Stolen Words to Your Heart

'Was my passion for erotic poetry a mistake? Did I invite this scrutiny upon myself by daring to explore the depths of human desire and vulnerability?- Lara B.

--

"W-what, disqualified? Bu- but I just wrote this poem last night and I've never-" Lara's words were interrupted as the line went dead, leaving Lara shocked with beeping silence of the phone. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the phone.

Her mind raced, desperately trying to recall every word of her poem, searching for any hint of resemblance to someone else's work. But all she could feel was the stabbing pain of betrayal and injustice. 'I spent all night pouring my heart into that poem'. her heart rising with anger. 'I bared my soul in those words, and now they're telling me it's not mine? This is totally unfair!'

'Wait, my bag, I haven't checked it since last night, perhaps i....'

Slowly, Lara wheeled her wheelchair closer to the side of the bed to reach for her bag.

"Lara, dear! Come here, dinner's ready! Come now or the chicken will get cold!" her mom called.

"Yeah Mom, I'm on my way!"

Speaking of the contest," said Sammy Braun, Lara's dad, between his mouthfuls of rice.

"Have you submitted, dear? I'm sure you'll make it to the final round. I believe in you. Please forgive me, my dear! We're in debt because of me. That I can't be the best dad for you. So, when will the announcement coming out?"

Lara's heart sank as she heard her dad's question.

"I-I don't know yet, Dad. What is certain is that it will take some time. Because the contestants are not only hundreds of people, but all over Metropolia. No, Dad, it's not your fault. This all happened because of me. Because of my condition, you had to renovate the house and get into debt for my comfort and treatment. Please forgive me, Dad! I'll do my all, my best to pay all of our debts. Please, allow me take this responsibility." Lara spelled, full with determination.

'Please forgive me, Dad! For now, I have to keep this matter secret from you.' Lara's heart whispered.

"Such impatient father you are! The poem was just sent. Don't make your daughter tense and confused like that. Thank you, dear, I'm so proud of you. Don't worry, take it easy. The important thing is that you've already tried your best." her mother said with teary eyes.

"Yeah, that's how daddy is. Oh, I have to go to my room now, because there's something I need to do, em... I mean, need to check."

"Really? Why don't you eat your fruit first, dear? I've already peeled the mango for you." her mother asked again.

"I'll eat it later," Lara screamed as she swirled her wheelchair back to her room.

Quick, she locked the door. Holding on to one side of the wheelchair, shifted her body in different directions before finally lowering her arse to the yellow carpet below. Lara got down on all fours, pulling out the contents of her bag. Hand sanitizer, purse, keys, lipstick, cotton, and cell phone. 'Wh-, my journal? Where's my journal? Did I miss it? No way! I put it all in yesterday!' Lara mumbled recalling her activities last night.

Her gut had been right. Her genuine important journal was missing. Lara repeatedly picked up and rummaged through the contents of her bag. But still, Lara couldn't find the journal with its purple cover. This was a catastrophe! Because it wasn't just her erotic poems that she had written there. It was expression and feelings that she doesn't share anyone. It was also the ideas and concepts she had created for a short movie.

Not yet fully aware of what was happening, the voice of Lana May, one of Lara' favorite jazz singer, suddenly came on. Frantically, Lara pressed the 'Open' sign.

To:Lara

"YOU SURELY KNOW WHY I'M SENDING THIS MESSAGE. I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE OFFICE TOMORROW AT 9 AM. DON'T BE LATE! IT'S IMPORTANT!

From: Mrs. Boss.

The cell phone slipped from her hand as soon as she heard her boss's angry voice.

"This is bad! What do I do!" Lara scratched her head that wasn't actually itchy. Confused, upset, angry, all mixed up." At this rate, not only will my poems be stolen. But my other ideas could also be stolen!"

The air felt so thicken around Lara, suffocating her with the weight of the accusation that now tainted her passion and dedication. She had worked tirelessly to establish her career as an erotic poetry writer, and now it was all hanging by a thread. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the world that had turned against her, but the relentless ache in her chest kept her rooted in the harsh reality.

'Sting of their mockery sears through me, igniting a fire of rage and frustration within my chest. How I longed to retaliate, to lash out and make them feel the weight of their callous words pressing against their own fragile egos. But I held back-' Lara B.

-

"Lara, Lara, I'm really disappointed in you. If you stuck, bored, got no ideas, just stop. Refreshing. Find any idea. Take a vacation. You got many things to do rather than just plagiarizing other people's work. Thanks to you, not only you're being disqualified but our agency is also on the blacklist and banned from sending another contestant! Such ashamed! How outrages you really are!" Lara' boss, burst out right as Lara arrived in her office.

"Bu-but I really didn't plagiarize anything, ma'am! 'Blade of desire' is a poem that I wrote just last night and never been published anywhere. I wrote it in my personal journal." Lara explained. Her body and voice trembled with fear.

"That's enough! You surely know how many prizes MEMOPOSEA(Metropolia Modern Erotic Poetry Search) has promised!" Of course Lara knew. The grand prize is two hundred thousand dollars and a multinational cooperation contract. The second prize is free scholarship to study literature in England for two years.

"What a mistake to choose and recommending you, LARA! From now on, I revoke your writing license and membership from our agency. And... YOU ARE FIRED!!!"

"Wh-What...? Bu, But ma'am, please give me a chance! I really need the money from this contest...I'll prove that 'Blade of Desire' is indeed my work and I'm completely innocent. I beg you, ma'am, don't fire me! Please give me chance!" Lara pleaded. Bulb of crystals began to gather and peek between her eyelids.

"I know! That's why I'm recommending you, Lara! Because you're so talented! You're a genuine poet with rare sense of expression. Really. But, what did you do? You're tarnishing our agency's reputation. Okay, if you insist. I'll give you two months to prove your innocence. If you fail, I will dishonorably revoke your writing license and your membership here. And... YOU MUST PAY HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AS REIMBURSEMENT!" Lara' boss gave an ultimatum.

"Wh-What...? Re-Reimbursement? But why, ma'am?" Lara breathed shockingly. Tears streamed down her beautiful face.

"Oh, do you really think that the training and preparation we provide for you are for free, huh? I haven't informed you, did I, Miss Braun? Not only you're being disqualified and our agency is also on the blacklist and banned from sending another contestant but-" Her boss stopped.

"Bu-But...." Lara's heart pounding.

"We also have to return all the funds that have been sponsored!" Lara' boss snapped, standing angrily.

"Wh-What? I-- I'm really sorry, ma'am! I will..."

"ENOUGH...! THAT'S ENOUGH! Just prove that the poem you sent is really your work. If you can't prove it, don't bother coming to this office again!"

"Ma-Ma'am I,..."

"I'm sure you understand what I'm saying. GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY ROOM RIGHT NOW!" Her boss shouted while pointing at the exit.

Lara slowly pedaled her wheelchair out of the room. The tires that she moved with both hands felt heavier than usual.

"Hey, Mrs. Boss's pride!" screamed one of Lara's fellow.

Lara turned her head.

"You there! Yes, you! Oh, so this is the woman who caused trouble and humiliated our agency? Hah, how great!" said another.

"Totally! And you know, turns out, our boss's favorite poet is nothing more than a stealer aka a plagiarist! Look, I'm sure Mrs. Boss must have been just fired her. Boohoo, just look at her face! All red and teary! Hahaha...! O-oh Mrs. Boss please don't fire me, have pity on me! Gosh, what a troublesome!"

"You're right, Get out of here! We should have been the ones that Ms. Boss registered to the contest, not you! You're crippled! Didn't you have mirror in your place, huh? Hahaha...! "

Lara clenched her hands into fists. Her throat got hardened. Her lungs felt so heavy as if something just dug inside and blocking her way to breath the fresh air. Her eyes got blurry. Filled with mixture of sadness and anger. Her breath quickened. For God's sake, how Lara wanted to crush their legs with her wheelchair. Really! But of course, she didn't do it. Because at least she still had common sense and feelings. Hurriedly, Lara pedaled her wheelchair away.

"Akhh!" Lara squealed, stopping her wheelchair. Unnoticeable, Lara had her palm stuck through the tire's ring and bled. Swiftly, Lara wiped the dripping blood with the hem of her clothes and continued to drive out in pain.

***

"This is this month's edition, sir! It's ready and arrange as your request." Said the creative team leader of MarLense Photo studio, said as she handed the August issues of Flamboyant Magz to her boss.

You...Your love and lush,

Sharper than the silvered Blade,

Choke onto my tongue like a dagger,

Stabbing, piercing to my soul,

Hot... Burning,

Your warmth,

Drape me whole,

Runs through me, my all core...

Through and through my nails,

our greed and desire floods,

soaked throughout all over our pores,

That handsome curly-haired guy closed his round greyish eyes tightly. Taking deep breath, feels, absorbing line per line of the erotica poem through and through his body. Forming flashes of naughty images within his brain. He had read this erotica poem so many times since last night. But, the effect remained the same. Makes his burly body tingle and stiffen.

"Good job," he breathed, stared at his phone for a moment before walks out of the room.

'These weight of suspicion pressing down on me, a burden I never asked for. Accused and demanded to repay a debt that I never incurred. Some thick ink that caught the very essence of my being into question.' - Lara B.

"So, what's the problem? You were so quiet in the car. What happened?" Lucky asked, starting the conversation while cleaning and bandaging the wound on Lara's palm soon as they arrived at Cherry Karaoke. Ronda also came right away.

"Yeah, What's wrong? And, why did your hand bleed like that?" said Ronda worriedly.

"Huh? Oh, this. I was just in a hurry. So I carelessly got my hand stuck through the tire's ring as I navigated the wheelchair. That's why I got this wound! Oh, thanks for helping me with the wound right away!"

Lucky smiled.

"Hmm, are you sure? Then, look at me in the eyes now!" said Ronda as she stared at Lara seriously.

"Wh-what? I'm totally fine, Ronda! Really!" Lara turned her face away from Ronda's gaze.

"Come on, what's wrong, Lara? Just tell us! We've been friends for a long time, do we? Of course we know that you are hiding something. I can see it all on your face. And I know for fact that you wouldn't be so careless as to not realize that your hand stuck through the tire's ring. Unless something was really important or upsetting you that you wanted to rush out. Am I right?"

Lara went silent. Beads of crystal ready to soaked down her pretty face.

"See? there's must be something wrong. What is it?"

"I-I... I'm disqualified." Lara spelled under her tremble breath.

"WHAT? DISQUALIFIED? HOW CAN IT BE?" Ronda and Lucky exclaimed in unison. Lucky even spit out the orange juice he gulped down in shock.

"Yes. They accused me for plagiarism. They said, the poem I sent was exactly same with another writer. Mrs. Boss was deadly furious and she gave me an ultimatum." Lara explained stammeringly. Her body shaken.

"What, another writer? But who? Didn't you just write this poem last night in your journal. Even Tommy and I were there too," said Ronda, remembering when she and Lara took a break in backstage.

"That's exactly right, bu-but-"

All eyes were on Lara's.

"M-my journal is missing." Lara breathed, choked up.

"WHAAAT? YOUR JOURNAL IS MISSING? YOUR BOSS GAVE YOU AN ULTIMATUM? WHAT DOES SHE SAY?"

"I asked her to give me time to do investigation and she gave me two months to prove my innocence and that the poems I sent to the contest is really my work, my creation. If I fail, I will dishonorably fire, my writing license and membership will be revoke, and..." Lara took deep breath.

"I must pay hundred thousand dollars as reimbursement for preparation and training the agency has given me." A few white droplets hung from the corner of her eyes obscured Lara's vision.

"WHAAAT?! HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS? Oh God, this is bad! I know how important the job and that journal to you. Wait, what if... ." Ronda spilled suddenly.

'Is it possible that the curly-haired guy who helped Lara got off last night took it? I couldn't see his face clearly because of the dark. But I remember he was also the one who put all of Lara's things back to the bag right after he dropped it. Ah but wait, I don't have any evidence!"

"What could it be? Why are you become silent?" asked Lucky curiously.

"Ah, no, I mean...i don't... "I-I mean-- maybe your journal was tucked in your bag or your bag had a hole in it and your journal fell out without you realizing it-" said Ronda hiding her suspicions. Yes, she would tell Lara about her suspicions. Soon. But, not for now.

6:00 PM at 66's Cafe...

"How is it? Any luck or clue?" Tommy asked, he is one of the 66's Cafe waiters who was also in backstage with Lara last night soon as Lara finished questioning two security guards. Meanwhile, Ronda couldn't join because she had to work overtime at the restaurant where she worked. Tonight is Saturday Night. Of course the restaurant is packed and busy. So, only Lucky that come with her to start the search.

Lara shook her head as she sighed heavily.

Indeed, there is no CCTV in the parking area. Because, the owner of 66's Cafe had already paid two security guards to stand and guard the area. So, why install CCTV. That's a waste of budget.

"Is it really nothing, there? Could you check it one more time? Please!" Lara pleaded while they took search to every corner of the backstage. But still, the journal they were looking for was nowhere to be found.

"Thank you so much, Tom." Lara spelled disappointedly

"It's okay, just take it easy. Where did you put it last time? As I recall, you already put it to your bag. In fact, Ronda and I were here too with you. Wait, is it possible that your journal was tucked away inside the bag?"

"No, I've checked it already. Over and over again."

"Hmm...Or, perhaps your bag had a hole and your journal fell out without you realizing it, and someone took it?" Tommy continued, only mirroring what Ronda said earlier.

"Right. It's totally possible." Lucky agreed.

"Yes, it could be true. But, the problem is there is no CCTV in parking area or backstage. which means, will be difficult to find evidence let alone the culprits who took your journal. Of course you know how stingy our boss is, right?" Tommy whispered nervously.

Lara gave a small smile. "Isn't there anything we can do? I really need that journal. It's about my job and my credibility as a poet."

"Your job? What's wrong? Anything happened?" Tommy asked curiously.

Lara went silent for moment. "Remember when I said I was entering a poetry contest?"

"Of course. And if you won, you'd use the prize to pay off your renovation debt and get treatment in America, right? So, when will the announcement coming out? You made it to the semifinals, do you?"

"WHAT? DISQUALIFIED? HOW COME? PLAGIARISM? THEN WHO TOOK YOUR JOURNAL? AND WHEN?" Tommy stormed right as Lara finished explaining.

"That's what we're investigating now, Tom." Lucky said. Lara nodded. Tiny droplets began to peek between her almond eyelids. However, she quickly wiped them away with a tissue.

"Wait, what if one of your fellows from the agency took it?"

"No, they didn't. They don't even know that I sing here."

"Don't just make wild assumptions, Tom!" Lucky said.

"Okay, Okay! I'll ask all of our friends to check and search the whole area, and ask Mr. boss's permission to contact all the guests that came last night." Tommy said as he got up and cleaned the table.

"Contact all the guests? Are you serious? You surely know how many guests came last night? The café is totally packed! What if we do internet search?"

"It's complicated and will surely take a lot of time and effort. Besides, there's possibility that the person who took your journal not confess. However, we have to investigate and find the culprit who destroyed your dreams and ruined your reputation! That person has to pay!"

"Tommy is right. Complicated doesn't mean we just sit and can't do anything about this. Don't worry, We'll definitely find the culprit. And about internet searches, I don't think the thief would be so careless as to upload the stolen words to the net. Because they know you'll surely track them down." Lucky breathed.