CHAOS

LAYLA

My thumb tapped against the steering wheel to the beat of my indicator beeping.
The last of the sunrays were finding their way through the trees to the dashboard. I was driving for about 1 and a half hours. And I could see the centre now.

I turned off the indicator and sped through the traffic. Finally, stopping at the gate.

It was 4:00 pm. I climbed out of the car, smashed the door shut and locked it with my keys. I heard a loud noise coming from the door, it was a loud beep before the door opened and a man in his 40s came out.

He looked around, scanning every face including mine and found a woman in a car waving at him. He let out a puff and started walking to the car, soon getting in and leaving.

My chest heaved up and down. I checked the time again, 4:04.
6 minutes.

I got out of the car and pulled out the small duffle bag I had managed to pack for him. It just had a water bottle, a pack of gums, a cap and a pack of cigarettes. Which was mine. I fished it out and pushed it into my pocket locking my car.

I walked towards the door, reminiscing the times I used to come here every day. The guard looked at me with surprised eyes and then offered me a smile, which I graciously returned.

I slammed my passport on the counter. The woman who I knew as a bitch looked at me, and temporarily stopped chewing her mints.
"Haven't seen you in a while," she said,
I stared at her, not having any intention of entertaining her.

"Conjugal visit?" she asked.
"Discharge," I said, rather mockingly.

I was guided by a guard through the long underground building.

It felt damp. And then the creaking of a fan was heard, slowly a room with people were sitting, waiting, for their loved ones to come out of the door.

There wasn't a loud blare here. There was the main gate here and I knew very well of it. A lot of people came out of it, some of them were happy, and some were not so happy. But Everyone was gifted with the luxury of freedom.

This gave me time of course. Time to think about what to say to him. I had no idea of the words I'd utter in front of him when he was in front of me. Not when we were together, not now.

I took a deep breath, I could do it, I knew it, but I wasn't sure.

It was 4:38, and still, there was no sign of him. Just random people who smelled bad with even worse tattoos. I don't recollect when I started reading on my phone. The door opened again, I looked at the newcomer and then resumed skimming through pages on my phone. Some bearded man.

No.
I looked back. I scanned the guy, his beard was..... Wild. but his physique, his eyes. His eyes, those blue eyes. A weird shift in the atmosphere occurred when I recognised him. 

It was him.
Joseph.

He had noticed me, he had recognised me, I was sure of it. Because just like myself,
He froze.

Like a statue both were left staring at each other.
I took a step forward,
"Joseph," it came out more like a question.

his nodded once, in acknowledgement.
I looked away from him, snatching the bag, and giving it to him. Fishing the keys out of my left pocket- my right pocket. The pack of cigarettes fell out. I hurriedly picked them up and kept them back.

I slowly took a step towards him, and he immediately took one back. I stopped. 
Realizing he wasn't really in the mood for my company. 
His eyes, which I had failed to look away from glowed with hate and distaste.

I cleared my throat and looked at my shoes, waiting for the tears to somehow go back in from where they came from.
I looked back up and smiled. Like I always do,
"Ready to get out of here?" I asked. He ignored. So I just gave up and started walking out, hoping he would follow. And he did.

Just like that, we reached my car and got in the seats.
It was weird switching places in the car. Joseph was always the one who drove he'd drive like his life depended on it. And it did.

"Where the hell are we going?" He asked me.
"Out of here," I muttered.
He shut up after that. It was an odd feeling. 

Coincidentally my phone rang when I checked, it was Timothy. I stole a glance at Joseph. 

I knew he wouldn't like Tim's presence either. 

And instead of going home, I took a turn towards the salon. 

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