Chapter 3 Three

I did not just wake up one day to say I wanted to marry Penelope's fiancé. I watched from my window some weeks back as her billionaire boyfriend, Jordan, dropped her off and kissed her goodbye. I watched as she waved at him and walked towards the door. I slowly covered the curtains and lay back on my bed.

"We went to supervise some of his businesses, and then we went for lunch in a very beautiful place. He took me shopping afterwards." I heard her say to my parents downstairs. I could feel their excitement already. There was happiness in her voice. I decided to get a cup of coffee. I just felt like taking it.

"Come here, Laura." My father called when I walked past them. I knew it was bad timing. I shouldn't have left my room.

"You called me," I said as I came closer to him.

"Why did you just behave as though we were strangers? You've been in that room since morning, and you just don't say hi to anyone." He said. I wondered why he always tried to act like the nice one, as if he cared. He is just as terrible as my sister and mother.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Penelope's words came before mine.

"She's just jealous. I know she's not happy for me." Penelope said with a smirk, while admiring the gifts she came with.

"Why would I be jealous of you?" I asked her, already getting furious. Wondering why she would even think about something like that.

"Because she has achieved way more than you. Let's not even talk about how good-looking she is. But look at you, you've been sleeping for the whole day with nothing to show. Just like that riff-raff you call a boyfriend. You cannot even attract important people in your life to save you." It was my mother.

There was a knock on the door immediately.

And just like magic, my riff-raff of a boyfriend, as my mother described, was at the door. Thomas knew he was jobless and also knew about the constant crises with my family. Yet his audacity was what pissed me off. The effrontery! Coming to my parents' house. At this time!

"What are you doing here?" I whispered immediately as I opened the door and saw him. I was signalling him to leave while trying to close the door. It was a bad time already. Yet he stood there, like an idiot!

"What's going on there?" My father asked.

"It's her broke boyfriend. She's trying to hide him." Came Penelope's voice. Her annoying voice. I felt like smacking her on the head.

"Let him in," my father said.

I was still signalling Thomas to leave. He still did not get the signs. He was smiling while he walked in.

"Good afternoon, sir," he greeted my father. He was about to greet my mum when she turned her face. He understood and kept quiet. I was just by the corner. Waiting for the worst to happen.

"Who are you here to see?" My dad asked. Such a stupid question. He came to see me, of course.

"I... I came to see Laura." He stuttered. We were supposed to go out today.

I felt like burying him. Did he have to mention it to my parents? I knew we were supposed to go out. He should have called my line. That was a simple thing to do. I checked my phone and saw five missed calls from him. I sighed.

"Out to where?" Penelope asked, laughing. "To the gardens, forest, or maybe the hills?" She asked again and laughed harder. It was all so embarrassing. I kept looking at her, my heart hurting. My mother was laughing with her. My father smiled too. He wanted to laugh with them, but he tried not to show it.

"You want to take her out, you mean? Do you now have a job?" My father asked.

"I don't. I'm actually helping her to look for one. We are going to check out some places." Thomas said. He must have thought saying that would make them pleased.

"Interesting! You do not have a job, and you want to help her find one. Isn't that amazing?" Said my mother.

"Have you seen? Have you seen what I'm talking about?" She said, turning to me. I just watched her. I haven't said a word since they began questioning him.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I think you should just let Laura do what she wants. It's obvious she's not ready to change." My mother said, and I watched her with so much anger and hatred in my eyes as she sat on the couch. I was finding it hard to believe she actually gave birth to me.

"She does not know what it means to attract things of good value," Penelope said and laughed again.

I couldn't bear it anymore. I raised my hand to slap her across her face, but my father's voice stopped me.

"Don't you dare! Your mother is right. They are right. Laura, why can't you..."

"Enough!" I cut in. "At least I'm not like y'all, fantasising over mere gifts and rewards like wretched people!" I snapped and walked to the door. Thomas followed me silently.

"She is strange." I heard my mum say, while we were walking out. I didn't hear what else she said. Thomas closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry." He said as we were walking down the road.

"Sorry for what?"

"For what happened earlier. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have made things worse for you by showing up."

"Of course, Thomas, it's your fault! You should have called me! You are not making it any easier for me. If you're not ready to find a job, you tell me so we end this thing called a relationship. I'm tired of having to deal with my family's bullshit and now you!" I screamed.

"But you know I'm trying. It's not easy for me either. Do you think I enjoy watching you do all the things I'm supposed to be doing?"

"Then wake up! I'm tired of listening to your complaints!"

"But I called you. You were not picking up. That was why I decided to come to your house. I thought something was wrong."

"Honestly, Thomas, I'm sorry I missed your calls. But you need to do more than care for me. I can take care of myself! I'm not a child. I'm tired of all this pity party." I said and began to walk faster. I knew I was a bit harsh on him, but at that point, I was angry about many things and could not control my words. I hated everything happening to me.