Unexpected Exercise

[Myka]

It's clear to me that she has a stab wound on her gut but she still refused to say anything and kept quiet the whole time I assisted her unto her sofa. Looking at the puddle of blood at the doorstep and the blood trail onto where she's now, makes me want to throw up.

"I'm not gonna die," she was exhausted from everything, not to mention that she lost a lot of blood. I didn't know what to say so sometimes, I just sigh from time to time. "Can you get the emergency kit in my room? It's under my bed," she says breathlessly.

I did as she ordered and gave it to her.

"Don't you think a hospital is a better option?" I commented when I saw her doing the treatment herself. She ignored me and just kept on tending her wounds. "I know we're not that close so I won't pry anymore into 'your' problem but at least take care of yourself. Mother will be sad and I don't want that," I sighed.

"Believe me, I didn't want this either. And I know you're a smart child to not blab about this to anyone. But thank you for your assistance. Also, can you lock the door on your way out?" she gave me a piercing and warning stare as of she was ordering me to get out and turn a blind eye.

I do still hate her even in that sorry state and I don't think anything can change that.

I did as she asked and went to my apartment to mind my own business.

~~

It was already late at night when my eyes swings open again. Around two in the morning when I saw the clock after I walked to the kitchen to drink some fresh milk. I was unable to fall asleep again after I tried a few attempts. 

So I wore a black oversized jacket over my shirt and changed my shorts to jogging pants. I grabbed my wallet, and phone then plugged some Bluetooth earphones into my ear as I started to walk over to the nearby convenience store at my place. I also got a cap and mask to cover my face so I could be comfortable.

"Welcome," the part-timer said as he was ringing another customer before me.

I picked up some cold medicine, some vitamins, a huge bottle of water, a ready-to-eat porridge, and a lollipop for myself. But when I went to line up at the counter, there was a scene happening. I feel somewhat sorry for the part-timer.

"I told you we don't have money on us right now," the one who looks like the leader of the gangster-wanna-be says with terrible acting.

"I'm afraid I can't give you service if you can't pay," the part-timer said calmly as if he wasn't a little bit scared of them. I tried circling looking for a wine bottle and putting it in my basket before returning to the scene and continuing to watch.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" says the goon, the thinnest of them all.

"We'll pay you next time so just let us leave," another lackey says as if they were trying to be intimidating.

"Oh! I know you guys!" I clapped one time as if I'm trying to convince them with my acting as I carefully put down my basket in a corner.

"See? Finally! Someone recognizes us," the leader says.

"Yeah! I saw you guys on the streets. Begging for money," I insulted them. "But I thought beggars only belong to the street. So what are these filthy rats doing in a place like this?" I tried my best to come up with a cool insult but I just can't help but cringe at myself after that speech.

"What did you say?" the thinnest man say. 

"Come on, don't you guys know how to shower?" I cover my nose and spoke through my mouth to provoke them more. And in my peripheral vision, I saw the part-timer chuckle in silence then shake his head to tell me to stop and just let him handle it. But I'm too deep into this problem to back out already.

"Little miss, why don't we take this outside?" the leader offers, licking his lips as if he was going to try something with me.

"Please, I'll just give you these for free so let that girl go," the part-timer firmly says as if he wasn't intimidated by their aura at all. And like he's gone through worse than these thugs.

"We'll take that," the goons instantly grabbed the things the boy offered in exchange for me. But I'm not backing down yet. I've already started it, I have to see it until the end.

"And of course the girl too," the leader put his hands on my shoulder which I shooed away in an instant. "Youーwhy don't we play for a bit," they started to gang up on me. The leader grabbed my arm, and the other two just watched their leader be taken down by some 'girl' they thought was only good with barking and no biting.

I'm quite skilled at self-defense. And that's thanks to my parents who started enrolling me in some different styles of fighting at an early age. I think that's the only thing I'm grateful for them even though I hated it so much when I was younger and immature.

"Now which one of you want to go next?" I say after I broke a wine bottle that I grabbed from my basket and then pointed it at them. I tried to look as psycho as I can with a huge smile after I removed my mask. Acting as if I want to see them all bleeding before they leave.

"You think you can scare us with that?" the one holding his unconscious boss on his shoulder said, shivering.

Was my acting not enough or are they gutsier than I assume them to be?

"Do you wanna go first?" I brought the broken wine glass to my face, rubbing it slowly with my cheeks as if it was a cute toy. And I didn't mean to but the sharp end cut me slightly.

Bleeding, making my acting more believable. "One," I took a step. "Two," another step towards them. And it didn't take me to count to three when they all flee, leaving the things they were holding but taking their boss with them.

And as I was paused from my position not knowing what to do next, the part-timer talked first. "You look scary," he burst out laughing. 

"I'm so sorry," I apologized, panicking after I saw my reflection on the wine on the floor. "I've made such a mess," I tried picking up the shards of glass with my bare hands. "I'll pay for the damages," I say about to hand my whole wallet.

"I'll take care of the mess, so please sit over there," he helped me stand up and pointed at a chair from the corner. "Wait for me," he guided me over there when he saw me not budging from the shock. "Oh, and you don't have to worry about the damages, just pay for what you came for," he says before returning to clean the mess.

As I sit, he was the only person I could watch as I listen to my music. It took him half an hour to finally finish cleaning and he ran to my side, carrying some bandages and disinfectants.

"You were so cool back then," he compliments as I let him tend to my wounds. "I wouldn't have been able to stand up just like you did," he giggles from time to time as we both narrate the story from our perspectives. 

He told me how he was having a bad day and wanted to deal with the customers personally but he couldn't because he could get a complaint and lose this sideline job. And I told him about how I was cringing so hard at myself when I say those cheesy insults.

We laughed at every little detail until he was finally finished covering the cuts on my cheeks and hands from the broken wine glasses.

"Thank you very much," I say when he escorted me out of the store.

"Take this," he hands me a swiss knife. "Just in case," he winks and waved goodbye as I walk away and continue to my apartment.

~~

I slowly opened my Aunt's door and sneaked into her apartment. Also, I noticed that the blood trail and smell are gone. Did she do all the cleaning herself?

I went ahead and tried to arrange the things I bought for her then leave her some notes. But before I got the chance, I blew up my cover when I was frightened by her, unintentionally.

She was sleeping on the sofa so peacefully in the dark living room. Sneaking like this made me nervous and just the sight of her face made me jump not from horror but from the timorous action of pretending not to care.

Well, I do care, but only a little bit I swear.

"Is barging into another person's apartment your new hobby now?" she teases, making herself sit as she groans through the pain.

"You looked pitiful so I wanted to help," I said in another cold tone. "Who'll get me money from the bank if you couldn't get up and do the paper works?" I gave an eye roll. "So don't misunderstand my intention," I harshly say.

She just scoffs as she laid back again.

"Just leave it there and remember what I told you," there she goes again, pushing me away, rejecting even my sympathy.

"I hate you," I commented before closing her door after I stormed out there.

And I did as she told, zip my lip and look the other way.