Trapped

Chapter 5

Alisha can't stop herself from thinking about that one single incident which occurred in the between the aisles in the supermarket. Such an ordinary place yet a beautiful memory for her. It’s not beautiful because it has anything to do with hazel eyed stranger but because she just cannot afford to lose that watch. It is special, gifted to her by her mother on her eighteenth birthday. It will always be special, close to her heart, that's the closest memory she has of her mother.

It disturbs her that she was so careless to lose it, just like that. But he took the pains to return it to her, that makes him a part of that special memory too. Maybe, it was destiny's way to send it back to her, she thinks with a small smile as she waits at the billing counter for her turn to pay.

She drives home with no hurry, lost in her own thoughts, her mind reeling back the same incident again and again. He is just a normal guy, get over him, she scold herself. She doesn't have time for this, for all this cheesy love moments.

Love is a cliché and clichés don't exist in reality, is what she believes. She has had her high school crushes that no one knows about, not even they themselves, that's all. Never going further than that, it’s just not meant for her. Also, she was naive then and she's twenty three now, for god's sake. She doesn't need to crush on every cute guy or a gentleman like an obsessed girl. Those days are gone, far gone, left back in the past.

Now that she doesn't want this road to end, suddenly all the streets are almost empty, giving her a chance to be home way early than she can ever get with this speed. She rolls her eyes when she knows, this is the trick of life playing upon her. She picks up her dinner on the way home because she is starving and she is in no mood to cook tonight. It’s a lazy day for her, just one day doesn't do any harm.

Her pizza is soothing as the cheese melts into her mouth with flavours of various other ingredients. She decides to have a movie night, not being able to have time for herself all the week. So, as she finishes her dinner, she settles down with a small tub of ice-cream along with the movie playing on the screen of her television. No, it is not some sad sappy movie she has got on the play, it’s a nice action-packed one, Knight and Day. It is not necessary to have tub full of ice-cream only for the sad ones, is it?

She is not aware when the scoops of ice-cream has ended and when she fell asleep but currently the credits are playing on the screen with her stirring on her cosy couch. She opens one eye to find the screen blank and stretches her hand out, lazily towards the small coffee table and after a few failed attempts grabs the remote control and turns it off. It’s too late to get herself up now and get to her room so she decides to crash here instead.

Early mornings are always the same for her, the bright sunshine lighting up her house and invading her eyes even behind her closed eyelids that compels her to wake up and make her move. She follows her routine monotonously when is suddenly reminded that it’s a Sunday. She chuckles at herself and heads out from her backdoor that opens out to a small grass patch.

She settles down on the soft green grass under the sunlight, untangling her wet hair by running her fingers through them while breathing in the cool breeze that surrounds her. It’s a slightly windy day with a chill in the air but it doesn't bother her, she loves it. When she has had enough of the sun soaked by her skin, she heads back inside to get herself some light breakfast, a bowl of cereal does it for her.

She needs a day to herself and so that's what she is going to do. She dresses up in a simple plaid shirt with a pair of jeans, laces up her sneakers and sets out for the little cafe that is just down the lane.

"Rachel, can't you take a day off?" Alisha asks her, an innocent look in her eyes with a silent prayer in her mind for Rachel to get a day off. "It's a Sunday, Alisha. Today is supposed to be my busy day." Rachel explains while cleaning her counter top and pulling out two trays at once. "But I need company, you know how social I am." She whines adding a hint of sarcasm to get Rachel on her side. "I know how 'social' you are but I have a job." Rachel air quotes the word social knowing how many close friends Alisha has that is two, including Rachel.