Paper Dove

MISUNDERSTANDING

Of course I ended up in the ER. It wasn't my sprained leg but my hand, because I was trying to balance myself. Juan carried me until the ER, I refused him but the pain in my hands and body was inevitable and I could not help it. 

My friend the doctor at the ER narrowed his eyes “ you can-can pass the stairs. You know there are many demons”, my friend shook his head while injecting pain medication. Juan who heard that could only fall silent. 

“ Looks like I did meet the demon earlier”, I said cynically. “ Thank you Lala”, I smiled at my friend. After being given painkillers and undergoing many examinations I was allowed to go home. I was given a sick letter for 3 days.

I tried to find my phone in the bag. I didn't talk to Juan at all. I'm still angry and I don't want to argue with him. Juan closed my bag and put it on my shoulder.

“ Haaah.. let alone Juan?”, I complained lazily.

“ I'll drive you home”, Juan looks at me guiltily. He seems really sorry. I took a reluctant breath.

“ I'll call him”, Juan continues. He whom Juan meant was Nandes. I finally got into his car very forcedly. In the car I just kept quiet and stared out the car window. I recall the moment Juan kissed me there was a slight thump in my chest that I ignored because of my anger and I didn't want to admit it.

“ Dew forgive me. I'm sorry that you fell down the stairs, I shouldn't have taken you to the emergency stairs” Juan said regretfully.

I glared, so he meant he was sorry just because I fell down the stairs not because I kissed him either.

“ Just that?”, I'm hooked.

“ Yes. I'm sorry because you were in an accident. I should have taken you to a better place. I don't regret kissing you baby, I regret that I should have taken you to my house”, Juan teased me.

I hit his shoulder with my remaining strength “ I'll make sure Nandes dulls your lips”, I'm pissed.

“ Haha... I've waited a long time to beat him up too. Can I hit him baby?”, Juan makes me angry. 

I turned my face out the window, I hope Nandes really hits him. Juan sent me to Nandes' apartment. Of course Nandes was waiting for me, it seemed like he had quickly returned from the office after Juan called him. Nandes got out of the car, waiting for me. When Juan's car stopped, I quickly opened the seatbelt to pick up the bag and ran out of the car to Nandes. Next to my hand is of course rubbed and wearing a brace. Nandes greeted me with worry on his face.

“ Why did you fall?”, Nandes asked excitedly without looking at Juan.

“ Super VVIP that I said it was Juan's father. and earlier.”, I have not finished talking Juan snatched.

“ I forced kissed her on the emergency stairs, she fought back and got injured. I'm sorry that he was injured, I should have brought him to my house”, Juan said casually to Nandes. 

Hearing that Nandes quickly approached Juan and pushed him with all his might and hit him right in the face. Juan fell to the side and he laughed. Juan held the corner of his bloody lips. Juan stood up and replied to Nandes. I felt like I had Dejavu in High School. I ran towards Nandes when he hit Juan in the face again.

“ Fuck, die you…. “, Nandes hits Juan without mercy. Juan fended off and countered Nandes.I saw blood pouring from the temple of Nandes and blood pouring from Juan's face.

“ Stop !!!….. “, I pulled Nandes by my hand. Of course they both seem to be in a state of disobedience. I tried so hard to separate them no matter which hand I was about to nudge and thanks to that my shoulder was hit by Nandes' elbow. I fell on the asphalt and they stopped suddenly both shouting my name. 

“ Dewunn !!!”.

“ Aww…. Shit...”, I hold my shoulder. It seems I had an additional injury.I tried to sit with my hand next to mine. Nandes and Juan both approached me. 

“ Your dew is okay?”, Juan holds next to my shoulder.

“ Dew forgive me”, Nandes feel guilty and embrace me.  Keep me away from Juan.

“OK stop. I'm fine. People are watching you. Stop plis”, I nag.

Nandes took me in his arms and walked away from Juan and took me into the car. He then came back and spoke to Juan, I opened my car window to listen to them. 

Juan advanced to get closer towards Nandes “ I still like it and really like it. I'll take it back. With my way “, Juan then turned around to leave when he approached Nandes again and said “ I like the smell of green tea from his shoulder ”, Juan heated Nandes. 

Nandes clenched his hand but let Juan into the car. Juan boldly blinked one eye at me as I passed by, of course I threw away my face. Nandes got into the car and hit the driver. He drove the car into the basement in a rough way. I could only sit next to him.

“ Why didn't you tell me about Juan's father?”, Nandes spoke without looking at me.

“ I ... I .. just wait for the right time”, I don't know what to say to Nandes.

“ But you let it wander around you Dew. For men it is a chance”, Nandes is angry.

“ But I'm just being professional. And again I've been ignoring it all along. I didn't expect him to be that close”, I tried to calm down.

“ Why did you hide it ?”, Nandes yelled at me. I'm surprised, I know Nandes feels lied to. I knew I was wrong but did he have to yell at me like that. 

 “ He wants you to Dew and I hate him doing that to you “, Nandes said more gently knowing he couldn't stem his emotions.

I cried and took my bag. I got out of the car and walked towards the exit. I was so shocked that Nandes instead of calming me down and yelled at me like that. Nandes got out of the car and chased me.

“ Dew forgive me. I don't mean to be rude to you”, Nandes is sorry.

I slammed my bag “ You think I opened an opportunity for him, I can what if he used power and threatened to fire my friends”, I'm angry. “ And I'm afraid Nandes I guess Juan will do bad things to me, he looks like everyone else. He's not the Juan I know”, there's disappointment in my voice. 

Nandes silent “ You are disappointed because he opened the old Juan?”, Nandes misinterpreted the meaning of my words.

“ That's not what I mean”, I'm trying to explain.

“ I'll take you to your parents' house”, there's sadness in his eyes. 

I'm tired and I don't intend to explain anything “ No I'll take a taxi. And I .. I'm tired”, I pick up my bag and walk out the basement with tears and pain all over my hands. Nandes wasn't after me and the misunderstanding between us got wider.

***

I lay in my bed. I want to take a shower but I can't move my right arm, if I hadn't fought with Nandes I probably wouldn't have been like this. At least he can still help me wash my face. I should have explained what I meant to Nandes. But I'm too tired to talk. 

I fell asleep, at about 7pm someone knocked on my door. My boarding friends built me up because a guest came looking for me. Nandes coming? I quickly walked into the living room and found Juan sitting there. I was shocked, a lot of bruises on his face from the fight this afternoon.

“ What is it?”, just ask me with ordinary Tone.

“ How are you?”, Juan asked.

“ Yes. Like these. I can't eat or shower. Thank you”, I insinuated it.

“ Want me to help?”, Juan tried to be funny. I glared at him. “ I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just here to bring you food and medicine”, he handed me a paper bag. “ And I brought you a cake”, Juan pointed the cake on the table.

“ Thank you”, that's all I can say to Juan. I noticed she was wearing casual clothes, not like this afternoon. 

Juan stroked my hair and came home. I'm down, Nandes is right. I was the one who opened the opportunity for Juan to come to me. I'm not strict with him. I thought of Nandes and the sadness slipped in my heart.

***