Chapter 28
1512words
By the time that I gobbled up the last piece of my cone the bustling streets and the tall skyscrapers which I had seen a thousand times finally came in view.
'I am back home.' I thought relieved as I let out an exhale.
I could feel Jack peering at me from the rearview mirror. I looked back at him and raised my eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing." He grumbled and focused his attention back on the road muttering some profanities words angerly at a reckless driver swooshing past us.
'Okay?' What's up with him now?
...
I was finally back at my apartment being carried in by Jack. He brought me to my bedroom and sat me down on my bed.
"I will get your crutches back." He said in a gruff voice talking about the crutches that were left behind at the picnic place because Jack had to play the cave-
man.
'I totally forgot about them.'
"Okay." I said but soon frowned deep in thought. How am I going to move throughout the whole house with no support system? I guess I will have to abuse my left leg until he comes back with them.
Jack who still haven't left the room stood at the door frame staring hard at me. I gave him my own wearily stare getting a bad feeling from this.
He leaned at the door frame crossed armed. "You know I suddenly realized that I can't just leave you by yourself." He said slowly stalking towards me. "Maybe I should be carrying you around the whole day?"
My eyes broaden in fear. "No!" I yelled adamant waving my hands vehemently in front of me against his proposal.
"Why not?" He asked sullen as he kneeled in front of me laying his chin on my knees as he looked up trying to act like a lost puppy not like it had any effect seeing how I can't see his face. "This way I can show you that I can care properly for you."
I pushed his head away from me resisting the urge to rip his sunglasses away from him. 'I swear to God I may smack him one of these days.'
"Get off me." I said annoyed.
Lying down on the floor he clutched at his chest as he was caressing his cheek feigning hurt. "Baby, why do you abuse me physically."
"Why do you abuse me mentally?" I retorted.
"Because I love you." He said stretching out the word 'you'.
Narrowed eyed I just pointed at the door signaling him to take his ass out of here. "Please get the crutches back I need them for work tomorrow."
I honestly hope that the heavens bless me with a speedy recovery so that my feet can function again by tomorrow, but knowing how unfair life can be and how I can't take a sick leave because the company is evil I know certainly that I'm going to need those support.
"You're seriously going back to work?" He asked in disbelieve, however the faint hint of anger could be heard in his tone. "Just stay home."
My eyebrows were slanting upwards almost reaching my hair line. "I still need the money and they don't pay us if we take a sick leave." The rent of this month is almost due and let's not talk about all the other bills that I still have to pay.
A shiver run down my spine by the thought of the still unopened stacked pile of envelops that were laying on my table in the living room. "So no matter what you say I will still go to work. I will just ask Cher to pick me up." I concluded.
Jack started to say something but I wasn't able to decipher it as he had his mouth covered by his hand looking downwards deep in thought. "Fine." He grumbled after minutes of mumbling something to himself.
Somewhere at the back of my mind I was curious to what he was saying but the bigger and logical part didn't want to know at all feeling that we would only be traumatized if we would know.
After casting one last glance at me he made his way to the front door and left. I took out my phone to message Cher asking her if she would mind picking me up tomorrow. She replied few minutes later saying 'Of course!' sending some hearts and hugging emojis alongside it.
I laid back down on my bed stretching myself out like a star fish letting out some satisfied moan after hearing my stiff bones pop.
"I should train more or at least do some yoga." I said to myself, but soon scoffed it off, because by the end of the day we all know that that's never going to happen. I'm way too lazy for that.
I rolled over onto my stomach and went on to social media to see what was going on in the world. Like that without realizing it a few hours went by.
The sound of the thunder-sounding rumbling of my stomach declaring to me that I had been starving myself made me groan as I clutched at it; letting go of my phone in the process.
"I am hungry." I whined. I looked at the clock and saw that I really should be having dinner, but there was still no sign of Jack, so there's also no sign of my crutches to be seen.
Sighing I pushed myself up and sat at the end of my bed debating if I should hop to the kitchen to fix something and by fixing something I meant cooking hot water for my cup ramen noodles, because again I've got nothing in the fridge or starve myself.
'Yeah, starving isn't the option.' I thought quickly. Food is life period.
I made a mental note to myself to please do some grocery shopping for once and slowly rose up on my left leg feeling the weight of my whole body weighing it down.
"Okay, here I go." I grunted as I started to hop towards to kitchen.
'This is also a form of exercise.' I thought snickering to myself.
After a lot of grunting and huffing because my stamina sucks I was finally able to reach the counter; holding tightly on it as if my life depended on it.
Filling the water cooker with tap water I turned it on and waited patiently for it to be done. The bubbling boiling sound of the water cooker caused my stomach to go on to war as it was reaching its limit.
'C'mon, c'mon be done.' I thought as I stared hard at it.
A celebration started in my stomach when the clicking sound of the water cooker could be heard signaling me that it was done.
I was about to take out my ramen noodles when I heard the clicking sound of my front door causing me to freeze on spot glancing towards the direction of the sound. The killing hunger that I felt few seconds ago was instantly replaced by a gut filled by fear churning around making me feel sick; my breath hitched.
Thinking that some burglar was trying to break in to my apartment I slowly tow at the kitchen drawer pulling out a sharp knife keeping it close to my chest as I tried to slowly inch towards the living room entrance; dragging my right leg across the floor.
With my back pasted firmly to the wall I haltingly peered beyond the door frame looking at the front door. With quivering eyes I stared at the door; my ears wide trying to detect any new sounds. When I saw the door handle moving downwards and the clicking sound being made I could feel my heart being catapulted through my ribcage as I was clenching strongly at the handle of the knife. The door opened ajar and I quickly hid back behind the door shutting my eyelids tight.
I tried to calm down my breathing but it still came out like staggering puffs of air.
Heavy footsteps could be heard entering my home and I knew that I had to pull myself together. 'Come on April. This is your home it's your job to protect your safe haven. You've got a knife to protect yourself it will be alright.' I told myself.
I schooled my fear-stricken expression into an expression full of determination. I took a big breath of air and leaped out of the leaving room landing in a stance with my knife aggressively pointed at the burglar.
