Chapter 3 Life Is Harsh

Natasha

I walked home full of regret. All would have been well if I never accepted Michael into my life.

He came with an agenda and he was successful. He never cared about my feelings. He had the guts to dump me publicly.

"He told me to relay these words..." The receptionist cleared her throat. "LET'S BREAK UP."

Perhaps, it was possible for words to run into one's bloodstream. I could feel anger surging in me when I heard that.

I was no longer in denial but I refused to leave the place without setting my eyes on Michael. He had to show up and tell it to my face. And he did.

The moment I set my eyes on him, I could tell he had changed totally. No, he simply brought out his real self.

"You're pathetic!" He told me. "I'm done with you and I won't tolerate any more noisemaking here. Leave quietly or you'll be arrested for disruption!" Then he turned and began to leave.

"Was everything a lie?" I asked him. I hated myself for being so clingy but it wasn't easy on my part. It had been a year of investing my time and effort into loving him as hard as I could.

"It's over, that's all I have to say!" Michael retorted.

I ran towards him and blocked his path. He screamed at my face for the first time,

"What the hell are you doing!"

"Those documents you stole from me..." I began confidently. "You have to take responsibility for that. I'm out of a job now. How are you going to fix this?"

"Get away!" Michael warned, staring at me with beast-like eyes.

"Not until you take responsibility!" I replied firmly.

I had barely strengthened my resolve when he pushed me away. I fell, hitting my butt on the floor. However, I didn't give up. I held onto his right leg as I sobbed. It was hard to bear.

"Fix this!" I cried.

Michael kicked me off his body and turned towards the receptionist who had been watching us since.

"Call the security guards instantly! What are you looking at?"

In no time, the security guards came around and took me out forcefully. I was dumped outside the gates and that was when it struck me. Yes, I just got dumped.

It was upsetting that I was more saddened about the brutal breakup than losing my job. However, I knew how futile crying would be.

I went home and laid on my bed while gazing at the ceiling. Time passed by slowly.

"Hey! Are you good?" That was Marie's voice.

Marie is 26 years old, making her older than me by a year. We were good friends and we particularly made a great pair.

We were roommates from college and as our bond was so unbreakable, we remained roommates after.

She was a struggling freelancer who took remote gigs.

"Where were you? You weren't at home when I came," I said shortly after she talked to me.

"Bajie wanted me to come over. I wasn't expecting you to come now anyway. You don't look great either," Marie commented as she looked around my room.

Bajie. He was Marie's longtime boyfriend. He was a freeloader living off his elder brother. Whenever I asked why Marie had such an unambitious man as a boyfriend, she would reply by saying love meant more than ambitions. It appeared she was right.

I dated Michael and with so much ambition, he stabbed me in the back.

"You are not fine," Marie concluded. "I think only part of you is here with me. Tell me what happened. I'll listen."

I told Marie every single thing that had happened. She never made any shocking expressions while I talked. She simply listened and when I was done, she sighed.

She fucking sighed! I tell you, Marie never sighs. She believes sighing burns a lot of calories.

"What are we going to do?" Marie asked out of concern.

"I will be fine," I muttered.

"Not you," Marie corrected me.

"We need to renew our rent in a few days. What will happen now that you don't have a job. You know work hasn't been going great for me recently."

I felt like correcting Marie on her impression.

Work had never gone great for her since she was more focused on Bajie than actual work. Work had never been great, not recently, never.

"I don't know," I sighed as well.

"Let's..." "EAT!" Marie exclaimed. I laughed with her and she hopped to the kitchen. She was going to cook something for us.

** "Delicious!" I exclaimed. "The pasta tastes different. It's a new recipe, right?"

"Yes!" She answered excitedly. "I thought about it months ago and when I made it for Bajie, he seemed to love it."

"Stop talking about Bajie. Are you mocking me now that I've been dumped?" I said sadly.

I was struggling emotionally, I knew that much.

"Stop thinking about that piece of trash! The nigga came to you with bad intentions from the start. Hate him for it, don't miss him!" Marie said firmly.

Those words did nothing to lift my spirits so I just smiled weakly.

I stared at the wall clock. It was 9:46pm. As my eyes fell to the table, my phone lighted up and I heard the ringtone.

I picked up the phone and checked the caller ID. BOSS! It was Bruce Stamford.

"Who is it?" Marie was asking. I didn't answer.

I placed a finger on my lips to signal her to keep quiet. I answered the call and listened with my heart racing.

"Come pick me up! Royal bar. Got it?" Bruce ordered.

I didn't even reply before he cut the call. He sounded drunk.

"I don't think you should go," Marie told me carefully. "You've been fired today. There is no reason he would call you back unless..."

"Unless?" I turned towards her.

"It is highly unlikely he wants you back but what if that's the case?" Marie's eyes lit up. "Get dressed properly and run over!"