Emptiness inside me

I was bothered by what had happened to me and that mister last night. I'm already at the restaurant but my mind is still on the man from last night. I was upset with him. I was always thinking about her and the photo I had of her. Am I really his wife?

"Hey, Miss! Watch where you're going!" an angry voice I heard, so I came to my senses and looked at the customer in front of me.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," I apologized, but she stood and slapped me. Everyone around was surprised at what she had done to me. I bowed my head at her, but when I raised my head again, she slapped me again for the second time.

"I'm really sorry, Ma'am," I uttered and bowed my head. She was about to slap me for the third time, but someone blocked her hands towards me. My eyes were closed the moment she was about to slap me again.

Minutes later, I opened my eyes, and was surprised to see that the man from last night was there, stopping the woman for what she was about to do. I was looking at the man who helped right now. He then looked at me after he released the woman's hands. "Are you okay?" he asked me, and I nodded my head.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," I apologized again, but he spoke.

"You don't have to say sorry a couple of times to this woman right here," he stated.

The woman scoffed, "What are you talking about? Who are you to butt in?" she was furious while asking him. My eyes were still on him as he was glaring at the woman who slapped me.

"Ma'am?"

"What? Ma'am?"

"I don't want your attitude. She has said sorry three times already, but... you don't have to slap her like that," he said. I looked intently at the woman who slapped me when our eyes met.

"Are you her boyfriend or something? Why are you-"

"No. I am just a concerned netizen. You don't have the right to slap her like that. She has apologized already, but... your actions were rude and aggressive. She can file a complaint if she ever wants to punish you," he answered her, and her eyes were surprised when she heard that.

"Really? How can she do that?"

"Abuse is never okay or justifiable. Whatever she did, she said sorry, and... violence is never an acceptable and reasonable thing to do."

Everyone inside the restaurant was surprised and nodded their heads, agreeing to what he said. I looked at him, and that caused our eyes to meet each other. He smiled at me, but I didn't know how to react. I am too shocked and too confused about what my reaction would be.

The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes when she looked at me. "Then... I'm so sorry, Miss," she apologized to me, and I nodded my head. "It's okay, Ma'am."

She then looked away and started to walk away from the restaurant. Noah, the man from last night, looked at me with a smile, "Next time..."

"What?"

"Next time... Learn to fight back," he stated. I had realized that I never let myself fight back. I think he's right. I had to fight back to defend myself whenever no one was around. "I... can't help you every time you're in trouble, so? Learn to fight back by yourself," he added, and I nodded my head when I looked at him.

"I have to get going now," he started, walking away. I was still looking at him as he went out of the restaurant, but my feet started to walk by themselves and I called him. "Wait..." he then turned his back on me, and was surprised to see me there.

"Yes? What is it?

"Thank you," I bowed my head with a smile.

When I raised my head, I saw the corner of his lips slide upwards and I could see the twinkling spark in his eyes. We were both smiling at each other. "Can we be friends then?" he asked me. I looked at his hands in front of me. I swallowed hard and looked at him again. By letting out a deep breath, I said, "Yes. Let's be friends then."

After what happened, Jane and I got closer to each other. She was so worried about me, but Cassandra felt the opposite. She always sees me as a competitor, that's why she really hates me for that. We were about to walk when Laurence arrived and looked at us.

"Let me drop you off," he offered us a ride, and I looked at Jane.

"It's okay, Sir. We-"

"Come on. I can give you lift," he cut her sentence off. We were both looking at him, I don't know, but I guess I had to avoid him or to comfort him? What should I do? I know that he and Cara just broke up, but I want to avoid him too. I don't want him to get the wrong idea about me.

I looked at him and smiled, "Sir... I'm so sorry to decline your offer, but... We had something else to do," I lied and bowed my head before we started walking away from him. Jane looked at me, confused. "What was that? Why did you lie to him?" she asked me, but I don't know why I did that.

I took a deep breath, "I don't know. I just think and feel that I had to lie."

"Are you avoiding him? Why?" she questioned me, and that caused me to lose my focus.

"Loren? Are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"Ah, yes. I am," I smiled at her.

The moment I went inside Laurence's house, he was there, standing and it seemed like he was waiting for me all the time. I looked at him, "Sir?"

"I need to tell you something," he uttered, and I didn't like how it sounded. It seemed like bad news.

"What is it, Sir?"

"Are you avoiding me?"

"What? Me? Avoiding you?"

"Yes. Are you?"

I chuckled, "No. I am not. Why would I?"

"I am certain that you are avoiding me," he said to me.

I laughed at him, "Sir... Why would I-" I stopped what I was about to say when he walked closer to me with my eyes widened. I swallowed hard while looking at him. My heartbeat seemed to beat so much faster than normal.

"Sir? What are you doing?" I asked him, but he continued to walk closer to me, which caused me to take a step back from him. I was still taking a step back from him when my back reached and leaned against the wall. I had nowhere to go. I am stuck and I don't know where to go. My eyes were still fixed on him as he was also looking at me, like he wanted me. Like he wanted to do something. Like... he wants me.

He stopped when he was in front of me. His gaze lowered to my lips, and I bit my lower lip and averted my gaze at him. I gulped and stared down at my feet. He then chuckled.

"I am sorry. I was just kidding," he said to me, and took a step back. I sighed in relief when he took a step back. He was still smiling while looking at me, but I wasn't. How can he joke around like that? How can he?

"Sir... How can you joke around like that? It wasn't funny at all," I said to him, and he stopped laughing at me. He looked at me with a serious face, "I'm sorry. I just wanted you to smile," he uttered.

"Playing with other feelings isn't funny," I started to walk away from him and went to my room. I leaned my back against the door. I thought my feelings for him were all gone. Why is this getting back? I thought I had forgotten about how I feel for him, but... I guess it was too hard to forget about him.

I sighed as I slowly let myself slide down to the floor. I covered my face with my plans and let out a shakta breath, "What has happened to me? Why am I acting like this way?"

The night came out faster and it was morning already. I could feel the sunrays hitting my face while I was on my bed. I slowly got up from bed and looked at the sun outside the window, giving the room light and heat. The corner of my lips slowly slid upwards as I started walking towards the window.

I opened the huge door and looked outside. I closed my eyes, letting the sunlight hit my face. I could hear the birds chirping, and a fresh, cool breeze greeted me, making me smile even wider.

I let out a deep breath, "How I wish... Life was this peaceful and calming. How I wish... I could fly freely like birds do. How I wish... I am living a peaceful life. How I wish someone could fill the emptiness that I felt inside me. "

To be continued...