Chasing

Chapter 0007

CHAPTER SEVEN

LESLIE’S POV

It begins to rain heavily the moment I step out of the house, a manifestation of the dark clouds that have been present since I was at grandmother’s grave. I am unprepared for the sudden change in weather and I contemplate turning back to seek shelter till the heavy rain passes but what does that make me? A spineless woman who can’t stand her ground. I

So I power through the rain, dragging my suitcase behind me as I do. The streets are empty without a single car in sight which means I can’t even flag down a taxi. And what if I can? Where would I go? Right there and then, it fully dawns on me what the consequences of my thoughtless actions are.

I don’t have anywhere to go. I don’t regret my decision but my helplessness has me hating myself. I burst into tears at once. Tears that are real, not just triggered by an allergy. The sound of the rain muffles my loud sobs while the drops of water flow down my face along with my tears as I continue to drag my heavy suitcase along. I am exhausted, cold and hurt. D

I continue to wallow in self–pity, my tears uncontrollable. When I see the first sign of an approaching car, I stop crying and wipe my face. Walking in the rain already makes me look like a mad woman and I can’t risk scaring a taxi driver away. I wait by the roadside, stretching a free hand out to flag down the car as it gets closer. The headlights flash brightly into my face and blind me for a second, leaving me totally unprepared for the next second when the car races right past me and splashes water from the nearest puddle all over my body.

I gasp, shocked, and no doubt drenched.

The car slowly reverses and the face I see is one I least expected.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Beverly tenders an apology that doesn’t match the sneer on her face or the biting tone of her voice. She didn’t even make an attempt to get out of the car which had been going in the direction of the house before she drenched me in water.

“Are you okay? You don’t look okay.” She continues, further rendering me speechless. Her tone is mocking. It is clear that she doesn’t really care if I am okay or not, clear that she did this on purpose.

“What did you do that for?” I tremble as I speak, not just from the cold but also from the looming threat of another round of tears.

“Don’t take it to heart, Leslie. It was a mistake just like how that day three years ago was a mistake. If only

you

hadn’t had that one drink that wasn’t meant for you, it wouldn’t have taken this long for me to seal my spot in Kian’s life. You were never meant for him and even if it took three years, you are finally back where you belong. Goodbye, Leslie and I hope to God that I never see your face again.”

Beverly looks deep into my eyes as she says that as if wanting to be sure I got her message. She must have gotten what she was searching my eyes for because she rolls up the car’s window and drives away leaving me standing there, trying and yet failing to process the meaning behind her words.

gather myself together, wringing the water out of my dress as I tell myself repeatedly that this is nothing. I can survive this. I just need to get through this night first. The heavy rain soon becomes a drizzle and I continue to drag my suitcase along with me.

It doesn’t take long before another car appears and this time, the car stops in front of me. I get into the taxi without giving my destination a thought until the driver asks where I want to go.

I pause to think and only one place comes to mind. My old rented apartment. I haven’t been there since I moved out three years ago but stice I take the route to work everyday, I know it is still empty as no one has been willing to endure the bad living conditions I did while I was still living there. I don’t have a choice but to return there.