《Mr.Right》


 Chapter 11.

    Chapter 11.


    Jim said he owns a hospital in town. Is this the hospital?


    But the hospital''s name doesn''t give away any information that it''s his... Unless the ''M'' and the ''W'' are


    supposed to be initials for Maverick Wright.


    Then what does the ''J'' stand for?


    The bimbo''s eyes immediately dart in my direction. me it on me for having a loud coughing fit as a


    result of choking on my own saliva.


    I flinch when the room door bursts open with the bimbo storming out and stopping in front of me.


    It''s obvious why Tony left me for her.


    Her blonde hair is tied up in a loose bun. Although her eyes are much smaller than mine, they''re


    sparkling blue and have this brightness to charm any guy off his boxers.


    Including my boyfriend.


    I mean, my ex-boyfriend.


    "What are you doing here?" Her voice is cold and bitter. "Hasn''t he suffered enough for you?"


    "Excuse me?" I''m confused. What''s she talking about?


    "Don''t y dumb. Tony is hospitalized because of you. He wouldn''t stop drinking and smoking after


    that club night..."


    "Wait, Tony smokes?"


    "No. But he started right after you broke up with him. Then he lit up a cigarette yesterday and forgot to


    put it out. The fire started from his room," She pauses and takes a deep breath. "His housekeeper...


    The poor woman got locked in the kitchen by mistake and burnt to death before help came."


    I can see the veins popping on her neck as she tries to hold back her anger and tears.


    "She was a very nice Asiandy but, of course, you just had toe along and ruin it all!" She was


    screaming by this time but I didn''t really mind.


    Tony must have gotten a housekeeper to keep the house clean, since I''m not around any more...


    "Leave! Right now!" The bimbo pushes at my shoulders but I''m too shocked to move or speak.


    Why was Tony acting like he was depressed after the breakup? Did he regret cheating? And oh, that


    poor woman.


    "Great! Now you''re deaf!" the bimbo shrieks - getting, if possible, even more aggressive. "I said that I


    want you to leave, you freak."


    I see her raise her hands up to hit me again and I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for her hands tond


    on my cheeks...


    But they never do.


    Deciding it''s safe to open my eyes, I slowly look up to see her wrists trapped in Maverick''s grip.


    "There will be no violence in my hospital, thank you," he says, softly but firmly.


    Bimbo yanks her wrists out of his grip and res at me. "But I need her to leave. Tell security to get her


    out of here right now."


    "I''m sorry, Madam, but I don''t see that happening." Maverick tucks his hands in his trousers and fully


    faces her. "The only instances a visitor is to be kicked out of the hospital is when they''re being violent


    or abusive, and those things are exactly what you''re disying. So, if anyone is to be kicked out of


    here, don''t you think that it should be you, Ms?"


    Her mouth opens to protest, but she seems to decide that it''s pointless answering. She closes it with a


    snap and she storms off in the opposite direction, the sound of her heels fading away as she pushes a


    door open aggressively and ms it shut.


    "How''s your face?" I ask Maverick tentatively, trying to break the silence. The bruises from the club


    night don''t look as bad as they did before.


    "Wouldn''t you like to know," he says sarcastically with a yful arch of his brow. "I could''ve pressed


    charges on what happened, you know."


    "But you didn''t."


    He doesn''t look mad that I caused the bruises on his face, so why is he pressing it further?


    "And that''s why you''re still here having this conversation with me. You''re wee." Maverick walks


    over to the coffee maker and turns it on, tapping a finger at the top of the machine as the hot liquid


    spills into the mug below. "Do me a favor and let me be thest person you kiss without permission."


    I take the cup from his hands when he stretches it out to me and press it to my lips, enjoying the heat


    radiating from it.


    I study his profile.


    He''s dressed in his Doctor''s coat with a grey sweater vest inside and a pair of blue jeans.


    I never thought I''d see the day when I would find a doctor hot.


    "Do me a favor and stop being so good to look at," I mutter under my breath and my words must


    somehow reach his ears because he smiles.


    My mouth goes dry and my palms are starting to feel mmy. I can''t seem to look him in the eye.


    His brown hair looks golden in the glow of the fluorescent light and his eyes sparkle with endless


    able to stop time.


    My already wobbly heart starts beating violently against my ribcage.


    I''m only brought out from my trance when his head snaps sideways, following the sound of someone


    clearing their throat.


    "Sorry to disturb, sir, but we have an emergency." The female nurse standing at the other end of the


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    lobby gives me the stink eye before smiling sweetly at Maverick.


    "I''ll be there." He nods at her and turns back to me.


    "It''s a child delivery." she presses further, desperation evident in her tone as they both lock gazes in


    what seems to be like a staringpetition.


    I don''t know if I''m the only one feeling the unfamiliar tension in the air between them but, whatever it is,


    I didn''t pay it much attention.


    "I''ll meet you home."


    For the first time since I met him, Maverick addresses me curtly before walking in the Nurse''s direction.


    But he doesn''t get very far before he stops in his tracks to face me. "It''s 2097, by the way."


    I don''t get to ask what the numbers are for before he disappears into a corner with the female Nurse.


    As the typical foodie I am, the first ce which pops into my head at the mention of those digits is the


    address of my and Jim''s cafeteria spot - aka, the ce where I got to meet my faceless James Bond.


    Jim let me use his credit card most of the time, so I didn''t need to worry about washing dishes because


    of not being able to pay for my meals. Seriously, who brought up that stuff about washing dishes? It''s a


    nightmare.


    "I''ll have two boxes of pizza please," I tell the shopdy, holding two fingers up in the air as she takes


    my order and retreats back behind the counter.


    I contemte asking her what James Bond looked like the other day, as she was there with me to find


    my sses, but decide to drop it so I don''t sound creepy.


    For what seemed like just minutes, I watch the streetlights outside being flicked on in the already-


    darkened streets and realize I''ve spent my whole afternoon staring at customers going in and out of a


    shop.


    My phone beside me signals that it''s fully charged so I unplug it from the shopdy''s charger - which


    she let me borrow - and groggily get to my feet, pushing my way into the lit streets and gging down a


    cab as a yawn escapes my lips.


    I get to the penthouse in no time and make my way into the gate. Maverick''s car isn''t in the driveway,


    so I assume he''s not back home yet. I''m a bit thankful for that, to be honest.


    I can''t stand that much hotness in one day.


    The door into the house won''t budge when I push it open.


    Oh great. Now I have to wait for him to get back with his keys before I can get in. Wonderful.


    My eyes catch sight of a shiny metal thing beside the door''s handle so I slide it up, revealing buttons


    which contain numbers. It must be a code into the house and I immediately remember the digits he told


    me earlier at the hospital.


    What kind of a person would use the address of a cafeteria as a house code?


    I let myself into the house, yawning every second and rubbing at my eyes. It''s a long time before I


    notice anything odd, but when I do it hits me hard.


    The lights are all on. And I''m sure the lights were off before I left the house.


    I shake my head to clear any doubts.


    I wasn''t in my right mind this morning so I''m probably just mistaken... but I freeze when I spot


    something resting on the doormat.


    A man''s shoe.


    I am definitely not mistaken, after all. Someone''s in the house.

 Chapter 12.

    Chapter 12.


    Silence.


    Intense silence fills the house and I''m too scared to even let out a breath.


    If this was a horror movie, I''d be in front of the screen, yelling at the characters to run out of the house


    and get help because that''s what I''m good at. Running when things go wrong.


    Suddenly, I hear footsteps in the living room and the creaking of a door opening. The sound chills my


    bones, but the lights shining in the mini living room seem to calm me a bit.


    Surprisingly, I don''t run out of the door, mainly because I''m too tired and sleepy. Instead, I grab a bat


    resting in a corner and position it between my hands for self-defence.


    I edge dangerously close to the main living room and see a figure bent forward in front of the


    refrigerator. The door of it blocks his face and the sight of it sends icy shivers down my spine.


    But this is not a horror movie. This is real life we''re talking about, so I tighten my grip on the bat,


    moving towards the figure slowly and quietly.


    Then I attack.


    Within minutes, my bat has beaten him senseless and the stranger sprawls on the floor in a heap.


    "You thief!" I cry out as the bat continues toe in contact with his head and waist.


    Before I can do much more damage, however, I hear footsteps running towards me and, the next thing


    I know, Maverick has jumped out from nowhere, blocking me from the crumpled body on the floor with


    a terrified look on his face.


    "Whoa! What''s going on?"


    "Move!" I yell, raising the bat again. "There''s a thief in the house!"


    "That''s my stepbrother," He cries out and confusion drags it''s way across my face.


    "Your stepbrother is a thief?"


    "There is no thief!"


    I let the information sink into my aching head as realization dawns on me, then I let the bat fall from my


    hands.


    "Oh."


    "Jesus Christ, Mave!" mutters the strange man, sitting up and rubbing his head. "I didn''t know you had


    a girlfriend who''s a ck-belt in Karate." He winces in pain and struggles to get to his feet. "Chick,


    maybe let out a war cry before attacking me with a Katana Sword in future."


    "It was a bat," I say stubbornly.


    "I would''ve died either way." He looks too well dressed for me to consider him a thief. What was I


    thinking? He has simr hair to Maverick and there is a slightly boyish look about his appearance. He


    kind of looks like he''s Jack''s age.


    "What are you even doing at my house?" asks Maverick now, frowning a little. "I changed the house


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    code and told you not toe back here."


    "Yeah about that." He gives a boyish grin. "I hacked the new code."


    "Why would you even..." Maverick squeezes his eyes shut in frustration before pointing to the door.


    "Get out."


    "Geez. Couldn''t you even be more polite about it?"


    "Please, get out."


    "Hey," I say almost in a whisper and both brothers turn in my direction. "Why doesn''t he just stay for


    dinner?"


    Maverick stares at me. His expression quite clearly says ''Are you kidding?'', while his brother merely


    grins and slings an arm around my shoulders.


    I get a good whiff of his Balenciaga perfume.


    "I like how you think, warrior woman," he says.


    "Her name is April." Maverick frowns even more.


    His brother ignores him. "I''m Callum. Nice to meet you June."


    "It''s April." I''m the one to frown at him this time.


    "That''s what I said." Callum pats my shoulders before sauntering off into the kitchen. If he didn''t remind


    me so much of Jack, I would''ve been pissed he got my name wrong.


    Damn. I missed my brother.


    "Do not touch my gran bars." Maverick follows him suspiciously, leaving me in the living room.


    Looks like I''m not going to be sleeping any time soon.

 Chapter 13.

    Chapter 13.


    "So is your name April because you were born in that month?"


    We''re all in the kitchen with Maverick behind the ind, making toast and scrambled eggs.


    Callum is beside me, behaving like a four-year-old who just learnt how to talk. I feel as though he''s


    going to start lisping ''Where do babiese from?'' or ''What makes the sky so blue?'' at any second.


    On the other hand, babies look cute, and Callum looks like a constipated fish. He keeps trying not to


    choke on the gran bar he stole from Maverick.


    "Act like you''re normal for once, would you?" Maverick flips the egg on the pan and turns off the cooker.


    "Um... Yeah. That''s exactly why I was named that." I answer Callum and his question-filled eyes widen


    even more.


    "So let me guess, yourst name is the month your parents got married, or something?"


    "Actually, no. Myst name''s ''White''."


    His brows furrows, but it''s only a matter of seconds before he bursts outughing, spitting crumbs of


    gran bar all over my face. "You''re named after a month and yourst name is a color?"


    I have no idea why he finds that amusing but I have his spit all over my face and it''s seriously grossing


    me out.


    He catches Maverick''s re and coughs, clearing his throat. "Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that. It''s


    actually a cool name."


    Maverick serves the scrambled eggs on two tes and tosses them at us, filling some cups with milk


    and handing them to both of us.


    "You''re supposed to be in college," he says as Callum buries his face in his food, trying to avoid eye


    contact with him.


    "I dropped out."


    "You what?"


    "I said, I dropped-" But Maverick stops him.


    "I heard you the first time." Maverick puts his hands t on the table and rests on them. "Your Mom''s


    going to kill you."


    "I know."


    "You''re going to get your bank ount frozen," Maverick continues.


    "I know."


    "She''s going to disown you."


    "Mave, I get it, my life is over. Thanks for exining that," Callum''s yful exterior is gone as he puts


    on a stern look. "I feel like I''m a disappointment to her. Why can''t I just be the perfect son and get good


    GPAs, graduate from college and shit like that? Why do I have to be so different?"


    "Hey, look." Maverick softens at his tone and so do I. "We may not have the best rtionship as half-


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    siblings and I may kick you out of my house all the time because I hate your guts..."


    "But?" Callum asks, when Maverick says nothing else.


    "But nothing. That''s all I got."


    I shoot Maverick a look and he mouths ''I''m not good at this stuff'' at me. I sigh, nudging Callum with my


    elbow, causing him to lift up his head.


    "I''m sure your mom would understand," I say quietly. "Getting good GPAs doesn''t guarantee that you''ll


    be an intelligent and sessful person. I got excellent grades in Highschool and College... but


    look at me today. I''m jobless and live off my best friend''s credit card!"


    I let out a humorlessugh and continue, feeling Maverick''s stare boring holes into the side of my face.


    "I see a young dude who''s great,puter-wise and can hack any goddamn code hees across. If


    that''s not intelligence, I don''t know what is."


    "Tell your mom what you want, even if what you want involves dropping out of College. Life is too short


    for you to do what other people want. Follow your heart, but take your brain along with you."


    How ironic it is that I''m advising someone on their life issues when my own life is in shambles... I totally


    rte to Callum.


    I''m also beginning to feel like a disappointment which brings me to the second stage of depression.


    ~~~~~~


    Bargaining.


    Two afternoons and forty-eight-hours-of-feeling-like-shitter, I''m curled up on my bed in foetus style,


    trying to get some sleep to rid myself of disturbing thoughts.


    Once the depression has advanced, the illness bes almost like another entity. The depression


    tells you horrible things about yourself and what is going on in the world around you. And, tired of


    feeling this way, you begin to bargain with it.


    You try to negotiate and create goals, trying to stave off the bad thoughts in favor of something more


    positive.


    Unfortunately, this is rarely sessful and the negative thoughts win out, leading to the next stage.


    Which is essentially full-blown depression.


    Five sleepless nightster, I''ve refused to step foot out of my room. I hear Maverick driving out of the


    house every morning and also hear when he returns home.


    He visits me every night to ask me toe for dinner and, every time, I pretend to be asleep so he


    won''t notice my red, swollen eyes.


    The depths of depression are the worst. You feel as though you''re in a wilderness which you can''t


    escape. Itpletely overtakes you and makes you feel like you won''t ever be happy again.


    During this stage, you will have obsessive and racing thoughts that are debilitating in nature. These


    thoughts will further perpetuate the depression, making you quite desperate.


    Desperate to just end it all.


    ~~~~~~~~


    It''s almost midnight and I''m sitting in front of myptop, surfing through the inte, when my eyes fall


    on my Skype app. I let my cursor wander on it before clicking on ''open''.


    I pause for a little bit, wondering who to call. One of my two brothers, maybe?  Definitely not Jack - he''s


    too busy with college and only has time when he''s on holiday - which brings me to Garret.


    My cheeks form a small smile as I click on his profile, and his chat window pops up.


    Ib my hair with my fingers and run a hand down my face so I wouldn''t look like I''ve been crying for


    five days.


    "Hey, little fe!"


    Garett''s face pops on the screen and I m a hand over my mouth so I don''t let out a wheeze of


    He looks utterly nuts.


    There''s red lipstick drawn very badly over his lips and a baby''s flower-patterned hat is on his head, with


    a rope tied under his chin to prevent it from falling off.


    "You didn''t tell me you got a new job as a clown," I say, still trying not tough at his face.


    "Baby Lily felt generous today and said that I can wear one of her hats." He adjusts the hat on his


    head. "I can''t take it off or she''ll throw a tantrum. Watch."


    He loosens the hat from his head and immediately, I hear an ear-splitting cry from behind him.


    "Wear the damn hat back!" I p a hand to my ears to block out the sound and he sighs and puts it


    back on. "Are you going to exin why you have lipstick on?"


    "No." Garret presses a hand to his temples and I can tell he''s stressed-out. He''s aged well through the


    years and I sometimes tease him about getting grey hair or turning bald.


    Garret married at the early age of twenty-four and began producing babies a yearter. How he


    managed to have four kids in the span of five years, I still don''t understand.


    His first set of children were twins. Male twins. And he didn''t have a problem with it, until his wife gave


    birth to another set of  twins. Who were both girls.


    He''s terrified she''s going to give birth to quadruplets the next time she has a baby, and I''m also terrified


    for him. I wouldn''t want to imagine what kind of state their house would be in, if that happened.


    "So what''s up with you?" he asks and I tense a bit, a bit scared that he knows I''ve been crying.


    "Oh. You know... Same old, same old."


    "Bullcrap. That''s utter Bullcrap," Garrett rests his chin on his hands. "I may not get to see you everyday


    but I know when you''ve been crying your ice-cream-filled lungs out. So I''m going to ask again, What''s


    up with you?"


    "Fine," I sigh, defeated. "You caught me. I''m not okay."


    "I can see it, that''s why I''m asking you. Why? Who hurt you? Whose house should I be burning?"


    A chuckle escapes my lips. If only he knew: the person''s house already caught fire.


    "I broke it off with Tony," I finally say.


    "Why?"


    "I found out that he cheated."


    Garrett''s pupils dte as he takes the information in. "That bastard!" he says finally. "I knew something


    like this would happen. Are you all right?"


    "Yeah I''m fine." I can''t quite stop the sarcasm from invading. "That''s why my eyes are so swollen and


    red."


    "Look, he doesn''t deserve you if he''s-" He catches sight of something out of the corner  of his eyes and


    whips his head around. "Put on your clothes Luke, and stop running around in your underwear!" Garrett


    yells at someone in the background and I hear a faint voice reply.


    "But I don''t want to."


    "It''s called ''underwear'' for a reason. You wear it under your cloth."


    I flinch at the harshness of his tone.


    "Why do you have to be so loud?" I ask.


    "I''m a Father of four kids, April. I have to open my mouth and let loud words fly out."


    I''m about to say something else when he cuts me off and focuses his attention in the other room. "Uh...


    I have to go. I think one of the twins is making paper nes out of one of my office files. Shoot! These


    kids will get me fired one day." He immediately ends the chat and I stare at myself in the reflection of


    theputer screen.


    And once again, I''m left alone in solitude as the familiar feeling washes over me.


    Loneliness.

 Chapter 14.

    Chapter 14.


    Winter is here.


    The droplets of snow cascading outside confirms it, as I rub my freezing hands together and tuck them


    back in the pockets of my hoodie.


    Winter used to be my favorite season of the year, mainly because of the Christmas cookies Mom and


    Grandma bake, and I also get to see my cousins when theye over for the holiday. We make huge


    snowmen out of the snow in our front yard.


    The holiday decorations were also a bonus. We were referred to as the ''rk Griswold'' of the


    neighborhood because of the extreme way in which Mom covers the whole house with Christmas lights


    to ''catch the spirit of the Christmas season''.


    I never thought I''d see the day where Winter is traumatic for me. The Christmas wind no longer sounds


    like music in my ears and the joy that once filled my mouth now tastes like ashes.


    Tossing the sheet which covers the lower part of my body away, I hug myself as I walk towards the


    door. I''m curious about what Maverick is doing right now. I feel bad about ignoring him for half of the


    week.


    I should at least be on good terms with the person I''m living with. I definitely shouldn''t not be acting like


    I''m brain-dead anytime he''s five inches away.


    I peer through the door, wondering if he''s out there and, sure enough, he is.


    He''s sitting on the stairs with a bottle of Corona in his hand and his head is bent. He shifts slightly to


    take a sip of his beer and I notice his muscles moving through the yellow sweatshirt he has on.


    "You can''t sleep either?" he calls out, without even turning his head, so Ie out from the shadows


    and walk towards him.


    "How did you know I was back there? I never made a sound," I say and sit next to him on the stairs.


    "You were breathing too loudly." He takes an unopened beer from beside him and hands it to me.


    "Beer?"


    I take the beer gratefully and open it, tilting it upwards to let the cool liquid enter my mouth. I lick my lips


    and his gaze follows the action.


    "Have you heard from your brother yet?" I ask eventually.


    "No, actually. He hung up on me yesterday and said something about having a booty call," He nces


    at me when Iugh at that. "I wonder how we''re rted, but have nothing inmon."


    "You do have things inmon," I insist, taking another swig of beer. "You''re just older, that''s all."


    "Excuse me? Did you just call me old?" He feigns shock. "I''m not even three years older than you,


    thank you very much."


    "All right, all right!" I grin mischievously. "Grandpa Maverick."


    Maverick scoffs and drinks some more beer too. "But isn''t this cheating?" he says, after a pause.


    "What is?"


    "I mean, you know I own a hospital and an obnoxious step-brother but I only get to know your name. I


    literally don''t know anything else about you, April White."


    I shift ufortably and bring the beer to my lips. What am I supposed to say? I got fired from my job


    weeks ago because of some silly mistake, and now I''m trying to handle my depression in the hope I''ll


    be able to get a new one?


    Yeah, I''m not telling him that. I''ll definitely look more stupid than the time Tony tried doing a backflip and


    it went horribly wrong.


    Tony...


    "You met my ex the other day. He''s now a patient in your hospital," I say, before realising it came out


    much harsher than I intended it to.


    I see Maverick''s jaw lock at the mention of Tony and can tell he''s remembering the club night.


    "I''m sorry about what happened. I got you in trouble and acted like it didn''t matter," I say as he waves it


    off with a hand.


    "No need to worry about that. He punched like a girl anyway."


    I raise my eyebrows at him. "Really? Your nose ended up bleeding. He can''t have punched that badly."


    "I''m trying to look cool here. Don''t ruin this for me."


    I try to grin at him but instead, ites out in a sad smile.


    I''m more than happy he doesn''t ask me about Tony again. Instead, he lets it be.


    We sit together in silence but, surprisingly, it''s not an awkward one and I wrap the silence around me


    like a duvet, feeling it fill some of the emptiness inside.


    My thoughts these past days are too messed-up and it''s nice to have a moment where I''m not crying,


    just so I can sort through them a bit.


    All I want to do is be left alone. And Maverick is doing fine at that.


    In fact, he looks like he feels the same way.


    "Hey, don''t frown," he tells me suddenly, noticing my expression. He opens another beer. "You never


    know who could be falling in love with your smile."


    I catch his gaze and I must have imagined it but there''s this spark of worry in his eyes. He''s not telling


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    me that Tony''s a douchebag, he''s not telling me I''m dumb for running all the way to the hospital


    because of the said douchebag...


    He''s actually smiling and, in this single moment, I am able to forget all my worries in the world.


    ~~~~~~~


    I wake the next morning to beams of sunlight and the loud chirping of birds creeping into my room. My


    head feels so light that I can barely feel it.


    I wonder how many beers I hadst night.


    I toss and turn, then catch a glimpse of a cup, resting on my nightstand with a note glued to it. I ease


    out of bed and tear the note off the cup, bringing it to my face to read what''s written on it.


    You had too much to drinkst night so I made a home remedy for hangovers.


    PS: You sleep like a baby


    *baby dragon!


    Don''t breathe fire on me, will you?


    ~ Maverick.


    I roll my eyes but a faint grin manages to break over my face.


    The lights in the living room are turned on today, but I know Maverick won''t be home, so I make my


    way to the kitchen, suddenly feeling hungry.


    There are two covered dishes on the counter with another note glued next to them, reading:


    Wasn''t sure which breakfast you''d like so I made two.


    ~M


    What''s better than waking up in the morning to two different dishes ready-made for you? ...Eating both


    of them at once, that''s what!


    The enticing aroma of Lasagne fills my nose when I open the first dish. The second dish contains a


    freshly-baked pie and I drool at the sight.


    Is he a doctor and a chef in one body? I can hardly make ramen, let alonesagna. That''s probably


    why I''m always out at various restaurants.


    Picking up a fork, I spear a pice of pie on the end of it and lift it into my mouth, moaning with delight at


    the sweetness that seeps over my tongue. Even Mom doesn''t make such amazing pies.


    My phone vibrates on the counter as Jim''s name appears on the caller ID.


    "Let''s go on a date," Jim says immediately as I press the phone to my ears.


    "Uh... What type of weed are you high on, exactly?"


    But Jim isn''t deterred. "No, April. I''m serious. Jacqueline wants us to go on a date."


    My brows furrow even more. "What type of weed is she high on, then?"


    "It''s not what you''re thinking." I hear the honking of a car in the background and then country music


    ying softly. "She''s taking the first flight back to France tomorrow and she wants the three of us to


    hang out at the fun-fair this evening."


    "So you want me to be the third wheel?"


    "You''re not third-wheeling," Jim says, sighing on the other end of the line. "It''s just going to be you,


    tagging along with us."


    " ''It''s just going to be you tagging along with us''?" I mimic. "Are you even listening to yourself, Jim?"


    "No, actually. These honking cars are quite deafening..." There''s a muffled pause and I picture Jim


    looking around him, surrounded by cars. "But, look, you could still bring someone along, if you don''t


    want to feel left out."


    "You''re the only friend I''ve got, Jim, as you know fully-well." I y with my pie using the fork.


    "How about Doctor Stranger?"


    "Doctor Stranger? Have you been watching Korean dramas?"


    "That''s not the point."


    I sigh and fork another piece of pie into my mouth, knowing perfectly well who he''s talking about. "I


    don''t know, man. Maverick might have work."


    "That reminds me." The screeching of car tyres fills my ears and then everywhere is quiet again. "How


    have things been at his house?"


    I wish I had an appropriate answer to that. I really don''t want to tell him about the sleepless nights,


    about being cooped up in my room the whole week, or about me wrapping myself under duvets like a


    human burrito.


    He has done too much for me already. I can''t burden him even more. So I force myself to smile, even if


    he can''t see me through the phone.


    "What do you think, Jimmy Lance Thomas?"


    "Still not my middle name." I can picture him having a funny look on his face, judging by the tone of his


    voice. "I have a feeling you kept your distance from him this week. And the distance was probably


    longer than the Great Wall of China."


    "You know me too well."


    "I do, April. I really do. Anyway, I have a case in five minutes, so I can''t talk. I''ll meet you at the fair by


    Six."


    "Wait, I didn''t say I''d evene to the-" But the line at the other end goes dead and the food in my


    mouth turns sour.


    I eye the silver clock on the wall. It now reads ''11:35''.


    There''s less than seven hours until the festival.


    Stepping out of the house today wasn''t on my to-do list, but I guess sometimes you have to move out


    of yourfort zone to make the people you love happy.


    Usually, my to-do list would look like this:


    Eat.


    Netflix.


    Netflix.


    More Netflix.


    Eat.


    Sleep. A lot of sleep.


    So I guess that changing one of my many ''Netflix'' sessions to ''festival'' wouldn''t be too much of a big


    deal. I mean, it''s not like I have anything else to do. I actually miss the freshness of the city''s air on my


    face and the feeling of freedom thates with it.


    What would be much more of a big deal, however, is asking Maverick toe with me.


    I''d hardly said five sentences to him beforest night and now, all of a sudden, I''m asking him out to


    something like a double date.


    I''ll be fine with just Jim and Jacqueline. It''s not like they''ll start eating each other''s faces in public. And


    they''re my friends, so I''ll have fun and they''ll be goodpany.


    They''ll make meugh until snotes out of my nose, and-


    My phone rings.


    "Hello, this is Maverick speaking." A man''s voice fills my ears when I pick up an unknown number. "I''ll


    being back from work earlier because Jim wants us to hang out. It sounded like a double date."


    I sigh and put the phone down. Friends can also annoy the shit out of you.


    Typical Jim.

 Chapter 15.

    Chapter 15.


    "Are we taking a left turn or a right one?"


    "Uh... And how am I supposed to know that?" Maverick asks rhetorically and I cuss under my breath.


    He sighs. "April, please tell me we''re not lost."


    I bite my lip. "We''re... Um...not lost." I say obediently.


    "Good. Now say it like you mean it."


    "Ok, calm down," I say, twiddling the steering wheel. "I''m sure the fair''s just around the corner..."


    Even I don''t believe myself.


    Somehow, I managed to end up in the driver''s seat of Maverick''s car, after a slight argument about who


    was going to drive. My very narrow streak of stubbornness chose to kick in and I suggested a fair game


    of Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide.


    Because, yeah. I''m childish like that.


    Two hourster, I''m pretty sure we''ve stumbled into apletely different continent. It got dark hours


    ago and starlight twinkles above us.


    Maverick turns to me. "You said you knew the way."


    "I used to know the way," I reply. "I never said that I still do."


    He lets out a frustrated sigh. "We are so lost."


    "Um, yeah," I say. "I think we are." I knew that from the moment the cars around us faded into trees and


    bushes and silence. "I''m just going to turn the car around and turn on my phone''s GPS."


    "I told you to do that two hours ago," says Maverick, slightly grumpily and I shake my head.


    "Well, you should''ve sounded more convincing,"


    I can tell Maverick''s trying hard not to get mad because I can hear him grinding his teeth.


    This is the first time I''ve seen him looking pissed. He usually has this huge smile stered on his


    face... But the frown lines appearing on his forehead right now look menacing.


    The car''s ignition roars to life when I turn it on but it dies immediately after.


    Oh, no. This is not good.


    I try five more times, but I''m pretty sure luck isn''t on my side today. When the car remains lifeless, I


    stare into the dark night and begin devising of ways of killing myself.


    "So," I hear Maverick say, sounding calm despite the look on his face. "The car''s battery has died.


    What are we going to do now?"


    The guilt inside me doubles ten times more as I ce my head on the steering wheel and groan. "I''m


    sorry."


    I''m half expecting him to yell at me but, instead, I hear a clicking sound as he steps out of the car to


    open the car''s hood.


    Maybe not everyone is like Tony.


    The hood covers himpletely, but I can still hear him when he says, "You have to go to the road and


    call for help - see if anyone''s around. We''ll be stuck here, otherwise."


    I raise my head off the steering wheel and nce down at my shoes. I bought them weeks ago, but I


    still adore them. I don''t really fancy walking through a load of dust. "But my shoes are going to get


    soiled."


    He snorts. "I hope your shoes can get us out of here."


    I keep my eyes on my feet.


    Maybe I''m being inconsiderate. I know for a fact that I was the one who got us in this mess. It''s hardly


    the time to start worrying about my shoes.


    I pick up a shlight from the back seat and I get out the car, muttering at every speck of mud that


    dares to slime up my shoes.


    The main road isn''t too bright because there aren''t many streetlights, but I can still see a caring


    towards us at full speed. Its front lights are zing and I''m not sure the people in it have seen me, so I


    throw my hands up in the air in an attempt to g it down.


    Unfortunately, it speeds past me without slowing down, and even leaves fumes and dust all over my


    shoes.


    Come to the fair He said, it''ll be fun He said. How fun is this now?


    My phone''s screen lits up and I see Jim as the caller ID. Speak of the devil.


    "Hey buddy," I say into the phone, hoping to sound breezy, but I yank it away from my ears when Jim


    yells into the phone.


    "One job, April! You had just one job to do and you blew it!"


    I massage my temples. "Look, I can exin..." I begin, but he cuts me off.


    "Save it. I''m putting Jacqueline on the phone." There''s a little bit of rustling in the background before


    Jacqueline''s throaty voice fills my ears.


    "Mon Amie!" she exims. "We missed you at the fair - is everything all right?"


    "Yeah, everything''s fine." I wince at the hugeness of the lie. "And I understand that you wanted to hang


    out... But, um, something huge has kind ofe up. I hope you guys had fun without me."


    Jacquelineughs. "I didn''t. Jim wouldn''t let us take the Ferris wheel because he thinks it''s ''too


    dangerous''. He refused to admit he was scared."


    "Is he okay?" I ask.


    "He''ll be fine. He can''t be mad at you for long. You''re his April, after all."


    "Doesn''t it feel weird saying that?" I ask curiously. I''ve always wondered how Jacqueline feels so


    "Saying what?"


    "Never mind." It''s probably just me overreacting. "Just have a safe trip back to France tomorrow. And


    remember to call every day."


    I wait a moment for her response but I''m greeted with quietness.


    "H- Hello?" It doesn''t take me a minute to realize my phone''s battery has just died. Apparently, like the


    car, it''s decided to give up on life.


    Great.


    Could this night get any lovelier?


    Another cares my way but speeds past before I can even think about gging it down. There has


    to be at least one good Samaritan out there; I can''t lose hope yet.


    ...Two hourster...


    I can''t feel my legs.


    I''m sure they''re quaking right now from too much standing, but they feel utterly numb.


    Thest time I stood this long without sitting down was when I wanted to get tickets to see the Jonas


    Brothers perform live. And the queue was only an hour and fifteen minutes long.


    I feel like I''m standing on a very thin rope between life and death, and partially considering giving up,


    just like my phone and Maverick''s car.


    "Can you walk?" Maverick asks me now. He joined me an hour ago, as he thought help woulde


    faster when it''s two people involved.


    We''re still waiting for the results. I''m not sure his theory is correct.


    "Why?"


    "I think there''s a bench by the sidewalk just over there." He points across the road. "We could go and


    sit on it if you can."


    "I can. Hopefully." Even if I can''t, he can''t exactly carry me all the way there. A broken spinal cord is the


    I limp as I follow behind him all the way to the other side of the road to rest my legs.


    The bench squeaks when we both take our seats. It''s barely strong enough to carry one person so it''s


    a miracle that our asses haven''tnded on the floor.


    Everywhere''s suddenly so quiet that you could hear cricket noises from the grass.


    I look over at Maverick who has a very serious expression on his face. He''s not smiling.


    But then, neither am I.


    "Are you mad at me?" I ask tentatively.


    "No." But his face says otherwise.


    "Are you lying?"


    "I-" He hesitates. "Yes. Yes, I am."


    "I''m sorry." I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve apologized today.


    He doesn''t even reply this time but somehow manages to give me a weak smile of reassurance. He


    seems too tired to talk.


    A bright car light shines suddenly on our faces as I jump on my feet to try to get it to stop. The driver''s


    not driving with full speed like the rest so I get a good glimpse of what the driver looks like.


    It''s a female. A young one, at that, but I can tell she''s a working-ssdy.


    She whooshes past without a second nce, just as the realization takes over me.


    This is why he treated me that way.


    "This is why he treated me that way," I think out loud. "I am the cause of my own problems."


    Maverick blinks. "Did you say something or am I hearing things now."


    I sit back on the bench, lost in my own thoughts. "He acted that way because I wasn''t independent. I


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    moved in with him because I couldn''t cope on my own. I wasn''t that girl who sets her standards high."


    Maverick continues to look at me strangely. "I have no idea what you''re talking about, but could you


    just..."


    "I was never good enough," I continue. "I failed at my job and even in my rtionship. I just wanted to


    be that girl everyone wants, that girl who all eyes are on immediately she walks into a room."


    The words are taking over me now. "I want to shine so brightly that the stars will envy me. I want to


    vibrate so much that the universe will feel my existence. I want to fly so high, that the universe will miss


    my feet."


    The look on his face contains a mixture of worry, tiredness, confusion and many other emotions I can


    hardly figure out.


    Determination.


    Thirteen strong letters that can make you go any length to achieve what you desire. But the only way to


    be sessful is to find help from another sessful individual.


    The streetlights suddenly seem much brighter and I have a clear view of Maverick''s eyes, boring into


    mine.


    The only way to be sessful is to find help from another sessful individual.


    My mind''s made up already. I edge closer to him as I wrap my fingers over his arm, praying I don''t


    regret my next words.


    "Help me be a woman," I say softly. "Help me be the person I should be."


    The heavy burden in my chest lessens. I''ve already reached thest stage of depression.


    eptance.


    In this stage, you''vee to ept the depression. You seek help and begin to feel better. You may


    fear a rpse but, eventually, you wille to realize that, although rpse is possible, you shouldn''t


    spend your life dwelling on the possibility.


    On this day, I, April White, fought the stages of depression and came to find a piece of myself.


    Again.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    At many points in my life, I''ve blurted out words andter realized I should have kept them to myself.


    Even if it meant choking on them.


    This is one of those situations.


    But the words are already out in the open and all I can do now is face whatever Maverick says next.


    The only problem is, he''s not saying anything.


    "Erm... This is- This is the part where you tell me what you think about what I just said." I break the


    ufortable silence.


    "I know." He runs his hand over his face before dropping it into hisp. "It''s just... Allowing you to stay


    at my house was the biggest favor I could ever do for you. I didn''t know it woulde with extra tasks.


    ''Help you be a woman''? What does that even mean?"


    His words slice through me like a sword and I feel like I''m a nothing once more.


    "You think this is a task? Am I bothering you?" My voice doesn''t sound steady and he seems to notice


    this because his eyes soften.


    "That''s not what I meant."


    "But that''s what you were implying," I press.


    "Stop reading obscure meanings in everything I say."


    "So are you agreeing to help me?" I know I''m being stubborn right now, but I can''t seem to help it.


    He shakes his head. "I never said that."


    "So you won''t help me."


    "Oh, April! Look, I never said that either."


    I begin to feel annoyed. "Then what are you saying?"


    He doesn''t get time to reply before a deafening honk causes us to flinch apart. The car''s headlights


    shine brightly into the night and I can see the person in the driver''s seat.


    "Are you two lost?" the man calls out of the window. He''s middle-aged, with a rich British ent that


    sounds like music to my ears.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Maverick gets to his feet and walks towards the car. "Yes, actually. My car''s battery went dead and


    we''ve been looking for help for hours. Is there any chance you''re headed to Minneapolis?"


    The man grins. "Today''s your lucky day. I usually drive straight to St. Paul, since it''s the closest ce


    from here, but I''m going home to my family this evening. Hop in, chaps!"


    I spring up from the chair like a jack-in-a-box and Maverick opens the car door for me.


    I tug at Maverick''s sleeve once we''re at the back seat of the car, feeling the hum of the engine beneath


    me.


    "How can we be sure he''s not a kidnapper?" I ask quietly, scanning every nook and cranny, with my


    eyes narrowed.


    Maverick stares out of the window. "How optimistic of you to ask."


    I''m not entirely sure if that''s sarcasm.


    "But he''s not," he continues, still not looking at me, "so you can calm down. He''s a military man."


    Maverick nods his head in the direction of the passenger''s seat, where the man''s briefcase is lying.


    A military ID card rests on it and I give a sigh of relief.


    "You look knackered*, youngdy," says the man in the driver''s seat, catching sight of my expression. "I


    won''t be surprised if you fall asleep halfway to Minneapolis."


    I smile at the British ng he uses as it sounds so foreign to my ears. I''ve always admired British


    ents.


    "You''re right about that, sir. I''m definitely off to Bedfordshire* as soon as I get home." I try to mimic his


    ent, but it doesn''t go so well, earning a stifled snigger from Maverick.


    The man nods seriously. "You should definitely get some sleep after this. It''s enough to wear anyone


    out."


    "Oh, well, Bob''s your uncle*!" I say, in the same voice. "You truly get me!"


    More stifledughter erupts from Maverick but the man doesn''t seem to notice. He''s focused back on


    the road.


    "I''d rate that ent as two out of ten," Maverick says in an undertone, just so I can hear him.


    "Blimey*! That''s a pretty low rating for an ent as fluent as mine."


    He stares at me for a moment before we both burst outughing, getting a concerned nce in the


    rearview mirror from the man at the driver''s seat.


    The British man was right, though. Halfway to Minneapolis, I was already dozing off, resting my head


    on the window, which kept vibrating as the car hit several potholes. It wasn''t veryfortable.


    We both say our goodbyes to the man when he drops us off at the bus stop and zooms off in the


    opposite direction.


    "What''s going to happen to your car? We left it back there," I say as Maverick and I walk down the


    street towards the penthouse.


    "I''ll figure that outter." He walks ahead of me while I follow, hugging my jacket close to my body as I


    kick at the snow on the ground. Kicking at snow - that''s another habit that''s been with me since I was


    eight.


    I try to keep up with his long strides, but I hesitate as my eyes catch something to my right.


    It''s a young couple in a restaurant.


    I see the guy give his girlfriend something like a chocte, which she epts shyly and pops into her


    mouth.


    He looks at her expectantly for a few seconds, as if wanting her to figure something out. But then the


    girl''s face contorts into confusion and she spits something gold into her hand.


    It''s a ring.


    Without warning, my eyes fill with tears. The girl''s crying too, sobbing into her boyfriend''s shoulder as


    he hugs her.


    But my tears are different to hers.


    Hers are tears of joy, while mine are... tears of sorrow?


    "April?" I hear Mavericke up beside me and feel him follow my gaze.


    "He proposed the same way," I say quietly, sniffing a little bit. "Except mine was a sapphire ring. I just


    hope their rtionship doesn''t end the same way mine did."


    There''s a moment of pause as Maverick figures out that I mean Tony. Then his shoulders slump.


    "I''ll help you," he says.


    It takes a minute for his words to register to my brain but, when they do, my head snaps up. "You will?"


    "You heard me the first time. Don''t make me change my mind." A serious expression is stered over


    his face.


    I raise my head higher to search his features and, when my eyes find what I''m looking for, I can''t help


    but smile.


    He smiles back at me as a pleasant wind blows into my hair.


    A soft music is heard from inside the restaurant and, although I quite like the melody, there ''s


    something else upying my mind.


    Actually, it''s more like someone else.

 Chapter 17.

    Chapter 17.


    I dream surprisingly sweet dreams during the night and wake up to the piercing sound of a whistle


    being blown in my face.


    Not a very pleasant way to wake up on a Sunday morning.


    My eyes open slowly to find the blurry figure of Maverick, standing over me with a whistle in his mouth.


    "What in the world...?" I grumble and cocoon myself back in the sheets.


    He blows the whistle even more loudly.


    Inevitably, my eyes fly open and I sit upright in bed, ring at him. I''m sure there''s drool all over my


    face, but I''m not really concerned about that right now.


    I''m more worried about why I''m being woken up at 6.32 am on a Sunday morning.


    "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty." He smiles down at me as I roll my eyes, waiting for an exnation.


    "Don''t roll your eyes at me, girl, that''s not going to help your cause," Maverick says and throws a


    handful of clothes at my legs. "Change into these and meet me upstairs in the gym."


    I see his figure slowly retreating out of the room, followed by the sound of a door closing.


    My hand stretches out to find my sses, and I ce them over my eyes to examine the clothes he


    left.


    They''re gym clothes. Purple ones with white stripes at the side.


    What the hell is he up to?


    Very reluctantly and with a lot of grumbles, I shrug the clothes on and slip my feet into my mismatched


    slippers. They''re mismatched because I identally packed one of Jacqueline''s by mistake, when I


    wanted to escape Jim''s house without being caught.


    I would have bought new pairs, but I actually think it''s kind of cool to have slippers like this.


    It wasn''t hard finding the gym as the word ''Gym'' is boldly inscribed on the door.


    I push it open and pop my head into the room.


    Maverick is also in gym clothes and he''s standing in the middle of the room. His phone is pressed to


    his ears and his back faces the door.


    My eyes roam the entire room in awe. It''s pleasant and inviting, with top-of-the-range equipment such


    as cardio machines, selectorized weight machines, yoga mats and a martial arts studio.


    There''s even a t-screen TV on one wall.


    Holy cow! What else does this house have? Is there a restaurant and bar somewhere that I don''t know


    about?


    "Why did you bring me here?" I ask when he ends the call and tucks the phone into his pocket.


    "You said you needed help and you didn''t specify what type of help. So we''re doing things my way. And


    if you''re wondering whether to panic, I think you should. You should be terrified of what''sing.


    You''re in for a bumpy ride."


    I scoff. "Yeah, right. I''m definitely quaking in my mismatched slippers..."


    He motions for me toe over and I oblige, standing between him and a thick, leather punching bag


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    that hangs from the ceiling.


    "How do you vent out your anger?" he asks, with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Um... I cry?"


    "That''s it?" He looks incredulous. "You don''t ever feel like punching someone''s face in when you''re


    pissed off?"


    "I''ve had thoughts like that, but I''ve never exactly acted on them." A frown has been etched on my face.


    " And I''m not sure where we''re going with this."


    "Try it just once. Punch the bag."


    "Are you teaching me to be violent?"


    "Sometimes, violence is the key. Bottling up your emotions all the time will kill you slowly. So, punch the


    bag, April."


    My eyes dart between him and the bag, and I sigh. I ball my hands into fists and hit the bag feebly.


    It doesn''t even move.


    Maverick groans. "Oh,e on! Even my patients can throw harder punches! What the hell was that?"


    "I''m sorry. I''m just not into this sort of thing." I see a faint flicker of rage in his eyes as he ces his


    hands on both my shoulders and turns me to face him.


    "You were the one who suggested doing this whole thing, April. You were the one who said that you''re


    ''not worth it'' and that you want to feel like you are. Am I right?"


    I shrug. "Yeah, in a way."


    "So, let me guess. You and Tony were together for a long time, yeah?"


    I nod my head in agreement.


    "And you lived with him until recently?"


    I wonder how he was able to connect the dots, but I don''t ask so I can hear what he''s got to say.


    "He betrayed you after all those and feltpletely unconcerned about it. Did you own any property in


    his house when you moved in?"


    "Yes. I bought the refrigerator and the TV in the living room."


    Maverick looks me dead in the eye. "Did he give you those things back when you left?" He probably


    knows the answer already.


    "No," I say, shrugging again. "Jim suggested being my personalwyer to file a case against him... But I


    wouldn''t let him."


    Maverick doesn''t look surprised, but he still looks pretty... disgusted?


    "I didn''t want to have any more dealings with him, okay?" I say defensively.


    "Well, that''s not what a woman should do. You''re supposed to fight for yourself and your rights, but it''s


    toote for that now. Right, I want you to look back at that bag." He turns my shoulders around to face


    the punching bag. "And imagine it''s Tony."


    "But it''s not."


    He makes an exasperated noise. "I said ''imagine''. Take your mind back to the club night, the night you


    found that bimbo wrapped in his embrace. Thene back to the present and beat the shit out of that


    bag."


    The rage boils back into my veins as the memories sh through my brain.


    You''re a fat fuck...


    No one wants you....


    You''re a mess when you get those panic attacks....


    The next memory doesn''t even make it into my head before I charge at the bag with a loud war-


    cry.

 Chapter 18.

    Chapter 18.


    Hit.


    It was almost a year ago. Summer was gone and so were my chances of getting tanned. I''d juste


    back from another failed interview at apany.


    Hit.


    The living room was dimly-lit but I knew Tony was home as I could see his shoes outside. I craved ice


    cream at that moment because it was literally the only thing that kept me happy.


    Hit.


    I heard the bedroom door open behind me as I got the tub of vani ice cream from the refrigerator. I


    don''t know why I didn''t turn on the lights but, I swear to God, I should''ve.


    Hit. Hit.


    I felt someone''s presence behind me and knew it was Tony. It wasn''t like anyone else lived with us. The


    only thing I needed to do at that moment was rx and talk to someone but, when I turned around to


    face him in the dimly-lit room...


    Hit. Hit. Hit.


    My jaw fell to the ground and so did my ice cream when he-


    "That''s enough."


    Maverick''s voice jolts me from my thoughts, and I identally let the punchbag swing back and hit me.


    I stumble to the ground.


    "You really showed that bag who''s boss!" He whistles as he examines the already-worn leather. The


    bag is sagging slightly from my punches. "How did that feel?"


    To be honest, it felt good. It was an eye-opener.


    I didn''t even realize that I was still mad, until now. I thought I''d got over it for the time being... At least


    until I see Tony and break down again.


    I feel alive for the first time in weeks, as though a burden has been lifted from my shoulders. The new


    emotions bubbling inside me can''t be put into words, so I start to chuckle.


    And then it turns to full-blownughter.


    "Did you see what I did there?" I bounce up from the floor in excitement. "I went full-on Taekwondo on


    that thing... I beat that little shit up and buried it under the name of April. I need something more real to


    pounce on, something more human. I want to rip out someone''s guts-"


    "Hey, take it easy there, baby tiger." Maverick cuts me off with a chuckle of his own. "You seem fine


    with being fierce and knocking someone''s brain out. So what''s really your problem?"


    I swipe my hair off my face and put my aching palms on my hips. Some of the excitement inside me


    dies a little. "I- I don''t know. I''m just not good enough. It''s not like I can talk to anyone about my


    problems. Why would they even listen to me?"


    I''m trying to control the rapid rising and falling of my chest, but I''m panting so hard that it''s impossible.


    "What are you talking about?" asks Maverick, frowning slightly. "They have every reason to listen to


    you."


    Do they?


    I only remember being pushed around all my life. Not once did anyone bother to care about how I feel


    or what I had to say.


    I raise my eyes to look up at Maverick and see his lips pressed in a thin line. Although his eyes are as


    warm as summer.


    "Come back here tomorrow at the same time. We''re working on a new aspect." He says suddenly and


    turns around to leave.


    I blink. He''s leaving already?


    "What new aspect?" I call after him and, without even looking back, he replies:


    "Your self-esteem."


    ~~~~~~


    We had leftover pizza and ketchup for breakfast.


    Maverick didn''t realise we''d run out of food and all the stores were closed because it''s a Sunday.


    I didn''t mind, though. If the stores had been open, I would''ve had to make breakfast and then, when my


    I''m sitting on my bed, Indian style, scrolling through my emails when I hear voices outside the house.


    At first, I try to ignore it, but the noise gets louder and louder until it sounds like an argument. So I do


    what any other human with nothing else to do will do.


    I sneak out of my room to eavesdrop.


    It''s not exactly eavesdropping, though. Even if I''d stayed in my room, their voices would''ve been


    audible, but I just want to have a clear view of the people themselves.


    One of the voices, no doubt, belongs to Maverick and the other one''s so feminine and tiny that I''m half


    worried that her voice is going to break.


    I reach the mini living room and shift the window blinds open just a little bit. I don''t want to be too


    obvious.


    "You have a girl living in your house, for God''s sake! What do you want me to think?" The female voice


    speaks and I shift a little bit to have a clearer picture of her face.


    I met her before at the hospital. She''s the one who looked at me like dirt before disappearing into a


    corner with Maverick, after iming they had an emergency.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Think whatever you want!" snaps Maverick and I lean forwards to see him too. His face is bright red


    and angry. "Who I have at my house is none of your business. So stop acting like you care and move


    on with your life!"


    "You think I care?" She bursts into hystericalughter as if mocking him, but then calms down enough


    to say, "I actually do care about you, you know, and you just hurt my feelings. We are made for each


    other, M."


    He snorts. "If you were ''made'' for me, you would never have left in the first ce. But thanks for


    leaving, anyway." His voice drips with coldness.


    The woman res at him. "This isn''t over. I will be back. I won''t stop until I im what''s rightfully mine."


    "Yeah whatever. Fuck off my property."


    I see her eyes ze with anger before she storms in the opposite direction, her red hair swinging


    sideways.


    I flinch when she ms the gate loudly, then let out a breath that I didn''t know I was holding.


    "You cane out now," I hear Maverick say.


    I''ve been caught. Shit.


    I''m going to remind myselfter to Google ''How to get out of awkward situations.'' I definitely need


    some tips.


    I slowly creak open the door to see Maverick already sitting on the fourth front step, which is covered in


    snow. I reluctantly take a seat beside him and bite my lip nervously.


    "J- just so you know, I- I wasn''t eavesdropping." That''s not exactly a lie.


    He stays silent and he looks like he''s too lost in his own thoughts to tell how badly I want to get out of


    here.


    Then he speaks.


    "Here''s the funny story of why I wanted to be a doctor." He nces at my bewildered expression.


    "Oh, and you can calm down. Stop acting like I''m going to bite your head off, because I''m not."


    I wince. Oops. He saw that?


    "My mum used to cry a lot when I was a kid. She''d read me bedtime stories and when she thought I


    was asleep, she would put a hand over her mouth and cry, trying not to wake me."


    He takes a breath and continues. "I didn''t know what was going on with her, but I wanted to help. I


    turned six and made up my mind that I wanted to help people like Mom. People who are hurt inside,


    people with broken hearts. I was thinking that maybe there was a way of stitching up hearts when


    they''re broken... just like you can stitch up a kid''s knee."


    I''mpletely transfixed, watching him speak.


    "Eleven yearster, I realized that''s not what being a doctor is all about. I realised it when I was forced


    to watch a birthing video in my senior year of high school." Maverick smiles dryly to himself. "Let''s just


    say I didn''t function well for a week after I saw that video."


    I smile too. "We all believed crazy things when we were kids. I can still remember the time I freaked out


    after swallowing an apple seed."


    One of his eyebrows shoots up in a questioning manner. "Why?"


    "I believed a tree would grow inside me, that there was a seed nted in my belly."


    He throws back his head to give a heartyugh. The sound warms me from the inside and melts the icy


    air. "Now that''s one fucked-up theory."


    "Yeah," I say, still smiling. "But, hey, let me know if you do manage to find the cure for a broken heart. I


    really need a dose of that medicine..." I look over at him and remember the way the red-headed nurse


    stormed out. My heartbeat quickens. "And... maybe you do too?"


    Maverick sighs heavily and taps his foot on the step. "Yeah, maybe I do." He watches me adjust my


    sses for a while before pointing at them. "How long have you been wearing those?"


    "Fifteen years. I got diagnosed with Astigmatism when I was ten," I shrug it off like it''s nothing.


    "So you mean, if it falls off, your sight goespletely nk?" he asks and I give him an ''are-you-


    kidding-me'' look.


    "What?" he says defensively. "There''s a big difference between being a medical doctor and being an


    optician. I''m not very familiar with sses."


    "Well, my sight doesn''t exactly go nk. It just bes blurry."


    "So that''s why," he says to himself and nods slowly, as if realising something.


    I stare at him. "That''s why what?"


    "Nothing."


    "My gut tells me you''re lying." I narrow my eyes at him behind my sses.


    "I wouldn''t trust your gut so much. Women jump into conclusions like it''s an Olympic sport."


    I roll my eyes and stare into the night, keeping my eyes on the fireflies surrounding the fountain. The


    sky, too, is beautiful and clear, showcasing so many bright stars...


    "Do you know what they say about the stars?" I ask suddenly and look over at him.


    "No?"


    "Me neither."


    Heughs softly before telling me all he knows about the stars. It turns out that he knows loads about


    the universe.


    We talk about almost everything and I find out that, after he watched that birthing video, he changed his


    mind about bing a doctor and joined a boy band. His Dad didn''t approve of it, though, and broke


    his guitar.


    I also find out that he was a travelling doctor, that he''s been to sixteen different countries. He''s


    multilingual and can even converse in Sign Language for the deaf.


    Puppies are his weak spot and he''s extremely allergic to cats. He loves children and would like to


    adopt four of them from different races when he''s married.


    He loves animation, too, and his favorite cartoon is Shrek. Donkey is his favorite character because he


    reminds him of Callum, his stepbrother.


    By the time we''re finished, I''m amazed.


    When Jim brought up the idea of me staying with his tenant for a period of time, I thought this was


    going to be the worst time of my life.


    But I don''t think I''ve ever been more wrong.

 Chapter 19.

    Chapter 19.


    I think I''m going to pass out.


    As in, I think I''m going to pass out right here, right now, on the cold floor, with my limbs spread out like


    Nute on bread.


    "Go faster,e on. Even my Granny can do better than this," Maverick says and I wipe the sweat


    from my forehead and increase my pace on the treadmill.


    You might well be asking why I''m on a treadmill, sweating like a pig and running as though my life


    depends on it. Well, I got into something resembling a therapy session with Maverick and this was the


    result.


    Our conversation went something like this:


    "What are the qualities you admire in a person, April?" he said. He was seated opposite me with one of


    his legs crossed over the other.


    I hesitated. "Um... I like a person who''s confident being who they are and who doesn''t care what others


    think of them."


    He nodded  at my answer and wrote something down in his notepad before looking back at me. "And


    why do you admire those things?"


    "I want to see the things I don''t have in others," I said.


    "Do you believe that everyone is beautiful in their own way?"


    I gave a dryugh. "Excuse me? Have you met me? We can''t all be beautiful or I wouldn''t be here,


    feeling like this. Some of us are just... existing. We don''t like anyone and nobody likes us."


    I saw him frown before writing something back on his notepad. "If you had the chance to change


    something about yourself, what would that be?"


    "My size," I said, without thinking, and both his eyebrows shot up. "I''ve been criticized more times than


    I can count, just because I''m... big. I get that it''s good to love yourself, no matter who you are, but it''s


    hard to believe that when there are so many jerks in the world."


    And that was the end of the ''semi therapy session''. The next thing Maverick did was drag out a


    treadmill and order me to get on it. You know the rest.


    I was pretty powerless at resisting him.


    "That''s forty-five minutes already." He punches a button on the treadmill which causes it to stop.


    I ce my hands on my knees and pant.


    "This is crazy," I say between breaths and watch him tut at me.


    "You have to up your game. There''re still thirty more days to go." He strolls out of the room, as if he


    hasn''t just given me a death sentence - how am I supposed to do thirty more days of this? - and I follow


    behind.


    When I reach the kitchen, I fling the refrigerator open, taking out a huge, shiny tub of ice cream.


    Maverick catches my wrist. "Let me have a look at that. It looks expired."


    I look down at the ice cream before looking at him in confusion and handing it over. Then he does the


    unexpected.


    He empties all the ice cream into the bin.


    "You monster!" I stare at the empty ice cream tub.


    "Chill out," says Maverick calmly. "Ice cream is the least thing you need, right now. In fact, here''s a diet


    chart that you''re going to adhere to from now on." He brings out a marker pen from the cupboards and


    draws something that looks like a table on the refrigerator.


    I have no idea what''s going on right now. I just want more ice cream.


    "On Monday mornings, you''re having three hard-boiled eggs, some grapefruit, one banana and ck


    coffee." He''s writing the items down on the refrigerator as he''s talking.


    "I don''t like bananas," I say, whining slightly.


    "Well, I hear they go great with ck coffee."


    "But I don''t like-"


    He cuts me off. "For lunch," he says loudly, as though he hasn''t heard me. "You''ll have two hard-boiled


    eggs, one banana and ck coffee."


    "Why so many bananas?"


    "Fine," huffs Maverick, turning to write on the fridge again. "In that case, there''ll be no bananas for


    dinner. You can just have three hard-boiled eggs and some sd."


    I scrunch my face in disgust at the mention of sd. I haven''t eaten anything that looks remotely like


    lettuce since, well... since forever.


    He continues like this until he''s covered the whole week and the fridge just looks like a sad mess of


    eggs and sd.


    My ice-cream days are officially over.


    "Can''t I at least have some pie?" I ask desperately, in ast-ditch attempt to make the week more


    exciting.


    But Maverick''s putting down the marker pen and getting ready to leave the house. "Duty calls. See you


    My cell phone vibrates on the counter and I pick it up, without looking at the caller ID.


    "Jack''s in town," a familiar voice says on the other end of the call and I light up.


    ~~~~~~~~


    I don''t have a problem with making breakfast this morning because, ording to the chart, it''s just


    eggs, banana and coffee.


    The weather''s extremely cold this morning, making my ears and nose turn red. I shrug on a leather


    jacket and wrap my neck with a scarf.


    In no time at all, I''m on my way to meet Jim and my brother at a restaurant.


    Jim told me that Jack snuck into his housest night and got whacked with a shovel by his neighbour. I


    can''t me seventy-six-year-old Nana for learning self-defence in case there''s an intruder and Jack, no


    doubt, passed his boundaries.


    What is it with kids these days sneaking into people''s houses?


    I''m just d he went to Jim''s instead of calling Tony.


    I spot them immediately, sitting at a table at the far end of the restaurant when I swing the door open.


    Jack has an ice-pack pressed over one eye and his sleek dark hair isbed all the way to the back.


    "I''m so d to see you," I grin, once I''ve reached their table. Then I nod at Jim as a form of


    acknowledgement.


    "Wish I could say the same," Jack replies dryly. "Did you eat your phone?"


    "I''m so sorry I didn''t pick up. You should''ve told me before yesterday that you wereing."


    "I was going to give you a surprise visit and what I saw at Tony''s ce came as quite a surprise."


    "I told him what happened with the fire and everything." Jim speaks for the first time since I got here.


    "Which you should''ve done beforehand."


    I mouthe him an ''I''m sorry'' as he diverts his gaze to somewhere that isn''t my face.


    He has every right to be pissed at me. I can''t even handle my own brother.


    "You know, I always thought you two shouldn''t have broken it off," Jack says to the both of us. "My


    sister was so dense at the time. Please take her back."


    I yank a strand of hair from his head as he yells out in pain. "What do you know? You were twelve and


    the only thing you should''ve been worried about at the time was if the color of your baseball cap was


    the right shade of blue."


    "Ah," Jim says, his lips lifting up into a small smile. "But he had his first chest hair at the time so I think


    he was man enough to own his opinions."


    I snort. "Yeah, right. It wasn''t chest hair, actually. An eysh fell onto his chest and it came off after he


    took a shower."


    "Don''t listen to her, she''s trying to ruin my favorite childhood memory," says Jack to Jim, rolling his


    eyes.


    "Can you cope with him until he travels back home to Mom and Dad?" I change the topic, already


    getting tired talking about chest hair. This is what happens when you have too much testosterone in


    your life. Boys just talk about trivial shit.


    In fact, they do it so much that it doesn''t even bother me anymore.


    Jack actually forgot I was a girl once and keptining about how quickly his pubic hair grows. He


    really needs to keep that sort of information to himself.


    "Yeah, of course I can cope with him," Jim says to me now, turning to give Jack a grin. "He''s actually


    goodpany. He''s cool, and awesome..."


    "And funny?" Jack smirks.


    Jim pauses to look over at him before continuing. "He''s cool, and awesome, and... goodpany. I


    think I can handle him."


    "Great. If he acts like a ten-year-old who had too much sugar, you have my permission to whack him


    on the face with a shovel again."


    "Speaking of whacking, how''s my eye?" Jack takes off the ice pack and all blood drains from my face at


    the sight of the bruise.


    There are huge chunks of blood clotting under the skin around his eye and everything''spletely


    purple. It makes me feel sick.


    "Put the ice pack back on," I choke out.


    "There," Jim turns to Jack without even flinching. "You have your answer; your eye looks pretty bad.


    Now let''s go." He stands up from his chair.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Don''t tell me what to do," Jack says stubbornly, refusing to move. "I''m not your puppet."


    "We''re having ice-cream for Brunch."


    "Then let''s get this puppet show started."


    I follow them out of the restaurant and watch as they both get into the car.


    "Aren''t youing along?" Jim pops his head out of the car window.


    "Nah," I say, drooling at the thought of ice cream. "I''m good."


    He gives me a questioning look before driving off.


    Maverick should be so proud of me right now for turning down an ice cream offer.


    I turn around on the walkway and head to the subway station. I''m almost there when I hear a car pull


    up beside me and I halt in my tracks.


    A leg stretches out from the back door and, when it opens slowly, my pupils dte. The red-haired


    nurse from Maverick''s house is stepping out of the car.


    As soon as she''s within my reach, she sizes me up and sticks her nose in the air. "We need to


    talk."

 Chapter 20.

    Chapter 20.


    One sentence.


    Four words.


    Ten letters that can make your heart drop into your stomach.


    We need to talk.


    But it''sing from a person I hardly even know and I don''t know why my legs have suddenly turned


    to jelly. I didn''t even do anything wrong.


    "I don''t know you," I say.


    "Wrong answer." She sneers at me. "Now let''s try that again. We need to talk."


    I sigh and decide to just get this over with. "Fine. What''s your name?"


    She looks a little bit surprised at this, but she brushes it off and puts on a smug look. "Elise


    Montgomery.  Daughter of Phil Montgomery, the founder of the Acquiapany. Only child of Felicity


    Montgomery, a shareholder of the World Bank. Great granddaughter of King Festus III."


    I notice a faint Ennd tint to her voice for the first time. I have a feeling she already knows who I am,


    so I just get straight to the point. "What do you want?"


    "I want you to stop bothering me," Elise Montgomery says curtly. "Leave Maverick alone. He''s going to


    hate you sooner orter, anyway. The only reason he let you in his house is because he doesn''t know


    who you are."


    "And you know who I am?" I ask and she smirks.


    "You''re April White, the reporter who once worked for my Dad''s opposingpany."


    I brush away the droplets of snow that are falling onto my shoulders and let out a breath. "What has


    this got to do with Maverick hating me?"


    "How can you be so clueless?" she scoffs sticking her nose in the air. "Back off while you''ve got the


    chance. The both of you''ll only end up getting hurt. I''m trying to tell Maverick I''m the only one for him,


    but he wouldn''t listen. And now he has you in his house."


    She makes it sound like I''m some sort of gue, like I''m something dirty on the bottom of her shoe. It


    "Just leave him alone. Don''t let yourself burden him." Elise flips her hair with her perfectly manicured


    hand and looks at me onest time. "Oh, and don''t tell Maverick about this. If anyone asks, we never


    had this conversation and I never even met you," With that, she bumps into me on purpose and walks


    off in the opposite direction.


    I''m left standing alone, grateful only of the fact that she didn''t see me cry.


    My life''s a joke.


    I can''t believe I thought everything would be all right. Everything is never going to be all right.


    I''m not doing this thing anymore. I know I shouldn''t believe the words of a jealous ex-girlfriend, but I


    can''t do it anymore. I can''t risk people getting hurt.


    I''m giving up.


    I take little steps as I trudge along the sidewalk but, before I know it, I''m running along the city''s streets,


    letting out huge sobs.


    I''m getting stares from people as I bump into them while crying, but their opinions are thest thing I


    give a fuck about right now.


    Maverick told me to transfer my anger into doing something physical, like punching a bag but, right


    now, there''s no punch bag with me. The only thing I can think of to hit is already far behind me,


    swinging her red hair as she prances along, probably mentally high-fiving herself for getting to me so


    easily.


    With nothing to take my anger out on, I run harder and faster, all the way down to the penthouse.


    In what seems like minutes, the housees into view and I stop in front of the gate to catch my


    breath. A few more tears slip from my eyes.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Are you crying?"


    I jump from the sound of the voice and whip my head around to see Maverick standing in front of me,


    with his car parked on the other side of the road.


    "You''re supposed to be at the hospital," I say, scrubbing furiously at my tears.


    "And you''re supposed to be happy. What the hell happened to you? Why are you crying?"


    "I can''t do it anymore," I blurt out. "I was wrong to think I could change. People can''t change. It''s


    impossible. I''m sorry I asked for your help and...  and... I''m sorry for being a faliure."


    The next thing I know, his arms are around me in a hug and my forehead is pressed to his chest.


    "I want to do it," says maverick softly. "This isn''t about you anymore."


    I feel his ribcage rise up and down against my forehead.


    "Somehow, you dragged me into all of this, April, and now I want to continue. There''s so much behind


    those thick-rimmed ss of yours and I want to discover what it is. Like a jigsaw puzzle, I''m going to


    piece you back together to reveal beautiful artwork and you''re going to help me with just that. Just hold


    on a little while longer; we''re going to make them pay."


    My lungs feel like they''re about to burst. Maybe it''s because of all the crying, but I just want to stay like


    this for a while, hugging tightly like the closest of soulmates.


    And we do.


    ~~~~~~~


    Ten minutester, we''re both in the living room with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and an empty jar.


    I don''t know what the jar is for. Maverick came out of the attic with it after brewing me the coffee and


    now he''s just sitting there, not saying anything.


    I watch the steam of the coffee ascend in spirals from the cup before he finally speaks.


    "She met with you," It''s more of a statement than a question.


    My head shoots up, looking at him with wide eyes. "No!" I shook my head a little bit too vigorously.


    "Howe you know who I''m talking about?"


    Ok, I walked right into that one. Well done, April.


    "You see that jar over there?" He points to the transparent jar between us and I nod. "It''s called the


    negativity jar. Any time you say something negative about yourself, you put one coin in there."


    I blink. "But I don''t have money."


    Maverick shrugs. "That''s your problem, not mine. So you''d better watch the things you say about


    yourself, or you just might end up filling up that jar within a week."


    I sigh in defeat and drop my head. I just made things worse.


    Throughout the entire week, Maverick and I spend majority of our time upstairs at the gym. We proceed


    from the treadmill run in just a day to fifteen sit-ups, five crunches, five leg raises and a ten-second


    nk.


    I oversleep the next morning from tiredness and he blows a whistle in my face which sends me


    tumbling from my bed to the floor.


    Day five includes thirty sit-ups, twelve crunches, twelve leg raises and a twenty-second nk.


    I''m sitting on the gym''s floor after day six''s gym ss, sweating my ass off, when I feel the coldness of


    a liquid being poured over my head.


    "It''ll help cool off. You''ll get a migraine otherwise. You overworked yourself today," Maverick tells me as


    he screws the lid back onto the bottle and grabs a towel. "Don''t be too hard on yourself. You''re


    supposed to climb those mountains, not carry them. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is


    grow into a better person."


    He squats in front of me and tries to dry my hair. "Let go of the attachment but keep the lessons it


    taught you. Take the time to make your soul happy."


    "But what if I can''t let them go?"


    Maverick tuts at me. "You''re putting a coin in the negativity jar when we go down." He grins but I know


    he means it. "You don''t even know how amazing you are."


    My eyes raise to look at his and I see him gazing down at me. The heat of his gaze burns my cheek,


    turning them slightly red.


    He leaves the towel on my head, making it cover half my face and stopping right above my lips. I feel


    his thumb caress the skin right next to them as my heart beats violently against my ribcage.


    I can''t see anything because of the towel draping over my face but I know he''s close. I can feel his


    breath warming my face.


    Before I can decipher what''s happening next, however, the ringing of his cell phone fills the room.


    I don''t think I''ve ever been madder at a cell phone.


    The towel falls from my face and I get to my feet, watching Maverick talk to the person on the other end


    of the line.


    Maybe this is fate. Maybe this whole thing is supposed to be happening in my life right now. I don''t


    know.


    But whatever it is, I''m happier now. I catch myself smiling often these days and I''m kind of getting used


    to the ''no- ice-cream-rule''.


    Maverick ends the call and nces in my direction, catching me smiling at him. "What?" He asks.


    "Nothing," I say. "I''m just d I met you."


    Then I turn on my heels to leave.

 Chapter 21.

    Chapter 21.


    "It''s too high. I can''t reach it!"


    "You can, and you will," Jim tells me.


    "But it''s still so far away," Iin.


    Maverick groans from beneath me. I think I might be squashing him. "Just get the stupid star at the top


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    of the tree," he says.


    My legs are wrapped around his head and he''s all that''s holding me up. I''m basically sitting on his


    neck.


    "I will, if you just move a little bit... closer." I try reaching out for the tree.


    But Maverick groans again. "There''s a very high risk that this tree branch will stab me in the eye if I


    move any closer. I''m staying put, thanks."


    Jim fishes out his phone and points the camera at us, as if he wants tomemorate this... wonderful


    moment.


    "Put that phone away Jim," I snap.


    "What? Oh... No, I just want to check what time it is..." Jim''s a horrible liar. The camera''s light shes


    and he immediately reces it in his pocket when I re at him.


    He grins. "It''s 9:45."


    This is us, trying to finish the decorations on Maverick''s Christmas tree. Christmas Eve has finally


    Jim''s family are all Atheists and don''t celebrate Christmas so he thought he''d give us a hand in our


    Christmas decorations.


    My hand finally reaches the top of the tree at the fifth try and we all sigh with relief as Maverick puts me


    back on the ground.


    "Awesome teamwork!" He high fives me and the three of us stand in front of the tree, admiring the


    decorations. We''re all dressed in Christmas hats and t-shirts that read ''ho ho ho!''.


    "I brought Christmas movies to watch, Are you guys game?" Jim asks the both of us, grinning again.


    "You seem to be even more prepared for Christmas than we are. Your mom doesn''t even celebrate it," I


    say.


    "My mom is an Atheist, and I''m not. My family sucks, and I don''t. They don''t believe in God, and I think


    there''s a wonderful somebody who created this sexy hunk of man meat." He gestures to himself. "You


    can''t expect me to believe that I came from Apes."


    "Get over yourself." I roll my eyes.


    "We''ll make popcorn for the movie," Maverick says and nods his head in the direction of the kitchen,


    gesturing to me to follow him.


    "Do you think Jim would like a lot of sugar on it?" Maverick asks, bringing out raw corn and shoving it in


    the popcorn machine.


    "Nah, he fears diabetes. His father died of it," I say, which is perfectly true. Jim has been paranoid for


    years.


    He nods and closes the machine, turning it on and facing me, with his hand folded across his chest.


    "You two look like you''ve been close for a long time."


    "A really long time," I tell him. "We''ve watched ourselves grow, and I''m proud to see the man he''s


    be." I look over at the living room and see Jim dancing to ''I''m sexy and I know it'' which is


    streaming from the loudspeakers.


    "I''m sure he''s proud of you too," Maverick says and follows my gaze, both of usughing at Jim''s weird


    dance moves.


    "You dance, right?"


    "Why do you ask?" I raise an eyebrow.


    "Because you''re about to." He drags me to the living room before I can even open my mouth to protest.


    We put the music on repeat and join Jim, turning it into a choreography session, with Jiming up


    with the dance moves for us to follow.


    It''s weird, but at the same time, it''s fun. I''mughing so hard at the crazy moves Jim ising up with,


    but Maverick doesn''t seem to be bothered about it. He''s ying the air-guitar and Jim''s using a spat


    as a microphone.


    What better way is there to spend Christmas than this?


    ~~~~


    We dance till it is 11:01.


    Thankfully, the popcorn didn''t get burnt because the machine''s automatic and stops when all corns are


    popped.


    Jim joins us in the kitchenter to make coffee and now we''re on the couch, with him in the middle, an


    empty bowl on his legs.


    We''ve all got a carrot sticking out of our mouths.


    The bowl''s empty thanks to Jim and me.


    We''re watching ''How the Grinch stole Christmas'' on Maverick''s TV and Jim won''t stop giving us


    spoilers. I try covering his mouth once with my palm and he licks them, his slimy saliva sticking to my


    hands.


    It''s gross.


    Of course, I freak out badly and whack him with a pillow, causing all of the popcorn to spill to the floor.


    And that leaves us with an empty bowl - plus carrots to keep our mouths busy. There''s no longer any


    popcorn.


    I zone out of the movie when Jim keeps on talking, continuously giving more spoilers. My phone screen


    lights up and I pick it up to see a message from Maverick:


    I hope he doesn''t choke on that carrot. Talking plus carrot-eating is not a good idea.


    I nce at Jim. He''s really being very annoying.


    Me: I hope he does.


    Jim''s head is blocking me from seeing Maverick''s expression so I sigh and type back:


    Me: I''m sorry we ruined Christmas.


    His reply came fast.


    Are you kidding? This is one of the best Christmas ever.


    I blink and text: How so?


    Maverick: I usually spend my Christmas at the hospital, doing work.


    Me: Why? You could spend the holiday with your family.


    His reply surprises me again.


    I''d rather not.


    I frown a bit. What''s the deal with his parents? My phone vibrates again at another message from him.


    Maverick: Don''t overthink things. They''re just too busy to care about Christmas.


    Me: I wasn''t overthinking anything.


    Maverick: If you say so (;


    Me: Stop winking, it''s creepy.


    Maverick: How? (;


    I groan and type: Just stop it!


    Him: ;)


    ;)


    ;)


    ;)


    ;)


    ;)


    ;)


    I manage to suppress the urge to bury my face in my hands. He''s literally spamming me with winks.


    Urgh!


    My fingers fly over the keys: Maverick!!


    Maverick''s responsees very quickly: Can I ask you something?


    My hand pauses over my phone screen and I re-read the message over and over again. This hase


    really out of the blue. He must be sensing I''m taking too long to reply, however, so I type back.


    Me: talk now or forever hold your peace.


    Maverick: What are you? Some sort of priest?


    I bite back augh.


    Me: Just ask, Maverick.


    Maverick: I want you to be totally honest with me on this. It might be awkward afterwards, but I have to


    know how you feel.


    I stare at the words dumbfounded and read the rest of the texts he''s sending.


    Maverick: I''ve kept this to myself for a while and it''s about time for me to confront you about it. I hope


    this doesn''t ruin the rtionship we already have.


    Me: Just get straight to the point.


    My fingers shake slightly.


    Maverick: I just need to know and can''t see any way to get over this. It won''t be fair if I don''t get an


    answer, so I want you to tell me truthfully. I just want your honest opinion.


    Me: Ok?


    Maverick: Do you know the muffin man?


    I blink at my phone and look over at him, even if I can''t fully see his face. Is this a joke? What was I


    expecting?


    Me: I would stab you with my carrot if Jim wasn''t between us.


    Maverick: It was just a simple question (:


    Me: You did that on purpose, didn''t you?


    Maverick: Did what? (:


    Me: Damn you.


    I put my phone away and scoff slightly. He really does have a way of getting to me, but not in a bad


    way. I''m vexed - not at him but at myself.


    How could I ever think otherwise?


    My phone screen lights up again and I pick up the phone with shaky hands, scared of what he might


    text back, but my insides dissolve when I see the three simple words on my screen.


    Maverick: Merry Christmas April.

 Chapter 22.

    Chapter 22.


    I spent Friday doing nothing. But then, it''s not like I usually do anything anyway, other than spend time


    at the gym.


    Exercising is already feeling refreshing, to be honest. It doesn''t feel like I''m stressing out anymore and I


    don''t feel extreme pain in my bones when I wake in the morning like I used to.


    Looks like my body''s getting used to gym.


    Most of my clothes don''t fit the way they used to before. They''re either too big or way too long.


    The next morning, I get up and go straight to the gym, but Maverick''s already gone. I go back down to


    make myself a ck coffee and I notice a note on the kitchen counter, pinned down by a paperweight.


    Out for a morning jog. You shoulde along.


    ~ Maverick


    A small smile stretches across my face as I go to change into a green tank top, some leggings and


    sports shoes, then make my way out the penthouse.


    One thing that I love about this neighborhood is the calmness. I can only see a teenage girl walking her


    dog down the street.


    There''s no one else in sight.


    There are also pavements set aside for jogging, which is what I''m doing now. I tuck in my earphones


    and select a song from my iPhone, ying it at full volume.


    I start jogging slowly, but I soon feel my lungs aching and my body goes numb after reaching the park.


    My breath has turned into uncontroble gasps, but I don''t stop. Not even for a second.


    The adrenaline starts to pump through my veins and the energy from it is what pushes me forward.


    My pace slows down when I spot someone familiar.


    I''d recognize that body anywhere.


    Maverick is in a ck, sleeveless hoodie and a pair of shorts, showcasing his leg and arm muscles. He


    looks like he''s taking a rest so I walk up behind him and cover his eyes with both my hands.


    "Guess who?"


    "April," he says, without hesitation.


    "How did you know?" I step up beside him.


    "You''re the only one I know who smells like pineapple. It was pretty easy to figure it out."


    "You know what I smell like?" I don''t know whether to find that cute or creepy.


    "Yep, I do. Want to know what I smell like?" He stretches one of his arms towards me and I take a little


    step backward.


    "No. Not now that you''re covered in sweat, anyway. Get out of my ''smell zone''."


    He chuckles and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, the tip of his fingers brushing my skin and


    sending shivers down my spine.


    "You changed," Maverick tells me.


    "How?"


    "You talk more... and you''re funnier. I hardly ever saw you, when you first moved in."


    "What? I- I''m not funny," I say, giving him a look.


    "Compliment, April. It''s called apliment and you need to know how to ept one. Let''s try that


    again, shall we?"


    I don''t reply, hoping he takes it as a no.


    "I assume that''s a yes," he says.


    Great.


    "I think you''re pretty."


    I shrug and put on my poshest voice. "Why, thank you for thinking I''m pretty, O wise one. I think you''re


    not bad yourself."


    "Not bad? Have you met me?" He spreads his arms out and turns around, showing off his body.


    "You really need to stop spending time with Jim," I say.


    "It''s just called ''feeling confident about yourself''."


    "No, that''s called ''being proud''-"


    He cuts me off. "Yes, of yourself. No one''s better at being you than you are, so be proud of it and just...


    own it."


    When I''m with Maverick, there''s always something new to learn. It''s like I''ve been blindfolded all my life


    and now he''s removing the blindfold.


    I have a clearer view of the world and how it works, although I still have no idea where Maverick stands


    in my life. I''d call us friends but it''s starting to look like it''s something more.


    With Tony, it was just about me trying to do whatever he wanted, about me trying to please him even if


    he''s never satisfied.


    These past weeks, I''ve felt things that I haven''t felt in a long time. Happiness, peace of mind, safety...


    It''s wonderful when all these feelingse rushing back because of one person.


    I look up at Maverick to see him staring at something in the distance and I follow his gaze, noticing a


    kid not more than three years old, crying over her spilled ice cream.


    "She''s a baby," I say.


    "I know," he says and walks over to pick her up, her puffy cheeks red and stained with tears.


    "Where''s your mommy?" he asks and uses his thumbs to brush off the girl''s tears. "Are you lost?"


    "Cindy!"


    We both turn our heads to the ear-splitting screaming from a youngdy who isn''t much older than


    me. She rushes to where we are and plucks the baby from Maverick''s arms.


    "I''m so sorry about that. I don''t know how she managed to slip from my sight," she says, bouncing the


    young girl in her arms.


    "It''s not always safe out there, so it would be wise to keep an eye on her all the time," Maverick says


    and smiles as the woman''s eyes roam his body before she blushes and puts her baby back on the


    ground.


    "I''m Anne-Marie." She outstretches her hand for a shake,pletely forgetting that she''s left her baby


    alone again. My eyes search for a wedding ring on her finger and I observe she doesn''t have one.


    She must be a single mother.


    "Maverick," he replies shortly.


    "I haven''t seen you before. Do you live around here?"


    I''m sure she won''t even notice if the kid wanders away again.


    "I do. My apartment''s just down by the street..." says Maverick, smiling.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Which we''re actually headed back to," I chime in and tangle my fingers against his arms. "Right, M?"


    Thedy notices me for the first time and her mouth forms an ''O''. "I hope I''m not interrupting anything."


    "You''re not."


    "You are."


    Maverick and I both speak at exactly the same time, and Anne-Marieughs slightly, showcasing a set


    of white pearly teeth.


    Damn! Those perfect teeth...


    "I''ll get going then. See you around." She smiles again and walks the other way, asionally pausing


    to look back at him.


    I hope she walks into a wall and hits her head.


    I untangle my grip from his arms when she''s out of sight.


    "What was that about?" Maverick looks down at me with a knowing smile. "You never call me ''M''."


    "So?" I''m getting slightly defensive here. "I just felt like calling you that... Because it''s the first letter of


    your name and..."


    His grin grows wider.


    I give in. "Oh, shut up."


    "Come on," he smirks. "I want to hear you say it again."


    "Well, you can''t. Sorry." I start walking back towards the house and he follows behind.


    "You know you still want to call me that and I can tell you''re smiling."


    That''s not a lie. I have this stupid goofy grin on my face I can''t wipe off.


    Remember when I said I have no idea where he stands in my life? Well, here''s a category I believe he


    fits into well.


    Some people can actually save you. They make you feel at peace; They bring out yourughter. They


    bring out sides of yourself you thought you lost. They show you the importance of self love and care, of


    friendship, loyalty and they remove the hurt from the moment they walk into a room. They do this


    without any kind of effort. Without thinking about it. Without knowing the positive effect they have on


    your feelings.


    They naturally make you feel at home. They bring out the sun in the middle of the rain.


    My only hope is that this thing between Maverick and me isn''t temporary.

 Chapter 23.

    Chapter 23.


    I spend half of the next week working myself out to death.


    Every morning, we start out jogging, going round the neighborhood as many times as we can. We start


    with three miles, then slowly increase the distance every day. He soon has me running up to eight to


    nine miles every day. It''s a lot of work I tell you, why is losing weight so hard when just the sight of cake


    adds to my weight.


    "How long are we going to keep doing this?" I ask as I pant heavily. We''re walking back to the house


    after another morning jog.


    "When you stopining," Maverick says and a groan erupts from the back of my throat. I stop in


    front of the mailbox when we reach the house and fish out the mails inside.


    I called home yesterday to check in on everybody and found out that Jack got back in one piece. The


    Christmas cards they sent to me got transferred back to them because Tony''s house address doesn''t


    exist anymore. The owner of the ce decided to renovate it into a supermarket.


    Mom and Dad don''t know what happened though. I don''t want the whole family of Whites hunting Tony


    down and I trust Jack would respect my decision and keep his loose mouth shut.


    I notice a different envelop from my normally packaged ones and read what''s written on it.


    "You got a mail too," I stretch it out to Maverick after seeing his name inscribed on the outside. He eyes


    it before snatching it from my hands and tearing it open to read it. I let curiosity get the better of me as I


    peek over his shoulder to read what''s in it. I was a reporter and one of my characteristics is to be nosy.


    Sue me.


    Dear Mr.Wright,


    It reads.


    As one of our most recognized figures in the city, you have hereby been invited to the society''s annual


    Ball taking ce on the 11th of January. Do inform us if this is going to cause you any inconvenience


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    and we''ll get back to you without further ado.


    Yours Faithfully,


    Enigma Team.


    "Who are they?" I ask after reading the whole thing.


    "They''re apany or team that holds this Ball every year for the citizens of this society. Recognized


    citizens of the society," He says "You should go with me."


    "That''s ridiculous. I don''t go to parties. Remember what happened thest time I went to a club party?"


    He gives an uncertain look. "Exactly. I don''t like parties, parties don''t like me. It''s a mutual something." I


    say and climb up the porch into the house as he follows behind.


    "You have toe with me. It''s yourst task of you wanting to be a woman," I stop on my tracks


    and turn around to give him a questioning look.


    "Proceed."


    "I know for a fact He''s going to be there," By ''He'' we both know he meant Tony. "I thought his face was


    familiar the first time I saw him but now I know I''ve seen him every year I''ve been invited to this Ball


    party."


    "And you think I should go because...?"


    "To prove yourself to him for once in your life. I know you want to show him the person you''ve be,


    the person you made yourself be. You know you want to show him this new you and make him


    regret he treated you that way. You didn''te all this far just for yourself, I''m not stupid, you... Are you


    crying?"


    "It''s just amazing someone finally understands me other than Jim. He was the only one who knew how


    to put up with my shit," I half-smile, and yes, I''m crying.


    "April, you have to train your mind to be stronger than your emotions or you''ll lose yourself all the time."


    "So I can''t cry?"


    "You can bawl your eyes out whenever you want to but not for little things like this. Jesus Christ, no one


    died." He says and saunters up the stairs to his bedroom.


    I dab at the tears falling from my eyes and examine myself in the mirror on the wall near my bedroom.


    Maverick''s right, I do want an opportunity to see me as I am now. But not in the sense that I want to get


    back with him. Maybe I just want to show him I can be better than the people he cheated on me with.


    My bra top is revealing most of my belly area so I run my hands through the bare skin. I spent seven


    years with Tony and gained nothing and with just twenty-eight days with Maverick, I''m gradually


    beginning to understand the meaning of self-love even if it took twenty-two days of hard dieting and


    exercising. It was totally worth it.


    But he''s wrong about just one thing. If I wasn''t able to train my mind to be stronger than my emotions,


    then I wouldn''t have been able to go on with this thirty days no ice cream thingy. It''s really not a very


    easy job letting go of something you''ve grown too ustomed to.


    I really want Him to see the new me but what is the new me? My hand leaves my belly andes up


    to trace the contours of my face before running down my long curly hair.


    Maybe it''s time to seek another person''s opinion on this. And I know just the right ce to go.

 Chapter 24.

    Chapter 24.


    "You should go with this, it definitely suits your style," Yep, you might have guessed right. Jim and I are


    at a Salon downtown after I bribed him with pizza, using his credit card to buy them of course. We''ve


    gone through almost all the catalogs in the store, searching for an appropriate hairdo for me but this is


    me being so indecisive right now.


    "Get that off my face. I''m not walking out in the streets looking like Dolly Parton," I tell Jim.


    "What''s wrong with Dolly? She''s hot. Most Grandma''s her age live with dozens of cats and knits cat


    sweaters on their rocking chair but she''s a legend on her own. Have some respect and chill."


    "I would if you stop showing me hairstyles from the ''80s," I stretch my hands to pick up my phone from


    the table as it identally falls into a bucket of hair shampoo. The hairstylist rushes over to get the


    phone out of the bucket. "Don''t worry, it''spletely waterproof. I drop it in my toilet all the time," I tell


    her, and she gives me a weird look.


    We finally decide to get my hair dyed pale blonde and get it cut short to my shoulder length. It was a lot


    of work trying to trim my overly long unkempt hair to that length but with a lot of effort and time spent, I


    soon have myself walking out of the Salon with a whole new look.


    It''s evening time already and I''m in the passenger''s seat of Jim''s car on my way back home from our


    little makeover, or whatever dude-ish name he''d call it.


    The street to the Penthouse graduallyes in view but Jim zooms past it as I whip my head around


    to stare at him.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m kidnapping you. Let''s run away together," He sounded serious for a moment but when I look again,


    I see his lip brought up in a small smile.


    I reach up to shove his head yfully and rest my head back on the car''s window as everything goes


    by in an elerated rush. I don''t care where he''s taking me or where we''re headed to, but I feel like I


    need it so I don''t argue like I usually would.


    Within minutes, he pulls up in a club filled with cars and people. I spot a girl puking her brains out at a


    corner and I scrunch my nose up in disgust.


    "I''m not going in there. Remember what happened thest time I went to a club," I tell Jim but when I


    turn to face him on the driver''s seat, he''s not there and is already out of the car, walking into the club.


    "Aww isn''t he sweet. So considerate."


    My legs make their way into the club and my head almost splits from the loud music sting from the


    speakers. ''Low'' by Flo Rida is turned up on full volume and despite the splitting pain in my head, I bob


    my head sideways to the beat of the music.


    "What''s a prettydy like you doing all alone," A dudees up behind me. There''s an unlit cigarette


    hanging between his upper and lower lip as his crooked lips turn up in a smirk. It''s amusing to me


    because it''s the first time someone makes an attempt to flirt with me so I just stand and watch,


    wondering what his next move would be but before he could make any move which I was anticipating, I


    hear Jim''s voice over the loud music.


    "Look at her that way again and I''ll rip out your eyes and fuck the sockets."


    They both engage in a stare off before the dude backs out and blends in with the crowd.


    "Stop acting like my boyfriend," I shove him out of my way and move deeper into the crowd.


    "It''s called protecting you. That guy already had you naked in his perverted mind," He follows me.


    "I imagine random people I see naked in my head, so what?" That slips out my mouth before I can take


    it back and he gives me a ''what-the-fuck'' look. "Listen, I just want to have fun without someone


    watching me like a hawk, ok?"


    "You want fun? There you have it," he gestures to a different group of people at the other side of the


    club all chanting chug chug chug chug to a male who has his head turned upside down and both his


    hands supporting his weight up. There''s a hose-like substance in his mouth that traces down to a bottle


    of alcohol. "I''m betting 50 bucks you can''t do that."


    "You underestimate me, Thomas."


    "Well prove me wrong, White," I cast him a grin before I walk over to where they are.


    "I''d like to go next," I tell the big guy with a snake tattooed to his neck.


    "Get out of there ya pussy," He tells the guy struggling to chug the alcohol down his throat. "Ya couldn''t


    even reach half the bottle. What a wimp," The crowd erupts inughter and I have no possible idea


    how they find that so funny. The guy staggers out of the arena and rushes to the restroom probably to


    puke.


    "Now look here missy," The big guy says again. "You done this before?" I shook my head ''no''. "Well, I


    just wanted to tell ya you''re not going to be our responsibility if you pass out right here."


    "Why would I pass out?" I inquire.


    "You just have to find out yourself, isn''t that right folks?!" He yells to the crowd and they erupt in cheers.


    "Now get up there and make us proud."


    I can do this. It''s just alcohol. I''m not a lightweight and wouldn''t pass out as they say.


    The big guy holds me upside down and fixes the hose to my mouth as they begin chanting chug chug


    chug chug.


    I begin slowly at first to have the taste of alcohol on my tongue and maybe I should''ve kept it that way


    because when I open my eyes to stare at Jim from afar behind my sses, he begins to appear in


    two''s and three''s and that''s when I knew I lost it.


    ~~~~~~~~


    I don''t know how I get home the next morning but I can sense I''m in my room in the penthouse.


    The throbbing in my head seems to have doubled overnight as it feels like there are two hippo''s


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    shagging in my head right now.


    I peel my eyes slightly open and nce at Maverick sitting beside my bed with a facial expression I''m


    not sofortable with so I try to sit up and examine my surroundings.


    "What happened?" I ask.


    "You got drunk and passed out," He answers sternly and I breathe a sigh of relief. Nothing out of the


    ordinary. "What happened, April?"


    I frown at him. "You just said I got drunk and passed out."


    "No, what happened a year ago?" He asks again and my heart leaves my body. "You sleep talkedst


    night. I heard you but I just wanted a reconfirmation."


    Its been months since I sleep talk, why did that have to happen when he''s around. I didn''t think it''d


    has an idea of what happened. What if I lie? And say it was just a nightmare? Would he buy it?


    "You''re not saying anything."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I lie.


    "Answer me!" He yells and a tear seeps out of my eye unknowingly. He''s never raised his voice at me


    before nor gnash his teeth at me. I see his eyes ze fire and his knuckles turn white.


    He''s livid.


    Then I decide. I say the one sentence I swore never to tell anyone.


    "I got raped by Tony a year ago."

 Chapter 25.

    Chapter 25.


    Anger.


    There''s a point in everyone''s life where they experienced that word. It might be frequent for people with


    bad tempers and once in a while for calm and calcted persons but the point is, humans are bound to


    flip when they''ve gotten to their anger limit.


    I always wondered what would ever make a slow tempered person like Maverick lose his shit but on


    this day that I can literally see fumesing out from his nose and ears, I finally got my answer.


    I made him lose his shit. Or should I say Tony did?


    "He...You...What??" He splutters.


    "It''s a long story..."


    "I want to hear it," He cuts me short.


    "But I don''t want to talk about it!" I yell this time. "I don''t want to relive that moment! You can''t make


    me!"


    Huge fat sobs spill from my eyes and he looks taken aback from my outburst. I want to run out of the


    now ustrophobic room but I''m certain he''d hold me back so I just sit there and let the tears run down


    my face. My breathing is getting ragged and my brain is shing memories of Tony''s house. I suddenly


    feel dizzy as all blood drains from my face.


    My panic attackes rushing back after so many weeks.


    "Fuck! What''s happening?" Maverick has never seen me in my panic attacks and I''m sure he''s about to


    get one now from my reaction to the whole issue. "Just breathe, April, Breathe. Let it pass." He pulls


    me to his chest and envelopes me in his arms. I''m trying to work hard on my breathing but it''s just not


    working out.


    Why is he making me talk about it? I just want to forget what happened.


    Tony''s face shes in my head and suddenly, my brain spirals into its own toxic mixture of cowardice


    and pain. I stay tangled in his arms with my head pressed to his chest as the soothing rhythm of his


    heartbeat makes me feel somewhat safe, thereby making my breathing more steady and controble.


    I move away from him to look him in the eyes as he brushes a blonde strand of hair out of my face and


    then cups my face with such tenderness like I''d break that it makes me want to cry. With a thumb, he


    brushes the shameless tear from my cheek.


    My eyes hold so many emotions that are too heavy to carry so I let more tears spill without control. I


    feelfortable like this, with him.


    "You didn''t tell me about your panic attacks," He finally says.


    "There''s a lot of things I haven''t told you. And I''m stupid for thinking I could hide this for so long."


    "I shouldn''t havee at you that way, it''s ok if you don''t want to talk about it..."


    "No," I shake my head. "It''s time I face my fears. I can''t be a coward forever. Isn''t that what half of the


    enough time to recollect myself.


    "It was around this period a year ago..."


    Summer was gone and so were my chances of getting tanned. I just came back from another failed


    interview at apany.


    The living room was dimly lit but I knew Tony was home as I saw his shoes outside. I craved Ice-cream


    at that moment because it was literally the only thing that kept me happy.


    I heard the bedroom door behind me open as I got out the Vani vored Ice-cream from the


    refrigerator. I don''t know why I didn''t turn on the lights but I swear to God, I should''ve.


    I felt someone''s presence behind me and I knew it was Tony because no one else lived with us. The


    only thing I needed to do at that moment was just to rx and talk to someone but when I turned


    around to face him in the dimly lit room...


    My jaw fell to the ground and so did my cup of ice-cream when heunched forward and forced his


    mmy lips on mine.


    "Tony stop. I''m not in the mood," I attempted to push him away but he only tightened his grip and ran


    his hand down my chest. "We talked about this already, get off me."


    "You''re mine. I''ll have you whenever I want to," He dragged out and before I could respond, I felt


    something sharp pierce my neck and it didn''t take me a minute for me to realize it was a shot.


    I was being drugged.


    Everything gradually became a blur even with my sses on and I struggled to stand steady on my


    feet but the drug already ran all over me, paralyzing almost all my muscles.


    I felt myself being dragged to the bedroom and the hairs at the back of my neck stood, my body


    bes rigid, as it registers what''s happening. But I couldn''t do anything about it. It was useless trying


    to fight him but I gave it my shot. I was dumb.


    I saw that smirk on his face when he climbed over me. It gradually began to feel numb as I closed my


    eyes and let my emotions take over.


    He told me it wasn''t a big deal the next day and that it was normal for couples to be intimate. I


    believed him even when I knew it was wrong. I believed I loved him even when I thought of a thousand


    reasons not to. I believed no one would love me as he did. I got brainwashed.


    Slowly, I began to lose self-worth. I smiled on the outside but my heart bled. Jim couldn''t know about it,


    he''d sue his ass all the way to Europe. I tried protecting him and got hurt at the end.


    I lost myself to this monster who wears a smirk like an attire.


    ~~~~~~~~~


    Hardly can I remember thest time I slept this long. I fell into a dreamless slumber after I told Maverick


    the whole story.


    I made him swear he wouldn''t tell Jim about it. He was hesitant at first but my tears won him over. I fell


    asleep in his arms and clung on to him like my life depended on it like he''d disappear into thin air if I let


    go.


    I sit up from my bed and notice he left already, the empty space beside me already cold from his


    presence. I wonder how long he watched me sleep. Did he like my new hairdo? He never said anything


    about it.


    The loud rumbling sound of my stomach reminds me I had not eaten a single thing throughout the day.


    I pick up my phone to look at the time and my eyes widen when it reads 3:05 am. I literally slept the


    whole day.


    Scrambling to my feet, I rush into the bathroom to have a shower and change intofortable clothes


    not before having a mouth wash.


    The living room is night dark when I walk into it. Me not being a huge fan of the dark, I rush over to turn


    on the lights and almost jump out of my skin when I see a figure sitting on the counter.


    "Holy shit," I cuss. "What are you doing up sote?"


    "I couldn''t sleep," Maverick replies and scratches the back of his head. "What are you doing up so


    "I was hungry."


    "Typical." He chuckles and throws a banana at me which I catch it with a hand, peeling off the back and


    deep throating the whole thing.


    "Spill. What''s on your mind?" I ask after disposing of the banana peel. I feel his eyes following my


    every move as I settle beside him on the counter.


    "You," He picks up my wrists and ces my tiny palm on his broad ones. "It pains me to see how long


    you''ve coped with such burden and still manage to smile. I''m sorry you''re hurting."


    "I don''t get it. Why do bad things happen to me?" I think aloud.


    "Maybe it''s because you''re the good that happens to others," He doesn''t know it but there''s an


    explosive eruption of joy in my belly when he says that. It sounds so convincing that I almost want to


    believe it. "Let''s just ditch that topic for today, it''s stupid to bring it back up. What''s your favorite book?"


    "Well that''s random," I breathe out augh at his attempt to change the topic. "I have quite a lot but I


    think I''d go with Romeo and Juliet."


    "Ah, Shakespeare. An iconic writer."


    "You read too?" I ask out of surprise.


    "Please, what''s a house without books? I have a library down in the basement stacked with


    Shakespeare''s works," He tells me. "Don''tugh, but I actually act some of his dramas out."


    "You''re kidding," Maverick gives a nk look as I burst outughing. "Show me one of your acts, I want


    to see."


    He clears his throat and steps down from the counter. "But soft! What lies through yonder window


    breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun, and kill the envious moon who is already sick


    and pale with grief. That thou her maid art far more fair than she."


    Maverick clears his throat again to do a representation of Juliet which has me almost rolling on the


    floor. "Ay me!"


    "She speaks." He continues as Romeo. "O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this


    night, bring o''er my head as is a winged messenger of heaven. Unto the white-upturned wondering


    eyes of mortals that fall to gaze on him when he bestrides thezy pacing clouds and sails upon the


    blossom of the air."


    "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, or if thou wilt


    not, be but sworn my love. And I''ll no longer be a capulet."


    He gives a bow after the whole thing and I sp my hands together and beam up at him. "That was


    silly but at the same time spot on."


    "I know, I know. But let me ask you one question."


    "What?"


    "Do you feel better?"


    Actually, I do. I now understand he was trying to distract me from the heaviness I was feeling on my


    shoulders. It''s kind of scary how perfectly well he can influence my emotions. How easily he can pull


    me out of my dark thoughts with silly actions like this one.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I do. Just promise me you''ll never do an act again." He grins and joins me on the floor.


    "It''s better with my costumes on."


    "You have costumes?!" I gape at him as he throws his head back inughter. We spend the rest of the


    night sharingughs and forgetting the rest of the world. I watch himugh at things I say and it''s


    contagious, the happiness, the brightness radiating from him.


    Right now, I want nothing else to matter. Let''s just be in our own world.


    I promised myself. I promised myself not to fall in love with him. But it was 4 am and we wereughing


    way too hard, and I felt happy for the first time in a long time... And I knew I was screwed.

 Chapter 26.

    Chapter 26.


    The following days pass by in a blur.


    Maverick and I got closer than before after I told him all that happened in the past shitty year of my life.


    He''s more protective now, I think, like I''m a fragile ss he wouldn''t want to break.


    I can remember him freaking out the other day when I spilled hot water on my hands while trying to


    make coffee. It was cute. Not the hot water stuff though, I screamed like a woman inbor.


    Lately, we''ve gone back to just dieting as he has a lot of work piled up already and won''t be able to go


    jogging in the mornings as frequently as we used to.


    It''s been a month since we met and my feelings for Maverick grow stronger every time he cracks one of


    his swooning grins at my silly moments. I look at him in the littlest moments, like when he brushes his


    teeth, or tug at one of his brown locks absentmindedly, and I am breathless knowing it doesn''t take a


    million-dor telescope to notice the crushing beauty of the universe.


    I''m scared to tell him. I know he has other issues to deal with and I hate to be one of those issues but I


    don''t know how long I can suppress this new feeling.


    I fling open the door of my wardrobe and stare at it like a dress would jump out itself if I stare hard


    enough.


    It''s the night of the ball party and I can''t figure out a dress to wear. I try out a few sleeveless gowns I


    find out they''re not my style. Why''d I even shop for them anyway?


    I finallye up with a dress after turning my whole closet upside down. I almost don''t recognize my


    own self when I step in front of my mirror.


    I''m wearing a Navy blue dress with pearls that are beaded into thece. It''s V necked and stops right


    above the beginning of my stomach not to forget the off-shoulder that exposes all of my skin. My outfit


    is paired up with stiletto high heeled diator sandals.


    My makeup, like my outfit, is bold with my lips being the center of attraction. The mascara entuated


    on my eyes makes them pop while my lips are painted in a nude lipstick.


    I can''t remember thest time I dressed like this. Correction, I''ve never dressed like this.


    "Hey," I see Maverick pop his head into the room. "You done?"


    "Kind of," I say, unsure of whether to clean the whole makeup and storm the party with my hoodie and


    jean. My eyes sweep up his body and I suck in a breath.


    He''s wearing a suit.


    The night-ck ensemble fit his tall, athletic figure well.


    He looks younger all suited up. I like it as much as I liked the slight trace of facial hair that often


    bordered his full lips like a dark shadow. His hair is neatly styled away from his forehead as usual.


    From the mirror, I see him walk up behind me and ces his hands on my arms, slowly gliding them


    down my own hands. A shiver runs down my spine when he interlocks his fingers with my tiny ones,


    crisscrossing each of my arms with his and enveloping my body with his warmth.


    He leans down to bury his face in the crook of my neck and nuzzles his nose against my now racing


    pulse.


    "Why so worked up?" He says into my neck. "You''re all jittery."


    "I''m nervous," I admit honestly. "What if tonight doesn''t go as we nned?"


    He raises his head up to look at me. "And what did we have nned?"


    I think about it for a moment before frowning at myself. "Nothing."


    "Exactly. Just be yourself tonight and avoid trouble."


    I want to listen to him but with Tony at that party tonight, I can''t make any promises.


    ~~~~~~~~


    Maverick''s cares to a stop in front of a mansion. I can see the colossal pinewood doors wide open


    where the maroon carpet begins. There''s a slight buzzing in the air as people I can''t recognize walks


    around in their long borate dresses and suits. Cameras shes from different angles of the


    entrance.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    "This is huge," I say as he helps me out of the car and slides his hands down to meet mine. We walk in


    together and all eyes darts from every direction to us. "Everyone''s looking. Why is everyone looking?"


    "Chill out, its normal. Just smile and wave," I do as he instructs as I''m greeted back with smiles and


    more stares.


    "Isn''t the Mayor supposed to be at gatherings like this?" I ask, surveying therge crowd of people.


    Yeah, I''m definitely going to shit my pants if Ie face to face with the Mayor considering what


    happened weeks ago.


    "Who cares? He''s probably giving birth to illegitimate children," I want to chuckle at his statement but


    the way he says it sounds... Personal?


    I feel him tense beneath my hands as his features harden. "Tony at 3 O''clock."


    My eyes dart towards the direction and I see him in all his glory. He looks macho than thest time I


    saw him and his hair is now in curly locks. I thought I was ready to see him but now that I''m watching


    him walk up the stage, my breath hitches and the back of my eyes burn at his sight.


    Maverick gives my hand a slight squeeze which somehow reassures me.


    "I wee everyone to the 5th Annual Ball," He begins and cheers erupts from the crowds,


    everywhere is silent again after some moments. "A year has 365 days; this is the same for everyone,


    but how different it seems to a child or young person, to an Adult or Elderly person. There is a long time


    till Christmas, a whole year until one''s birthday, and an eternity to the summer holidays."


    "What I would like to talk to you about is the important period that we call the new year. This is a time


    when we make the new year''s resolutions, this is the time when we could make some determination


    about the things we have been thinking about during Christmas. Sometimes, after some great event is


    over, we close our minds on it and forget about what we have done. That is, after Christmas, we pack


    our boxes of ornaments and tinsel. The Christmas themes are taken off the radio and we go back to


    doing the things that we did before. Of course, when we do that, we miss one of the greatest values of


    Christmas."


    "I know most of us gathered here are already sessful in what we do but here''s a toast to the future,


    a toast to the past, and a toast to our friends far and near. Happy new year."


    There''s thunderous pping heard in all areas of the room. Everyone is pping. Everyone except


    Maverick and me.


    "I need to go to the restroom," I say before spinning around on my heels but I''m held back firmly on my


    wrist as Maverick looks down at me, with concern clouding his eyes. "I''ll be fine."


    He lets go hesitantly and I dash off to a corner, wanting to be alone and away from people. Especially


    Him.


    My chest heaves up and down heavily as I try to steady my intake of breaths. Tony can''t have that type


    of effect on me anymore. Whatever that happened is already in the past. I can''t keep reying the pain


    all in my brain like an old song stuck in your head.


    "I didn''t think you''de," I freeze at the sound of the familiar voiceing from beside me. "You


    changed, I almost didn''t recognize you."


    "I''m not here to see you," I say, my voice spitting out coldness.


    "Of course not."


    "Then what do you want?"


    "I want to apologize," Tony says and I almost can''t believe my eyes... I meant ears. "I shouldn''t have


    taken you for granted. It was a dick move which I''ll always regret because it cost me you. I know I


    wasn''t the perfect boyfriend but if you could give us another chance, I swear to God..."


    "Shut up!" I yell. My whole body is about to explode from anger. How dare he. "You can''t treat me like


    shit all these years and expect me toe running back to you just because you ''apologized''. You


    don''t know what I went through the nights you were away, you never cared. You weren''t there when I


    needed you the most, or when I even needed you at all. I deserved to be loved and to be missed. I


    deserved to have someone who notices the emptiness in the air when I''m not around!"


    Almost everyone is looking in our direction already and he too looks speechless by my outburst. My


    chest feels a lot lighter now that I''m letting it all out, but there''s still more I have to say, so I continue.


    "I thought I couldn''t move on until He came along, my cure for heartbreak and he''s everything you''re


    not. He told me he was going to make you pay by bringing out the best in me, the best in April. And I


    am proud of the oue because dear lord, you should see the look on your face right now."


    "And does he feel the same way I felt, or feel about you?" Tony asks and I pause. The one question


    I''ve been blocking from my mind since. There''s a possibility my feelings are not being reciprocated and


    Maverick''s just being a really sweet person with no ulterior motive, the thought of that possibility


    disheartens me.


    "He does, more than you''d ever think," We both turn to the direction of the voice to see Maverick


    standing almost ten feet away from us. "He''s a gentleman, you see, being able to live with an amazing


    woman for a month without having her climb his voluptuous body over, and over, and over. I am He. He


    is me."


    He walks over to us, standing between Tony and me and jabbing a finger to his chest. "And you need


    to fuck off."


    I''m grinning foolishly from ear to ear when he faces me and cups my face with a hand. "You did well.


    I''m proud of you, but there''s something I''ve always wanted to do when I got the chance."


    My brows furrow as he lowers his mouth to my ear area and whispers, "Don''t freak out." Then in one


    swift motion, I feel his hot lips cover mine.

 Chapter 27.

    Chapter 27.


    It''s been official.


    I have now gone back to acting like a teenager who just had her first kiss on prom night. I can hear him


    in the living room as my back is pressed to my room door and my phone is clutched to my chest.


    We all have awkward moments once in our lives. It''s like we''re destined to have them. Some people''s


    own ur more after than others and I wonder if it''s normal to have so many because I''m certain I''ll


    break a record soon.


    Yes, I was surprised when he kissed me in front of so many people but you know what they say,


    surprise kisses are the best. We left the party before it ended because of the stares we got from people


    after the mini-drama.


    I tried to be normal on the way back home, believe me, I tried but these five words kept popping in my


    head over and over again.


    Maverick.


    Kissed.


    Me.


    Ok, it''s not exactly five words but you can''t me me for not thinking straight right now. But when he


    said he''d like me to climb his body over and over again, did he mean...


    My face flushes harder at the thought of being intimate with Maverick. Goodness Lord, I''m acting like a


    twelve-year-old who had just seen porn for the first time. He could be waiting for me out there because


    I never told him goodnight before dashing into my room.


    And we should also sort what happened at the party out right? I can''t hide forever... or can I?


    I bring my phone up to my face to dial Jim''s number. He''d know what to do. Hell, he better knows what


    to do. The line rings at the other end of the call and it takes him time before he picks it up.


    "Jim? Are you asleep yet?"


    "No, I''m hunting elephants."


    "Be serious with me," I snap.


    "Of course I''m asleep. The fuck would I be doing at 1 am?"


    "Ok you have to listen to me," I hear shuffling at the other end and I can imagine him sitting up on his


    bed. "Let''s imagine there''s a girl...we''ll name her Mae."


    "Ok...?"


    "And this Mae girl happens to live with this supposedly hot guy... let''s call him Marcus."


    "April, what did you do?" Jim asks with a sigh.


    "This isn''t about me, its about Mae!" I whisper shout, if that''s a thing. "So this girl moves in with Marcus


    with the hope of taking a break from rtionships, from love. The problem now is, Mae grew feelings


    for Marcus along the way and you know the real issue? She found out he liked her back."


    "Isn''t that supposed to be a good thing?"


    "But she doesn''t think she''s ready to get involved in a new sort of rtionship," I pout even if he can''t


    see me.


    "So this Mae girl... which is totally not you... is ready to catch new feelings but don''t want to be in a


    rtionship. And you say guys are weird."


    "She''s confused," I slide my back down the door to sit on the ground. "She doesn''t want to get hurt so


    she''s running away."


    "From what? The only thing she should be running away from is herself, her negative thoughts. Her


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    past rtionship doesn''t work out doesn''t mean a new one wouldn''t. I''d tell her to give it a shot. If it still


    doesn''t work then I''d tell her to grab life by it''s neck and make it give her what she wants."


    I pause and think about what he just said. Maybe he''s right. Maybe I''m a dork who''s just overthinking


    things.


    "Howe you know Mae so well?" I smile.


    "She just happens to remind me of someone I know. Now get off my phone."


    "Wait, why didn''t you get invited to tonight''s Ball?" I wonder. "Your Firm''s the second most expensive in


    the city."


    "Why didn''t the birthday girl get invited to her own party?"


    "Huh?"


    "Exactly. Goodnight." He says and the other end of the line goes dead.


    I drag myself up to my feet and take a deep breath before opening the door. I''m not even up to one feet


    out of my room before Maverick''s grip is on my wrist and is dragging me towards the kitchen, trapping


    me behind the counter. It was as if he''s been waiting outside my room door.


    His arms are extended to the counter to prevent me from trying to run away and all I can think of is how


    close we are that I can almost feel his body heat.


    "I want to know why you''ve avoided me since the party." He says. I try not to make eye contact with him


    but my gaze somehow drops to his lips and I get officially tongue-tied. "Say something."


    "I''m sorry. You can''t seem to make me think clearly." Oh mi gosh, I just said that.


    "You look nervous. Do I make you nervous?"


    "Obviously," I give a dryugh. "And you''re clouding my head. It''s ridiculous when you''re all I can think


    of right now."


    "Then why hold back?"


    "Because I''m afraid of what might happenter," I finally look up at him. "I have a tendency of ruining


    things if everything''s going too smoothly. I need time to be sure I''m not doing the wrong thing."


    Maverick shakes his head. "I don''t want time. It''s taking every Will power in me not to fling you over my


    shoulder and take you upstairs to my room. Life is short to think about what might happen in the future.


    Let''s live for the moment. Let me give you a love that never gives up," He ces a kiss on my


    forehead. "A love that finds ways through mazes and roadblocks."


    He kisses the tip of my nose this time. "A love that stays even when home feels so far away. A love that


    never grows old," I feel his lips on my cheeks. "A love that feels new everyday. A love that rebirths itself


    at every moment and baptizes itself in light."


    His mouth goes down to my neck and trails kisses there. "A love that never feels empty. A love that


    never feels too full. A love that you can feel without touch, and touch without feeling."


    I shudder when he brushes his lips with mine. "A love that grows you. A love that improves you. A love


    that manages to kiss your roots with magic and give your petals more color."


    I raise up my head higher for him to have more ess to my mouth as he deepens the kiss. "A love


    that evolves. A love that changes beautifully. A love that starts rainbow within your soul after every


    storm, and holds your hand. Say it, give me the go ahead."


    He doesn''t give me a chance to talk though. He ims my mouth. My hands lightly trailing down his


    chest. Maverick coaxes my lips apart with his tongue and my mind is spinning when I feel his warmth


    inside my mouth. My hands snake around the back of his neck, wanting to close any remaining space


    between us.


    I want this. When I''m with him, everything falls away. The worrries, the concern over what''s about to


    happen next, the pains, everything just disappears.


    He doesn''t need to hear it in words before he knows it''s a go ahead. I don''t care what anyone has to


    say or do about my life. It''s my decision, the hell with anyone who doesn''t like it. I want this wonderful


    man in front of me.


    And I want him now.

 Chapter 28.

    Chapter 28.


    Maverick wasn''t kidding when he said he''d fling me over his shoulders to his room.


    I yelp when he hoists me up his shoulder and walk up the stairs to his room, mming the door shut


    firmly as I pull his mouth down to mine and ravage it, pouring myself into the kiss, giving him everything


    I''d had to hold back for the past days. For the entire life I''d been forced to live before meeting him.


    Maverick isn''t one to let opportunity knock and then leave unannounced. Even as my demanding kiss


    rocks him back on his heels, he sweeps me up in his arms and carries me to his king sized bed. On the


    way, I outstretch my arms to turn of the lights from the switch on the wall. He chuckles at my


    consideration but sobers again when he lowers me to the bed.


    Resting against his chest, I close my eyes as he slowly undoes the buttons on the back of my


    nightdress I had changed into after the party. I slide my hand up his chest and tug gently at his shirt. He


    murmurs a protest so I desist, content that he wants nothing more from me at this moment than to


    allow him care for me.


    When he finishes with the buttons and the gown slips from my shoulders halfway, he kisses me. First


    my lips, then my cheeks, my ear, my neck...


    The heat of his mouthbined with the warmth of the fire in my skin. Languid pleasure steals through


    me, slowly building on the passion of moments before.


    When he strokes my gown down my shoulders, I arch my throat and let my head fall back inplete


    surrender. All rational thoughts flees at the feel of his warm lips and hands as my firstyer gown


    All that is left is the way his hands spread out over mine, pressing them to the bed on either side of my


    head. All I know is the way he never forces, never takes more than what he is given, how he waits for


    me every time.


    He''s patient, willing to stretch each moment into forever¡ª coaxing, teasing, never demanding.


    Held but not bound, I give a cry to the heat welling inside me. Maverick covers my mouth with his,


    taking my wordless cries, answering them with his hungry moans.


    He tugs at the neckline of my inner gown, wondering why I had to have two nightdresses on. I wriggle


    free of my gown and drag it down for him. Maverick dives upon me like a hawk. A dark moan rips from


    his throat at the taste of me, the feel of my nipple hardening in his mouth. My hands tightens in his hair,


    pulling, painful, but it only fans the mes of burning I want. He moves over me, pressing his rock hard


    member, still trapped within his trousers, into my damp and vulnerable center.


    The darkness closes upon us, keeping our secret with the only faint glow from the moonlight seeping


    from the curtains to guide seeking hands and lips and tongues. Suddenly, I could not bear to be parted


    from him, even by the distance of mere fabric between us.


    As if reading my mind, Maverick rises from me and rips off his shirt over his head, flinging it into the


    darkest corners of the room. With a strangled groan, he yanks his trousers off and slides down my


    body, tasting me all over, from my lips to the dips of my navel to the folds of my center and on down,


    rolling his tongue past the sensitive spot behind my knee, kissing the delicate bone of my ankle.


    I stretch out before him, one wrist carelessly tossed over my eyes and the other handy on my ribs


    just below the full rounded mound of my breast. Moving forward on his knees, he presses mine apart,


    I begin to quiver before him as my thighs tightens in pleasure, he presses them wide again, gently


    dominating the moment of my orgasm.


    I forget my shyness, forget my myself, and there''s only his hot tongue and warm fingers and the


    shimmering, aching pleasure that arches my back and makes my breath short. I writhe before him,


    hearing my own gasping cries from a great distance.


    At thest moment just when I think my pleasure could go no higher, he thrusts a single long finger


    deep into me. Startled, I reach for him, digging my hands into his thick, soft hair as I throw my head


    back and gasp out his name.


    Then it finds me¡ª that sweeping tide of exquisite pleasure that never ceases to amaze me. Tossed


    high like a bit of driftwood on the wild seas, I fall down, down, swirling, gasping, rolling hopelessly by


    the waves as my body shudders around thest, potent plunge of his finger deep within me.


    Maverick''s upon me again, as if his control nears to breaking. He groans as he covers my limp,


    perspiring body with his hot, urgent one. "Open for me," He gasps.


    Still breathless, I slide one hand down to guide him in. He feels sorge and hot in my hands. Laughing


    at my own clumsiness, I wrap my fingers around him, squeezing him experimentally as he shudders.


    "April..."


    He doesn''t beg, not quite, but power rushes through me nheless. I, who so recently had been


    helpless in his hands now held the reins.


    I move my hand so that the blunt head of him slid between the slippery lips of me. I hold him there,


    making him ride my slit, up and down yet entering no further. The wicked pleasure of it, of stimting


    myself with his aching flesh almost makes me lose my train of thoughts...


    I release him then, keeping my other hand in his hair and sliding my knees up to his hips. Still, he


    hesitates.


    Then he plunges. I cry out as his thick member nearly splits me in two. The sharp instant pain


    disappears, leaving me at the mercy of him. He wraps me tightly in his arms and takes me hard,


    thrusting deep and fast, withdrawing slowly, making me ache, then thrusting again. He wraps one fist in


    my hair and pulls my hair back to reveal my neck to his hot seeking mouth.


    I ride the storm, winding my arms about his back, clinging my legs as he impales me again and again,


    gasping, sweating, moaning my name into my neck.


    I could not resist the tide when ites again, this time as violent as the hurricane sea. His thick


    member invades me, spreading me, pounding deep until I ache from it. The pleasure


    ain of his unrestrained ravishment, the wildness of him, his unmasked passion, the thrill of knowing it''s


    me he wants¡ª


    I orgasm again, my body tightening helplessly about him as I ride him, storm tossed and half thrilled,


    half rmed, and entirely,pletely with this new raw Maverick.


    He takes my mouth in his when Ie, breathing in my cries as I throb around him, shuddering in his


    arms. He groans, a deep, hoarse sound as he plunges onest time deep within, spilling into me as he


    holds me tightly.


    We justy there, locked together, shaking and slick with juices from each other, gasping in unison.


    "I think the bed broke," I finally break the silence as my heart pounds so loudly in my chest that I can


    hardly hear my own harsh breathing.


    "That''s a good sign," he pulls me to his arms and kisses my bare shoulders "That it was good, and you


    probably wouldn''t be able to walk proper in the morning."


    "It''s your bed, stupid. Where would you sleep?"


    "There''s always your room... That''s if we don''t break your bed too," He says and my face flushes at his


    revtion. This kinky motherfucker.


    He picks me up from the bed and lowers me to the ground, finding a spot beside me. "Again?"


    I let out a whimper as he takes that as a yes, making me yell his name over, and over again into the


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    night.

 Chapter 29.

    Chapter 29.


    The next day, I wake up from the loud ticking sound of the clock.


    I groan loudly, cussing at the clock for having to be so loud. I try to get up in a sitting position,


    supporting my weight with my elbow, only to realize that they''re met with a cold hard surface.


    I suddenly realize I''ve been sleeping on the damned floor.


    My vision soones into focus when I find my sses using a hand as I take in the state of the room.


    The king-sized bed which has been standing so elegantly in the room is now crumpled to the floor. One


    side of the headboard is hanging to the left, threatening to fall while making a slight squeaky sound.


    Everythinges flooding back to me, hitting me so hard like a ton of bricks that I copse back to the


    floor.


    I remembered how good he made me feel, how soft his hands were when they roamed all over my


    body, how he kissed me till my lips felt numb. A slight blush forms on my cheeks as I recall how


    perfectly our bodies molded with each other. We woke upter that night, craving more, not getting


    enough of ourselves. At one point, we lost count of the times we did it. He was on top of me, then I


    was, then he was again. I often found my hands roaming against his body when he moved over me.


    His body¡ª is a work of art.


    I grip the sheets right against my body, suddenly feeling embarrassed aboutst night.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Things were not supposed to get to this ording to what I had nned in mind but when his lips met


    mine, I lost all twenty-five years of home training.


    I lost control of myself when he kissed me good like I was experiencing my first kiss all over again.


    I seriously need someone to talk to, I can''t contain this feeling all by myself.


    I nce over to my side and smile when I see Maverick sprawled beside me, the sheets covering the


    lower half of him. His lips are parted slightly open as a slight snore escapes from them. I creepily watch


    him sleep, watching as his chest heaves up and down in a slow and steady manner. His quiet breathing


    continues and I observe his stunning face.


    His thick ckshes are longer than mine and his face is as smooth as a day old''s baby bottom, a


    straight nose, high cheekbones, and those lips that could make me go mental. The best part? The best


    part is his eyes. Eyes so green, eyes so soft that it''s almost impossible not to get lost in them.


    I don''t want to pry him out of his sleep so I discard the sheets and put on just oneyer of my


    nightdress and tiptoe out of the room. I make my way to the kitchen where I had left my phonest


    night and dial Jim''s number.


    "Mae had the most amazing timest night..."


    ~~~~~~~~~


    I order two cups of Caffeinated coffee for Jim and I, and then take our usual spot by the window.


    I feel a lot better now that I''ve had a shower and put on some clothes. But I still have his body scent on


    me no matter how long I stayed in the bathroom. I try to cover up the hickeys with a concealer as my


    hair''s already too short to do the job.


    Jim was already on his way to the office and decided to drop by to have morning coffee with me while


    he listens to what happened to Maest night.


    I nudge the coffee in front of him as he picks it up to take a long sip. "Alright, spill."


    "I had sex with Maverickst night." It takes him a while to digest the information and when he does, his


    eyes widen like the size of saucepans.


    "YOU FUCKED?!" He says that loud enough for people to turn around to re at us.


    "Jesus Christ, why don''t you shout it out louder for people at the back to hear you." I shoot daggers at


    him with my eyes.


    "No, it just came as a shock you know. It was just the other day I was forcing you to live with him and


    now he''s going all Christian Grey on your butt."


    "Can you just let me talk?" I press a hand to my forehead.


    "Did you get blindfolded? Like the BDSM shit?"


    "Holy Cow in a mini skirt!" I exim.


    "What about the back door? Did he go through the back door?"


    "Jim, if you could just shut up for a minute..."


    He throws his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. I''m listening."


    So I tell him. I tell him about the first day we almost kissed at the gym and then down to how we finally


    kissed at the party yesterday in front of so many people including Tony. I couldn''t leave the Tony part


    out. I tell him about how facing himst night terrified me and then one thing led to the other, we ended


    up thrashing his bed.


    "Wow, that was... something," He says after listening to the whole thing. "So what are you going to do


    now? It''s clear he wants more than just to fuck you."


    "I''m going to go for it," I say without a breath. "There''s no harm in trying. Other than that, he does make


    my heart go kaboom."


    "That''s a reallyme way of saying you have feelings for him."


    "But you get what I mean," I roll my eyes.


    "Well, I have news too," Jim reaches out for his pockets and brings out a ck little box, cing it


    between us on the table. "Open it."


    So I do. There''s a shiny silver engagement ring in it. So beautiful and shiny that I almost get blinded by


    the brightness. "You''re proposing?" I smile up at him.


    "Yeah, when shees back next month. Do you think she would like it?" He scratches the back of his


    head with uncertainty.


    "Jim it''s perfect. This is a very bold step you''re taking and I''m happy for you."


    "I feel like I should''ve done this a long time ago. She keeps giving me signs and talking about baby


    names. She already named her first child Aria." Jim never talks about his love life to me, so him saying


    this must be very important to him, I can see it in his features. "It took me over a year to realize


    Jacquline''s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I''m dumb as fuck."


    Iugh, thinking about if I still see Maverick with me in thirty years toe.


    "I''m d you finally made up your mind and be a man about it."


    "Off to work I go," He immediately changes the topic and picks up his bag. "Apparently, I have a case


    this morning where this dead businesswoman Willed all her properties to her cat and now her children


    want what''s rightfully theirs."


    "A cat?" I frown at the whole thing.


    "I know right," He groans. "Now I have to settle things between her children and a cat. This work is


    stupid."


    "Have fun," I call out after him as he walks out of the store, pondering over what he''d just told me.


    A cat?

 Chapter 30.

    Chapter 30.


    The smell of pancakes hit me in the face immediately I step into the house.


    "April? Is that you?" I hear Maverick''s worried voice from the kitchen as I shrug off my jacket and fling it


    in a corner.


    "Yeah, I stepped out for a little bit."


    "Did I do anything wrong? You just up and left-" He pauses, frustratedly running a hand through his


    morning hair while I just stand there, oblivious to what''s going on. "I thought you left, I thought I pushed


    you too far and you were scared so you left. I''ve been worried sick and called you twenty-four times."


    "You did?" I frown and bring out my phone from my jean pockets to see 24 missed calls, 10 text


    messages, and 5 voicemails. "Wow. That''s a lot, and I''m not going anywhere soon. Last night was fun."


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Smiling, I wrap my arms around his torso and press my head to his chest.


    "Tell me about it. You''re intoxicating," He cups my face and looks straight down at me with all


    seriousness, staring into my soul. "But seriously, are you alright?"


    "I told you, I''m fine. Why so worked up?"


    "Nothing, it''s just..." He looks absolutely baffled like it seemed ridiculous to be getting worried over this.


    "Never mind. I''m making breakfast... HOLY SHIT I''M MAKING BREAKFAST."


    I watch him dash to the kitchen to turn off the cooker but I can tell everything''s burnt already by the look


    on his face.


    "So how would you like your pancakes, half-burnt or full?"


    "Is it that bad?" I walk over to have a look at the burnt offering on the pan. "Oh, it is bad."


    "I ruined everything again," Maverick hangs his head low in frustration. "I just wanted to make you


    happy now I burnt breakfast. Let me make it up to you."


    "It''s fine. It''s just breakfast..."


    "I insist," He pushes further. "I''m taking the month off work to spend time with you."


    I gape at him. "A month?! You''re crazy."


    "For you, I am." My cheeks turn a deep color at his words. "A generous patient of mine gifted me two


    ne tickets to have a cruise at her Vi in France. She ims I work too much and insists on a


    vacation."


    "She?" I sneer at the word.


    "Yeah, the olddy was hoping I''d go with her daughter as she''s trying to y matchmaker."


    "So you were leaving the country with some chick? Without letting me know?" I can''t help but feel a


    stab of betrayal and hurt.


    "I wasn''t going to ept it but she was right, I needed some time off and then I thought of you and how


    much you told me you loved France and couldn''t let the opportunity slip past my fingers. I wasn''t going


    to take her daughter, I swear... well I would''ve beforest night..." I shoot him a re. "...When you


    showed up in that dressst night looking like you just came out of a magazine."


    "Well, you never even talked about my new hairdo, let alone talk about my dress."


    "Words couldn''t exin how gorgeous you looked. I always knew you made me have this tingly feeling


    at the pit of my belly but when I saw youst night, I figured I was already in deep."


    Speechless. He renders me speechless. I didn''t even think he noticed my hairdo. My previous


    usations and slight tantrum dissolve as he nts a kiss on my forehead and buries his face in my


    hair.


    "Now I just want both of us to have a good time on this trip while we work on a bucket list to do while


    away," Maverick says and I snicker.


    "Bucket list? What are we, Fifteen?"


    "Yeah, the list I wrote down is not what Sixteen-year-olds would think of doing. Although, kids


    nowadays have gone wild. Can you imagine me attending to a Sixteen-year-old, inbor, fully


    pregnant? Like, how did her boyfriend even know where to stick in his John Thomas?"


    "You tell me," I fold my arms across my chest with an amused look. "How''d you know where to stick in


    yoursst night?"


    "We are not having this conversation," I don''t think I''ve ever seen him so flustered. "Here''s what I have


    in mind. What''d you think?"


    He hands me a notebook containing the list, I suppose, and I divert my gaze from his slightly pink face


    to read what''s in it. I find myself smiling at the cheesy stuff he has nned for the trip. There are fifteen


    activities on the list and all seemed fine until my eyesnded on number ten. "You want to have sex


    outside?"


    "I''ve heard a lot of stories concerning good car sex and thought there was no harm in trying one


    myself."


    I shake my head and continue with the list:


    Dance on the beach at sunset.


    Do a movie marathon.


    Sleep under the stars.


    Watch the sunset and sunrise in one day.


    My heart skips a beat when I see what''s written on thest number and look at him to confirm if he was


    serious about it.


    "You can''t joke with things like this," I say, still bewildered on what''s on the paper.


    "I''m not joking." He states wryly. "I know this is all new but I have strong faith in what we''re doing. I''m


    going to be a clingy boyfriend, we''re going to have ups and downs and we''re going to get through them


    all, ride or die. I''m not with you because of the prospect of just being with you. I''m with you for a


    reason."


    "Do you always have the right things to say?" I stroke his cheeks and notice a stubble growing there.


    "Only when I''m with you." Maverick cups my face and brushes his thumbs over my own cheeks. I lean


    in to kiss him, my lips yearning to meet his. He sighs against my lips, his hands running along the


    curves of my body, sending a wave of shivers. I snake my hands around his neck to bring him closer to


    me, then close my eyes and moans when he drags his lips down my jaw all the way to my neck.


    He picks me up and sets me on the kitchen''s counter, pressing a lingering kiss on the hickey on my


    cor bone then bringing his lips lower and lower until he''s at the curve of my breasts. My hands dig


    into his hair, wanting him to go further down but before he could oblige, the front door bursts open


    causing us to flinch apart.


    "Sorry to interrupt your make-out session but I could really use a room right now," The person I


    recognize as Callum, Maverick''s half brother, staggers into the house looking like shit.


    "Have youpletely lost your mind?"


    "Look, I''ll argue with youter when I''m in my right mind. Mom wouldn''t let me in the house looking like


    this because if you haven''t noticed yet, I reek of alcohol," He shuffles into the kitchen and helps himself


    with a ss of water, pouring the whole thing down his throat in one gulp. "I also may have used one of


    your credit cards to take a 90 dor cab down here."


    "90 dors?" Maverick''s eyes widen in shock and anger. "What did you do? Take a tour?"


    "It''s the new year, transportation rates go high and my wallet got stolen."


    "You mean the same way you stole my credit card."


    "I''ll exinter. I really need a bed right now, I stayed up all night and oh... you got a new girl," Callum


    sends me a wink and heads for the stairs up to Maverick''s room as we both share a look.


    "Should we tell him?" I ask.


    "Nope. He''s about to find out in 5...4...3...2..."


    As if on cue, Callum yells out a:


    "Yo! What happened to the bed!"

 Chapter 31.

    Chapter 31.


    I am happy


    I am beautiful


    I am healthy


    I am strong


    I love my body


    I attract positivity


    I attract opportunity


    I attract love


    I am kind


    I am smart


    I am confident


    I am sessful


    I am worthy of all the blessingsing my way.


    That''s the motto Maverick has me recite every morning before we move upstairs to the gym. It''s quite


    different from the one Jim always tells me about keeping my head high and my middle finger higher but


    I think this would stick to my head more because it''s exactly what I need. Reassurance.


    It might be just a word but it goes a long way for me and I''m d Maverick has put that into


    consideration.


    Callum dusts off droplets of snow falling to his shoulders as he continues to drag our luggage to the


    trunk of Maverick''s car.


    Maverick and I have an evening flight from Minneapolis to France today and I''m not only giddy I get to


    visit one of my most loved countries, but I also get to get in touch with Jacqueline. We have so much


    talk to catch up on. Her work as an Author, how she feels about moving to Minneapolis for good, and


    so much girl talk. God, I could really use some girl talk. It''s actually cool having someone who can


    rte to you in a girlish type of way when you have so many male species in your life.


    From Dad to my brothers, to Jim, Tony, Maverick, and now Callum. Mom, on the other hand, has


    always been this boyish type who acts as the head of the family most of the time even if she can get


    pretty emotional. We talked on the phone a few days ago while I listened to herin about how


    Dad has gone too soft.


    "Your father heard a noise downstairs and woke me up to go check it out because apparently, my life


    doesn''t matter," She had said that day.


    And I think that sums it up. Mom has never been the one to have girly talks with. I wouldn''t me her,


    she grew up with six boys on a ranch in Texas with her being the only adopted daughter and moved out


    of the state when she started college. I guess that''s where she met Dad or so.


    The honking of the car draws me out of my reverie as Callum signals me we''re ready to move. So


    we''re both headed to the hospital right now to pick up Maverick from work and then head to the airport


    in less than two hours.


    It was a really hard decision for Maverick to make in putting Callum in charge of his penthouse and car


    but in the end, he gave in. Someone had to drive us to the airport and take the car back home. I was


    going to suggest Uber. I wonder why I didn''t.


    "You like fast car driving?" Callum asks as I buckle my seatbelt in the passenger''s seat.


    "I don''t."


    "Too bad."


    I frown. "What?"


    He kicks on the elerator and it''s like all air leaves my lungs. The car''s moving at a ridiculously fast


    speed as I grip onto the seatbelt for my dear life.


    "You have to fucking slow down," I yell over the deafening wind blowing at my face with full force and


    scattering my hair I used an hour to fix. "You''re past the speed limit and you''re soon going to have the


    police on our tail."


    "Rx. I can outrun them," He says calmly, to calm for my liking.


    "Oh, you never told me you''re Paul Walker reincarnated," That slips out of my mouth sarcastically.


    "Hey, I love that dude. Heard he died while making that movie."


    "And we''re about to join him if you don''t look out for that truck." There''s a huge truck blocking the road


    and I expect him to make a turn but he doesn''t. Instead, he faces the truck head-on with much more


    speed.


    "I''M TOO YOUNG TO DIE," I screech as he maneuvers his way right under the truck and manages to


    zoom past it without a scratch. I''ll admit that was coolter, I think my life just shed before my eyes.


    "Remind me never to get into a car with you," I say and slide out of the car when we reach the Hospital,


    mming the door shut.


    "They all love it when I drive that way."


    "I don''t know who ''they'' is, but ''they'' need a brain check," I air quote the word ''they'' and make my way


    into the Hospital. No wonder he always gets under Maverick''s skin.


    As expected, the Hospital smell gives this sick feeling at the pit of my stomach that makes me want to


    gag. I just need to fetch Maverick and get the hell out of here. But where is his office?


    Isn''t that the question of the day.


    "What are you doing here?" I recognize that voice. My ears can''t fail the feint Ennd ent, so I turn


    around with a t look on my face.


    "I''m here to see my boyfriend."


    Her tone is indifferent. "The Janitor is not allowed to have visitors during working hours. Get out."


    "Give the hate up Elise, you lost," I sigh and proceed to walk past her when she digs her fingernails into


    my arms, stopping me from moving further.


    "Elise Montgomery never loses," She drags out, ring at me like I''d start quaking in my heels.


    "I''m certain she did this time."


    My face lit up like a Christmas tree when I spot Maverick and I run over to hug him.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" The redhead asks him.


    "It means you''re fired. You were never even hired."


    Her face glows red from anger. "This is preposterous! You can''t fire me!"


    With a bored look on his face, he signals two securities over. Looks like he''s not in the mood for drama


    like I am.


    "Escort this woman out of here. You are permitted to use force if she acts stubborn."


    The two securities both give curt nods before turning back at her in an attempt to see her out.


    "This isn''t over! I''ll bounce right back like a boomerang!"


    His firm hold on my hand tightens as he turns the opposite way, dragging me along and ignoring Elise''s


    screams which already seems to gather a few crowds of people who found the need to stop and look. I


    turn my head around to see her being dragged away by the securities.


    "Don''t look back, it''s not worth it."


    Now that I see her being dragged away looking so humiliated, I can''t help but feel sorry for her. What''s


    their story?


    "You didn''t have to fire her because of me."


    "That wasn''t about you, it was about me. Don''t get tangled up in my mess," Maverick presses his


    forefinger and a thumb to the bridge of his nose, disying tiredness.


    "You were there when I went through my own mess. Let me help you." I say with sincerity and I realize


    this is the first time I''m actually uttering those words to someone.


    Let me help you.


    People have always been the one helping me. I never felt the need to help. What could I help in any


    way? I was a mess myself.


    "I don''t need help, April."


    "Then what I''m I supposed to do?"


    "Just be with me. Is that too much to ask for?" He says. "And I think you''re the one who needs help, in


    remembering things."


    "What?" One of my brows shoots up.


    "Did you forget so soon?" Maverick gives a sly grin. "Chubby is the new sexy?"


    "That surprisingly rings a bell," My face contorts to a slight frown as I try to recall where I''ve heard that


    phrase.


    Chubby is the new sexy.


    I''m Bond. James Bond.


    It all falls back into ce. Coffee shop. Mystery guy. I give a dramatic gasp and point a hand to his


    face.


    "You''re him! You''re Mr sexy voice!


    "You thought my voice was sexy?"


    "That''s not the point!" I shy away from the fact that I admitted I thought his voice was sexy. "You were


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    him all along, why didn''t you say anything?"


    "It wasn''t important if you couldn''t remember, right?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous. You were my modern-day knight in shining armor, and you still are. How could I be


    so clueless? And Chubby is definitely not sexy, I can''t believe I believed you back there."


    "That''s what you needed to believe at that moment. And I really think Chubby is sexy."


    "So you don''t think I''m sexy anymore?" I look up at him with wonder.


    "No. I think you''re beautiful. Someone who has a heart of gold, who''s eyes sparkle and whose smile


    lights up a room. Someone that leaves me in awe and wonder reminding me of pure and utter


    perfection. That''s who you are." He says that like it''s the most casual thing and makes his way towards


    the exit, leaving me standing there with something deep I just realized.


    Have you ever heard a song a couple of times and enjoyed it or whatever but then you hear it again


    and you think ''damn this is the best song I''ve ever heard''. Like you already knew it existed but for some


    reason, it really hits you that one time and you''re like ''wow I want to hear it again'' So you y it again


    and think you''re only going to y it once more but then you y it again and again until you fall in love


    with the beat, you fall in love with the rhythm, you fall in love with the lyrics and everything about it. You


    can''t get enough of it, it''s constantly in your head and all you want is that song.


    I think that''s what it''s like to fall in love. You know about that person for a while but one day, something


    about them catches you off guard, then you start talking to them which is like hitting y, and you want


    to keep talking to them so you do, which is like putting it on repeat. Then you fall in love with their eyes,


    you fall in love with their smile, you fall in love with their personality, you fall in love with everything


    about them. You can''t get enough of them. They''re constantly in your head and all you want is that


    person. I think falling in love is like discovering your favorite song.


    Maverick is my favorite song.

 Chapter 32.

    Chapter 32.


    Eight hours, Four hundred and eighty minutes of traveling on air and you could say I''m exhausted


    down to my very bones.


    It wasn''t hard locating the Vi as it''s quite popr despite the rural territory it''s built in. Set in Saint-


    Aignan, G?tes de Botn?on is a great house in a lovely rural location with an awesome garden. The


    housees with tiled floors and feature a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, a dining area, a


    t screen TV and a private bathroom.


    Everything''s simply perfect with a lovely and warm serenity. The free WiFi andrge terrace is also a


    bonus.


    I''m staring out the window in my robe, watching two children y in the garden when my phone beeps.


    It''s a message from Jim telling me about Jacqueline''s home address after warning me not to spill the


    beans about his proposal. He wants it to be a surprise.


    Typical.


    I hear the shower stop inside the bathroom as I turn around to see Maverick stepping out in his towel


    hanging low on his waists.


    "I hear there''s a restaurant just across the street. I''m starving."


    "I''d be surprised if you weren''t. You barely had any food to eat on the airne," I say.


    "Isn''t that because you ate them all?"


    I throw his shirt at his face. "I had Bananas and coffee for a whole month thanks to someone, don''t


    me me if I shove anything looking like actual food down my throat if I have the chance."


    "Yeah about that, you''re giving me fifty sit-ups tonight. You had too much calories to eat and I think


    you''re getting a little big over there," He points to my belly and I gasp.


    "You know how sensitive I get when ites to my body."


    "You get sensitive about everything," He shrugs on the shirt and slips into his pants.


    "I would not allow you treat me that way. Take that back," I walk over to him slowly in an attempt to look


    intimidating.


    "It''s funny you look cute trying to do whatever it is you''re doing," I p his arms when he chokes back a


    "Now what would you say about that?" A smug looks makes it way to my face.


    "That I let you hold me down?"


    "No. This," My hand snakes it''s way down his belly and stops right below his belly button as he takes in


    shaky and ragged breaths. I proceed to go farther, tugging at the buttons of his pants.


    "Ok stop, I take it back. Now as long as I''d like to continue..." Maverick looks down at my hands on the


    lower part of his stomach. "Whatever you were going to do, we need to leave."


    "I think not," I protest.


    "No seriously, I''m starving."


    "Shit. Sorry," I climb off him and toss my robe in a corner in the room, revealing the shirt I have


    underneath and a jean that hugs my body so well and brings out a shape I never knew existed.


    "On second thought, we should probably continue what we were doing," Maverick''s eyes sweeps over


    my body.


    "Oh shut up," I do an eye roll and grin, walking out the room door and feeling his heated gaze behind


    me. "Don''t look at my ass."


    His richughter echoes through the walls of the house as I step into the chilly night with a smile on my


    face.


    ~~~~~~~


    I have miche for dinner, which is French for ''cake'' and when spelled backwards is ''ittastedsogood''.


    We leave the restaurant when the owner keeps telling us weird dad jokes and make up an excuse


    saying we wanted to go feed our fish. The old man just didn''t know when to stop.


    "What did your fortune cookie say?" I ask as we both walk out of the restaurant to visit the water bank


    down the road. The restaurant''s owner gave each of us a fortune cookie after our dinner and Maverick


    wouldn''t tell me what his said.


    "It''s a secret," He says with a cheeky smile.


    "But I told you mine, that''s way past unfair."


    You are one step away from the life you deserve¡ª Was what mine read. I wonder what it meant.


    Maverick shrugs. "Life is unfair."


    We reach theke where the water bank is and the sight before me takes my breath away. The stars


    that shines in the night sky reflects on the water making it have this shiny and sparkly appearance.


    There''s a bridge above the water designed fully with Christmas lights that adds to the beauty of the


    atmosphere.


    "Now this is perfection," I say in awe and look around us, noticing we''re the only ones here.


    Everywhere''s quiet. Too quiet.


    "Reminds me of someone I know."


    I turn around to look at him. "And who is this someone you speak of?"


    "You might know her. She''s 5feet tall and wears sses that looks too big for her face," He runs a hand


    through my hair. "She''s sneaky. Sneaked her way straight into my heart."


    "Really? Then why wouldn''t you tell me what happened with Elise." His hands drop to his side.


    "You wouldn''t let that go would you?"


    "Nope. Not a chance."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Maverick sighs. "It''s a long story."


    "Cut it short."


    "She left."


    "Why?"


    "The hell if I know," He half yells. "She found someone better? I wasn''t good enough? I never found


    out. She visited the night before she left and when I woke in the morning, she was gone, like she was


    never even there."


    I reach out for him and give his arms a light squeeze. Now I get why he was worked up the other day I


    left the house without telling him.


    "Seven months passed and I never heard a thing. Why she left, where she left to. The phobia, it''s


    there. If you leave someone at least tell them why, because what''s more painful than being abandoned


    is knowing you aren''t worth an exnation."


    "So what if she left? That was her loss. And if she thinks photoshopping herself back into your life


    would fix the shit she did in the past, then she''s wrong because I''m never letting you go."


    "How long would you be able to keep that promise?" His eyes looks sad and somber,cking the


    brightness in them that was once there and fills it with worry.


    He''s scared. I can see it. He''s scared I''ll leave just like Elise, but what he doesn''t know is that he''s


    already too tangled up in my soul for me to leave.


    I don''t reply his question. Instead, I go on my toes and meets my lips with his. Actions speaks faster


    than words. Maverick looks too worried for him to believe anything I say right now.


    I mold my mouth into his and deepen the kiss, cradling his face in my hands as I invade his mouth. It''s


    slow but passionate and everything around us seems to hold it''s breath as I kiss away his worry.


    I kiss away his doubt.

 Chapter 33.

    Chapter 33.


    Note to self: If someone asks you how your France trip is going, never utter the words ''I think my best


    friend is being cheated on''.


    There''s a big problem there. First, what happens in Jim''s rtionship is none of my business and I


    wouldn''t want to go poke nosing around... Who am I kidding? Poke nosing is my thing, so I think it''s


    normal for me to want to know why the hell there''s a shirtless dude answering Jacqueline''s door.


    I look over the address Jim sent me again to verify I''m in the right ce as my eyes roam over his half-


    naked body once more.


    "Good morning," I start slowly, not sure if he''s an English speaker. "I''m here for Jacqueline, does she


    live here?"


    His bored expression brightens up at the mention of her name as he yells some French words over his


    shoulder. I could hear a faint female''s voice replying to him in the background before I see a mop of


    dark hair appear at the entrance.


    The one and only Jacqueline Pierre.


    "Oh my God," She appears to be surprised at my arrival as she throws herself at me for a bear hug.


    "April fucking White!"


    "That''s me," Iugh. She squeals into my ear and I see the guy retreat into the house like he owns the


    damn house. How dare he!


    "You never said you wereing."


    "Well... surprise?"


    "Come on in." She grins and steps aside for me to enter. My eyes roam the apartment as I take off my


    jacket. The ce is homely and elegant, just like Jim''s house.


    "Did youe alone? Why didn''t Jime along?"


    "I''m here with someone, Jim couldn''t make it," I ept the mug of coffee she offers me and press my


    lips to the tip of the cup, enjoying the heat radiating from it.


    "Someone? You mean him?"


    "There are so many ''hims'' in the world. Be specific."


    "Bullshit. You know who I''m talking about, Jim''s been giving me a lot of details," She smirks. That


    bbermouth. "We FaceTimedst night where he told me everything and I''m surprised he didn''t say


    you wereing."


    "The idiot''s just whipped."


    "Speaking of you, how would you like to be featured in my next book?" She plops down on the couch


    beside me.


    "Excuse me?"


    "Why? Did you burp?" Jacqueline does an eye roll. "I''ve been a Fantasy author for a long time and I


    think it''s time for a change. Readers love versatile authors right?"


    I give her a look. "I''m still not sure how I got involved in this."


    "I''m getting there. What if I venture into a real-life romance story, you know, with real people and


    ces? And then, you get to be one of the main characters."


    "Yeah, like anyone would want to read that," I snort. This girl is sick in the head.


    "Just shut up and have a look at what I came up with," She hands me herptop as I set it on myp. I


    scroll through the list of books she''s written and already published in hard copy as I spot a newly typed


    one.


    "Oh my God, I soundme," I say after reading the synopsis.


    "Would it make you feel any better if I make Tony pot-bellied and bald-headed?"


    "Count me in."


    "So here''s what we''re going to do..." Gulping the rest of my coffee, I scoot closer to her as we both


    focus on herptop.


    It''s pretty weird at first but it gets better when we get to the part where Tony appears as a bald-headed


    prick. Now looking back on my own story, I perfectly understand the reason why I was fired from my


    job. First, I was too forward. My boss didn''t even get to review the article I was about to publish before I


    went ahead to upload it online. That was a big dick move.


    My perspective of the way I see my boss changes. She was only saving herpany and I shouted


    ''TROUBLE''. Although, the way she went about the whole firing thing was still sort of harsh. I''m still


    pissed off she got my name wrong.


    But we still had to write that she was a meandy to make it look more... dramatic is the word


    Jacqueline calls it.


    Jim. Jim remains the cool guy and even if he''s not, Jacqueline wouldn''t want her boyfriend sounding


    like a bonehead.


    "The guy you saw earlier is Antoine, my cousin. It''s not what it looks like," Jacqueline says, her eyes


    glued to herptop and her hands typing fast on the keyboard like a pro.


    "Did I make it that obvious?"


    "Yeah, the look on your face shouted ''THIS BITCH BE CHEATING ON MY BEST FRIEND''" She closes


    herptop and turns to face me. "Do you not trust me? Are you doubting us?"


    "Why would you even think that," My eyes soften at her words.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I don''t know. I just feel insecure sometimes. I''m feeling the reason why he hasn''t popped the big


    question is because of... you?"


    "Now that''s totally crazy." Would this be the right time to tell her about his n?


    "Wait!" She suddenly exims and my eyes widen at her outburst. "I think I just figured something out.


    We do have a lot of things inmon, right?"


    "Quite a lot, we''re like soul sisters."


    The inquisitiveness in her eyes tells me to think further and when I do, my eyes snap wide open.


    The only thing I can say differentiates me from Jacqueline is my physical appearance but other than


    that, we''re totally alike. That is to say, it''s like Jim and I never really left ourselves, we just found each


    other in someone else. I thought Maverick acts like Jim sometimes because they spend the most time


    together but the real truth is, they do have the same qualities as a person.


    We are way more connected than I think and that''s the most fascinating thing I''ve found out all year.


    Well, it''s just the beginning of the year...


    "Give me yourptop," I tell Jacqueline and she quickly does so.


    "What are you going to do?"


    "I''m changing the plot."


    ~~~~~~~~


    Having a goal is one thing, but having a bucket list filled with crazy doings is a whole different thing


    entirely.


    Two and a half weeks goes by quickly. Almost too quickly, but you know what they say about time flying


    out the window when you''re having fun. Wait... I think it was time flying fast...


    "And then I got grounded."


    "Of course you''d get grounded, you''re so stupid," Iugh. It''s a Saturday and Maverick and I chose that


    we bunk in today, meaning we''re staying in the vi all day. He''s telling me about his teen years and


    how he snuck out in the middle of the night to go to an underground party. He told on himself the next


    day to his Mom because his conscience wouldn''t let him be and eventually got himself grounded.


    "Did I tell you my mom''s in France for a business trip?" Maverick asks as I jump up from the bed where


    we''re both cuddled to gape at him.


    "We''re both in France!!" Does that mean I''ll have to meet her? Oh lord.


    "No, I thought we were at a Taylor Swift concert in Mexico," He deadpans.


    "Would she want to meet me?"


    "Yes, in like four hours," He nces at the watch on his hands.


    "Four hours??" I snap. "You knew your mom wanted to meet with us and you''re just saying that??"


    "Before I continue, chill out, you''re beginning to look a little blue. I found out yesterday she was in the


    country. Nothing to worry about, she just wants to have lunch."


    "But I''m not ready to meet her yet. What if she doesn''t like me? What if she does like me and then I


    blow everything up? What I''m I supposed to say when we meet? What I''m I not supposed to say when


    we meet? I literally know nothing about the woman who gave birth to you naked!"


    I''m getting mad and he can sense it. I wouldn''t be having this semi-panic attack if he had even told me


    what his mom looked like. Just like Troy Bolton, my crush during my preadolescent years, my head is


    definitely not in the game right now.


    Maverick walks up to where I''m pacing on my feet and drapes a towel on my shoulder like a cape.


    "Now you''re SUPER ANGRY."


    I try to keep a straight face, believe me, I try but my stupid body reflexes cause me to startughing like


    a donkey.


    "This situation is in no way funny. I am so screwed." He kisses the top of my head when I bury my face


    in his chest.


    "She''ll love you, I know so."


    Even with his reassurance, I still can''t ignore the bad feeling growing at the pit of my stomach.

 Chapter 34.

    Chapter 34.


    We manage to get out of the house after two hours of me looking for an outfit to wear. I suggested we


    go cloth shopping but he had said that was extra.


    We''ve had this big heart to heart, the one where I confessed I still feel like I''m not good enough for him,


    and ever since the conversation six nights ago, he''d been trying to chase away that fear. He''d write a


    hundred things he admires about me in the form of a poem. He''d stay awake to watch while I sleep.


    When we''re in a public ce, he''d hold my hands or ce an unexpected kiss by the side of my mouth


    which never fails to tug at my heartstrings.


    And because he''s working hard for me, I''ve decided I work on myself too. He deserves someone better


    who isn''t going to always think lesser of herself.


    "A penny for your thoughts?" Maverick asks as we walk to the restaurant where we''re supposed to be


    meeting his mom. It''s cold outside and we''re bundled up in our coats and scarves but it''s still nice,


    perfect to have him keeping me warm. His arm is slung over my shoulder as he tightens his hold


    around me.


    "I like it when we''re like this. Things would be fine, wouldn''t it?"


    He smiles. "I''m positive, and you need to be too. Things are going to be fine. I''ve got you."


    I nod in response as he pushes open the door to the restaurant where ady waits for us at the


    concierge. Her hair is tied up in a neat bun and she smiles brightly.


    She asks us something in French as Maverick replies in the samenguage. He even sounds hotter


    speaking French.


    Thedy nods at him and gestures we follow her, leading us to a table where there''s an unopened wine


    resting on it.


    Maverick drags out a chair for me to seat and I smile at his chivalry.


    "My mom just texted me, she''ll be here in five." He takes a seat beside me and ces a hand on my


    thigh, circling a spot with a thumb. "With that being said, how are you feeling April?"


    "Like I''m going to throw up," Iugh humorlessly. It''s serious though, I''m currently eyeing a paper bag


    on another table. He raises his hand a little bit higher on my thigh and strokes it soothingly, the act


    somehow quenching my jumbled nerves. You see, it''s when he does things like this that makes


    happiness spread in my soul and remind me how lucky I am to have him.


    "I know a drive-in movie theatre that''s out of town. We should go there when we''re done with this."


    "Really? What movie do you have in mind?" I ask, my interest already piqued up.


    "My mom is here."


    "That''s a very unusual movie title."


    "No, she really is here," I follow his gaze as I spot a womaning in from the concierge and I''m


    guessing that''s his mom. The resemnce is clear. Her brte silky hair is let loose on her shoulders


    and even with a small physique, I can tell she''s advanced in age from the wrinkles at the corners of her


    eyes.


    She''s wearing a grey colored women''s suit with pants that stops right above her ankle, showcasing her


    Louis Vuitton high heels which clicks lightly against the floor as she approaches our table with such


    charisma, such valor.


    "I only have twenty-five minutes to spend here. Open that wine and let''s get high," She says as she


    drags a chair opposite us and sits. Ok, she''s cooler than I thought.


    "Old habits die hard," Maverick smiles and uncorks the bottle of wine, pouring the liquid into a ss


    cup for her.


    "So you''re her," She stares at me as a small smile dances on her lips. "Call me Pansy."


    "Pansy," I taste the name on my tongue, liking the sound of it. "That''s actually my favorite flower, those


    lovely bright colored flowers."


    "My parent''s too. I got named after their favorite flower and was hoping I''d give birth to a girl too so that


    I''d name her after my own favorite flower but then he," She points at Maverick. "Jumped out of my body


    and I was like shit! it''s got a dick."


    My face turns bright red as I try to hold in myugh and fail woefully at it.


    "Not surprised you''d find that funny," Maverick says and pours a bottle of wine into my cup.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I like you already. Call me April. April White."


    Her face falls into a deep frown as mine drops too, myughter dying down. "April White? You''re that


    Reporter?"


    Maverick gives me a ''what''s-she-talking-about'' look but I ignore him. "Uhm...Yeah?"


    The next thing I hear is the scraping of her chair against the floor as she stands up in a sh and


    before I know it, she grabs her cup and sshes her wine all over my face.


    What just happened?


    "Mom!!"


    "I will not allow you to bring that homewrecker into this family! How do you even sleep at night knowing


    what you''ve done!" The whole restaurant''s attention is on us already and I''m still wondering what


    crawled up her ass and died.


    "There has got to be some misunderstanding here, just have a seat and we''ll talk this out," Maverick


    says.


    "Don''t be a fool boy! I didn''t raise an idiot for a son. The article published about your father was owned


    by a Reporter under the name April White. She shamed our family!"


    Article?


    Father?


    Shame?


    The realization hits me like a truckload of bricks as my brain spirals into a state of regret. Jonathan W.


    Patrick, Mayor of Minneapolis is Maverick''s Dad? I think I''m going to puke.


    "I will not have you humiliate..."


    "Maverick stop!" I cut him off, both Mother and Son staring down at me. Well, one is ring and we


    both know who that is. "She''s right. I published that article."


    "What were you thinking? That article was horrible," His eyes spark disbelief and hurt.


    "I know and I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to... I..."


    "Why are you with my son? You want information from him too, don''t you? So you can bring him down


    just like you did with the Mayor? It''ll be a double score, being able to tame both father and son."


    "I did not know you were his son, I swear to God," I tell Maverick, my voice already breaking. Why does


    the universe hate me?


    "You never even mentioned you''re a Reporter."


    "A fired Reporter! I didn''t see the need to."


    Pansy picks up her bag from the table and straightens her suit, staring right at Maverick. "Continue with


    this rtionship, and you''re no longer my son." And with that, she clicks her way out of the restaurant.


    "You want to exin what happened? I''ll believe anything you say." It''s sweet he still wants to hear my


    own side of the story but right now, my head''s a mess and all I can do is cry.


    "I c...can''t. I''m sorry." Is all I can force out as huge sobs continue to erupt from my throat. He makes an


    attempt to leave and I grab a hold of his coat.


    "You can''t leave me!"


    "And I can''t lose my mom either. I''m sorry too." My grip on his coat loosens and my heart drops to my


    stomach.


    All the happiness from the past days I spent in Francees crashing down to bits and pieces, leaving


    me with a sour taste of sorrow.


    He goes after his mom as I watch him drag his hands down his hair frustratedly.


    "Maverick I love you!"


    For a moment, he stops on his tracks like there''s a force that pulled him back. His back rises and falls


    rapidly, showing he''s taking strong deep breaths and for that moment, an inkling of hope glows inside


    me but dies down when his feet leads him out of the restaurant, taking a little piece of me along.

 Chapter 35.

    Chapter 35.


    Maverick didn''te back to the vi that night neither did he answer his phone calls.


    I wait up for him, thinking he''lle inte and was working things out with his mom but give up when


    the time strikes Two in the midnight.


    Maybe it''s just a figment of my imagination, maybe it''s real but I feel someone ce a soft kiss on my


    lips when I fall asleep but was too tired from crying to open my eyes.


    I jolt up from the bed the next morning, thinking yesterday was a nightmare, and reality dawns on me


    when I look at the space beside me on the bed and find it empty. Even the room feels empty.


    His traveler''s bag that was once resting at one side of the room is no longer there and neither is any of


    his other properties.


    He left already.


    Knowing he''s probably on his flight back to Minneapolis, I rush out of bed to get ready to leave for the


    airport. We''ll sort things out when I get home, I know we will.


    I leave the house keys to the caretaker of the vi. A cap is worn on my head to prevent her from


    seeing my blood-red eye as I g down a cab to the airport.


    The flight was lonely and sad. I have no idea what''s going to happen when I get back to the penthouse


    but whatever it is, I''m not ready for it. What he''s going to say, how I''m going to react, I''m scared of it.


    I should''ve known something like this was bound to happen. It''s like I''m forbidden to be happy for a


    long period of time.


    Maverick still doesn''t pick up his calls when I get to Minneapolis and keeps going straight to voicemail.


    The situation is worsened as I find out he didn''te to the penthouse either. His room shows no sign


    of him plus everywhere is looking dark and deserted, just like my soul at the moment.


    A headache slices through my skull and I feel dizzy for a second, concluding a shower would do me


    good right now.


    It doesn''t.


    Two sleepless nightster, there''s still no sign of him and it''s already beginning to get to my head. The


    first person I would''ve run to is Jim but he needs a break from me, a break from my drama. I would not


    be a part of his responsibility anymore and I need to handle my own mess on my own this time.


    My phone rings in the middle of the night on one of my sleepless nights and I dive for my phone,


    hoping it''s from one person but I''m disappointed when I see Jim appear on the caller ID.


    "You didn''t tell me you''re back from France, your location shows you''re in town. How was it? Did you


    have fun?"


    "A lot of fun. You should go there sometime," I try to sound as lively as possible so he won''t suspect a


    thing. The call goes on a bit longer when he begins to tell me about a client at work. He throws in jokes


    into the story at some point and I have to force myself tough even if all I want to do right now is far


    fromughing.


    You know when sadness hits you and it sort of fills your chest? You can breathe but it''s sort of shaky


    and maybe your vision goes a little blurry from tears that are threatening to fall¡ª but you aren''t just


    letting them? It''s a strong and heavy feeling, something that I can''t really exin.


    The next morning, I fall back into the old style of letting my sadness out. Kickboxing.


    I start out slowly at first but when Maverick''s face keeps shing pictures in my head, his smile, the first


    day I came to the penthouse, the day I finally spoke to him on the staircase, when he agreed to help


    me with my stupid n... the moment I figured I was falling for him, when we first made love in his


    bedroom, and down to the scene at that restaurant in France¡ª my sadness hits a whole new level as I


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    punch the leather bag like my life depends on it, I punch it till my knuckles turn red and bleed.


    Nothing I do right now could change what happened in the past. What''s done is done and it hurts so


    bad I can''t go back in time to change my mistakes.


    It breaks my heart more every time I call his phone and hear. "Hey, it''s Maverick. Leave a message


    after the beep." I call him every night when I know he''s not going to pick up, just to keep hearing his


    voice.


    Fridayes before I make up my mind on my final decision. I cried about it in the night and now that


    I''m standing in the living room with my luggage in one hand, tears still stream down my face.


    I take a paper note and a pen from my bag, setting the paper t on the counter and writing down a


    note:


    I''m sorry I''m not the person you thought I was. I''m sorry I disappointed you too damn much, for nearly


    everything. I''m sorry for hurting you. For trying to make things work and always fucking it up in the end.


    I''m sorry... it''s just sometimes, I feel like I was born to hurt the people I love, the people I want to love. I


    guess the world made me this giant asshole without knowing it.


    I thought I could change. I thought I actually had a shot at love, a shot at making you happy. I don''t


    know anything anymore but I know there has to be more to this. More to me. More to you. I just wish


    things were different. I wish I could wake up, do what I have to do, and somewhere in between get a


    text message from you saying how much you need me. How much you miss me, and love me.


    I wish things were easier. But they''re not. I am my own self-destruction. And I just need someone to


    love me. To not give up on me. To tell me I can still be good.


    I wipe thest of my tears and pin the note on the refrigerator, stepping back to look at the house I''ve


    had good memories in. I should thank him for that, for giving me a break of my own sad life and a


    better view of life.


    I punch a number on my phone and bring it to my ears, taking a deep breath as the other line rings and


    picks.


    "Dad, I''ming home."

 Chapter 36.

    Chapter 36.


    Heartbreaks are unfortunately amon part of the human experience and it really, really sucks.


    We''ve all been there, and it''s safe to say we all want to avoid experiencing heartbreak ever again.


    "I feel like my heart''s been ripped out," "it was gut-wrenching," "like a p on the face."¡ª all hint at the


    way we associate with physical and emotional pain.


    Hormones aren''t just for randy teenagers. Our bodies produce a long list of hormones everyday for


    different purposes, including falling in and out of love. Love can be addictive, like a drug, because of


    the hormones our brain releases when we be really attached to someone.


    I''ve finallye to the realization that what happened with Tony was just depression. What I''m feeling


    now is the real heartbreak. It can often feel like it''s the end of the world. No amount of pain have ever


    felt so agonizing or concentrated. It''s like a giant hole is being pummeled into my chest, with no hope of


    repair.


    I cry, I scream, I watch Netflix until I''ve seen every documentary my subscription has to offer and yet


    nothing seems to smooth my heartbreak or soothe the longing I feel.


    True story: Breakups are a bitch, and heartbreak is a bigger bitch than fucking karma.


    I think I can say with pretty solid confidence, most people would rather get smacked in the face with a


    metal pole than gets their hearts broken. I am ny-nine percent of those ''most people''.


    I hear my room door open as I feel someone''s presence behind me. I''mid down on my bed so that


    my back is facing the door. It''s been three days since I got back home. My room is still the same except


    that Mom already took off the picture posters of Zac Effron from my room walls.


    "Your mom told me toe get you. Dinner would be ready in a minute."


    "I''m not hungry."


    "Well then, that''s extra food for me." Dad says and sees himself out of the room.


    Wow. Nice parenting Dad.


    I pick up my phone from my nightstand to check my messages but there''s nothing, nada, nil, zero,


    zilch, and any other word you can use to describe the rate at which someone can feel so deserted and


    worthless.


    Without wasting anymore time sulking over what happened, I bounce back on my feet and get myself a


    job as a Librarian at the town''s library. It''s pretty refreshing than being in istion in my enclosed room.


    The students thate visit keep mepany and I made friends with a few.


    Every morning at the crosswalk on my way to work, I see Him at the other side of the road dressed in


    his usual Doctor''s coat and smiling brightly at me but when I smile back, he vanishes into thin air, like


    he''s imprinted into my brain and appears when I want him to.


    "Happy Valentine''s Day Miss White!" A bubbly voice pierces through my ears as the door to the library


    bursts open, making all eyes dart to the owner of the voice and scowling at her lousiness. That''s


    Amanda. My overly lively sixteen year old regr customer at the library. She''s taken this unusual


    liking for me from the very first day I started work and I have to admit, it really is a joy when she''s


    around.


    "It''s Valentine''s Day already?" I take a quick look at my calendar and she rolls her eyes.


    "The whole country knows it. Have you been living under a rock?"


    "Metaphorically, yes."


    "Anyway! Here''s your gift," Amanda hands me a box of brown choctes with a red ribbon tied at the


    center.


    "Wow, thank you. I didn''t have anything prepared for you, sorry."


    "No that''s ok! This wasn''t originally meant for you, it was supposed to be for my crush but then he


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    turned down my proposal. His loss." She does a hair flip and I smile at her cockiness.


    "It''s simple logic you don''t ask someone to be your valentine on valentine''s day. What if he has a date


    already?"


    "I got it!" Her face lit up in a bright grin. "I''ll ask him to be my date to next year''s valentine so he


    wouldn''t be able to say no. Thanks, Miss White. You''re the best!"


    "Uhm... you''re wee?" I watch her as she dashes out of the library, stomping her boots to the floor


    as she runs.


    I get to close from work early because it''s a Saturday. The bus ride takes only fifteen minutes but I still


    feel stressed, more emotionally than physically.


    Both my parents exchange weird looks when I eat two bananas for dinner and head straight for my


    room because everyone knows I don''t eat fruits. If it''s not caked then I''m not having it.


    I hear my room door open as mom walks over to my bed and settles beside me.


    "How''s work?" She begins. I''m suspecting she knows something''s up.


    "It''s fine. I like it."


    "Do you really?"


    "It keeps me busy, " I say shortly.


    "Ok, then. You haven''t said why you''re back in New Jersey."


    "I miss you guys."


    "We both know that''s bull crap," She says and I sigh. "What''s wrong April? Is it a guy?"


    I nod weakly. "Is it Tony?"


    "Tony and I are done."


    "That''s quite a surprise," Her eyes sh with amusement.


    "Found out he cheated." I continue.


    "Still a surprise."


    "Kicked me out of the house."


    "And the surprise just keeps oning," I shoot her a look. "So what really is the problem?"


    "Everything mom, I fucked everything up. I''m a horrible person," My head falls to my hands as I sob


    uncontrobly in them, my shoulders shaking with intense tremor. I lean towards her body when she


    wraps her arms around me protectively. Who thought she would be the one to bother about my girl


    drama. I guess mothers would be mothers after all.


    She gives me a tissue to blow my nose after I''m done telling her the whole story.


    "How do you know you love him?"


    "I don''t know. It''s like I exist only when he does and when he''s not there, I''m like a walking shell that''ll


    crack at the slightest touch. It''s sick," I blow on my tissue once more.


    I see her open a drawer beside my bed and bring out a book. Ok I think that''s a bible.


    "Open the scriptures 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and read what''s in it."


    "I stopped going to church years ago. That won''t work on me."


    "Unless you''re the devil then yes, the Bible is for everyone. I want you to read those verses and rece


    the word ''love'' with your man''s name and if it''s not urate, he''s not the one," She stands up from the


    bed and kisses my forehead. "Now I have to go back to my room and treat your Dad''s snore like it''s a


    Marvin Gaye love song."


    I grin. "Good luck with that."


    I watch her close the door behind her and look back at the Bible on my hands. Reluctantly, I open the


    verse but just out of curiosity.


    "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor


    others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not


    delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, it always trusts, always hopes, always


    perseveres."


    I hope mom''s right. We both never really said our goodbyes because deep down in our minds, we


    knew it wasn''t the end.

 Chapter 37.

    Chapter 37.


    In the days that follow, my time is filled with nning programs for library users. Programs including


    storytime for children, book clubs, and conducting researches for school works. There are times where


    I work myself nonstop till midnight which can be threatening to my health ording to mom''s analysis.


    She doesn''t know it but giving myself a break from work can be threatening to my health because


    here''s the thing about time, it doesn''t give a hoot about you. It doesn''t care if you''re grieving and need


    a break from everything.


    It just keeps on moving and asking you to get up on your ass to move along with it.


    So I will.


    "Happy anniversary guys," I walk into the kitchen where my parents are and turn on the coffee maker.


    It''s my parent''s wedding anniversary today and I''m proud of how they''ve still stuck together like glue for


    thirty-two years and counting. Through ups and downs, family issues and conflicts, it''s good to know


    they''re still going strong.


    "I''m d you remembered," Dad smiles at me.


    "I did. You reminded me yesterday like six times."


    "You know your Father is quite the character," Mom chuckles as she sets a breakfast of pancakes


    before him.


    "I never got to hear the story of how you both met. What was the meet-cute?"


    "It was on a rainy day on the 12 of October 1978..." Dad begins.


    "When you still had hair on your head." Mom adds.


    "... I was at a fresher''s party back in College, your mom was there too. She was sitting alone at a


    corner of the room..."


    "No, I wasn''t. I was with dandruff Danny."


    "That''s what I want to remember Judith. No one cares about your weird ex-boyfriend who gave you a


    jar filled with human teeth for a birthday gift," Dad says. "Now where was I?"


    "You were at a fresher''s party." I chip in.


    "Ah yes. My friends dared me to go talk to your mom because everyone knew how antisocial I could


    be. So I man up and walked over to her, shed her my million dor smile and said: ''My Robert name


    is hi''"


    "And it worked?"


    "You can say it did after three grown-ass children and four grandbabies." He beams.


    "Ok, it''s time to tell my own part of the story..."


    I gulp down thest of my coffee. "Here''s my cup of care¡ª oh look, it''s empty."


    I hear her begin to protest but everything bes muffled when I close the door behind me and hurry


    to get to the bus station. Lucky for me, my bus hasn''t arrived yet when I get there so I stand at the bus


    stop, enjoying the wind as it dances on my face and hair.


    My heart still breaks a little anytime I open my phone and get no texts or calls from Maverick. Every day


    and each night, I try to imagine himying beside my bed and smiling. I can still see his beautiful eyes.


    I can still smell his skin. I remember how good it felt to be held by him.


    I wish he was here.


    I feel my phone vibrate in my pockets and with a sigh, I bring it out and unlock my phone.


    My heart stops when I see His name as the sender of the message that reads;


    ''Can we fix this? I can''t lose you.''


    Immediately, the phone on my hands starts ringing, also with his name on the caller ID. My heart is


    hammering loudly against my chest and all I can do is stare at my phone.


    This was what I wanted, for him to return my calls. Then why the hell aren''t I picking up the phone??


    I force my fingers to click on ept call on my screen as I shakily ce the phone to my ear.


    "If I tell you to forgive this stupid bastard for walking out on you, what would you say?" The voice I''ve


    missed for almost two weeks says in my ears.


    "I''ll say I''d wait for the stupid bastard even if it''s a year."


    "Well, it''s good to know I didn''te to New Jersey for nothing," My mouth drops open as I struggle for


    words to say. "Jim told me I had toe to your hometown if I ever wanted to see you again."


    "Where are you right now?" I say, already walking fast-paced away from the bus stop.


    "Somece called Hamilton Park."


    "Don''t fucking move where you are. I''ming to you." I push my way past the people on the bustling


    streets as my heels click loudly against the floor when I begin running down to the park with my phone


    still held up in my ears. He didn''t end the call yet.


    "April, I fell in love with you the first day you kissed me at that club, looking all pimped up and glittery,"


    He''s only just starting and I''m already a crying mess. I can tell he''s struggling to get the words out too,


    ovee by emotions but he''s stronger than me.


    "I couldn''t get you off my head after that night but then you showed up on my doorstep, it was a dream


    as I fasten my speed to wherever he is. "Agreeing to your thirty days get-fit n was the silliest thing


    I''ve ever done but it brought us together. I knew your pain and your sadness and I always did wanted to


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    make you smile but every time you do smile, I fall a little more in love with you."


    The parkes in view. My eyes impatiently search for him around the area. "Where are you?!"


    "Turn around."


    I do. I see him standing opposite me in all his glory. It''s not my imagination or an illusion, he''s really


    there, staring straight at me like I''m the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.


    I notice the eye bags under his eyes and I figure he hasn''t been getting sleep as much as I haven''t. He


    shoves his phone back into his jacket.


    "I gave it all up." I hear him say, loud enough for me to hear. "I don''t care what my mom thinks. It''s not


    your fault my Dad fucked up. She can''t tell me who not to love so I gave it all up. I just want you."


    "Will you kiss him already or you''re going to make mee do it," We both turn our heads to the


    direction of the voice and I see Amanda sitting alone on a bench in the park.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Minding my business until you two showed up. Don''t mind me, get along with what you guys were


    doing. Just pretend I''m one of the grasses on the floor."


    I turn back to look at Maverick and I see him already walking closer to me. "I want you to forget the


    pain, forget the hurt from the past, forget everything, and everyone who''s made you feel sad. I can''t


    promise to wipe away the bitter memories but I do promise to never be the reason for a frown on your


    face." He reaches out to hold my tiny hands in hisrge ones and slips a ring into one of my fingers as I


    stare up at him.


    "You see that look over there? That''s the one that did it."


    "Did what?" I ask.


    "Had me falling. I''m asking you to hold my hand as we start a new chapter of our lives...The one that''s


    titled forever¡ª Will you?"


    My eyes shine with unshed tears when I grin. "You have a ring, I have a finger. Let''s do this shit."


    "Now this is the part where you both kiss. It''s not that hard," Amanda''s voicees in again.


    "The kid wants it, so why not?" He smiles as he presses his lips against mine. Instinctively, my hand


    reaches up to his hair to glide my fingers through them and deepen the kiss. It''s like everything around


    us doesn''t exist anymore when my lips meet his including Amanda who''s squealing.


    If you had told me I''d find love again after Tony, I would have called you deranged. I was broken,


    damaged, depressed, but still managed to keep up with the curve balls life kept throwing at me all with


    the help of the man after my own heart.


    That doesn''t mean life is going to get easier though, in fact, there''ll be more problems toe. It''s


    inevitable.


    So here''s the thing, don''t fall in love because of the idea of being in love. I tried that once, it didn''t end


    so well for me. Instead, wait for the guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who will lie under the


    stars just to listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who


    kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you''re in track pants, who holds


    your hand in public, who thinks you''re just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly


    reminding you of how lucky he is to have you, the one who''ll confidently turn to his parents and say


    ''That''s her''.


    It really is a wonderful feeling finding happiness in one person, my gym instructor, my tutor, my


    therapist... my Mr. WRight.

 Chapter 38.

    Chapter 38.


    We fall in love with three people in our lifetime, each one for a specific reason. Now I don''t know about


    anyone else but there are the three types of love I''ve personally encountered, each with their own


    depths.


    The first love often happens at a young age, you eventually grow apart or call it quits over silly things.


    When you get older, you may look back and think it wasn''t love. But the truth is, it was love for what


    you knew it to be, and I got highly privileged to still have my first love turned best friend with me for ten


    years now.


    The second one is the hard one. You get hurt in this one. This love teaches us lessons and makes us


    stronger. It includes great pain, lies, betrayal, abuse, drama, and damage. But this is the one where we


    grow. We realize what we love about love and what we don''t love about love. Now we know the


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    difference between good and bad humans. We be close, careful, cautious and considerate. We


    already know exactly what we want and what we don''t want. My experience with Tony can testify to


    that.


    Then the third onees blindly. No warning. It creeps on you silently. You don''t go looking for this


    love, ites to you. You can put up any wall you want, it will be broken down. You''ll find yourself


    caring about that person without even trying. They look nothing like your usual crush types but you get


    lost in their eyes daily. You hide nothing from them. You want marriage and family with them. You thank


    the universe for them. You truly love them.


    I couldn''t let Maverick and his mom get into a fight because of me so I went visiting her house to set


    things right. He had no idea. I brought pansies along with me and she actually let me in whereas I


    thought I''d be kicked out by her securities. We had this heart to heart woman talk where I found out she


    knew about the mayor having an affair outside her marriage but wanted to have it confidential so as not


    to tarnish his reputation.


    I wasn''t sure if she''d totally forgiven me until she said. "Make sure I get to have a granddaughter so


    that I''ll name her Rose." And I guess that was her own way of telling me ''wee to the family.''


    The mayor got moved to an old people''s home after being diagnosed with dementia. He doesn''t


    remember me but I visit him every week with Callum to fulfill my daughter-inw''s responsibilities.


    I got to have my Reporting job restored back to me by Pansy. My boss hosted a wee back party


    just for me and beamed with joy as she told me how great it was having one of her best staff back in


    thepany. She got my name correct this time.


    Garret''s wife is pregnant. Yes, again. I''m not even going to talk much on that because his case is


    already way past what I can handle.


    Let''s not leave out the two love birds who got married the same day Maverick and I did. It was a double


    wedding. Jim finally proposed to Jacqueline on a ship cruise. He slipped the ring on her finger while


    she slept and when she woke in the morning with Jim beside her on the bed looking all nervous, he


    said a very unusual statement;


    "Marry me or leave my ship."


    They were in the middle of the sea and she just woke from a nap, trying to register to her brain what


    was going on. It was followed by a happy scream, then a squeal, then the rest of what happened is not


    mine to tell.


    Elise traveled back to Ennd to continue being royalty.


    It''s currently one week after the wedding where Maverick and I are both in the Maldives for our


    honeymoon. It makes me remember our France trip months ago that went wrong.


    "What''s going on in your head April?" Maverick nuzzles his face against my neck beside me, already


    pulling at the tie that holds my robe together.


    "When we have kids, I don''t want them knowing we met at a night club," I say as heughs softly into


    my neck.


    "Is that what''s bothering you? How we met?"


    "Well, sort of."


    "We could give them the Cindere story."


    I arch a brow. "What?"


    "Yeah, it''ll go like this; I was your knight in shining armor, you were my Cindere who left behind her


    lipstick on my lips on a party night and went off running when the clock struck 12:00. This knight wants


    to find this mysterious girl and goes searching for her."


    "You never went searching for me. I literally had toe to your doorstep."


    "It''s my story, I get to imagine it however I want. Now stop talking and let''s create our own happily ever


    after." He pulls the robe aside, tossing away the flimsy thing to the floor as his mouth works its way


    down my breast bone.


    I''m the girl who got a happy end but with a lot of problems and hurt along the way which totally built me


    to the person I am now. I''d like to think everything that happened in the past months happened for a


    reason, or maybe because everything turned out great for me. I want us to be that couple who''ll hold


    our hands at eighty and say ''we made it,'' so I recreated another bucket list after we got married.


    Everything brings me back to the day I felt my heart swell in my chest when I saw what he had on the


    #Bucket list number 15# Get Married.


    ******The End******


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