Broken Faith ✓

Chapter 2: I Remembered

Following my not - so - great - after - all - day, I walked to Arlo's school. I could not wait for him to tell me all about his first day and what it was like for him. This little boy could turn my day around at any time. He ran out and I picked him up swinging him round and simultaneously hugging him. I put him down.

"How was your day little man?" We began to walk hand in hand as always.

"You know how awesome is my favourite word? Well I need you to teach me a new word because it was beyond awesome! First we chose our seats and then we got to draw! You know drawing is my favourite so I drew a picture for you but we can't bring them home yet" his voice trailing off from elation to sadness.

"Hey that's ok. I know it will be special and a surprise so even more exciting for me." He smiled again and all was well in the world.

A car driving at a ridiculously fast speed was coming up from behind us. I turned around to taunt the idiot driving but he slowed down right beside us slowly moving the car at the speed of our walk.

He beeped his horn "Hey girl, I've been feeling kinda lonely lately. You wanna give me some company?"

I was disgusted at the thought of his intentions and why men thought they could do this. What gave them the power to? Because their physical strength is more than a woman's? Or because they have a reproductive organ hanging between their legs and we woman have an opening between our legs? If it was the other way around would we woman be the ones doing this despicable act?

"Hey boy, tell your mum to stop acting pricey and get in the car with me. I will take care of you both" he said smugly.

TAKE CARE of us? Is that what he just said? Wow, what he intended to do was coerce a girl he knew nothing about to be stripped of her dignity because every girl would rather say no to a cheap man like this. I felt my blood boiling but I looked ahead knowing better than to drop down to his level. I was just staring ahead of me not bothering to look any other way.

Beads of sweat trickled down the arch in my back but I kept the veil of indifference resting on my face. Arlo looked to me and knew that he shouldn't say anything because of my reaction or lack thereof. Arlo just kept looking at me. The guy gave up and drove away.

"Why did he say he would take care of us? We already have you to take care of us."

"Some boys just like kissing girls and then leaving them alone forever" I managed to mumble. The closest explanation I could give to Arlo about what that idiot wanted.

"Why? Shouldn't boys love girls and kiss them and have a happily ever after like in your stories?"

"They should but they don't" and a wave of pain crashed against my heart and swept over me.

I walked into the house with Arlo. It was our comfort zone but not really comforting. It's all we had known. In the corners of the tiny house lay cobwebs of old dusty memories that no matter how much I tried to clean never cleared. There was a bedroom I cleaned dust from weekly in fear of rat infestation and spiders and otherwise steered clear from, for fear that it would drown me in it's memories. But the house was bare with no real personality, just basic and minimalistic furniture.

We had some food and played together. My favourite part of the day. Playing whatever we like, becoming whoever we like and spending every minute with each other because we are each other's world.

After dinner I gave Arlo a bath and tucked him into bed.

"You still haven't told me a new word for beyond awesome"

"Well....how about phenomenal?" "It sounds great! Pheno- pheno"

"Phenomenal"

"Phenomenal" he said letting it roll off his tongue.