Sarima blamed her father without hesitation.
He never stayed home unless it was time to use them for whatever deal or arrangement he was involved in. Once he was done, he disappeared again like nothing in the house mattered.
She was almost certain her mother was tired of everything too. It wouldn't have surprised her if he had another family somewhere else. And honestly, it didn't even look like her mother cared enough to fight it anymore.
By the time they returned home, exhaustion had settled over everyone, and they each retreated to their rooms without much conversation.
Sarima barged into her room, throwing her purse onto the bed. She had unexpectedly drank too much and her legs felt too warm.
Her legs moves straight to the bathroom despite the inconsistency of her steps. The scent of coconut filled her nose as she filled the tub with water. The warm water eased her tension as she sank into it, letting the heat blur her thoughts for a while.
The world felt distant and muffled as she soaked in deeper leaving only her nose and mouth to stick out of the water.
"The kind of shit I have to go through," she sighed under her breath, raising herself slightly and some water splashed out. The bathroom door was slightly open and she stared at it absentmindedly. Her head tilted slightly, lost in thoughts as It was so quiet and peaceful in the water. A sad smile creeped up her lips when the figure of a small girl giggling as she splashed water in the bath tub appeared. Her eyes moistened as she looked away and faced the open door.
Then a shadow moved.
She sat up instantly, her heart jolting. For a brief moment, she hesitated.
Do I check… or stay here? Her eyebrows drew together in panic. If it was a killer, she would already be dead the moment she moved. It would be better to be found in her bed,compose and presentable than sprawled across the bathroom floor like some cheap horror movie character.
She grabbed a towel and pulled it toward her, not caring if it got damp as the ends dipped into the warm water. From the cabinet, she took a pair of scissors and gripped them tightly before she stepped out.
The dark room welcomed her. Cold shivered down her spine and goosebumps rose like the hair on her neck. The window rattled violently as the wind pushed against it, and faint moonlight spilled across the floor. She scanned everything carefully, scissors raised high in her hand making her knuckles turn white from the force of her grip.
Nothing looked out of place and that bothered her more than if something had.
Whoever had been here hadn't forced entry. No broken locks or signs of struggle. She exhaled sharply.
She bent, scanning under her bed, inside her wardrobe and the dark corners in her room able to fit a person. The doors to her balcony swung open, jolting her from her search.
Her heart shuddered as her feet led her to the balcony. She looked around, battling with the violent wind tugging her wet hair.
She gripped onto the towel tighter and rushed into her room, locking the door properly.
"No...this has got to stop if you're not willing to show yourself" she yelled as she turned toward her dressing table. Her legs froze. A pristine white sheet of paper sat neatly on top. She didn't notice it because she came out heroically and lunged to the window, expecting someone.
Her pulse spiked immediately. She rushed forward, grabbed it, crushed it in her fist, and threw it in the bin. She stormed back to the window, shoved it open, and shouted into the night. "Fuck you… asshole!"
She raised both middle fingers into the darkness, breathing hard. Then stepped back, dragging a hand through her damp curls.
"This is practically turning me insane," she muttered followed by a long sniff. She walked to the mirror, staring at her reflection. Wet hair, tired eyes and towel clinging loosely.
Without hesitation, she opened her wardrobe and pulled out a satin nightgown.
If there was one thing she had learned, it was that sleeping half-naked was no longer an option when some creep kept breaking into her room.
The towel fell off with a soft thud, she changed quickly and hurriedly laid down.
Memories of the day crept in slowly, one after another, until exhaustion pulled her under.
She woke up with a heavy yawn, her body stiff and sluggish. Her sinuses were blocked and she turned to the window, realizing she never shut them after her display. Dragging herself up, she went through her morning routine of bath, clothes, perfume, shoe, with some shine on her lips before leaving her room.
Downstairs, the house was already bustling with movements. She could perceive the delicacies being prepared as the maids moved around the kitchen efficiently. Sarima grabbed a bottle of water with a few pancakes, stuffing some into her mouth.
Her parents' arguing voices echoed faintly through the house. She heard something clatter and knew her mother was having a crash out. Could they be any louder? She rolled her eyes and walked out."So Annoying." Her mouth chewed on the meal being stuffed.
She stepped outside and moved toward her car. The dullness of the weather matching with her already sour mood. Her breath caught and she stopped abruptly.
"Uhn uhnnn," her feet moved faster towards her car. It was better to see a snake or someone's body at that point as what she saw made her blood boil.
Carved into her black Audi R8 was a single initial. "A". Her fists clenched immediately and she threw it midair, raising her middle finger with a scowl on her face.
She ran her fingers over the engraving. It wasn't random. It was deliberate and personal. Her brows knit together as she got into the driver's seat. She was already late and pissed off to start wiping off some shitty carvings.
****
"I could swear, these drivers get stoned before coming out" she swerved, dodging an overtaking car that ran the red light.
The sharp clatter of her teeth cut through the soft rnb playing. She turned off the air conditioner, stretching to the backseat to get the throw blanket.
Her eyes were still on the road as she struggled with her hands touching everywhere but the blanket.
She turned quickly to spot it but something on the back seat caught her attention, a blue handkerchief.
She frowned and reached for it while still steering, her grip steady despite the distraction.
Bringing it closer to her face, the same initial was stitched into it. Lowering her head slightly, she took a small sniff, looked at it then took a longer sniff. That spicy cologne always did something to her she couldn't explain.
At school, she walked into the lecture hall as if nothing had happened. Composed with her head high. Lora waved her over, and Sarima sat beside her.
"Babeee… I've been trying to reach you since yesterday," Lora whispered.
"I was uhm...quite busy," Sarima replied with a small frown as her eyes scanned the hall. Lora smirked, her eyes lingering on someone.
"Your new love interest?"Sarima teased. "You mean your talking stage?"His name is Olrey and he asked about you apparently" Lora said giggling.
Sarima glanced briefly at the boy Lora was so obviously hinting at then continued scanning the room.
"Chen isn't here," Lora murmured accusingly.
"What makes you think I'm looking for Chen?" Sarima replied quickly and cleared her throat.
Lora raised a brow "Of course you're not." She rolled her eyes.
Ignoring her friend's sarcasm, her eyes moved across the room until they briefly locked with Olrey's. She looked away almost immediately.
"What's with all these new faces?" she asked and she raised her hands to rub her arms.
"They aren't new students," Lora whispered. "They were invited."
Sarima sighed, irritation building for no clear reason. A headache started forming.
"Sarima… you're burning!" Lora suddenly said, moving her hand from Sarima's neck and placing it on her forehead.
"I'm fine," Sarima muttered with a sigh. "Let's not cause a scene Lora..."
"You need the sick bay...like right now!" Lora cut her off and before Sarima could argue she was already packing up.
They slipped out through the back door quietly. Sarima handed over her keys to Lora in defeat. She knew Lora wouldn't back down as she found out. She felt cold in the morning but didn't expect to fall sick so suddenly.
Lora drove out of the parking lot and Sarima leaned back in the seat, her body felt heavier than it should. Her eyes had already begun blurring far objects and the headache worsened. She sniffed in and let out a hot sigh.
A tall blurry figure appeared and got closer as the car slowed in speed. "I thought you wouldn't come today," Lora said and hit the brake. "I was on my way," he replied. "What's wrong?"
"She caught a fever," Lora answered.
Chen moved closer and lowered in front of Sarima. Their eyes met and everything seemed to still for her. Her heart shuddered at his intense gaze.
He placed a hand on her forehead and clicked his tongue in disapproval. Sarima gave an awkward smirk. "Finding love in my eyes?" she teased faintly.
A soft sigh left him and he stepped backwards for lora drive off, gesturing for her to move. She hit the road again, shaking her head as Sarima kept turning her head backwards.
"You always look like you're going through withdrawal whenever you see him," Lora said, half laughing and took a U-turn.
"You are so rude Lora.....I could swear there's this connection between him and I that I can't just pinpoint," Sarima muttered.
"Mhmm....You say that like you don't know what that connection is and awfully, I'm not liking it. That guy is a player gurl." She replied back.
"Just cause he loves people easily doesn't make him a player." Sarima answered came in defense and her friend rolled her eyes.
"Love does veil people's eyes" Lora tched. Sarima opened her mouth but closed it, not knowing what to retort. Lora turned to look at her suddenly with a questioning look. "By the way… when did you have a name starting with A?"
Sarima's face dropped."I don't."
Lora glanced at her in amusement "Then whose initial is on your car?"