It was the best decision to shut down my brain and pretend to be a normal person. In spite of my million insecurities, I had accomplished my goal: enjoying the moment. Every bit of it.

As I walked back to the shelter, the conversation I'd had with Akram was playing on repeat in my head. My cheeks were flushed and my heart was thumping erratically, as if some incorporeal version of myself was still there in the meadow, sitting next to him and feeling warm and fuzzy.

There was a palpable buzz in the air. A special zest that seemed to paint everything around me. The grey buildings didn't feel as monstrous as before. The honking cars and the brazen billboards didn't seem as offensive as they'd used to be.

Akram's intense gaze kept haunting my thoughts as I tried to focus on my steps. I almost tripped twice on the sidewalk as I recalled his radiant smile, his expressive eyes, the cute lines around his mouth, his melodic voice, and my stupid, premature goodbye…

*

"So, since we're officially friends now, would you like to — maybe, grab some coffee, or anything?" Akram's request was casual, but I noticed his nervousness as he brushed his eyebrow with his thumb. "There's a nice place, C.C. Cafe, they make great cappuccinos."

I chuckled. "That'd be awkward."

His ears turned a faded shade of red. "I'm sorry, was that out of line?"

"Not like that." I shook my head, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's because I work there."

"You do?!" He slammed his forehead with his palm. "I'm so sorry I haven't paid attention. Have you waited on me?"

"Not really, I'm just the barista," I explained, stifling a giggle at his adorable reaction.

His brows flew up. "You're the one who makes my day."

"Pardon me?"

"I'm a big fan of your work," he claimed, holding his palm to his chest.

I blinked. "My work?"

A pair of cute parentheses surrounded his mouth, lifting up his cheeks. "Your cappuccinos are from another world."

I stared, dumbfounded for a moment. I'd no idea how to respond to compliments. "Umm, well, thank you, but, really, I can't take credit. You've been a regular for longer than I've worked there, so technically, it wasn't all my work."

Akram tilted his head to a side. "So you've actually seen me there?"

My heart accelerated, sending a surge of blood to my face.

I nodded, biting my bottom lip and avoiding his eyes. It was silly, but I worried that he might see through me and find out I'd been secretly ogling at him all that time. That would be more embarrassing than a hundred stupid breakdowns.

Looking down, my eyes caught the time on my scrub watch. One–forty. Twenty minutes left and the bank would close.

Standing up, I reached to grab my purse, slid it on my shoulder, and swept my hands over my jeans. I looked like a train wreck, no doubt, but I tried to ignore that.

"Leaving so soon?" Akram asked in a vague undertone, rising to his feet at once.

"I have… something to do," I mumbled half-heartedly.

'But I don't wanna leave yet!' My silly heart whined.

'Enough, Melody, you need to come back to Earth before it's too late,' My brain warned.

"Would you like me to get you a cab?" Akram offered.

"No, thank you. I prefer walking." Taxis were too expensive. I'd be broke in no time.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can walk with you if you'd like." His persistence was making things awkwarder, but the concerned wrinkle on his forehead softened me up.

"It's okay, I'm fine," I convinced myself, pushing myself to go away. "But I really have to go before it's too late." It sounded like my brain won the argument.

Akram nodded once, half-smiling. He leaned all the way down and grabbed something from under the bench. My book. I'd completely forgotten about it.

He flipped the book in his hands, looking at the front cover. Then he laughed, shaking his head. "Wow!"

Another wave of embarrassment hit me. "Yeah, I know, silly romance novels." I knew how guys thought about my favorite book genre.

"Not at all," he defended. "It's Nora Roberts. She's my mother's favorite author."

"Oh!" I was quick to jump to conclusions and blurt things out. "And who's your favorite?"

He shrugged. "I don't have one, yet."

"How about the book you were reading yesterday?" I blabbed. I might as well complete the last round of embarrassment.

He narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "It's an Egyptian author I've been reading recently."

A lightbulb went on in my head. "Arabic, right?"

"Yes, I'm trying to improve my Arabic."

My heart was doing a clumsy dance. The puzzle of yesterday was solved.

"Umm, can I have my book?" I asked. He was keeping a book in each of his hands.

"Oh! Sure." He handed me my book. I reached to take it from him, but his fingers held on to its spine. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah," I murmured. If only he would.

Enjoy the moment while it lasts, I comforted myself.

He released the book and we shook hands again. It was brief like a fleeting summer breeze, but I savored the penetrating warmth one more time, before our hands disconnected and we went separate ways.

*

Now, I just realized what a complete airhead I was. Why the hell had I left so soon? I should've stayed longer. It'd been too late for the bank anyway. Stupid brain!

When I arrived at the shelter, my mind was lingering elsewhere, refusing to return to the real world. My thoughts were swimming in a sea of liquid cinnamon and sunshine as I headed to the front office. I absently signed in and rushed to take the stairs to the third floor. I wanted to be alone with myself.

It could've been a complete bliss if it weren't for the fact that Ms. Voldemort was creeping and crawling on planet Earth. This was another reason why coming back early was a big mistake. I should've stayed out until Vivian left the building. But the winds didn't always blow as the ship wished.

"Sup, roomie," Vivian greeted for the first time in weeks, making my heart leap into my throat.

She came out of the showers across the hall, a creepy grin plastered on her full lips. Her dirty-blonde hair was still damp; a darker shade of honey that complemented her bronze skin. A scanty towel covered nothing but one third of her slender body while she paraded through the hallway in... shiny, black heels!

Are you kidding me? Who wears heels to the shower?

Vivian was completely aware of her beauty. She was as beautiful and sneaky as a slithering Cobra and just as poisonous. And for some reason, the pretty Cobra decided to spit her greetings at me? Why?

"Are you talking to me?" I asked, freezing in the middle of the hallway. A hundred suspicions stormed inside my head.

"Sure, aren't we roommates?" She replied sweetly, one hand on the door handle to our room, the other holding the folds of her tiny towel.

I cringed.

She cocked her head. "Aren't you coming in?"

"No, I—I'm heading downstairs. "

"Don't be shy, hon, I don't bite." Vivian let out a honeyed laugh that made my stomach turn.

"I'll just drop my bag and go," I muttered.

"Suit yourself, hon." She pushed the door open and swaggered into the room.

Just as she got in, she dumped the towel on the floor, kicked it away with the tip of her shoe, and turned to appraise me with a smirk on her face.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

What the hell was that for? Did she do that to irritate me? Shock me? Or just show off her tan? What was the twisted point?

Her stone-gray eyes locked on mine, her smirk becoming noxious. I gulped, expecting her to expose sharp fangs or stick out a split tongue any second.

"You look like you've seen a ghost. Don't you like what you see?" She pirouetted, her hands placed on her bare hips. Then she sashayed towards the edge of the bed—my bed!— resting her heeled foot on the blanket I'd folded this morning. "You like stilettos? They'd look... okay on you. Hmm! Maybe with a spicy mini dress, they just might work."

"Get off my bed, Vivian," I spat, crossing my arms tightly.

"It's not really yours, you know. Besides, any bed's my bed." She winked and lay flat on her stomach, bending her legs upward and swinging them in the air. "I can teach you some cool tricks if you want."

A gag reflex pinched my guts as I watched her violate my own personal space like that. It wasn't just regular germs, it was Vivian's supervillain cooties. The only trick I wanted to learn was how to burn this mattress to ashes without being expelled from this place.

Gritting my teeth, I turned my back on her and walked to my locker. "What do you want from me?"

The bed squeaked. The clicking of her heels was getting louder until she stopped right behind me. I could feel her breath blowing chills on the back of my neck.

"Nothing much," she claimed. "Just testing your potential."

I scoffed. "Potential for what?"

"For advancement." She snickered, sending stinging tremors down my spine.

I tasted bile in my mouth as I unbolted the locker. Vivian was too confident in her birthday suit. So confident that it made me nauseated and envious in a mixed-up sort of way. I'd never been comfortable in my own skin, probably never would be, but that was not my only problem.

She. Was. Too. Close!

Something cold brushed the side of my neck and I flinched.

"Don't touch me!" I swatted her arm and scrubbed the tarnished spot with my hand. For some reason, I pictured a split tongue licking my skin. I shuddered.

Vivian laughed, prancing to the compartment next to mine. "Loosen up, hon, I'm trying to be friendly."

"Just put on some clothes and leave me alone, dammit!" I yanked the locker door open, using it as a barrier between us.

She oozed her saccharine laugh again. "Aww! That's potential badass, huh?"

My body was tense and the sickness in my stomach rose to my throat. Her unwanted touch was the worst kind of abuse. It assaulted my very soul. I felt like I was the exposed one and I wanted to cover myself up and disappear.

I heard the rustling of fabrics and a zipper being fastened. Finally she decided to get dressed. 

"Seriously, hon, what's your problem? Can't you see I'm looking for your best interest here?" She asked casually.

"What is my problem?!" I jammed my purse behind my few belongings and slammed the locker door.

"You've got your V card, don't you?" She asked, ignoring my annoyance and tucking her red blouse into her black, leather pants.  

My face flushed and my hands tightened into fists. "Not your freaking business!"

"Chillax, hon." She tossed her dirty-blonde hair back, brushing it with her shiny fingernails. "It's a shame you're innocent and kinda pretty and you're wasting it. It pays well if you decide to cash it in. Way more than your crappy job."

I winced. "I would rather die!"

"Oh, honey, you're not gonna die," Vivian cooed as if she was talking to a baby. She reached to stroke my face and I shrunk back. "You'll just stamp your card and slap on a five digit to your bank account. Piece of cake."

I thought I'd overcome the shock and revulsion whenever she'd tried to talk me into joining her dirty business. Hell, I thought she'd given up trying, but I was wrong. Terribly wrong. I was an idiot.

"Go to hell!" I snapped.

Without sparing her another look, I spun around and rushed to get out of the room that suddenly felt like a snake pit. My insides squirmed and I felt an urgent need to throw up.

"You'll come around, hon. You ain't better than the others." She injected her venomous words.

I gagged, bolting towards the bathroom. I wanted to purge my stomach of the dirt she just poured into my ears. Too bad I couldn't take a shower. I needed one so bad. I needed to wash off the filth that seemed to contaminate every inch of my being.

As I reached the bathroom door, I heard her sinister heels clicking far behind me.

"Hey, be a darling and tell Tina to fetch some breakfast and bring it up to my room," she ordered as if she hadn't just blackened my day. I didn't turn around.

My room, she said. She thought she was staying at a hotel and everyone was room service. And poor Tina was her bondservant. What did she think I was, then? A merchandise? A human toy? An object for sale? Did I look like an easy prey to her? And most importantly... Was I? Could this be what fate had kept in store for me? Could she be right?

My breathing was labored as I launched myself inside the bathroom. I locked the door before my tears cheated me and spilled in front of anyone. Especially not Vivian. How come I felt so helpless right now? How come I felt completely and utterly alone in the universe?

But I knew the answer: Because I am.

I lurched toward the sink to wash my infected neck with soap. My reflection in the mirror looked mishaped. Blueish-red veins bulged all over her forehead, lips inflamed, her eyes bloodshot, and a wrinkled grimace made her look like a choking, middle-aged woman.

My chest was getting tighter and tighter as I resisted the smothering darkness that wanted to consume me. Maybe that was what Tina had felt before she...

Breathe…

Akram's silver chimes echoed in my mind.

Just look at me, please?

His cinnamon eyes flickered their earthy warmth through my agitation, spreading a blanket on my mental distress.

You'll be fine, I promise.

His hopeful promise rang in my memory, coaxing my nerves into a modicum of composure.

I closed my eyes tightly, visualizing his radiant smile, his expressive eyes, the cute lines around his mouth, his melodic voice as he instructed me to breathe deep and slow.

So I did it again. And it worked...