our troubled love ᵒˡᵈ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ

+~four~+

         I woke up with the sun shining brightly on my face. I looked at my alarm clock. It was 9:12 AM. Four hours before I could go meet with Aiden. I had lots of time to kill. I didn't have a job to keep me busy—my rich father paid for everything I needed. I looked down at my pillow to see that it was stained with my tears. Obviously, I didn't have very pleasant dreams. I crossed sleeping off of my list of things I could do. I'm definitely done sleeping for today.

         I walked to the kitchen to get breakfast, still half asleep. I spotted my phone on the counter and realized I'd left it there the night before. I picked it up and unlocked it. I had five missed calls from my dad.

         My dad. I hadn't talked to him in ages. After my mom died, he transformed into a completely different person. He was always angry. Angry at me. When he moved, I decided to stay, in hopes of getting away from his toxicity. He agreed to pay for my apartment and everything else I needed, although he doesn't give me much.

         My dad owns a huge technology company, so I guess you could say he's rich. No, he is rich. He lives in a mansion by the beach with his wife and their son. They have servants, chefs, and designers to make clothing just for them. Yes, he can afford all these luxuries, but he still barely gives me enough to survive. I could get a job—I've wanted to for a while, actually—but he doesn't approve. He wants me to marry a rich man and have him take responsibility for me. He doesn't seem to get that that's not the way I want to live my life.

         I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. Almost immediately, a woman's voice came through the phone. "Hello, this is Mr. Bate's secretary. How may I help you?"

         "I would like to talk to my dad, please," I replied politely.

         "Excuse me? I didn't know Mr. Bates had a daughter. I've never been told," replied the woman on the other side of the line.

         "You say that every time, Cheryl," I said, already used to her forgetfulness. "Just let me talk to my dad."

         "I'm sorry, miss. Mr. Bates is busy at the moment. But he did tell me to inform you that you will be visiting tomorrow, and staying for one month. We will have transportation arranged for you soon."

         "And let me guess, I have no choice but to go?", I asked, although I already knew the answer. My dad is very demanding. The lack of freedom he gives me is exasperating.

         "You know Mr. Bates! He wants to make sure your visit goes as planned. Well, goodbye!" The woman hung up the phone without another word. I facepalmed, annoyed with my dad and his secretary. I guess I'm visiting soon, I thought. I totally agreed to that.

         I ate my breakfast and then headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. After that, I didn't really have much to do. I tried to keep myself busy, but I still found myself eyeing the clock every few minutes. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace. I watered my flowers, it was 9:40. I cleaned the apartment, it was 10:15. I did some crossword puzzles, it was 10:40. I organized my closet, it was 11:00. I started making and packing lunch, it was 12:00. By the time it was finally time to go, I was hit with a wave of relief.

         Just before leaving, I stopped to look in the mirror and make sure I looked decent. I knew Aiden wouldn't see me, but I just wanted to look good for him for some strange reason. I wanted to make him smile. Making him happy- at least for a second—felt like a huge accomplishment for me.

         I braided my hair down the side as I always do, and secured it with an elastic I found in a drawer. When I was going to close the drawer, a small bottle rolled into my view. I picked up the tiny perfume and sprayed it on my wrist. The scent wasn't too strong. It smelled just like lavender. My mind shifted to Aiden for a moment. He can't see, I thought. But he can smell. I sprayed perfume on all my pressure points, hoping that it would be noticeable.