AFTER HOURS ✔

22

I could not stay any longer in that place. I just stepped out of the shower and rushed towards the door.

Finally out of his apartment, I ran onto the stairs, reaching my condo closing the door behind.

It's so frustrating, why can't good memories be in your head.

I pick an art piece from the table and slam it against the wall. I watch it shatter just like how my life did years ago.

I grabbed whatever was near me continue breaking hoping it would help.

I started to scream and cry like a maniac.

I heard the house door bang but I did not care.

" Loren open the damn door " I hear Felix scream.

I lean against the wall and slide down.

I hug my knees closer to me as I continue to sob.

Why did I have to be so weak?

I did everything I could do to get over it but it's just there like it would never leave.

I walk towards the door opening it only to find him being in a call

"It's an emergency," he notices me " Thank you we're good now," he says as he hangs up the phone.

He takes a moment to take in my state.

I could feel my hands shaking, my whole body shivering.

" Loren," he says as he pulls me to a bone-crushing hug.

My heart beats unevenly and loud since I was petrified.

" I was being sexually harassed " I choked on the words which I never thought I would say to anyone.

He let goes of me and I let out a sad smirk.

He surprises me by pulling me to a tight hug as if his life was dependant on it and he leads me to the third floor near the pool.

I sit down letting my legs in the pool watching the skyline void of emotions.

I notice him sitting beside me.

He passed me a water bottle which I grabbed and chugged in one go.

" Loren I'm sorry " he apologises and I don't even know what for.

" Don't be?" I say as I shrug.

"I was in second grade, there was this one family who was very close to mine and they were our neighbours too. They had a son who was six years older than me, his name was Devin" I start to open up and I see his jaw clenching.

" When our parents were out for business they would ask him to take care of me. They left with the idea that we would be like the siblings we never had " I continue.

I start to tell the words which I wanted to take to my grave without feeling anything.

" He used to make me touch his private part, and pleasure himself "

" I was too young to know what he was doing but I so did not like whatever was happening " I continue.

"After all that he said never say this to anybody. These happened many times " I say as I bow my head.

I notice tears fall from my eyes since my cheek started to get wet.

" I did not, more like I could not eat for many days because I was traumatised with what I saw " I speak.

I remembered those days where I skipped eating, I just could not. I felt like puking. I lost weight due to this to the point where my bones were visible.

Felix's hand reaches my lap giving me a squeeze to help me I assume but it just did the opposite.

" This was what he exactly did one day. He held onto my thighs forcing a kiss onto me" Felix takes his hand back as if he touched fire   "I told him I had to pee and ran away to my home locking the door, and that's when I did anything and everything to stop facing him, I used to stay at school for long hours. I would do anything and everything to avoid him "

Felix pulls me to a hug and I could not help but sob.

"I hate it "

" I fucking hate whatever happened to me, " I say as he pats and rubs my back.

" The worst part is I still get nightmares about this and I'm the one suffering about this even though I am a victim. Whenever our families reunite, he is there like nothing ever happened and I am the one with a head full of thoughts of whatever happened " I continue to sob.

I don't know what to feel right now.

I know sharing this with someone, for sure will have them judge me.

" Loren you're the strongest woman I've ever seen, " He says in an extremely soft voice as if he was struggling to fight his tears.

I never in a million years expected him to say this to me.

" He's a fucking bastard for doing what he did to you that too when you were a kid,  " he says pulling me closer as if our life was dependant on each other for a moment.

" Fuck I can't even imagine what you were going through, " He said.

The weather was starting to get chill and it was just like before.

The after-hours.

The time I was scared to encounter.

The time where my nightmares started to eat me alive.

I would so regret telling him all about this in the morning but I could not help but roll the words from my tongue.

It was like they knew what they were doing.

" Loren I am sorry I pushed you to do things the other day," he says as he let goes of me so I face him.

Then I remember the car.

" Felix it was not you it's me " I explain " I wanted to do it " I continue so he would not be guilty about it.

Hypothetically I was the one who began it.

" I am traumatised for not letting others touch me but I'm human too I have these stupid hormones too,"  I say.

" You were available for me without complications and I went for it " I try to state the obvious as a joke so whatever we are talking about won't be heavy.

" Right, " He says heavily, I could not point out what he was feeling exactly.

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