Forbidden Love

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Today is the 15th of February 2012. I had just landed in Melbourne, leaving my partly upset mum behind in Adelaide, as she would now be even lonelier without the presence of both her husband and I.

 However, even as reluctant as she was, she eventually gave in and allowed me to attend the University of Melbourne, in order to fulfill my dream of becoming a professional musician- more specifically, a professional violinist. She even insisted on sending money over monthly to pay the rent for the apartment I was sharing with a roommate.

 My mum has always been very supportive of me, of my dream of becoming a muscian, as well as the embarrassing one about me one day being carried by my knight in shining armour, on a white horse heading for la la land.  

Feeling incredibly tired after waking up at 5 in the morning to board the 7 o’clock plane, I sluggishly trudged through customs, regaining some energy while resting on the plane, and once again pulled myself out of the comfy seat and headed out into Melbourne.

 While I waited for my luggage to arrive, I made a call to the owners of the apartment to confirm that the furniture was all set up, food accessible in the kitchen and overall, was available tonight for me to stay.

 ‘Yes darling, it is most certainly vacant for you. Your boyfriend just checked in a moment ago,’ chimed the friendly lady over the other end of the phone.

 A word in that sentence snapped me out of my tired trance and into reality.  

 ‘Boyfriend?! M-my boyfriend?!’ I stuttered in complete and utter confusion. What boyfriend, I thought. I had been single for as long as I could remember, and I had a terrific memory.

 ‘Oh my gosh, Ms. McFoy. I’m terribly sorry, that was meant to be a secret!’

 ‘What secret?’ I spat spitefully, narrowing my eyes. Rmembering my manners, I added in sweetly, smiling so my words would come out nicely. 'And please, call me Abigail.' 

 Becca chuckled delightfully. ‘It’s a secret, can’t tell you, Abigail. You will find out soon enough.’

 I furrowed my eyebrows and glared into the phone, sending homicidal messages telepathically from my brain to hers.

 ‘Becca, tell me right now!’

 Becca snorted in an uncontrollable fit of laughter, and after maintaining her self- respect, cleared her throat and spoke

 ‘Sorry, darling. It’s confidential information.’

 I sighed in defeat, and after spotting my dark blue luggage and red violin case sailing slowly on the cable towards me, I thanked Becca for allowing me to stay in her apartment, and hung up the phone. Grabbing my suitcase and instrument when it was close to me, I pulled the handle up, making my way out of the bustling airport and into the hot and humid weather of the Melbourne summer.

 ‘Taxi please,’ I screeched at the top of my lungs. Waving my hand out in front of myself like a maniac, I stopped an oncoming taxi, picking up my bags and hurling it into the trunk of the vehicle, keeping my violin with me protectively. Who knew how crazy some of these taxi drivers could be?

 ‘Where’re you off to?’ The middle aged Indian man asked me after I slid into the passenger seat.

 ‘The Cozy Apartments, 8 Dand-‘

 ‘Yes I know where it is, in fact, I just picked up a young man who was heading there as well.’ Raj- I read off his license card, interrupted me. I would usually be annoyed at the lack of respect, but this little piece of information caught my attention.

 ‘Oh really? And did this ‘young man’ have a name?’ I asked questioningly with a raise of an eyebrow.

 The taxi driver scoffed. ‘Any parent would not be in their right mind to disapprove giving their child a name.’

 I ignored his attitude and stared at him, eyes opened wide, pupils boring into the back of his nearly bald head. Raj glanced at me nervously through the rearview mirror. I enjoyed making him uncomfortable.

 ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

 I sneered in counter. ‘Well, if the ‘young man’s’ parents were indeed in their right mind, what is his name?’

 Raj smirked abhorrently. ‘Why should I tell you? You’re not being very nice to me.’

 I was starting to lose my patience; tapping my feet on the floor of the car, and flicking the window with my index finger. I knew I was not going to squeeze any more information out of him. Eventually, the lack of air-conditioning and relaxing Bollywood music made me weary and I slumped onto the seat in exhaustion.

 As the red tile roof of a nice block of building creeped closer and closer. I sighed in relief, recognizing it to be the ‘Cozy Apartments’, and realizing that my time with Raj and the 'in need of repair' taxi were coming to an end. 

 Walking with my bags to the large building, I awkwardly pulled the door instead of pushing it. Although my face was red from both the warmth and the embarrassment, the strongly air conditioned foyer brought upon a sigh from my lips as I slithered weakly towards the receptionist desk.

 ‘Good afternoon, you must be Abigail McFoy.’

 I nodded wearily with hardly any excitement whatsoever.

 ‘I’m delighted to meet you.’

 The woman stood up and reached out her right arm. I knew it was Becca from her name tag. I extended mine far enough so my fingers touched the tip of her hand in a frail shake. Becca looked much younger than I assumed she was from her voice. She was petite, standing at 5 foot 1, with silky strawberry blonde hair tied neatly into a bun at the top of her head.

 ‘Pleased to meet you, Becca’ I mumbled.

 She could tell that I was obviously exhausted from my little morning trip and in no mood for conversation, so she decided to talk no more. After handing over my keys, she directed me to my room.

 I carried my luggage as if they weighed a ton, fumbling with the keys when I reached the door in an effort to position it in the little hole and unlock it. I entered what felt like paradise, not even taking the time to examine my surroundings before heading towards the air conditioned living room and turning left into a bedroom. I dropped everything in my hands onto the wooden floorboards and collapsed heavily onto the soft bed, breathing in the fresh scent of the clean covers and falling into a comfortable sleep.

 And when some stranger woke me up an hour later from a deep slumber like that, all I could do was swear under my breath and clear the murderous thought currently creeping into my mind. 

 That was, until my eyes lay upon a young, handsome man who just happened to be my roommate…

 …and apparent ‘boyfriend’.