A hug from a stranger

I arrived at the flower shop and as soon as I got inside, Abigail and Rosie greeted me. Abigail is at the counter while Rosie just got out back to get some flowers.

“JL, Ms. Han left and said when you get here, you go inside her office. She left something for you to do,” Rosie reminds me as she is arranging the flowers to display.

I think I know what she meant, and it will be another headache for me.

I walk towards the counter. “Where did she go?”

“She said she was meeting an important client and was in a hurry. She did not even get to say goodbye to us,” Abigail walks out of the counter and helps Rosie arrange the flowers.

"I'll just be inside her office. Knock if you guys need help with anything, okay?"

They both said "K!" and I walked inside my boss's office. I still can't believe I am working here. The office is spacious and there is a couch with throw pillows for most of her clients where they will discuss big orders. Her desk is quite big with two chairs in front of it on both sides for people like me that she interviewed.

Time sure flies past and I can't help but reminisce about how I got this job in the first place. I think it was after my shift at the bar and I think it was 2:00 am or so, and my boss Chris even asked me if I wanted a ride home. Because it was late, and he said it was dangerous at that time. I told him that I would call my older brother Vince, so he would not worry. I lied. I don't want any company at that time. I don't want people to see me cry. That day was the death anniversary of my mom. I was exhausted and should just go home, but I decided to walk wherever my feet would take me. I just walked that night and there were some 24-hour convenience stores that I passed by. I saw a bench in front of a fountain and I sat there for a minute. I heave a sigh. When was the last time I rested? When was the last time I was at peace? I think wherever I go, that voice keeps haunting me.

The truth is I don't want silence. I need to distract myself every time because that voice keeps coming back.

I can't tell anyone about that voice, because they will not believe me. The voice that only I can hear. I was glad that someone sat down with me, and it was Ms. Han. The memory was a little blurry and I can't remember what I said to her. The next thing I knew, she was offering me a job and I accepted it. And I'm sure glad I did.

I put on my uniform, and it was just a simple white long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and a black apron that had the logo of the flower shop. As I was getting ready to do what Ms. Han left for me to do, my cell phone kept ringing nonstop again. I don’t want to answer it because it’s working hours. But it won’t stop ringing, so I got it out of my bag and saw the 50 missed calls and multiple messages from the same number earlier. I opened some of it and my eyes grew wider when I saw the messages.

(Why are you ignoring my messages?)

(Hey you! Do you even know how many girls will go to great lengths just to get my number?)

(Why aren't you answering me?)

(Stop ignoring me!)

(Reply to my messages. ASAP!)

(We need to talk, right now.)

(It's Zander, the one you insulted the other day.)

I don’t know if I will laugh or be annoyed at what I’ve read. And he’s like a nagging boyfriend that I did not get to send a message after I left for work. Wait, why did I ever think of that word? Even if I don't have any experience, he is not boyfriend material after meeting him. He is ungentlemanly, he just dragged me the other day, and now he is pestering me. I know I already apologized to him, and we parted ways in a good manner. So now, what does he want from me?

I deleted some of his messages because it’s the same as the other ones. But one message caught my attention that I even looked at it more than once.

(I'll meet you in 1 hour. We will talk about it whether you like it or not.)

How will he meet me? And what did he mean by that last message? I did not exchange personal information about me and I don’t have the time to deal with him. I have a lot of things going on in my life and I don’t want to deal with the likes of him. Even if he said who he is, I would not reply to his message.

~~~***~~~

Ms. Han arrived at the flower shop, and she even saw me studying the different social media inside her office. My boss was the one who introduced me to it. She said that it is a great thing for me to know about it because businesses these days use it often to reach out to people. Also, knowing how to use it will give me a chance to know how her business was able to flourish and still stand today. She even commended me that I was a fast learner. And laughed at me because I was scared to use the touch screen cell phone that we used to ask the inquiries of our customers. It looks expensive, which is why I was a bit skeptical about using it. I've never had a touch screen cell phone. All the phones that I had were keypad ones because it was more cheap. And I had other priorities to spend my money on. Ms. Han even mentioned that I need to know more about technology today because it makes our lives easier. I just said that I would try my best to know more about those things.

It was quite exhausting learning about social media, so I asked Ms. Han if I could take a break. My head hurts just memorizing all of it. She just nodded while looking at her laptop and I got out of her office. I am glad that she trusts me so much and I won't break that.

"Thank you, come again," I heard Rosie saying while she handed a bouquet to a tall guy wearing a blue cap. I saw her gaze following the guy as he got out of the shop. She starts daydreaming again. Both she and Abigail like to gossip about handsome guys who visit our store. I am used to it.

I am at the counter and Ms. Han messages me that there will be a VIP that will come to the store. Whenever someone important visits the flower shop, I am on my best behavior. I know that whenever there is a rude customer I can't help but fight back. I don't believe that the customer is always right. Sometimes I am also a customer whenever I buy something at a fast food restaurant and I don't treat people like they are under me like a servant. My dad taught us to always treat people with respect and always think about putting ourselves in their shoes. I am just glad that in the flower shop, I encountered someone rude but Ms. Han handled it like the professional that she is.

I told Abigail and Rosie about the VIP that will visit the shop. And I know what they will talk about. This is another reason for them to gossip about guys.

“Really? Is it a guy?” Abigail smiled like there is no tomorrow. Here we go again.

“Why are you always asking if it is a guy? I think your mind is filled with guys all day.” Rosie retorted.

“Life is too short to not enjoy little things. Besides, I am not harming anyone if I think about guys,” Abigail clapped back.

“We are working and not all customers need to be looked up closely, don't you have any shame?”

They started arguing about who is right and wrong. I just hope the VIP will not arrive early and not see them both bickering.

I just reminded them that they should be ready at any time because we don’t know what time the VIP will arrive at the shop. And then they should stop arguing because it's not good for customers to hear what they are saying to each other.

The bell from the door silences those two as a tall guy wearing a black hoodie with black shades goes inside the shop.

“Welcome sir, how may I help you today?” I greeted him and I did not ask Ms. Han if it was a guy or a girl. He looked around before walking towards me. He's also wearing a black face mask. Is he sick or something? He removes his sunglasses and facemask and I don't know what I should be feeling right now.

"Jedi, the VIP-" I heard Ms. Han who was going out of her office. "Oh? He's here already. What can we help you with Mr. Zander?"

There is silence inside the store and I can’t help but wonder why my two colleagues suddenly became silent. When there is a guy customer, they will always bicker with each other. And even rate those people. He is handsome from the very first time I saw him, there is no doubt about his looks. But my question is what is he doing here right now? Does Ms. Han know him personally?

"I'm not here for your flowers. I'm here because of her," they all look at me with questions in their eyes. Why did he say that? We don’t have any connection and I know I already apologized for what I said to him. So why now? I can tell that they want answers but I have nothing to say. I don’t even know him and this is only the second time we met.

"You are here for my employee? Do you two know each other?" Ms. Han looked at me for a second and he looked at this guy who is in front of us right now. Please, go away. I want to have a peaceful life. Is it too much to ask? I want to get out of here and explain to my boss who he is. But I cannot utter a word.

“Ms. Han, I don’t-”

"She's my girlfriend. I need to talk to her."

I heard a loud gasp from my co-workers and I know they will talk about what he said. Is he crazy? Why would he tell them that? What does he want from me? He is indeed a great actor. He knows how to remain calm in this kind of situation. Maybe he used those words many times and girls will swoon over him. While I am standing here contemplating what to retort back. But then again, I cannot say anything.

I saw a glimpse of Ms. Han smiled. “"You can just talk to her if you want to. But she's still working. You can talk to her after working hours."

"I'm not here to wait for her shift to end. I need to talk to her now," he said in a serious tone.

My hands are getting sweaty because of the tension in the air. Can someone please snatch me away from here so I can breathe? How dare he act arrogant in front of Ms. Han? How can he demand something like that from her?

I look at my boss and from her looks, she is telling me to decide for myself. Why should I be the one to make a decision? I don’t even know him personally. He is our VIP customer, that's what she told us and she is our boss. I am just an employee and it is still working hours so she should stand firm and tell him off to go back after my shift or just get lost.

"I'll leave the two of you if you don't mind. I still have some paper works to do."

Ms. Han turns around and walks away from the counter just like that. I wanted to grab her to ask her for help but she left me. What am I going to do now?

"Abigail, Rosie get some materials inside for our bulk order. We still have a lot to do."

As soon as they left, I turned my attention to this guy who said he is my boyfriend. I want to punch myself from not denying his statement. And what does he want from me?

“What do you want from me? Why did you say that I am your girlfriend? Because last time I checked we don’t know each other,” I cross my arms to calm myself from getting mad.

“And how did you find where I work? Are you a stalker?” I looked at him intently and I got his attention.

"Stalker? You're not even beautiful for guys to stalk you. You just mess with me, big time." His tone was sarcastic but at the same time the last word he put an emphasis on it. I am not even offended by what he said because if he saw the guys that are always around me, he would be surprised but I will play with fire.

“Mess with you? You’re not even handsome. I only mess with good looking guys, so what does an ugly guy doing here?” I gave him a sarcastic smile. Two can play this game. And I grew up being the only girl in the house. So no one can mess with me.

I can see his facial expression stiffen and I want to laugh with triumph but I know the war is just getting started.

"You didn't reply to my text messages and you even dared to ignore my calls. No one says no to me, ugly woman. You even compared my face to a 'dugong?'

I want to laugh because he still remembered that I compared him to a marine mammal. Even if he called me ugly, I will not be offended. I am just getting started.

“I don’t reply to text messages and calls that are not saved on my phone. And who knows if they are ugly.”

I gave him a smile that will get on his nerves. But I think I made a mistake.

"You really get on my nerves. Now, you'll pay for that."

Before I can even react, he walks inside the counter and grabs my arm away as we exit the flower shop. His grip is so strong that I cannot escape. This is harassment already. What kind of a guy is he to do something like this to a girl?

“Let me go! I don’t want to go with you!” I look around the street and why does it have to be an hour where few people are on the streets?

He opens the door of his car and pushes me hard inside it. When he closes it, I look around for a second and this is not the car he used when we first met. I have a clear memory of that day because of how many minutes I was inside it. I was about to go outside but he was already in the driver’s seat and I heard a clicking sound. I grab the handle of the car door but it is already locked. This is kidnapping and harassment. What is going to happen to me now? I want to scream with so much frustration building up inside me but I don’t want to make a fool of myself so I try to calm my mind and think of possible ways to get out.

“Let me go! This is kidnapping! Just open the door!”

“Stop screaming and be quiet. You will never get out of here if you don't shut up."

“Fuck you! Girls should be respected and not treated this way! Let me go!”

This is the first time I cussed this year. I said bad words but only in my head because our parents raised us to only speak kind words toward others. But if I will have to deal with the likes of him, I will tell him all the pent up cussed words that I accumulated from these past few years.

"Don't ask for something you're not giving," he said in a serious tone. He starts the engine of his car. And I can feel that I will never be able to escape if I do not think clearly.

I want to hurt him by punching him in the face but he can sue me for that because the last time I know, he is a famous actor. And I don’t want my family to suffer the repercussions of my actions.

“I did not disrespect you. I am not an idiot. You are, by doing this to me. What do you want from me?”

Instead of answering me, he shifts the gear in the car and steps on the gas. And drove away from the store. If I die inside his car, I will haunt him for the rest of his life.

“Fuck you! Let me go!” I don’t care what comes out of my mouth. I hate him! If he asked me nicely, I would have come with him even if I did not know what he wanted. But seeing him behaving like this, like he can just do what he wants pisses me off.

“Stop cussing and stop screaming. It does not bode well when a girl cusses.” He does not care even if I am having a crisis here. I just look like a fool in front of him. How can he act so calm and not care about my well being?

“Damn you! You grab me away from the store without explaining anything and you want me to not scream? Any normal girl would have acted the same!” I gritted my teeth. He is unbelievable.

"If you didn't insult me, I would not have done that.” he said nonchalantly.

My anger rises as he looks calm like he did nothing wrong. Why am I even wasting my energy on him? Maybe he sees me as an idiot. But I will not back down.

“I insulted you? I am just telling the truth and you also insulted me. Did I hurt you? I only returned what you said.” I tried to calm myself. “So what? Any honest person that will tell you the truth you will grab their arm and push them inside your car?” I want to pat myself in the back because I was able to talk for this long. I’ve never been frustrated in my whole life except this day.

Why am I even experiencing this kind of thing? Did I do something wrong in the past?

Yes. And a lot of them. You just don’t remember.

There it is again. There is a slight pain that occurs on my right temple and I know I am in trouble. This can’t be happening right now. What do those words mean? I try to focus my attention on what is happening inside the car.

"Nope. Just you. I did this kind of thing only to you,” His answer pulled me back. I furrow my brow. And look at him while he is still driving. Was I supposed to be happy because he treats me differently? He is a major red flag. And I don’t want to know him anymore. I’ve seen enough. He is such a turn off.

I don’t want to give up but whatever I say to this point is pointless. Because he will just make me look like a lunatic. He will never stop the car and I don’t want to cause any accident even if I wanted to get out. What would Ms. Han think about me now? I left without saying anything. My personal belongings are inside the locker at the flower shop. So, I don’t have any means to contact my family if something happens to me. What should I do now? I stayed silent and gave him the silent treatment.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?” A sarcastic remark from the one driving.

I just look outside the window and see tall buildings. It is still afternoon and there are people walking from the sidewalk. I don’t know where he intends to go and I am just counting the minutes that I am still alive. I don’t want to appear like a child having a tantrum because she did not get what she wanted. And if he does something to me, his reputation will be smeared for a lifetime. So, for now, I am going to endure this car ride and hope for the best.

I think he is waiting for me to say anything but I chose not to answer anymore. When I first met him and we were surrounded by trees, I felt a sense of peace. It is a feeling that I have never felt for a long time. I am always on edge even if I am working. I try to compose myself whenever that voice pops in my mind and it is so loud because I am the only one who can hear her.

The car ride was not helping me because that voice continues to pester me. I need a way out but I cannot even go outside. I am trapped.

I knew you liked him. Or maybe it's just me. You can say you don't want to be with him. You can scream, but you choose not to.

No. Please, not now. I don’t want him to see me acting strange again. He already saw the first time and I don’t want to repeat that mistake.

I don’t need you! Go away! Leave!

You've been ignoring me for years. I am always here for you but you always push me aside. How dare you!

She’s screaming inside my head and it hurts so bad. I can’t stop her. Please. Anyone, save me. Is it my fault that I chose to forget about her? Is it a sin to choose my happiness? Is it bad for me that I chose myself this time?

Don't you dare ignore-

I felt a touch on my left arm that stopped the voice inside my head.

"Hey, what’s wrong? You are covering your ears again. Just like last time."

When I saw his face, there was no hint of arrogance anymore and I can see that he is concerned about me. I feel a slight sense of relief. I forgot that I was mad at him. Where are we? My vision became blurry and I looked away from him. I am so embarrassed that he saw me covering my ears. There was not even music inside the car, just us two in complete silence.

“It’s nothing. Don’t mind me. Where are we?”

I look around and there are cars everywhere and I think we are in a parking lot. When did he park his car? I was not able to focus on our destination because I was busy pushing away the voice that haunts me for years.

"It's okay if you won't tell me what's happening with you. But I know you're not okay. Stop pretending that you're okay if you're not," His voice this time is soft and I can feel his sincerity. He is still sitting beside me and I can feel his gaze.

I was waiting for him to say “are you crazy?” or “what kind of behavior was that?” I think I was judged like that in the past but I can only see tiny bits of those memories. I think my classmates used to call me “the deaf girl” because I constantly cover my ears and they see that no one even talks to me. I can’t even remember if I was in high school or grade school at that time.

His words were simple and yet it hit me hard that I can’t stop tears forming in my eyes. Slowly, my frustrations towards him melted away. And I am an idiot for forgiving him easily for what he did to me. I am just glad that he is here beside me. A stranger whose arrogance is so annoying but has a kind heart that he rarely shows.

"I'm not the kind of person who will ask personal questions about someone but- Hey! Why are you crying?"

I cried out loud. I cried out everything I had built up inside. I cried because I was scared. I don’t care if I look like a little girl looking for her parents because she is lost.

"I'm sorry for what I did earlier. I know what I did was rude but you insulted me and- Ah shit! I'm sorry, okay? I'm really sorry," I can see him panicking because I won’t stop crying. Why is it easy for me to show my emotions in front of him? This is only the second time we met and he already saw my vulnerable side.

My emotions are all over the place and seeing him panicking makes me think he's human too. I don’t know if I should laugh or continue crying but I can’t help but think maybe he is just like me. He has so many things he’s hiding but when it comes to a point that someone needs kindness, he will definitely show it. I just feel glad that someone saw that I am not feeling okay.

“I want to remind you to not put anything of what I’m about to do,” I look at him and still look like a mess. And before I can even utter any reply, I felt his embrace.

“What are you-”

I felt him pat my back. “This is just for today. Because I know I did something bad to you,” I feel that my cheeks are getting hot. “I am sorry for what I did earlier. It won’t happen again.”

There is a sense of peace that surrounds me. It’s like two or three bricks from the wall I have built up is crushing down right now. But it is just a little. I know it is not enough to destroy that wall. And thinking about it now at this moment is a bit corny but that is the only thing I can describe it now. One hug from an annoying stranger that gave me hope just a little bit. One hug lets me have a little peace and for that voice to go away. One hug is all it took for me to feel an emotion I buried years ago. And honestly I am scared to feel something towards him. It will take a lot of time for me to completely destroy the wall that separates me from everyone I cared about. I need to prepare myself.

I am enjoying this moment but when he said those last words, I rolled my eyes without him seeing it.

“This hug is not free. You will have to pay for it later,” And he goes back to his old self. Does he need to open up his mouth and ruin the moment?

~~~***~~~