Listen to Toxic by Britney Spears

Stella Davis

I knew that Meera wouldn't come.

But then why was I here, at the swimming pool?  Why were my eyes looking over the empty stretch of water lanes, searching for her?  Because ever since I saw her this morning, I couldn't stop asking myself, "What if she came?  What if she wasn't mad?  What if she had thought everything out and decided it wasn't really a bad situation."

It was bad. 

Anybody who introspected from the outside will think that she's done the treacherous act.  Cheating.

But I cannot undo it, and neither can she.  No number of apologies or ignoring me would revert things back.  We kissed, and she cannot change it.

The pool stared back at me lifelessly.  I've been here several times even when Meera wasn't here, but today, it horribly lacked her presence.  It looked Meera-less. 

A dejected sigh dispersed from my throat and hung low in with the thick fog that surrounded me.  I bit my lip.  

Today had been a messy, troubling day with David, an eligible business partner, and I was hoping that seeing Meera would soothe my heart.  But she wasn't here.  

A part of me told that she knew.  She knew that I would be here, looking for her.  She knew, didn't she?

Fuck!

Last night after I kissed her, I decided that I won't come back.  I determined that it was too humiliating to come back after she rejected me.  But when I saw her colourless face today morning...

This is what happened.

As usual, I got ready for work, jumped into my car and checked my face in the mirror I always kept in my car.  There were a lot of things on my mind.  The speech I'd prepared to impress David, new clients and Meera.  After confirming that I looked sane, my eyes lazily wandered to the house building that was right opposite my garage.  Meera's home.  

But today, I stared a little longer.  I suddenly noticed a figure looking out through the window.  

Meera.

Her beautiful, dark hair was a mess and she looked paler than ever.  Her bed must be by the windowsill. The soft sunlight that passed through her bedroom window kissed her tender face.  She'd just woken up. Her eyes sleepy and staring right at me.  

But the second she realized that I'd caught her, she was gone in a flash.  I assumed she just fell flat on her bed so that I won't see her.  I wondered if she was breathless, just like I was.

_

"Enough, Mom." I mumbled with my mouth full, trying not to giggle.  I was at my parents' house, currently struggling with my mom to stop her from dumping everything she cooked on my brimming plate.  She laughed and tipped another spoonful of her homemade Japanese sauce.  

"My grandma used to prepare these every week." She laughed more and her little eyes twinkled lovingly at me.

"Come on, Kaori." My dad interrupted her teasingly from the other end of their teak dining table.   His smile stretched to his broad ears. "She's gonna throw up.  Don't force my little porcupine." 

"Ahaaaa!" I moaned.  "I'm having a foodgasm here.  Stop talking, you two." 

Suddenly, I felt some food from my stomach raise up to my throat.  I started coughing.  

"Stella? You okay?" My mom patted my head.  "Solomon, pass her the water." 

When I had sipped on my water and stopped coughing, my mom surrendered.  "Okay, fine.  You need not eat anymore." She pouted sadly and sat on the third chair.  

"So porcupine," My dad started, "Are you seeing someone?" 

I don't know why, but I immediately blushed red.  I fumbled at my curly, dark hair to cover my cheeks.  "Not really."  

"What do you mean 'Not really'?" Mom wiggled her eyebrows.  "So there is someone, isn't it?" 

"Mommm," I drawled with a tiny smile on my mouth.  "Stop." 

"Who is it?" 

I came out to my parents when I was eighteen.  Even though my dad was completely fine with my liking girls, my mom was sceptical.  But she didn't say anything that day.  But three days later, when she'd googled about 'sexualities', she came up to me and said, "I mean, it's not a disease.  If you're gonna care about someone, it doesn't matter what their gender is.  Love is love, isn't it?"  I still remember her smooth voice saying that, me bursting into tears and hugging her small body.  

"It's nothing much, really," I shrugged as if I didn't care much about it.  "She's my neighbour." I sighed before opening up about the sad part.  "But she doesn't really like me." 

"Oh, baby," Mom nudged my arm.  "Who wouldn't like you?" 

"What's her name, porcupine?" 

I licked my lips, remembering sunlight dancing on her beautiful face this morning.  "Meera." 

Before they could reply to me, my phone vibrated on my jeans.  I fished it out to check who was calling me this late.  Chad was the only one who called me at odd hours, but it wasn't his name that flashed on my screen.  It was a new number.  

"Take it, honey." My mom gave me permission.  

I walked to the chilly balcony and picked up.  "Hello." 

"Hey, um.." It was a woman's unfamiliar voice.

"Hey, who is this?" 

"I--I..um" the caller stuttered.  "I'm Danica." 

"Danica?  Well, I'm not sure I know you, Danica.  Do you know me?" 

"Yes," her voice quivered and I instantly knew that she was nervous.  "I'm David's mom.  I came to your workplace today morning." 

Oh, Danica.  I remembered her now.  "Oh, wow.  You called!  How can I help you?" I asked professionally, already crossing my fingers and wishing.  

"Um, Can we talk?" 

"Yes, I'm free.  We can talk." I hurried her. 

But she seemed to be a woman of patience.  She waited for too many long beats.  I heard her ragged breath.  

"Danica?" 

"Yes, I'm here.  I can't talk now." She panted hurriedly.  "I want to speak with you in person." 

"Ya, sure!  You can come to my office tomorrow." 

Yes, yes.  She's gonna sell me her store.  Yes!

"No, I can't.  My son keeps a track of everywhere I go.  Can we meet at the cafe in AttaLand at 10 am?" 

"I'll be there." 

The line went dead before I could ask more. 

So David tracks every move of his poor mom?  Why on earth would he do that?

Who was he?

Looks like David was more than what I thought.  

Please vote and make me smile.

Question:  Would you rather look 10 years older from the neck up, or the neck down?