Eve..
The orange colour in the sky signified that the sun was already setting.
Nothing is more beautiful than watching the sunset in the park. The beautiful glow that can only happen once a day and not be recreated again. The time between the bright afternoon and the darkness that is yet to come – Blue hour.
I came down from the cab I had boarded and entered into the park but I could already see his newly dyed golden hair shining in the sunset from afar.
Found you!
I texted Ethan that he shouldn’t worry anymore because I’ve found Max before approaching him.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” I asked with a smile and he turned to look at me before his face lit up with a smile as well.
“You always know where to find me.” He said, still smiling.
“Ofcourse, what are friends for?” I asked.
“How did you know I wasn’t in a good mood?” He asked as I sat beside him.
“I didn’t.” I said and he raised his brows and I chuckled lightly.
“I suspected that you were in a foul mood when I tried your number earlier but my day wasn’t that good either.” I mumbled the last few words.
“But what sealed it was Ethan’s explanation.” I said and he frowned.
“He called you?” He asked, still frowning.
Hahahaha… I laughed.
“Up until a few hours ago, I only knew his name and where he works.” I said reassuring him that his best friend has not been stolen yet.
“So what do you mean by what he explained?” He asked, confused.
“Coincidentally, I went to his cafe for a cup of coffee and he was worried, I suspected you’ll be here so I came over.” I explained.
“So he told you what happened?” He asked and I nodded.
“Do you think I overreacted?” He asked and looked at me expectantly.
“No.” I said reassuringly.
“Why?” He asked doubtfully.
“Because you did what I couldn’t do.” I wanted to say but I sighed instead.
“You expressed your discomfort. He wants to get to know you but it sounds like it’s just a guise of not giving your relationship a label.” I said and he nodded.
“You understand me.” He smiled and I smiled back.
“You feel like you’re just one of his one night stands because he couldn’t even defend you in front of his mother.”
“Instead he pushed you away and tried to give the excuse of his mother being homophobic.” I said and he clapped his hands.
“My points exactly.”
“His mother was pointing accusing fingers at me to only want to have sex with her son saying that because he owns several buildings including the book cafe.” Max huffed.
“He owns buildings?” I asked with wide eyes.
“Yes but if she didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t have known, I was just as surprised as you are now.”
“And then she said I looked straight and accused me of gay baiting.” He hissed.
” I know I’m handsome enough to attract women but why would I fake my sexuality and Ethan just stood there watching, doing nothing, saying nothing, it hurt me so much.” He said and his voice broke and I knew he was holding back his tears.
“Why must I get chewed out by someone who barely knows me? She doesn’t even know me but she has judged me by my sexuality already. Are queer people monsters?”
“Why is it so hard for the world to welcome us the way they welcome straight people?”
“Why is straight the default?”
“You’ll never see closeted straight people, it’s always us.”
“It hurts..”
” It hurts so bad but I didn’t mind but how can someone who claims to be interested in me, to be attracted to me not be able to defend me?”
“Isn’t it enough that the world is against me already?”
And that was when he broke down. I wanted to cry too but instead, I moved closer and gave him a hug.
He sobbed into my clothes, his body shook strongly and I patted his back softly to help him calm down.
It was already dark and he had stopped sobbing but I could still hear sniffles coming from him.
We disengaged from that position and he looked away and stared into nothing in particular.
“I don’t know why I’m so affected by this anyways, they’re lots of guys interested in me.” He said quietly.
” But it’s him you want, no?” I asked.
“You’re right.” He agreed.
We sat in silence thinking about our individual problems.
Max’s situation and mine are a bit similar.
I don’t know when but I started to fall for Jason. And I know that when this fiasco is all over, there are many guys that I can be with but it’s him I want, I’m aiming for a star that I can’t reach.
But at least one of us deserves to be happy so I’ve decided to help Max to get who he wants.
“Sorry about your clothes.” He turned to face me and that’s when I remembered the expensive clothes that I’m putting on.
“No worries.” I said.
“What’s the occasion?” He asked.
“Nothing, I went home, I wanted to show my mom that Jason’s treating me well.” I lied.
“Okay.” He said and we fell silent again.
“What do you say we will go horse riding tomorrow?” I proposed.
Hahahaha … Max laughed loudly.
“You? Horse riding?”
” You must be kidding me.” Max said and I chuckled.
“I’m serious.” I deadpanned.
“But you don’t even know how to ride.” Max said completely against the idea.
” You can teach me.” I said.
“Eve, are you sure about this?” He asked in all seriousness.
“Yes.” I said and he nodded in agreement.
“Fine.” He mumbled.
“Let’s go?” I said getting up from the bench.
“Okey dokey.” He said giggling.
We walked out of the park and Max paused.
“Should we go towards that side?” Max said pointing towards the other side where there was faint light coming from it.
“Why?, I thought we were supposed to go home.” I asked and he smiled.
“They sell ice cream there.” He said with glee and began to drag me towards the place before I could refuse.
We soon arrived at the ice cream stand and the owner – an old man seemed happy to see new customers lining up.
“You brought your girlfriend?” The old man asked Max and he shook his head.
“She’s just a friend, I’m gay.” Max said and the old man smiled before apologising but Max didn’t seem to mind compared to how he was hours ago.
“Sorry for concluding.” The old man apologised.
I smiled. I expected him to be homophobic or react in a bad way but he simply smiled.
“Have you been here before?” I whispered into max ears.
“No, I promised to come for ice cream before leaving when I passed by earlier.” Max whispered back.
“What would you both like?” The old man asked with a smile.
“Vanilla.” I said happily.
“I don’t sell regular flavoured ice cream.” He said, chuckling.
“Eh?” I mumbled.
“I have this kind of flavour, pampered love, sweet sweet, cool summer…” The old man explained but was cut off in the middle.
“I want pampered love.” Max interrupted him.
“I’ll take sweet sweet then.” I said and soon two cups of ice cream were given to us both.
Max paid and we were on our way to the bus stop while licking our ice creams.
“I feel pampered.” Max giggled and I laughed.
“Just like that name, the icecream is extremely sweet.” I said laughing and we both laughed.
We finished our ice creams talking about stuff and flagged down a cab.
Since Jason’s estate was closer, the cab dropped me off at the gate while Max waved bye at me before the cab finally drove off.
I greeted the men at the gate and began to walk slowly to Jason’s mansion with my thoughts occupied by what happened today.
I remembered that Max agreed to the horse riding so I texted Ethan and told him about it too so he can come and apologise.
As they say communication is key and Max is currently avoiding him so I’ll be their middle man and help them get together. I smiled as I thought about the good deed I was going to be doing tomorrow.
I put my phone back into the small purse in my hands and began to walk home. Soon, I began to hear faint footsteps and it felt like I was being followed.
I turned back to check but no one was at my back. Maybe I was over thinking. I continued walking but I was slow because of the heels that I’ve been wearing all day.
I heard faint footsteps again and I paused and turned but nobody was there.
The street light at a corner suddenly turned on and I saw the shadow of someone and I panicked.
Is that person following me?
I began to walk and the person began to meet my pace. Soon I broke into a run despite the pain in my feet.
I ran as fast as I could but I couldn’t run that far. I had almost gotten home when I fell down and sprained my ankle.
Ouch! I winced in pain.
Oh God! Is this how I’m going to die?
Soon the person who was following me caught up to me and walked towards where I was on the floor. I looked down in fear and the person threw a brown envelope on the floor just close to me.
I managed to look up to see the face of my assailant but all I saw was a person dressed in all black clothes with a black helmet on.
I took the envelope with shaky hands and the person turned and left me on the floor.
Was he not going to kill me?
I watched his receding figure leave and I couldn’t help but sigh deeply but I wasn’t relieved yet.
Why was this person following me and what did they want to deliver that they even had to hide their face?
Still seated on the floor, I opened the brown envelope and what I saw inside was shocking and scary.
A little note with lots of pictures. Pictures of me with my face cut out or covered in red ink or crossed out with the inscription – You’re out. I choked back a sob and managed to read the little note.
“Stay away from Jason.” It read. And I tried to hold back my tears. Looks like even the universe doesn’t want me to be with Jason. I have my own secret hater who doesn’t want me to be with him. But who could it be?
I looked around and got scared as I realised I was still on the road which meant the helmet man could come back and I was still in danger. I quickly got up on my feet but I felt a tingling sensation in my knee from the breeze and I knew I was injured coupled with the swell in my ankle that I sprained.
Luckily for me, I’m not so far from home so I limped my way home.
I didn’t even realise that it was already pretty late but as soon as I got inside and noticed that all the maids were probably in their rooms, that’s when I knew It was pretty late.
I walked to the living room and I saw the silhouette of a man seated on the couch in the dark. For a moment there, I was scared but after staring for a while, I knew it was Jason since all I could do was stare at him all the time before anyways.
He got up and switched the lights on. He turned to face me and I could tell he was very angry.
“Where have you been?” He said angrily.
“What kind of married woman goes partying until late?” He snapped and I flinched.
“If you want to have fun, I’m not stopping you but do it moderately, just look at yourself, you’re a mess.” He spat and I felt small.
I wasn’t expecting him to welcome me with open hands but atleast, he could have acted worried even if he wasn’t. I looked at him and the tears I’ve been holding back were threatening to fall but I fought to hold them back.
“Are you mute now?”
“You’re such a mess!” He kept rambling but I was lost in thoughts.
I looked a mess, my hair was scattered from running and my knees were bleeding and I was even limping. I looked a mess but all he was worried about is his reputation?
What a joke!
I ignored him and limped my way up the stairs to my room. I opened the door and slammed it shut. I fell to the floor and hugged myself as I sobbed.
Someone was after me and I had no one to tell. I have no one to run to. I cried.