Love- As Real As the Moon

18

Hayley

Nicholas' words made me feel like someone was stabbing me in my chest again and again and again. It's been 4 days since the incident but everytime I remember that day, the hurt increases. It's like salt drizzled on a fresh wound repeatedly. When I called Lucy, she immediately took two days off and came here. She would have taken more but her company didn't permit her. She was ready to confront him, even run a car over him but I didn't let her. I don't know why I didn't. I should have felt the same but for some reason I didn't. Like her, even I couldn't believe myself when I said that some part of me could understand why he said all that. From his point of view, I was seducing a man who had the leverage to make him do anything and even ruin his, Olive's and his father's life. I'm not justifying his words but I can understand to some extent, where they came from. I just wished he had trusted me,just a little, to just hear me out.
I spent the first two days with Luce, breaking down in her arms. The next two days passed by sobbing in the shower, listening to All too well (Taylor's 10 minute version) and cursing him.
I don't know what I should do, find another job and resign breaking the promise I made to Olive or stay and face a man who thinks so low of me every day. I scream into my pillow when the doorbell rings. I open the door and find a box of cupcakes and flowers on my doorstep. I think it's probably Lucy until I open the box and see the icing -' FORGIVE MR. GRUMPS?' I take the box and the flowers and run downstairs. I walk towards the next street and distribute the cupcakes among children and flowers among elderly men and women. I run back to my house, a sob forming in my throat. I shut the door and let it all out.

The next day, there's another box of cupcakes and a bouquet of flowers at my doorstep but this time the icing on the cupcakes say- 'PLEASE TALK TO ME' and a crescent moon. Yesterday the flowers were roses, today there are daisies. I distribute them again. He sends me these gifts everyday with different flowers and icings and I distribute them everyday.

Today, the 8th day, while I distribute the cupcakes, I feel the weight of someone's gaze on me, I curiously look around to find the person. He's standing right there. In a black t-shirt, grey sweatpants. His hair messy and dark circles under his eyes. Everything I've been trying to forget since that day, comes back to me. All at once. I turn around and start sprinting towards my house.
"Hayley." He's running after me. I don't stop."Hayley. Please stop. Just for a minute. Please" I still when he holds my wrist.
" Let me go." I say firmly.

" No, please, Moon just hear me out."

"Just stop."

"What?" He asks.

"Stop sending me those gifts. If you want to feed poor children just send the cupcakes to them. Not me. Cause it won't work. If you think you can buy me back with cupcakes and flowers, you can't. So just stop."

"I'm not trying to buy you back, Moon. You're not an object to buy. What I am trying is to get a few minutes with you. I just want to talk to you."

"No." I release my wrist from his grip.

" Please Moon. I'm begging you. Jus- just give me a chance?"
" Don't. Call. Me. That." My voice starts breaking.

"Okay. Just 5 minutes please?"

"Fine." I take a deep breath. "I'll be home
by 7 in the evening. Be there. 5 minutes. Not a second more." I say and walk away.