The Rejected Bride

Alicia had just left her mother's room in the hospital. Her mother was sound asleep when she walked in. She placed her bags on the little counter and looked at her mum who was fast asleep. She saw a little note by the counter. The doctor wanted to see her.

"I am sorry, but if you can't get the drugs to calm her down, we might have to withdraw from treating her here, asides the hospital bills that have piled up; we believe as a hospital and as a corporation we have tried the best that we can." The doctor who called Alicia into her office spoke with anger but on a mild level, you can sense how she tried to understand and how she held herself back. She adjusted her glasses and read through the files in front of her.

"I know, you have been patient and kind enough for me and my mum; Dr. Lawson." Alicia spoke with a sad tone, while she rubbed her hands on her laps, she sat down being restless. But who wouldn't be?

She started working everyday after she dropped out of high school, with each debt she settled, another one popped up. With the various types of jobs she had done. She had never paid off the debt. Her mother worked hard too but it wasn't never enough. What's worse? She fell terribly ill; failure of the heart and kidneys they said. Her mother lost her job after that, the insurance company made too many fusses about the debts.

"I am glad you know and realize that I have been kind enough to be understanding in regards to you and your sick mother. But these bills are piling up and they have to be paid immediately. You know that; without these drugs I am afraid she might need surgery and that is like." Dr. Lawson chuckled before she continued. She was expressionless for that moment, the stare she gave Alicia gave her chills. She felt hot, her body generated heat from the thought of how she had to run twice as hard and work more than she did before. If she was working at the pace of a snail; she needs to power it up.

"That is a heavy cross, a very heavy cross for you to carry. And I won't be here to help, so if you may? You can leave my office and I hope the next time is for you to pay your bills." Dr. Lawson stretched her hands and pointed the way out of her office. Alicia sighed as she stood up.

She bowed immediately "Thank you so much." She gestured with the wai sign.

Her head hung heavy with the weight of everything happening around her, worse of all was she didn't have anybody to help her.

She was suddenly drawn to the vibration coming from her bag as she was sitting outside. She took her phone out and a sort of smile crossed her lips. Josh was her boyfriend of over 2 years, she loved him so much and she made sure to dote on him.

She answered the call but nobody said anything.

"Hello?" She spoke into the receiver. She kept on hearing thudding sounds, her mind went into panic mode.

"Yeahhhh... you like that?" Josh's voice came out huskier than she had ever heard and an inescapable moan emitted from within the background.

Tears leaked from Alicia's eyes.

"Shit!" Josh suddenly screamed, choas trampled in the background and he ended the call.

Alicia stayed with the phone still pressed to her ears, makeup and everything ruined with snort decorating her face as an extra bonus.

In all her life, Alicia never believed life would deal her two blows in one, she had no money to pay for her mother's bills and now she just caught her boyfriend shamelessly smashing someone else.

As the phone gradually left her ears, it vibrates again. She momentarily glanced at the screen and answered.

"Licia!! Where are you?" The cheeriness of Laura's voice couldn't be avoided. Laura happened to be her best friend who had left town after their high school graduation.

Alicia sniffled through the phone and tried to hide the fact that she was emotionally destroyed.

"What's wrong? Are you crying?" Laura's cheerfulness slowed instantaneously.

" Where are you? I'll come to you" Laura said again but this time, Alicia couldn't make a single sentence.

"Send me a text? I'll come to you right now. We'll be ok, ok? I'm waiting" she said and ended the call.

Alicia suddenly wanted company even though she was facing what she was facing alone, she texted her home address to Laura five minutes after her meltdown. She was in a taxi, handkerchief in hand wiping both the snort and the tears that leaked from different places.

It didn't take Laura five minutes after the text to come by her place with ice cream and booze. Alicia tried to receive her with open arms but immediately Laura wrapped her hands around her, she went into full meltdown.

Alicia explained what happened to her as best she could and Laura listened attentively.

"... And I was asked to bring the remaining balance or else. Laura, I really don't know what to do. I don't have any other options or job opportunities, I need help and fast" Alicia said, now free of snort and tears.

Laura seemed to think as she stopped a spoonful of well mixed boozed icecream into her mouth.

"I don't know Alicia, getting a job without good grades is really difficult, I mean the only job you can even get is if you decide to be a call girl" Laura said unconsciously.

" I don't mind" Alicia said, bring Laura's focus to her. She frowned deeply.

"No,of course not. You can't be... that!" Laura countered but Alicia had her mind made up.

"I have to Laura. It's the only way now" Alicia said, trying to convince Laura.

" And you're going to help me. Please" Alicia added. Laura kept on shaking her head, to say no but Alicia grabbed her hands, desperation flowing like a river through her.

"If you've ever cared about me. Help me! Please." The look Alicia gave Laura, stilled her instantly.

Laura released an air of resignation.

"Fine." Laura said.

"Yes sir, I am very sure and willing to try my best" she blurted out, stumbling on her words, apprehension written all over her face as she tried to convince whoever the man was, that she was sure of her decision. It had taken a lot to convince Laura she had no other options, this man seemed like he wouldn't be any different.

The line was silent for almost ten seconds, ten dreadful seconds for Alicia, Her palms sweaty and her thoughts spinning, she knew she had every right to end the call now but something made her to stay.

"Fine, don't be late" the line clicked dead before Alicia had a chance to respond. She dragged a deep breath as she stood up and walked towards the hospital. There was no going back at this point, the only way was forward and Alicia was ready to take the steps necessary, a text came in with the address of her new workplace.

****

Six cars swerved into the parking lot of the very popular Villa Hotel and they were all guided to a comfortable parking space by the valet parking service.

Brandon was the last to drive in. He felt his car bump into something and a cry of pain followed immediately after.

Brandon killed the engine of his car and stepped out immediately.

"Did I hit you?" He said as he rushed to where the person stood, immediately the person turned, his breath caught in his chest.

Something about the way her face was shaped and the still blue eyes made her extremely familiar. Her tiny frame did little to hide the audacious curves that her red shimmering dress that was a bit too short tried to showcase, she turned to look at him and her high cheekbones greatest him.

She was stunning and Brandon was almost tempted to ask her if they had met before and what a beautiful girl like her was doing here.

"Hey, are you okay?" Brandon asked, his voice laced with concern. He reached towards her, trying to steady her footing but she stepped back instantly, before turning her back and walking away from him with not a word out of her mouth.

Brandon was so surprised,a smile crossed his lips unconsciously. He liked her aura, especially since his mind kept nudging that he knew her from somewhere.

It was an exotic bar; filled with patrons who chatted over loud music, clinked wine glasses and laughed as they got served by nearly naked women. This was Brandon's first time seeing this. He rarely frequented bars.

Lucas his vice from the ice age group of companies led them to a large table. There were twelve chairs in total.

"I asked that they join three tables together," Lucas explained as they all took their seats. Immediately, he began to order drinks.

"Wait!" One of the men with them stopped him. "I hear that they have a lot of attractive call girls. Why don't we spice up our evening?"

Brandon groaned and Lucas' eyes widened with excitement. "That is a damn good idea."

Lucas stood to his feet and walked over to the bar where he spoke silently to the bartender. When he returned, he had a cheeky grin on and Brandon nearly rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

Slowly, women dressed in the most sensual, exotic outfits began to file out of a door as they bore drinks in their hands.

Brandon's eyes followed each woman as they stepped out of the door and once his eyes hit a familiar body, he stopped breathing for a second.

This was the woman he had hit in the parking lot. He hadn't been able to look at her face properly.

But damn, she looked beautiful.

Her skin tone was accentuated by the blood red dress she had on and it stuck to her skin like a glove. On both sides were high slits that stopped close to her hip bone. It was teasing that whoever had made this dress made it stop almost at her hip bone. As she took tentative steps towards their table, he could see her milky thighs peek out of the dress and Brandon's senses were heightened. Who could this woman be? And why was he stuck on the idea that he knew her from somewhere?

Her lips were brushed with matte red lipstick and her brown wavy hair bounced around her shoulders as she moved and his eyes traveled down her collar bone, down to her cleavages. She had the perfect set of breasts, smooth and milky and the lace material around her breast held her mounds of flesh softly.

Brandon could feel his legs twitch. His fingers curled into a fist and he placed them on his thigh.

"I want one of those women," Lucas whispered beside Brandon and Brandon just hoped he wasn't talking about the lady in red.

Once the women got to their table, all four of them, Brandon noticed that the men were already giving them provocative looks. He looked around to see if any of them was staring at the lady in red and when his eyes caught about three of his staff, including Lucas with their eyes fixated on her, he had to use his power as the CEO against them.

"I want the lady in red," He blurted out.

Lucas stopped and turned to look at Brandon. "I thought you weren't interested in any of them?"

Brandon glared at him and Lucas laughed.

"She's all yours, man. She's all yours."

Brandon sat up and his gaze landed on the lady in red. Their eyes connected and for the first time, he saw her eyes. They weren't still blue, they were porcelain blue, almost the same shade as Lily's... his actual girlfriend.

They were familiar. Brandon felt that jolt of Deja Vú. He felt like he had met this woman at one point in his lifetime but he couldn't remember.

She was standing dangerously close to him and like he was in a trance, Brandon raised his hand and glided it over her face.

His knuckles grazed her cheek and his fingers slipped between her silky hair.

Alicia was just placing his drink on the table when she felt his hand on her cheek. It made shivers run down her spine. She was afraid. Doing this didn't feel right. She felt like she was being used, just the way a prostitute would be and before she could think of her actions, she straightened, causing Brandon to move back in shock.

Brandon didn't miss the tear that slipped down her cheek as she turned on her feet and rushed out of the room.

Alicia hadn't expected to react in such a way to the man's touch.

As she hurried out of the bar from the exit, she stopped to catch her breath and looked around.

She felt like she was selling out her body for money.

Wasn't that the reason why she was here?

This was a case of desperation and her mother's life was on the line.

She was having a minor panic attack, as she had never experienced this before. She had never been touched by a stranger for monetary purposes.

This was prostitution and she could never do it.

More tears slipped down her cheeks as she crumpled to the ground and sobbed, suddenly recalling Laura and how she was against this job.

Meanwhile, Brandon hadn't felt comfortable with the way the beautiful call girl had run out on them. He had noticed that his staff and his best friend, including other call girls and patrons around, had been surprised by her sudden exit.

Some people had found it funny and even called her naive and inexperienced and everyone had immediately forgotten about the flustered call girl but Brandon couldn't get over her. He had to see her and make sure that she was okay.

It took a lot of looking around before he found a small familiar figure hunched beside a waste bin. He frowned, recognizing the lady in red and began walking towards her.

When he got to where she was, he noticed that she was shaking. He bent to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder and immediately, she jerked upstanding and turned to look at him and lost a footing.

Everything happened so fast, she was falling backwards and Brandon was catching her with his arms around her waist. He catches her just in time. Their position made him see her face exceptionally well and she gasped, clearly uncomfortable with their positions.

He let her go and she stepped back, smoothing her dress.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright" Brandon said, his entire body awed by her beauty.

Alicia nodded and straightened, Brandon stretched his arm towards her so she would feel safe and finally come down from the sidewalk but she ignored his gentlemanly attempt. That's when she sniffled and wiped her at her eyes.

"Were you ,crying?" Brandon asked, dumbfounded.

He didn't know what to do if she was actually crying and decided to cry some more.

More streaks of tears traveled down her cheek and she began sobbing and Brandon lost his breath for a minute.

Brandon got his control back and immediately slipped out a napkin from his pocket and tried to squeeze it into her hand but she declined and instead rubbed at her eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked. He was curious. No woman had ever made him this curious and intrigued at once.

The lady didn't give him a reply. She was silent and still sobbing.

Brandon stood and waited but she wasn't looking like she wanted to talk to him. She was so absorbed in wanting to wipe her tears,

"Why did you run off?" He asked. "Did I scare you in any way? If I did, I promise that it wasn't intentional. I am really sorry."

Her silence was deafening,he decided to use another reproach.

"What's the matt..." Brandon began to say but Alicia walked right out on him towards the highway, walking broke out into slowed running.

Brandon tried running after her but he stopped after running a few meters. He couldn't catch up with her, he stretched his arm out, trying to catch her wrist as she walked out fast but it ended up been sort of a pinch and Alicia cried out in pain.

Brandon tried to rush towards her to apologise for the accident but Alicia increased her step and ran further away.

"I'm sorry. Please!" Brandon called out.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted with her back turned. Brandon again tried to follow her.

"Get lost!" She screamed at him and then ran.

Brandon immediately knew where he knew her from and instantly stopped, turning back instead.

Once he got inside, Lucas who was already drunk to the point of nearly passing out turned to look at him. "Found her?"

Brandon took a seat and shrugged. "I did but she ran away,"

"Your Cinderella," Lucas sang. "She's your Cinderella."

Brandon picked up his filled up glass of burgundy. He gulped everything down and decided he had had enough for a night.

****

The streets were dark and empty and Alicia made sure to quicken her footsteps as she walked towards her apartment building.

Alicia was so tired, she had walked then ran all the way here and worse, with no money whatsoever.

She went to sit on the roof top and stared into the night sky, her breathing ragged from the amount of energy she had dispersed, her phone in her lap as she stared at the screen for a long time, wondering what her fate for tonight was.

Sighing, she placed her face in her hand and sighed. Today was a mess. Today was a disappointment.

Just then, her phone rang and she immediately checked the caller. It was her manager.

Alicia's heart skipped for a moment and she stared down at her cracked screen as her phone rang.

Deciding that she had no option than to pick this call, she swiped the dancing icon.

"H-hello," She blurted out.

"Alicia Fox?" Her Manager's voice came. He sounded stern and his voice was laced with disdain. "Why did you leave? Why did you embarrass my customer? Did you know how much I lost tonight because of you?"

Alicia's heart was beating fast. What if this man decided that he didn't want her again? What if he fired her and asked her never to return again?

"I am really sorry, sir. It's all my fault. I was really nervous as this was my first time-"

"That is not an excuse, Alicia!" He thundered. "That is not an excuse. Did you not have an idea of what you were going to be doing before taking this job? Why should you be nervous? I do not want to see you in my bar tomorrow? Get that?!"

Before she could say anything, the call ended.

The next thing that came was tears. It traveled down her cheeks as she sobbed into the dark night. She had lost the job she thought would take her to her breakthrough. Life was unfair to her. She slipped to the ground and cried for her mother and how things would turn to worse from here. Now that she had no other place to go.

And that was where she slept till morning came.