Christian

“Pick up. Pick up Harieth.” With the phone stuck to my ear, I hurried down the street, scanning every corner and everyone that walked past me for any sight of her but nothing worked out.

Where could she have disappeared to?

I withdrew the phone away from my ear and redialled her number. After countless ringing, it got disconnected. I redialled once more, refusing to give up and seeing this as my only way of getting through to her. This time, it didn’t ring. She had switched off her phone and my only method of reaching out to her was gone.

In a sigh, I drew to a standstill and stared around. Finally clueless of what step to take next.

How did I get here? How did I end up doing this?

Perhaps, I shouldn’t have turned her away when she came to the office. I should have thought more about the kind of person she is, someone who wouldn’t just stop causing ruckus everywhere she goes. If I had let her stay, what happened wouldn’t have happened and I wouldn’t be in this state right now.

             6 hours earlier...

Harieth

“This way Mrs. Hendrix.” The cheeky eyed staff directed before leading the way. Emerson and I followed behind.

“What are we doing here? I’m not in the mood.” A lady dragged and I drew to a stop. My brows narrowed at the familiar voice.

“Harieth.” Emerson who had gone quite ahead called my attention. I gave her a second look before turning back, heading for the lobby.

“I don’t care. I know we've never done this without... well you know who but that has to change. We don’t need her...”

“Really?” I questioned with arms folded across my chest. They both looked up to me and the first expression that played out on their faces was surprise followed by something I couldn’t quite point out. That alone annoyed me. I wanted to see guilt, guilt in their eyes, on their faces. I want them to feel regrettable for abandoning me.

“Harieth.” Stacy pronounced my name in an exhausting manner and I hated she did that. We were friends, best of friends, all three of us and they abandoned me when I needed them the most.

“I see you two have no shame, showing up at places we used to frequent together.” I started as I took steps closer to them. They remained silent and I hated it. I need them to talk, speak up, say something to explain their actions. Maybe, just maybe, I might forgive them.

“Let’s go Stacy; we don’t have to answer to her anymore.” Paris encouraged as she clenched onto Stacy’s arm and tried dragging her along with her but I quickly stood in her way just as she was about to take a step further, releasing my folded arms in the process.

“You’re not going anywhere.” I breathed through closed teeth, staring her directly in the eyes. She stared back, the anger and hatred surging through her eyes.

“You two owe me some big explanation. I got into a little problem and the two of you bailed on me. What kind of friends are you two?”

“Friends?” She questioned with an annoying scoff then took a step back away from me.

“I don’t know about Stacy but you and I were never really friends.” I blurted out and a light frown surfaced between my brows.

“You had quite the popularity both on school grounds and off it and I needed a little of that so I hung around you. It’s that simple.”

“If so, what changed? You could have kept being the dog you are. Why give up on your master now?” I questioned right away, pretending like what she just said didn’t really get to me. If Paris knew me at all then she would know it has to take more than those words of hers to pull me down.

The change of expression on her face, in her eyes, I could see how hard she was fighting the urge to hit me right now. In the end as she looked away from me for a second, she let out a sigh to release her nerves, somehow, trying to energise herself. I looked Stacy’s direction, our eyes met for a second but she was quick to look elsewhere.

“You’re an ass Harieth and I know you know that.” Paris words forces my eyes back to her.

“You pretend so much like you’re some ice princess, immune to feelings and all but I know, deep down, you crave to be truly loved but nobody will love you. Not your husband, your father and I’m pretty sure not even your... mother.”

That’s it! My hand went flying across her face like lightning, taking her quite by surprise. I stood still, fuming with anger; vexed she would dare involve her in this.

Paris blinked several times for a moment, probably shocked that I would slap her right across the face. I couldn’t care less what she felt. She hurt me deep and I was enraged. The moment, she turned her face back to me; I felt a hard slap land on my cheek that my face is forced onto the side direction.

Did she just...?

My thinking faculty shut down and my emotions took over. No one hits me and get away with it. Immediately turning back to her, I took hold of her hair and pulled at it as hard as I could. She screamed, she retaliated but I wasn’t about to give her the upper hand. The staff and even Emerson tried separating us but not till after a while did they succeed in pulling us apart.

“You’re dead Paris! Do you hear me!? You’re dead!” I yelled as I was being dragged away from her.

“Nobody likes you Harieth! You don’t have any friends and you never will.” She attempted her comeback words as well but I was well on my way away from her.

“Okay, okay. You can take your hands off me now.” I snapped at the three female staffs that had me escorted away from Paris. They did and so they were gone. I stood a little unbalance for a few seconds. My heart was pounding so loud against my ribcage, my hands physically trembling and my blood boiled at the very thought that I wasn’t able to deal with her much to my satisfaction.

“Harieth...”

“Get your hands off me.” I shrugged her hand away as I took a step away from her. Emerson stared, a little surprise at my reaction but at the same time displaying a pitiful look in her eyes. I hated it.

“Don’t look at me that way. Don’t look at me like I need some sort of help from you. You don’t like me, remember?” With that, I turned away and headed right for the exit of this hell hole.

“Harieth! Harieth wait!” Emerson called but I didn’t care what she had to say. Nothing was going to make me feel better. Nothing mattered and so I got into my car, started the engine and drove off.

Christian

“What... wait, E-Ema, Ema calm down. I can’t make out what you’re saying.” I stood up and walked away from the table as if that would make me understand all Emerson is trying to say at once. So far, all I’ve gotten is that she sounded really troubled.

“Emerson.” I called a little louder and she finally went quiet.

“Okay, bit by bit, tell me what’s going on?” I urged calmly hoping it would have effect on her and it did.

“Harieth, she ran into her friends and it seems she was pissed off at them about something. They exchanged words and eventually went physically on each other....”

“She fought?” I questioned in surprise slash a little anger coming on.

“...yes and now, she’s hurt but she wouldn’t talk to me so she drove off. I’m worried about her Christian. She claimed she was okay but she’s actually really hurt. You have to find her and calm her down.”

“She definitely didn’t say where she was headed, right?”

“Yes. I just hope she doesn’t do something regrettable.”

A sigh eluded my lips as I shut my eyes for a moment, throwing my head back. Harieth. Will she ever stop with the constant drama?

“And you? She left you stranded. Where are you and I‘ll come pick you up...”

“No, no. You don’t have to do that. I can find my way home. Christian please find her. I think she’s not as strong as she lets on.” Ema demanded with a lot of concern laced in her voice. It’s amazing how she cares so much about someone she barely knows. It reminded me of the reason why I fell for her in the first place.

“Okay. Take care.” I gave up with those simple words.

“You too.” She added and the call was disconnected.

I ran a hand through my hair once the phone was back on the table. Almost right away, a knock came through the door.

“Come in.” I ordered and the door pushed open, in came Miss Larson hastening her pace up to me.

“You have to see this Mr. Hendrix.” She stated as she pushed her phone in front of my eyes then tapped play on the screen.

Slowly, my brows furrowed as my eyes remained on the screen. The only person I took notice of was Harieth as she embarrassed herself once more in front of the world.

“Great, just great.” I let out in a near whisper as I finally looked away from the screen.

Harieth

As I watched the video that had quickly gone viral, tears gathered my eyes and it only got worse when I read the comments. In the end, I looked away from it and threw the phone to the passenger’s seat beside me. I fought back the tears, as hard as I could. I’m not going to cry. I wasn’t going to cry because the two people I thought who were my best friends actually weren’t ever really my friends.

I would be lying if I said I never noticed they might not truly like me. At a point in the past, I sort of had that feeling but I shrugged it off. They might be fake but they stuck around and that was all I needed to get me going. I just had to seem like I had it all. I felt whole only like that.

I blinked and the tears went rolling down my cheeks. Quickly, I wiped them off. I shouldn’t be crying. No one is worth my tears. I settled this a long time ago. The easiest way to live was to shut down all emotions. No emotions. No attachments and no caring. It seems I went against one of those three.

My phone rang and I took a look at it.

Christian.

I left it on the seat and looked elsewhere. He probably wants to scold and let me know of what a disaster and disappointment I am to his family’s name. I just can’t deal with him now, not when I look like hell.

I stepped into a small clothing store. The guy behind the counter as well as one or two customers in the store stared at me and I had to look elsewhere, trying to shield most of my face with my hair. I couldn’t afford having someone recognise me. I just need anything comfortable and unlike me to wear, that way, I’ll be hard to spot so I picked out a black shirt, sweatpants, flat shoes and a baseball cap.

Now standing in front of the counter, I tried hard not to meet his eyes while he calculated all I had purchased then stated the amount.

“You look a little familiar, have... have we met before...”

“No.” I gave a quick reply as I snatched the items from him, left the money on the counter and before he could finally realise where he had seen me, I was well on my way back to the car.

It’s different when you’re recognised for being pretty and famous compared to when you’re actually recognised due to silly post and videos attached to your name. I feel like the joke of the town. How on earth did I get here?

My phone rang once more and I took a look at it.

Christian.

Why isn’t he giving up? It’s pretty obvious I don’t want to talk to him and I don’t want to go home either. I just want to be free for a while, clear my head and get back the old me. Then, I can face whatever nonsense he has to say. 

                       And now...

Christian

Having given up on finding someone who doesn’t want to be found, I treaded further down, a bit aimlessly and eventually came to a stop. I threw my head back and gazed up at the tiny stars that lay across the sky. They seemed so calm and peaceful. It reminded me of the times in the past when my life was actually calm and simple. I felt happy with the littlest things. My life seemed to have a purpose but now... now it’s all just fuzzy. I can’t seem to find happiness or perhaps, I’m just too scared to believe I’ll ever find it.

I lowered my eyes, focusing them on another direction. After a few seconds, my brows lightly ceased up.

Is that...?

There she sat on a bench, looking a bit different and seeming unaware of her surroundings. Her eye lids seemed shut but she was probably just looking down.

I sighed in frustration as I took my eyes off her for a moment. I don’t have to deal with this. I’ve seen her. She seems okay. I’ll just leave and with that thought, I turned away.

Harieth

I sniffed, immediately wiping off the tears that had escaped my eyes once more. I told myself countless times not to cry but sitting alone, a lot of thoughts went through my head and I’m forced to the point of tears. I’m fighting it so hard but it just keeps rolling down bit by bit.

I felt a presence beside me glancing through my peripheral vision; I could see someone had taken a seat.

“Please find somewhere else to sit.” I told the person without glancing his direction. A moment later, he hadn’t made a move. It irritated me.

“Sit somewhere else...” My words trailed away as I caught sight of who it was.

Well, so much for running away.

I looked away from him having recalled that my I had been crying. My eyes are probably all puffy and red... God, what am I saying? Stop it Harieth.

“What are you doing here?” His question suddenly came through.

“I should be asking you that. I thought I made it clear that I didn’t want to see you.”

“You did? I can’t recall that since you never picked any of my calls.”

The sarcasm in his voice forced me to glance his side. Our eyes met for a moment and I was quick to look away. Silence followed right away.

“Emerson told me what happened?”

“Really? What did she say? Wait, I can answer that... Harieth got in the way of two women and ended up getting physical with one of them. The video is all over the internet. Check it out and see for yourself how it all went down.” I expressed what I believed would be her share of explanation.

“Emerson isn’t what you make her out to be.”

A scoff eluded my lips as I shook my head in disbelief.

“Oh my God, you’re actually defending her right now.”

“I’m not...” His words trailed for some reason I didn’t know. I don’t even want to look his side. If anything, I feel worse than earlier.

“Why are you really here Christian? I’m sure you don’t expect me to believe you were worried and decided to search for me. I think it’s best you leave me alone.”

Yes, that has to be the best option for my situation. A while passed and I’m trying so hard not to let the tears out in front of him.

“I get it...I get you have these huge walls built up around for some reason. I admit, I seem to have built the same walls around me.” He started and I couldn’t help looking his side.

Our eyes met and for the first time, I think I read his face. His eyes had gone soft and the expression on his face, softer. There was compassion in all this.

“Just tonight... let’s pretend we aren’t married and can’t stand each other’s presence. Let’s simply exist as humans. You need a shoulder to cry on and I’m offering mine... I’ll look away so you feel less awkward.” His words sank into every fibre of my existence. It felt all too surreal.

How can... How can this be?

“Harieth.” He leaned a little closer.

“It’s okay to let go for a while.” His words took me by surprise, the sincerity that laced on them, in his eyes.

I watched as he relaxed back, his face now turned to the other side just like he said. I felt conflicted. He says it’s okay but all sense of reasoning tells me it’s not.

What do I do?

Christian

I’m a little agitated.

Am I doing the right thing?

Well... of course I am. I’m helping a fellow human being. No strings attached and all. I told her to let go; perhaps, I should do the same as well.
But walls aren’t broken down that easily. There’s a reason they’re built in the first place. She would have to trust me to let them down and that’s something I doubt she does...

I felt the warmth beside me as she gently placed her head on my shoulder sending my thoughts on trails. I said I would look away through all this but I couldn’t help looking her side, down at her face. Her eyes were shut and I just couldn’t look away.

Something else happened and I looked down at her arms gently wrapping around mine like her life depended on it. My eyes went back up to her face. For the first time, a strange feeling settled, something I had never felt whenever I took a look at her.

She trusts me?

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