Tolerating The Player

We finally arrived at the mechanic shop. It wouldn’t be fair to call it a shop because it was enormous. I never knew a place as huge as this in this town. But yet I couldn’t find a lot of workers but just a man and a young boy who looked more like his son from the wide opened door.

Zach came down from the car and walked into the shop with his hands tucked in his pockets, I guess that was the way he liked to walk.

“Don’t you wanna come down?” He turned to me and asked but I pretended not to hear him by drifting my attention to my phone. He shrugged his shoulders and walked into the shop.

I could see him talking to the man who now offered him his cigarette and I was surprised to see him puffing it. I never knew he was into smoking too.

After waiting for what felt like hours, Zach finally came back to his car and started the engine. I had thought he wanted to repair something in the car but I was wrong, he totally made me miss my job. I’m going to get in trouble.

“Can you please drop me off at the mall, I could still find a way to apologise for being late” I said and he looked at me with furrowed brows.

“No can’t do it!”

“What do you mean no can’t do, you can’t make me lose my job” I yelled at him when I realized he wasn’t going to drop me off.

I seemed to have triggered him when he suddenly parked his car by the roadside and got down from it.

“Get down!” He ordered and I scoffed but when I saw the look of seriousness on his face I became scared. I came down from the car and stood really close to the door with my back pressed against the car.

He walked closer to me and I started to feel his hot breath on my skin. I was tall but damn it I felt so small whenever he was this close to me. I couldn’t bring myself to look at his intimidating face.

He raised my chin with his hands that felt really cold and hard, “look here love, never yell at me” he said in a low tone that was filled with command and threat.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and decided it wasn’t the best time to be a chicken but to stand up to him on why I should be part of his silly game.

“I will continue to yell at you as long as you keep me around” I mouthed with his hand still on my chin. My words seemed to have surprised as he dropped his hands from my chin and took a step backward. He tucked his hands in his black ripped jeans pocket and smirked.

“How much do you earn at work?” He asked.

“None of your fucking business!” I said through clenched teeth and entered the car. I was upset not because he made me miss my work today but because he had the fucking audacity to bring me out of a car and threaten me not to ever yell at him. If he didn’t want that then why didn’t he just refuse the fucking dare rather than keeping me around.

He stood outside of the car for some while and I could feel his eyes piercing through my skin but I plugged in my earpiece and didn’t make eye to eye contact with him.

He entered the car and started the drive, I tried my best not to look at him or talk to him but the son of a devil won’t let me be at peace as he suddenly started to blast the car’s speaker with heavy metal music on the loudest volume. I couldn’t even hear a single beat from my earpiece.

He started to drive towards another route which was neither my house or Maya’s. I wanted to say something but I had a feeling he was expecting me to complain so I said nothing and watched him drive. I wasn’t going to bring myself to receive another insult.

Shortly after, he stopped in front of the gate of a really big house, bigger than that of Xavier. I suspected it to be his house as a middle aged man suddenly opened the gates with his head bowed.

He didn’t answer or respond to the man who was still blowing but rather went into the compound and parked his car. I found it rude but I was in no position to speak of it.

“Why am I here?” I asked, rubbing my temples. I was really tired and stressed from school and another drama or scheme isn’t what I need.

“The rules of the dare states we have to be together always, but don’t worry you’re free to go home today by 8 pm but as from tomorrow it’s with full effects” he said bluntly.

“What do I tell my parents then?” I asked, my Dad wouldn’t care if I was home or not but what if he did care, what would I tell him?

“That’s your problem love” he said and walked in the house.

The house was really big and spacious but it was empty, no one was in the house.

“I live alone” he said as if he knew what I was thinking about.

“Why?”

“I’ve told you what you need to know so I do mind you asking more questions, ” he coldly replied. He’s a scumbag.

I sat on the soft leather chair while he sat right opposite me with his MacBook on his lap. I continuously checked the time and it seemed like 8: o’clock was forever.

He seemed to be engrossed in whatever he was doing on his laptop and I bet he wasn’t studying. His brows crinkled as he rubbed his temples before he continued to type on his laptop.

“What are you doing?” I asked hoping he would reply me

“I respect my personal space” he said and stood up to sit on a lone couch at the end of the living room.

It was 8 o’clock and I was glad it was time for me to leave even though the time appear slower. Joe must be with Grace so I have nothing much to worry about.

“You can leave” he said while still engrossed in his laptop.

“I know” I replied and left the house. It was dark and cold outside with almost no way for me to go home. I couldn’t call Maya by this time nor did I know the way to my house.

Contemplating on what to do I decided to go back inside and ask if he could give me a ride hoping he would be nice.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I walked back in and met him sitting on the floor with his legs folded and his laptop on his legs.

“What the hell are you doing here, it’s past eight” he yelled.

“I… i need a ride” I whispered but in a way he could hear me.

He stared at me for a while scanning my face before he turned off his laptop and took his keys out of his pocket.

“Thank you” I said as soon as we got to the car

“Crap it!” He replied harshly, then I realized he was upset and mad with the whole idea of taking me back home.

I told him my house address but he only knew the nearest bus stop so I would have to direct him there.

He started the car and immediately turned on the speaker blasting heavy metal music in my ears. I couldn’t bear the loud sound so I plugged out his phone and connected it to mine.

He watched me as I connected it and didn’t say a word. I played a soft song that was also sung by one of my favourite artists. I closed my eyes and sunk myself into the soft seat, then the music stopped and I heard a crash.

“What the hell!” I yelled and tears started to roll down my eyes at the sight of my phone broken and shattered behind me.

I reached to take the broken phone and couldn’t just help but cry, Mr Anderson had bought that phone for me and how was I to afford another phone.

He didn’t say a word to me neither did he apologize for his mistake, no not a mistake because he did it intentionally.

Tears wouldn’t stop rolling down my cheeks and I didn’t want him to know that he had successfully hurt me so I faced the window and looked at the dark night with tears running down my cheeks.

“What turn should I take?” he asked and I realized I was almost home.

“Left” I replied and he took the left turn.

I finally got to my house so I came down from his car with my broken phone in my hand. I planned on slamming the door really hard but I couldn’t bring myself to.

He drove off immediately. I came down still without apologizing and I concluded on not playing their little game anymore. I will let them know tomorrow.

The lights from the living room were on and I knew my Dad would be in there. I took a deep breath before opening the door that he forgot to lock again.

“Hey girl” he said and belched after gulping down some alcohol down his throat. The house smelled of alcohol and it made me almost want to throw up.

I turned to look at him and he was already asleep with a bottle of liquor in his hands.

“I just can’t,” I cried to myself and walked out of the house. I would pass the night at Maya’s hoping she would be awake because I had no means to contact her.