11. Bruise from a small pinch?

She managed to get back to her store without being followed or collapsing again. Her clothes were dirty and her appearance was like someone who had fought a battle.

Now that she calmed down, she suddenly felt ashamed walking down the main street in that attire. She still couldn't believe she was attacked in broad daylight, but the ally behind her shop was really deserted, as it was only a narrow road for another entry to all the establishments lined with her store.

Most of the time, people would only come out to throw garbage or use the place for a smoke, but because it was daytime and in the early hours, people were still probably working. 

Amara smiled bitterly. She was really unlucky. 

She leaned her head at the edge of the tub she filled water on her own, and closed her eyes. As the water swayed slowly with her breathing, its gentle and peaceful surface was broken by a single drop that created a silent ripple. 

The single drop became many until the water blurred the reflection above due to many ripples.

Yet the silent cry of her was louder than the water's movement.

"…ngh…," she groaned as she was trying to suppress her cries, even though she was all alone in that space and no one would be able to hear her wails. 

Aside from that, her back hurts. Warm water would have been of help even for a little, but she was too tired and weak to boil water. All she wanted was to clean her body and lock herself in her room where she felt safer. 

She couldn't even think of going to Vida for fear that she might bump into Gerard again. 

After wiping her face and drying her hair, she lay on her bed even when the sun was still bright. Her eyes were puffy and dull, blankly staring at the vaulted ceiling of her room. She laid flat out, her arms widely stretched in bed and her legs were straight.

"What else should I do? Should I move? Should I leave this place?"

Amara talked to herself. She listed all the solutions she could think of, but all the options were simply a means to escape.

Why would she escape? She did nothing wrong! But she also knew there was nothing she could do.

"I should go and report this to the authorities," she mumbled to herself after crossing out her first choices. 

She won't leave. Not now that she finally made a friend.

Sometime later, her weary mind finally drifted into sleep. However, it wasn't long after that her sleep was disturbed by loud noises coming from downstairs.

Amara got up and looked out the window. It was still bright outside. So, there was no way the one banging her shop's door was Gerard.

She quickly stood and straightened her clothes. As she descended the stairs, she fixed her hair in a bun. She whirled around in the corner and finally saw who was the person behind the noise. 

Vida's face was pushed against the glass door, while her hand kept tapping loudly beside her distorted face.

"Vida?"

Her friend waved at her with her other hand, and pointed at the lock, gesturing her to open the door. Some passersby were looking at her weirdly, but Vida was never bothered. Even the customers in the opposite shop were peeking at them.

Perhaps, they also heard the loud noise.

Amara hurriedly opened the door and let the person in. But she was stunned upon seeing another person standing behind her friend. 

'What is he doing here?' She asked herself as her eyes met Azer's.

"What's wrong with you? You're already closed when the sun is still so high up in the sky?!" Vida exclaimed as soon as she entered, scanning the room with her eyes.

Amara averted her eyes from her neighbor and turned to Vida. She shrugged her shoulders, not bothering to tell her the reason. Though, she answered, "I was about to visit you, but you came here instead. Do you need something?"

Trying her best to sound normal, she looked back to Azer to let him know that the question applies to him as well.

"Why were you going to visit me?" Vida asked back, snatching her attention again.

"Nothing important," She answered. Her friend eyed her but she looked at her directly, showing her that there was really nothing. As she stared back at her, she suddenly felt another pair of eyes gazing intently at her, prickling the skin at her back.

Of course, she already knew who they belonged to. She sighed and lifted her hand to Vida, gesturing for her to wait. 

Not wanting Vida to overhear their conversation, she stepped out as the man did not follow the former when she opened the door. Instead, he stayed outside as though he was waiting for her to approach him directly.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, she asked him, "Why are you here?"

Azer looked at her and pursed his lips, he seemed dissatisfied about something. His jaw clenched and she unmistakenly saw anger flash in his eyes for a second. 

"You smelled blood again."

Amara furrowed her brows. That's it? That's what made him leave his shop and visit her after a few days of not even talking to her? Just to say something about her smell again?

She bit her lips to suppress herself from shouting at him and saying things she might regret. She sighed and looked at him with narrow eyes.

"What are you? Are you a dog? Why do you always talk like you can smell people? And no, I'm not in my period. Is that all you came for?"

Amara saw surprise in Azer's eyes. He was probably taken aback by the way she talked to him. She was annoyed. And she knew why. It doesn't make her feel good.

"If there's nothing else, I'll enter now. I have a visitor, you see."

She turned around and opened the door. But the door was immediately shut when large hands pulled back the door.

Amara's body froze when she felt the warmth underneath his hand, his palm touching her hand which held the doorknob. Every time she would make contact with him, she always felt an inexplicable feeling.

And it was unsettling.

Amara pulled her hand back quickly. Her eyes shook as she looked up and met those enigmatic grey eyes reflecting in the mirror. They were deadly serious and scary.

She had goosebumps, and only if she hadn't caught Vida's playful smirk beyond the glass door while looking at her, her heart would have been drummed so loudly it could rival thunder.

"I'm not yet done talking to you." Azer snapped her attention from Vida. She lowered her gaze as he kept staring without any concern about whether he would be seen as a harasser due to their position.

He was almost caging her, with his wide back almost leaning on the door and his arm stretched out holding the doorknob, while she stood in between. 

However, her only friend, the most possible witness was enjoying the scene instead.

"I'm not a dog. I'm more superior than them." Azer answered seriously.

Amara looked at him dumbfounded.

"And I smell the same blood on you before. Who did you meet?" He leaned closer which made her sweat trickle down her back. 

She recalled the incident she suffered a few hours ago and her mood dropped. She puffed her cheeks in annoyance and whirled around abruptly, forgetting that he was already leaning closer to her.

Her hair brushed his chin as she turned around, but instead of apologizing, she glared at him and answered back.

"I'm not obliged to tell you just because you ask. I don't care if you are superior to dogs or whatever animals, but I don't appreciate you telling me I smell bad! I take baths every day and aside from you and her," she pointed Vida inside, "…I didn't meet anyone else."

She averted her eyes when she said her last words. She didn't care if her lie was too obvious, but who was he to ask her whom she met when he avoided her for days?

Begrudgingly, she pushed his hand away. But the man did not budge. Her annoyance rose higher and she ended up pinching the back of his hands instead. 

A minute of silence passed and Amara gasped after she realized what she had done. She nervously looked up, but Azer was looking at his hand.

"I think it'll bruise." He mumbled after leaning closer to check his hand. Amara instinctively leaned back to the mirror, but because of her healthy body, the ruffles of her clothes around her chest brushed against his.

"What are you going to do?" He whispered against her ears, his voice teasing.

Amara looked flustered. She blinked many times to set her fuzzy mind in focus, but the hot breath that was hitting the exposed skin of her neck was dizzying. She couldn't think straight at all!