GRACE OF ONE WEEK

𝑁𝑖𝑛𝑜'𝑠 𝑃𝑜𝑣

My car came to a thwart in front of my house, killing off the engine. I wiped off my teary face and climbed down. I stared at the building for a brief period, I had sweet and bitter memories in this house and letting it go is the same as throwing away 27 years of my life. I brazen myself and took in a couple of breaths before making my way towards the door.

I ascended the porch steps, a lot blustering in mind. How do I pay off my debts? These times are the time I needed a miracle in my life and the man occupying my house is another topic. I reached the door and placed my now trembling hand on the knob, all of a sudden I was swayed by a sudden wave of trepidation. I wonder why I'm hesitating to enter my own house?

From the beginning, my spirit never approved this man, something about him seem off. His ambience and demeanour…..it felt as though there's so much more to him that meets the eye, I didn't even get his name. The man habituating my home. Is he from here?

I need to know about him. I heaved a breath and twisted the doorknob, shoving the door open.

"Okay, we need to get….." the words got stuck in my throat, noticing something different about my sitting area. The curtains, the sofas and the centre table. Something was erroneous and to crown it all, there he sat with his legs crossed and clothed in black pants and polo. Harbouring that indifferent look on his face always.

I whisked in, examining the sofa in astonishment. "What did you do to my sitting room? What did you do with my sofas?"

He adjusted his gaze on me like he went dumb. My insides were already flaring up I could feel my whole body on fire. Who's his deal? Why is he messing up my parent's house? "Answer me!" I balled a fist, fighting the urge not to rip him into two.

"You said we gonna cut a deal with you return?" He got up, jabbing his hands in his pants pockets. He took slow calm walks towards me, though I'm the one riling up at his absurd behaviour but something about him felt iffy and the anger I was feeling was replaced by dread. It never crossed my mind who he truly is, what if he's some villain from an action drama?

It is said that those with the prettiest face are the most pernicious.

"You haven't answered my question," though I was trembling with fear at the look he gave me. I still managed to keep my voice firm. "What happened to my sofas, curtains and table?"

"Ahhh…..those?" Right now I felt the urge to punch his face at his sarcasm but I refrained. "I sold them, didn't like the colours..."

"You did what?" The shock visible on my face. "You sold off my sofas, how dare you? Who gave you the right?"

"Point of correction, this is my house and I have all the rights in the world. They are my property now….," he scrutinised me from head to toe and I can't seem to understand the look in his eyes, his face is always unreadable. "Not yours. Why do you keep forgetting that?"

"Right?" I grumbled with sarcasm, "why do I keep forgetting that?"

He stood there, running his eyes all over me and I found myself thawing over his stare. I tried to get into his head to know what is going on in his mind but his eyes won't let me. They remained impassive. After staring me down to his satisfaction, he moved away from me and retook his place on the sofa, he motioned on the sofa opposite him.

I tilt my head and arched a brow in question. He motioned to the sofa again and without being told, I knew he wants me to sit. 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑛 𝑖𝑡! 𝑂𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒? 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ.

"I prefer to stand," I prompt, lowering my gaze because I can't take the look in his eyes. What is wrong with me? I mentally scolded myself on the inside. I should be the one ordering him around, I should be the one giving him that unapologetic attitude. Why him? Why do I have to go through this torture from men?

First was my boyfriend, the other was Mr Warren and now him?

"Suit yourself," he countered in a tone that says he doesn't give a damn if I stand or sit. He crossed his legs again and tugged his arms against his chest. "I believed you found a new place to stay because you aren't sleeping here tonight."

"Wait, what?" I hoisted my head up to meet his eyes. "What did you say? Where do you expect to go stay?"

"Don't know, don't care." He picked up his phone and began scrolling through it, he didn't even give a damn about my facial expression. "And yes, don't give me that stare, you said we cut a deal once you return." He lifts his eyes to look at me.

"I did," I regained myself from the surprise at what flew out of his mouth and sat on the sofa opposite him. "But this isn't the deal I talked of." I gulped down, gathering words not to sound out of place. No matter how ironic this may seem, I have to accept the fact he's the owner of the house and I can't do a thing about it.

Tears formed in my eyes and they were threatening to fall, I have never shed a tear in front of anyone and that includes my boyfriend but he left me with no choice but to pour out my grief on him. He's a human being, I'm sure he will have compassion for a poor orphan. I lowered my head and began to sob, wondering how or where to find a new place and being rude or trying to argue with him won't solve the problem.

"That won't work on me," he asserted, his eyes glued to his phone. "So quit putting on an act, do you think your tears will move me?"

Damn it!" I let out my tongue loose and wiped off the fake tears in my eyes. He got me but how did he know I was putting on an act? Did he see through me? Still, I hoped it'd moved him. "Aren't you human? Don't you have compassion in you? Where do you expect this poor orphan to go?"

"Poor? Orphan?" He lifts his head and met my gaze. His sharp eyes sent an electric zap to my body, I found myself feeling uncomfortable and prayed he'd look away but the reverse was the case. He held my eyes and I almost found myself getting lost in a stranger's eyes.

"Yup, poor orphan," I replied and lowered my gaze a little. "This is my parent's house and this house is the only thing that bound me together with them, this is the only thing that proves they are here with me."

"Technically you own a company passed down to you by your parents."

𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑛 𝑖𝑡! 𝐻𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘. I execrate under my breath, sending daggers with my eyes in his direction. Regardless, how did he know I own a company? Is he stalking me? I quickly crossed my hands over my chest causing him to lift a brow at me inquisitively. "How did you know I own a company? I never mentioned that to you."

He motioned to the magazine under the second row of the table. "Alternate universe?" I detected a little sarcasm in his tone when I landed my eyes on the magazine with my photo and name imprinted below my company name. Is he trying to mock me?

"Nice name though," he stood to his feet and tried walking out. "I'm giving you the grace to spend the night here but mind you, tomorrow you are leaving."

"Hold on," I reached out and held small of his top. "Can you give me the grace of one week to find a new place then I'll leave?" He didn't utter a word instead he gave me a brief look before descending his eyes to my grip on his polo.

I quickly let go of his polo, he returned his eyes to me and gave me another phase of his stare before walking off to my parent's room which is now his. I lowered my head as a sudden wave of embarrassment surged through me. Why do I have to be the one to beg him? Why do I have to be the one to leave? I balled a fist and threw a punch at him as if he was there.

"Arghhh!" I let out a frustrated sigh and slouched, looking aimlessly at the ceiling. I blinked so many times, reminiscing what happened to me recently. Wished my uncle is here with me, he always exhorts me in times like this.

~~~~~

12 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑜

I came back home drenched in peanut butter and oats. I was given dirty looks by passers-by and even when I boarded the bus, I was the only one standing holding unto one of the hangers to avoid myself from dangling while the bus moved.

I got looks from every corner and I know why I'm being stared at and the smell oozing out from me I wasn't comfortable with it either. I lowered my eyes to the floor of the bus as little tears formed in my eyes, this year was the worst year I've ever experienced. From the corner of my eyes, I saw three girls and two boys pointing their phone cameras toward me, giggling.

A tear rolled down my eyes as the bus came to a halt in front of my house. I walked to my house in

hurried steps.

"Happy birthday…..," my uncle sang when I opened the door but halted in his words when he saw me in my ruins. "Gracious Lord, Nino what happened to you?"

He dropped the cake on the centre table and pulled me inside, sitting me down on the couch. "Who did this to you? Were you bullied again?"

I lifted my eyes, tears clouding my vision and the words to say got stuck in my throat. I instead threw my arms around my uncle and cried my heart out.