breath escapes me when it snaps open, revealing Romero King.

What is he doing here?

"What the hell do you think you are doing here?" I demand regaining my conscious and loosing my all sleep.