Aretta & Secrets

Suspicious

"It turns out you're busier than me" I muttered, "lo don't have a boyfriend?"

Davin was a high school playboy. Almost all women have dated him even though they all did not last long.

"Don't ask. I don't know me. I'm comfortable if there's no girl, man."

I chuckle at hearing that. What the hell can I expect from him. Davin is not a typical human who can change overnight. He had been in his playboy career for a very long time, plus his tall stature with a charming face, who would waste a man like him?

"OKAY. I'll go back first. Aretta's alone in the shop" I said. We shook hands as a sign of farewell before actually parting ways.

I went back to the store and frowned slightly staring at Aretta. The girl seemed to be saying something, but it did not sound clearly in my ear.

"Why?" my many.

"There's nothing. How was lunch?"

"His lunch was good and I was full too" I said happily. The stomach that had been protesting was now partying because I put a lot of food in.

I immediately went to the counter and started to continue my previous activities. When Aretta left, I accidentally listed the books and asked the publisher for a reservation. Right now I want to check about the payment along with him who's gone with a cloth and a glass cleaner. I let him go to clean the dusty parts.

We were pretty busy on our own, he was in charge of helping customers and I was on guard at the counter.

The activity lasted until the hour of return. He was still among the bookshelves and it made me smile a little. His passion for work is worth appreciating. I salute him.

"Aretta! Let's go!" call me. I waited long enough for her and finally called out to her, but Aretta did not answer. Makes me have to find where that woman is. I went around and was aghast when I found him already curled up on the floor with gasping breath and cold sweat pouring down his temple.

"Aretta! Hey Aretta! No need to joke, clean the dust does not need to be like that," I said, know the situation does not seem if he was joking. I approached and sat nearby holding his shoulder to see his face.

Today she scrunched her hair and made part of her face invisible. I delivered it and was wide-eyed when I found a bruise in her eye area. Guilt is eating away at me. How can I not pay attention to the situation when we work together all day.

"Why do you face? Why is there bruising there? Then why else to sleep on the floor?" He didn't answer when I asked in a row.

"I'll take the car first after that we go straight to the hospital."

***

Aretta POV

I tried to step up and as expected, I didn't move anywhere.

Is this a dream?

Several times I had a dream that felt very real and maybe this was also my dream that felt real.

I fell silent in my place and felt the wind blow against my hair. I gave up on stepping and curled up on the spot. This place is very strange. The atmosphere that was too quiet and gripping made me feel uncomfortable. There was no sound of water flow, even I myself could hear the sound of my breathing being too quiet.

I closed my eyes and hoped that when I woke up, I would open my eyes somewhere else. I counted and kept counting, and when I felt I had enough, I opened my eyes. My body immediately shook with fear because I was still in the same place and grew more frightened when I saw Mama. My mother stood in front of me.

His eyes were red with a grin that adorned his face. An overflowing expression of hate, anger adorned his face. He locked my gaze like I was a prisoner that he had to spend. My body trembled even more as he stepped closer. Step by step until he finally stood in front of me.

I can't move. My body was stiff, my voice did not come out. I was still staring at him and immediately looked perfectly open when I saw the sharp object glittering in his hand. That's knives.

Mama is still silent. He didn't say anything but it scared me even more, let alone I couldn't move at all. I wanted to run or push him, but my strength was nonexistent. The knife even seemed to be laughing at my misfortune.

Mom looked drunk. He always made trouble with me when I was drunk. Alcoholic drinks do not necessarily make Mama weakened, even vice versa. Mama's power increased many times over.

I shouted as Mama raised her knife even though no sound came out. The knife stabbed him in the shoulder even though I managed to dodge. I glanced and it turned out that it had been pierced so deeply that the sharp part was almost invisible because it had been impaled perfectly into my body. Is this really just a dream? Why does it feel so real. I was still trying to scream loudly when Mama pulled the knife and thrust it back into my body many times.

I thrashed, cried, but still didn't make Mama stop her action. After he was satisfied he left me lying helpless. The expression on Mama's face looked happy without any guilt adorning it.

All of a sudden it faded, slowly turning dark. Even when I raised my hand in front of my face, it was not visible at all.

"Aretta's? Aretta's... Aretta," my name was called and my shoulder was shaken slowly. I opened my eyes quickly. A sense of relief and safety immediately ambushed me. I'm thankful that it was just a dream, even though it was so bad.

"Aretta," call that voice again. I turned my head and found Aidan who was standing while staring worriedly at me. I tilt my head. Still confused. It still digests where I am now and what has happened to me. But the most domineering was the feeling of relief that Aidan was still by my side.

I pushed forward and went into his arms. Wrap my hand around his neck and put my face on his shoulder. I cried sobbing.

He returned my embrace and gently rubbed my shoulder. We sat there for a while waiting for my cry to subside. I cried because of Mama, because of Gio, and because of the people who made my life difficult.

I can hold it for this long, but the limit is to the end. I was tired and could not bear the humiliation of them.