Her legs on the chair with her knees curled up to the chest exposing her thick soft thighs. She was still in the silk laced white dress only that Filly lent her, his oversized woolen sweater. Her head leaning on the window that's slightly opened. Enjoying the fresh air and the view of the buildings and moving vehicles and people around the city that she was not even seeing. She was lost in her thoughts. Probably the scenes from minutes ago. Filly on the other hand was slowly driving his blue Hyundai Tucson. The silence between was too loud.
'This car was gifted to me by my late grandfather,' he broke the silence. Eyes on the road as he quickly stole a glance at Malaika and focused on the road once she didn't reply. A few minutes passed by and he decided to tap. Slowly, she turned to him. Anyone could tell she wasn't okay from the sadness written all over her face. Wondering why the man that once loved her could treat her like she was a worthless nobody. What did she do to deserve such inhumane embarrassment? She stared without saying a word
'Are you okay?' Filly inquired
She gave him her back without uttering a single word. Focusing on the road with eyes wide open 'Did I say something bad?' he thought out loudly. He kept driving and there it was, traffic. The hooting from impatient drivers, motorcycle's impatient to the extent of forcing their way through the stuck vehicles. The air was full of diesel and overheating engines. Can't forget the loud music from some of the vehicles.
She sat up right putting her legs down. Stretching her hand, she reached for the radio there was a flash disk stack onto it. Turning it on, Slow rhythmic sad beats played.
'Loving and fighting, accusing. Denying. I can't imagine a world with you gone.' Chord Overstreets' Hold On. (_ The joy and the chaos-) She pressed next. Just like the previous one, this too had some slow sad beats followed by a melodious humming. ( yelling at the sky, screaming at the world_) the song began. ( Baby why'd you go away I'm still your girl_). Attentively listening to the song, he turned to him and bumped into the sight of Filly's rubbing his nose. Something he did when something fishy was up.
( How do I love, how do I love again? How do I trust again?) Dancing with your Ghost by Sasha Sloan played. She pressed onto the radio and it moved to the next song. (This night is cold in the kingdom, I can feel you fade away…) another heartbreak song. Let me down by Alec Benjamin. Unto the next (… … if you ever move on without me, I need to make sure that you know… if it's not it's not anyone… …) It was Anyone by Justine Beiber. Like someone trying to put off fire that had mistakenly caught onto something she tapped on the radio consecutively, putting an end to the sad playlist.
"What sought of playlist do you have here? Are you broken as well?' she asked.
'Gurl pleaaase just because you're doesn't mean I am as well,' he countered.
Shrugging her shoulders, she slid her seat slightly to the back. Slowly slid her body, placed her head on it, Closed her eyes and put her arms over her chest. In whatever that position was, she seemed to be resting on the beach. She was peaceful. The hooting from outside felt like the relaxing waves of the ocean. It's called finding peace amid chaos. It's an art. The beautiful mess. Sweet pain.
'What Ivy and Anna tell you?' He asked. 'I saw them chase after you'
'Nothing,' she replied calmly. ' They apologized on behalf of their friend.'
'Omar was quite the jerk back there,' he stated
'Not that I care anyway.' She replied still resting with her eyes closed
'What are your plans?' Filly kept going
'Go home,' she stated. 'Take a long shower,' she continued after a five second pause. Opening her eyes, she tilts her head looking at him 'brace myself and embrace my fate,' she sums up.
Raising his eyebrows 'Just like that?' he asks
Scoffing. She reverts ' What do you want me to do?' Confront Belinda? Or go up to her and tell that ring she has should've been mine ? I am not that desperate for love.' Going back to her original peaceful position.
Speaking of rings, you did tell her that yesterday,' he reminded her whilst chuckling.
Urgh! I was drank. That doesn't count since I was drank and can't even recall saying such,' she remarked.
Looking at her, from head down to her thighs where his eyes were stuck. He shrugged and fixed his eyes on the road. Traffic had died down, he re-ignited the engine and drove away to his house. Picked Malaika's spare key, dropped her at her place before heading to the pub.
*****************************************************
Throwing herself on the bed like a log, she stayed in that position for a minute before sliding in between the sheets. Curling herself up, she swirled the velvet duvet around herself up to her head. She looked like someone watching a horror movie only that she did not have the popcorns. Worst of it all her life was the actual horror mivie. It wasn't the coldest season but she was shivering.
Sobbing painfully, without a PG or any sort of warning tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
God? She cried out.
Does it even get better? When?
"For half a decade…half a decade." She choked, covering her eyes. "Every day and night I looked forward to his return." Her voice cracking up into a raw ugly sound. I hoped to walk down the aisle and find him standing at the altar. Happily waiting for me.
I prayed for him every night. And you just… …' wiping her mucus. 'You just let him walk with her.' She began to weep, not poetically rather in a messy way. A running nose accompanied with her trying to gasp for air. When she thought that she got hold of enough, a wave of realization of his hand on someone else forever took her back to zero.
'Was I not enough? I try not to cry,… not to be sad… …acting all tuff but …it hurts…'
'Can you see me?' she wailed
Finally lying on her back. Her body however was shaking with the force of her grief. Her breath coming in ragged, shuddering whistles. Her heart thudding with slow, agonizing quiet that follows a total collapse.
**********************************
At around 9:30 pm, the friends walked into Filly's Pub. He was busy with his usual duties.
Urgh!' he groaned spitefully at their sight. Without branching, they walked straight up to the counter
'Where is our friend?' Anna inquired.
He kept drying glasses while placing them to their actual places. He didn't acknowledge of their presence. Looking at each other whilst looking at the busy him wondering why he was acting like a woman on her days, Ivy moved closer.
Sighing loudly, 'Hey,' she began with her kind and convincing voice, 'We knew we'd find her here. We can't justify our actions. We are here to have an honest conversation. Where is she?
'An honest conversation you say?' seems like Ivy succeeded in convincing her. 'I don't see one of you, Belinda.'
'She just got transferred here and she had a first shift at the hospital,' Ivy replied.
'Can I get a margarita,' ordered one female customer.
'On it,' Filly replied. Immediately he got down to work. Mixing drinks, shaking bottles, moving all over the counter as if they were not there was so 'LOYAL FRIEND'
Once he was done, and the customer walked to her table. Filly kept on with his glasses.
'Are you going to tell us where she is?' Omar demanded with tightened jaws
'Yes.' He replied. Using his hands Omar asked where .
'She's not here,' he said and kept turning the two bottles he had trying to mix the drinks. Pouring it into some containers on the inner side of the counter. He banged on the wooden counter. The customers nearby turned around to them before ignoring them. Using his head to point outside, Luca signaled Seth and they walked out to the corridor. There were some tables.
'Can you hold yourself,' Luca requested Omar.
'Could you please get us A bottle of Rum and champagne,' Ivy ordered as she looked around hoping to see her.
'If she comes, please make sure to tell us,' Anna pleaded as they walked to the corridor
Immediately they had disappeared, she took her phone out and called her.
"… … The number you're trying to reach cannot be reached…' The female alien recorded on the phone said '… if you'd like to leave a message please do so after the beep…'
He hanged up and called back again. '… The number…' he hanged up again. She decided to text her.
{Code Red }
{Omar and Friends Around}
{What should I tell them?}
It was just a single tick beside them. She was offline. 'Is she okay?' he wondered as he put his phone back into his pockets.
After what seemed like 10 minutes, he grabbed a tray that had Ivy's order and approached them. While spreading them out on the table Anna Asked whether Malaika had showed up. He didn't say a word till he was done serving.
'Her phone is off,' he informed them holding the tray as he removed his phone to check for a reply. On founding nothing he locked it and put it back. 'This can't be the time to be offline, when she's waiting for responses from her contractors and sponsors,' he mumbled.
'What was that?' Ivy asked with a rising concerning tone
Staring at them without saying a word. Thinking about her. 'Nothing,' he said and walked back to the counter.