The Man She Didn't Appreciate...

''Can you stop making noise, my brother just returned from night shift; he is sleeping.''

''Ben is around? I missed him.'' Inayah smiled cheerfully.

''Liar. Cut these vegetables. Don't think because you can't cook, I won't let you work.'' Bertha glared at Inayah.

''I bought the groceries, okay?'' Inayah pouted her lips.

''I didn't ask you to buy them. This is my house, why don't you pack your groceries and send them to your house?''

''Aww, that hurts. You are such a party pooper.'' Inayah sat down to cut the vegetables and looked at Bertha. ''Bertha, actually, I should have listened to your warnings; I shouldn't have taken them lightly. But, I'm back and I won't loss you again. I will make things right. I won't let Samantha get away with everything she has done to me and all the people I love.'' Inayah said confidently.

Since she has been given a second chance, she was going to do her best and protect the people she loves and take care of those who are there for her.

Bertha was her best friend, but she allowed the influence of Samantha to make her doubt Bertha.

''Why are you looking at me like that?'' Bertha asked when she saw Inayah looking at her.

''Bertha, thank you for taking me back.''

Bertha chuckled, ''hey, don't act cheesy with me. You speak as if I am the man that left you.''

'' You are not the man that left me. You are the woman that left me.'' Inayah said and they laughed.

#####

''This smells nice!'' Inayah said as she sat in the dining hall with Bertha.

Bertha placed a bowl of rice in front of Inayah. ''If you dare leave a single grain, you are dead meat. I will break your legs.''

''Don't worry, I will lick the plate clean.'' Inayah winked at Bertha.

Bertha made a disgusting expression and pulled out the chair and sat across her.

As they started eating, her elder brother walked out of his room.

''Who is this? Inayah?'' Ben asked as he walked to them.

''Hi, is been a while big brother.'' Inayah stretched her hand and touched Ben's hand affectionately.

''Wow!!! Did the sun shine from the west today? I thought you two weren't friends anymore?" Ben touched Inayah's head warmly.

"We are now friends again after I barged in shamelessly." Inayah said and Bertha asked.

"I'm glad you do realize that you are very shameless."

"But, it feels so good to see you again. When I heard what happened to you a few months ago, I was worried.'' Ben stated.

''You don't seem so happy seeing us together?'' Bertha asked her brother.

''No, is not that. I just didn't imagine it.'' Ben replied.

''Well, we are friends again. I came first since I have a big heart.'' Inayah bragged.

''Yeah, right? Big heart, my foot!''

''Is good to see you two together. Reminds me of that time before the accident that claimed our parents' lives.''

''I know, right? I wonder why I stopped being friends with her.'' Inayah sighed.

''Samantha happened. After our parents died, we were all devastated and then, Samantha transferred to our school and you two became friends and then, you decided to abandon me.'' Bertha stood up and poured Inayah a glass of juice.

''It was all my fault then. I'm sorry, okay?'' Inayah took the glass of juice and sipped.

''It's okay, it's all in the past now.''

''What did you girls cook? I'm hungry.''

''I told you to always eat snacks at night and you refused.'' Bertha stood up to bring her brother some food as she nagged him.

''Is unhealthy. How can you tell a doctor to eat snacks at night?'' Ben frowned.

''Whatever. Snacks are the best food ever.''

''They're called junk food. No wonder your weight is shooting up.''

Bertha scoffed. ''Hey, are you crazy? Haven't you learnt; you don't call a girl fat?'' Bertha glared at her brother.

Watching them bicker, Inayah smiled.

....

Inayah's House.

Outside.

Ben pulled over and Inayah got down, ''thanks for bringing me home, Bro Ben.''

''See you tomorrow at school.'' Bertha said to her.

''Yes, bye!'' Inayah smiled.

''Bye, Ayah...''

''Bye, bro Ben...'' Inayah waved her hand at them. She turned to go and saw someone familiar in front of her house. It was the same old woman.

''You…'''

''I see you are starting to do a diligent job.'' Solar said with a smile.

''Who are you?'' Inayah asked and tried to touch her hand, but the woman disappeared and before she could pull away, she also disappeared along with the woman.

Inayah found herself standing at the cliff of a high building.

She gasped and turned to look at the woman, ''what are you doing? This is dangerous!''

''Doesn't this remind you of a familiar situation?" Solar asked and let out a soft chuckle.

''I…'' Inayah's eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes. She suddenly saw three people at the rooftop. One was a woman, a woman that looked exactly like herself and then, two other ladies standing at a distance watching her.

Inayah turned to look at the woman and pointed at herself, ''that… that is me, right?''

''Yes, that is you…'' Solar answered and snapped her fingers and their surroundings changed.

Inayah watched as Jasper held on to her body in the ward. She gasped and shook her head.

''Did I… did I die?'' Inayah turned to look at the woman. She saw Samantha going towards the stairs and Inayah followed suit.

''It's done. She is finally dead. I can't believe she actually acted on everything I told her to. What a fool. Thank you for your help all this while, housekeeper. It's all thanks to you for always feeding her with that medicine! Now, I just have to play the part of a sympathetic best friend and warm my way into Jasper's bed. I will always remember all the help you gave me in eliminating my useless friend. I will speak to you later, okay? Right now, I have a lot of crying to do. Bye. Tsk!!! She was just someone her own parents didn't want, yet she managed to capture the heart of the richest man in the whole of City Z. To think, I almost lost to her''

''Do you remember, now?'' Solar asked Inayah and she nodded her head.

''I… I killed myself. No, I was deceived and betrayed by Samantha which led me to do such an unthinkable thing.''

All the memories of the past started clouding her head one after the other.

She couldn't think straight as a series of memories blurred her.

The last thing she heard before passing away was that familiar voice asking her if she was alright.

....

Jasper's House.

''How is she, Nick?'' Jasper asked as soon as he saw Nick coming out of his bedroom.

''She seems fine, but we will know more when the test results come out. Why did she pass out?'' Nick sat on the sofa as he asked.

''I don't know what happened to her. I saw her standing outside her apartment for a long time. When I decided to go out and meet with her, I found her on the ground passed out.'' Jasper explained.

''That's strange. She looked healthy when she came to meet me. Anyways, I should go now. I will take her blood sample to the laboratory for testing. Let me know when she wakes up.'' Nick picked his bag, ready to go.

''I will do that.'' Jasper followed Nick to the door and closed it after the latter left. He turned and went back to his room.