Chapter 3

“Oooooh.”, Ziah uttered painfully. “It’s so hot!” she exclaimed. She woke up drench in sweat. She looked around and realized that she’s in her new apartment. She finds her phone to look at the time. Eleven-thirty a.m. So it is already this late, she thought. She’s really tired and overslept. Actually she wanted to sleep some more but she can’t take the heat. There is no air conditioner in this apartment and not even a single fan. Just as she is contemplating whether she will open the windows and continue sleeping or getting up her stomach grumbles. I’m hungry. Of course she’ll be hungry at this time. When was the last time she had eaten?

'Oh, I remembered, the lunch that I had eaten yesterday was my last meal. No doubt I’d be this hungry.'

She decided to get up and go out to buy some food. She also has to buy a lot of things such as toiletries, groceries, cushion for her bed, and other things that she needs. So she opened her travelling bag and look to see if there is a pair of clothes that she can wear. She wore a pair of jeans and a black pull over blouse. She decided to wear something comfortable so she can move freely. She walked out of her apartment and went over the coffee shop that her landlady owned.

“Oh, Ziah, it is nice to see you today.”, Granny Perry greeted her as she walked inside the coffee shop. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you.”, she answered and find a place for her to sit down.

“Are you going to eat?”, Granny Perry smiled at her.

“Yes, can you give me something to eat? I really am hungry.”, she said.

“Of course, I’ll prepare something fast for you. I could cook you spam and eggs with waffles if you want, or you can also order a coffee and a pastry.”, the old lady said.

“No, the spam and eggs will do. I am hungry and a slice of cake can’t do, but I also want a cup of coffee.”, she added.

“Ok, give me ten minutes.” Ziah nodded at the old lady. She examined her land lady. There is no doubt that she is already old, but she looks fit. She moves fast and do not use a cane to support her walking. She might have been a beauty when she was young. The trace of her elegance and beauty can still be felt around her. I think she’s in her late sixty’s, Ziah thought. After less than ten minutes, her food is in front of her.

“You moved fast. Thank you.”, Ziah smiled at the old lady and started eating.

'It is already lunch time but I am eating breakfast food. And what can I expect? This is a coffee shop. I can’t expect a homemade soup to be served here.'

Although she is very hungry, she is taking her time eating her food. These spam and eggs are so good. I did not expect that this common dish can taste differently. She wanted to savour every bite of the food in front of her, and the coffee smells nice. It relaxes her nerves and boosts her appetite. While savouring the food the wind chime at the top of the door move and created a sound. She looked at it and saw someone walked in. It’s the blind girl. She watches the girl come in and walked straight on a spot near the counter and sit down. 'Is she really blind? How can she move like that? It seems like she can see where she’s going.' After seeing the girl sit down on the chair, Ziah shifted her gazed back to her food and started eating again.

“Nally, you’re here.”, Granny Perry greeted her.

“Yes granny, I’m bored staying alone at home, can I stay here?”, Nally asked the old lady with a pleading smile.

“Of course, you don’t need to ask, silly girl.”, the old lady replied. “Do you want something to eat?”

“No, thank you. Can I just have a glass of strawberry milkshake?”

“Ok, I’ll just prepare it and I’ll be back.” the old lady walked behind the counter and started preparing her order. There are not much of people in the coffee shop. Most of the countryside folks, love to cook at home, and brew their own coffee.

“Granny, I think you have another customer here other than me and your patrons.”, Nally asked curiously.

“Yes, you’re right. A lady moved in on one of my apartments yesterday, and she’s here today to eat.”, Granny Perry answered without even asking Nally ‘how did she know’. She knew that Nally’s other senses are so sensitive since she’s blind. She might have sense it.

“Is the lady beautiful?”, Nally asked.

“Yes, she is indeed a beauty. Why are you asking?”

“She smell like the lady I bumped into yesterday at the park.”

“Oh, is she?”. She’s really amazed by Nally, she can even distinguished the smell of the people from one another even is she’s not really close to that person.

“Yes, and big brother said, she’s not beautiful.”, Nally laughed a bit.

“Did he really said that?”, Granny Perry raised her eyebrows and looked at the girl eating at the farthest corner table in that coffee shop. The girl is a beauty; there is no doubt with that. She has white complexion, a small rounded face, and a very captivating pair of eyes. It would be hard for this girl to look ugly in anyway. Even if she wears something old fashioned she’s sure the girl would be able to pull it off.

“But I know he’s lying. It is just unusual of him to lie about the looks of a person, anyway, he did not fancy anyone before either.”, Nally smiled and took out his books and started reading it by touching the patterns with her fingers.

“You’re right. Here is your milkshake.”, Granny Perry took Nally’s hand and guide it to the glass as if telling her where it stands.

“Thanks, Gran, you’re the best.” Granny Perry’s attention was taken by the sudden appearance of the lady that they were talking about.

“Thank you for the food. It’s delicious.”, Ziah paid for her meal and looked at Nally before she went out of the coffee shop.

Ziah walked around and finally found the place she’s been looking for. The place is not that big so she’s praying that all the things that she need is inside. She went in and to her surprise, almost everything is in the said building and in an incredibly low prices. 'Jackpot.' She went to the right place. She went to the kitchen supplies aisle and look for a pair of mugs, plates, cups, saucers, spoons, forks and other things that she needs to buy. 'I need to buy cooking utensils and pots. I won’t last long if I will continue eating outside. I might run out of cash in two months if I’ll be buying everything even my food. I have to cook my own meal and look for a job if I want to survive.' She only managed to get a hundred thousand from her uncle before she ran away so she has to make a living her money is not refillable. By the time that she found almost everything that she needs and walked out of the mall, it was already dark. She found a cab who agreed to bring all the things that she bought. She bought a lot that the trunk cannot be closed anymore. The cushion that she bought is tied on top of the cab's roof; the other things are in the backseat of the cab so Ziah sit at the passenger side, beside the driver. The place where she lives is not too far from the mall, it is actually a fifteen minute walk to her apartment, but she bought a lot so she chose to ride a cab. Within a three minute ride, the things that she doesn’t want to experience happened again. She felt the hands of the driver slipping from the gear shifter towards her legs. At first she taught that was just an accident but his next action was bolder, he actually puts his hand in the middle of her legs and grip it a little. Ziah has gotten used to these kinds of actions and she won’t put up with it. She grabbed the drivers hand and flipped it towards his back. The driver felt so much pain that he suddenly step on the breaks. Thankfully Ziah was wearing seatbelts. Just as when the car comes into a complete halt she got an army knife that is hidden under her shirt and put it on the drivers neck using her one hand while the other hand is gripping at the drivers hand at his back. 'Thankfully, I bought this at the store earlier.'

“You know mister, I can kill you now if I want to, and plead self defense because of sexual harassment.”, her eyes is so sharp. If looks could kill the driver must have been dead by now. “I am used to these kind of actions and I was trained to defend myself. Don’t try me.”, her voice is cold and full of warning.

“I am sorry, please, I have a family to feed.”, the drivers is now sweating and his voice is shaking due to fear.

“You should have thought of that before committing a crime.”, Ziah’s voice is still full of anger.

“I am sorry, please, please release me now.”, the driver cried out.

“Continue driving, and bring me to my apartment. Don’t ever try to do this again with me, I will not hesitate to put this knife on your neck and send your head to your family.”, she warned.

“Yes!, I promise!”, the driver sighed with relief and continue driving.

Once they reach her apartment and the driver had pull down all her belongings Ziah paid for the ride and warned the driver.

“Don’t ever appear in front of me again.”, Ziah’s voice is as cold as ice and her eyes full of darkness. A dark aura is surrounding her whole body to the point that the driver starts shaking. He can’t explain it, the lady is so beautiful and looks innocent, but there is something in her that is terrifying. The moment that girl said that she could kill him, he knew exactly that she wasn’t joking and she really is capable of that. It seems that she’s been through hell that she doesn’t care whatever may happen in her life so he is determined not to see her face again and forget her. The most important to him is nothing but his life, and he wouldn’t exchange it for a night of lust. So he accepted the fare and hurriedly drove away from the apartment.