Florance Regalia

Oi!

Tyler shouted at the top of his lungs. Iris almost shat her pants, "What the, WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Like a good civil human being, Iris shouted back. Tyler came running to her and Iris hoped he doesn't bring more work with him because she just left the office.

"Where are you going it's only 6," Tyler said after he stopped painting.

"First of all you are out of breath and you barely ran 150 meters, start hitting the gym. Secondly, why does it matter, I am tired; I am going home."

"Hey wait for some time, all of us can go to the bar around 7:30,"

"7:30!! That way too late, you want me to wait here on the stairs for 1 and half hours, NO thanks!" Iris tried to run away but Tyler grabbed her bag to stop her. "Oh come one, come upstairs, aren't you… my best friend in the world?" Tyler used 'puppy pout': it was not effective at all.

Iris snatched her purse from helpless Tyler and continued on her way.

"Yeah, go back to your neighbor and apologize some more," Tyler laughed comically but good times were short-lived when Iris glared at him with obsidian daggers good enough to kill white walkers. "Ight Imma head out," Tyler did a 180 and ran back upstairs.

"Ma'am 5 starts please," the cab driver expressed his pea with hand gestures. "Of course," Iris nodded back at the cab driver. She already rated her ride 5 stars before getting out. That's what she does, She gives 5 stars to everyone, 4 stars if the drive is truly horrible. As she passed by the reception. The receptionist called her name and told her that she had a letter. "A Letter, interesting…" Iris was quite intrigued because 'letter' is a word she doesn't hear often, mostly there are parcels from Amazon.

"Here ma'am… Have a great day," She handed Iris the letter very elegantly. These are the perks of living in a high society building, the staff is amazing and you always feel like you are living in a 5-start hotel. Iris is living in a 5-star hotel... which also accommodates people who wanna stay as residents. It was a good source of income when covid hit the streets. And now they are still rolling with this new business model.

"Hmph," the letter cover is beautifully printed. "Florance Regalia" in golden calligraphy was written on the letter cover. Did I order… this might be a catalog of a beauty product or maybe premium lingerie. Iris rummaged through her purse to find the keys, entered the house, and jumped on the couch to relax. She stuffed two pillows under her head and opened the letter.

So What do we have here?

After careful consideration, Iris reached the conclusion that this is not a letter, nor a catalog but..., But a bill of 156 dollars addressed to nonother than her loverly neighbor Adrian. The BILL OF RUG CLEANING!! And more importantly; the Due date is…T-Today. Iris screamed at top of her lungs but no sound could be heard. She let out a hollow laugh full of remorse. Life is not fair but this is too much, it's like every celestial is contemplating against her.

After getting her head straight she called the number given on the bill. "Urmm Hello, It's this-", " This is Florance Regalia-premium rugs and carpets how may I assist you?"

"I had a bill for cleaning which is due today…,"

"Yes ma'am we are open, you can come in and clear the bill,"

Wait! what? come in what the hell is she talking about, I am not coming anywhere. "Is there umm a website or a portal through which I can pay?" Iris really didn't want to go out of her way to pay the bill physically. What decade is this? the 1990s.

"No ma'am we only have a website for sales of our premium rugs not for the cleaning service, And you have to come to pick up the rug as well right?" She asked but Iris had no goddamn clue. Oh, Iris understood the grand scheme of things. This is his vicious plan to make me his bread shuttle and do his chores. What a fucking arsehole.

"Yes I will be picking the rug," Iris was dead inside. "Great! ma'am, I will advise you to collect your rug from the cleaning department today positively or a late fine of 10 dollars will be charged, Thank you ma'am is there anything else I can help you with."

"No… Thank you," This was the most dreadful conversation she had. Good ducking damn it, I came home early today to take a break from this barbarous rat race, and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Iris has seen better days.

Iris calls in another cab, at this hour cab prices get a 10 to 20% hike and you can't do anything about it. This place is like 15 miles away, Iris was sure that Adrian chose this place so far away on purpose to mess with her. She could imagine him laughing like a maniac, howling about his success to make her life a living hell.

Iris started scrutinizing her life and reminiscing on everything horrible events that happened to her in the last few weeks throughout the whole cab ride. This is the worst thing you can do when you are alone but on the bright side, it's a great time pass.

After 2 traffic jams, she finally reached the place. And HOLY COW! This place is more lit than an Apple store as a matter of fact it looks like they ripped off apple's infra. For better or worse this place looks astonishing and is catered for posh peeps. Giant glass doors as if tailor-made for bigfoot. Big-Foot must be big in everything else, right? Beautiful lighting and super modernistic chandeliers. The whole shop was loaded with carpets and rugs so mesmerizing you will get lost in the delicate and meticulous embroidery.

Modern Rugs, Silk Rugs, Antique Rugs, Runners, Orb collections, and many more. It's not a rug store it's a freking art gallery. Iris forgot all about her sorrows, she was a kid in a toy store dreaming to buy all the toys in the shop. The only problem is; Each rug cost like 2400 dollars! What the hell are these made of gold. YES! Some of them had gold embroidery, wow I am soo out of place. No wonder why they charged 156 dollars for a simple clean.

"Ma'am, what kind of rug are you looking for? We have the best carpets and rugs in the whole city." An elegantly dressed man too good to seeling rugs approached her.

"Oh you are here to pick one up, let me escort you to the outlet." Oh my god, such a polite man I am sure people come here to feel rich more than to buy something. That guy took Iris through the long way.

Iris is not an easy nut to crack as well, She was well aware of the fact that sales person generally does this so the customer gets a look at everything there is on the display and tries to sell them throughout the whole journey. "Yes Ma'am your bill please," Lady behind the counter asked. Iris handed out the bill after taking it out from her purse. Now she understood why they wanted her to come and pay in person. So that I might be tempted to buy a new rug while I pick up mine from cleaning.

"Umm, Ma'am did you pick your rug already?" Ummm what? I didn't pick up shit this is the first time I am here, it's not even my rug. "Why what happened?" Iris asked politely.

"Ma'am this bill was cleared yesterday and someone already picked up your, by… Adrian Padilla," EsCusuMUA WhAt tHE FCk did she just say it's already been picked up. I came all the way here to be scammed. OH my wow; Padilla? Adrian's full name is Adrian Padilla. HE is Hispanic?? What the.

Iris was bamboozled. What do you do in a situation like this? Iris was infuriated but it was more pain than adrenaline. "Oh, I am sorry! Right. Adrian is my friend. I just remembered now, I told him to pick it up; I am so forgetful," Iris couldn't help but paint herself a fool. Iris was embarrassed in such a fancy place. The only thing she was thankful of that she didn't change into her home cloth before visiting the store. Or it would've been a disaster.

Iris went back to her apartment broken-hearted. These events were way above the paygrade of life for her. She held her doorknob and looked at Adrian's door. Not with anger but with a question, Why? I did not deserve this. AFter a few backs and forth with herself Iris finally gather enough blood in her head to knock on Adrian's door. Against her wish, Adrian was home and opened the door. "What you want now," Adrian asked. His hair was messy and was wearing around reading glasses which fit perfectly with his rectangular face.

"When you already paid… and picked up your rug then why did this bill come to my doorstep," Iris wanted to scream but she was way too exhausted to torture her larynx. "Oh, the bill you got that? Did she stamp it?" Adrian took the bill from Iris's hand before she could retract it.

"Thanks a lot, I picked up the rug without the bill so… anyway bye have a good day". Adrian closed the door shut on Iris's face. She was dumbstruck with awe at the ruthless behavior she just witnessed. How can he do this to her? Iris spent half the night deciding how to kill Adrian the next time she lays eyes on him and half of it finding new rental properties in the nearby areas. Iris touched heights of anger that she never knew existed.

_____

"Here's your order ma'am,"

"Thank you," Bridget said in the sweetest voice ever.

"What happened NEXT! He pulled you in and you guys made out like there is no tomorrow?" Bridget was eager to know.

"Nothing, Like that; He closed the fucking door shut on my face," Iris was more irritated with the fact that Bridget was enjoying her sorrowful lament. "Oh feisty,"

"OH My God Bridget, he is a fucking sadist not a… whatever you painting him in your head." She thought Bridget was her friend and would understand her resentment towards Adrian. But here she was being a fan-girl. "Girl, I see a connection here, YoU are thinking about him day and night. AND he is HOT!" Bridget is a hopeless romantic.

"You have not even SEEN him,"

"Oh come one, You already told me enough:

1. Black hair and pink clip

2. Potential six-pack

3. 1000 dollar coffee maker

4. Round, f'ing round glasses

5. Cooks and clean

6. Big—"

Hey Stop right now or I will murder you instead of him.

"Who else do you want Obama?" IT's not exactly her mistake, Bridget consumes so much media in order to put out her best content and market to the right audience. To stay relevant in the profession she devours information from every medium possible be it, romantic movies, romantic stories, romantic blogs, or romantic novels. Lots of romance stuff and connects dots to make highly targeted campaigns. Because she believes in Romance and how it connects us fellow humans, Good for business but terrible for friends when they need life advice.

"You are not seeing things straight Iris, This is what love feels like; you hate him but your heart still throbs for him". "Oh my god, I am going to the bathroom," Iris finally acknowledged her bladder's existence and decided to flush it. Iris took last sip from her fruit beer and proceeded on her mission to empty her bladder. She witnessed a face from the gazing hole of the kitchen doors that she never could have anticipated.

Iris barged in as if she was the Sue Chef. "YOUuu!!!" Iris screamed at Adrian who was decorating icing on the cake. "Ma'am what are you doing, you can't be in here," one of the waiters announce to Iris but she was too pissed off to hear anyone. "Get the fuck out of here," Adrain said and inadvertently mushed the cake he was decorating. And OH boy guess which cake that was, Cheesecake. Iris incensed up with blaze and jumped on Adrain.

"What the fuck you are doing," This is the first time Adrian saw someone with murderous intent toward him. Bright stood up to see what's ruckus is all about. "Hey what are youUUUU, IRIS!" Bridget ran towards the kitchen to save the poor pastry chef from her wild friend. "Oh MY' IRIS leave his fucking collar," Bridget somehow managed to get Iris of off Adrian and dragged her outside apologizing to the whole staff leaving a big tip.

Bridget drove Iris back to the office and didn't utter a single word till they reached the office. "Iris I can't believe you, How can you do this. What if he imposes criminal charges on you?" This was a first, seeing Iris like this for her. Iris was having a bad headache and didn't want to hear bickering from Bridget.

"Fuck him," Iris still didn't have a grasp of reality and the gravity of her action, or maybe she didn't want to have the grasp of reality.

Reality is often disappointing.