Moonlight Flower

Vol.02 Backstory #12 [First Day of Duty]

In the farthest cubicle, alone and by herself, Abie wept bitterly yet silently. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief to keep sounds from being heard in that mall's wash room. She remembered all the good and bad memories she had with Rye, her first and supposedly last love. She wanted to be with him forever but she couldn't forgive him anymore. But all she could and must do was to move on.

She waited patiently for the wash room to be empty with people so she could finally get out and fix herself. Luckily, it was still an hour before lunchtime, the rush hour, so she got that opportunity. She went out of the cubicle. She washed her face, retouched her makeup and then put on sunglasses so her puffed and red eyes wouldn't be visible.

As she went out, she noticed a large commotion just across where she was. Mostly females were gathered around something or probably someone. She didn't bother at first but on the second look, she saw Clarence in the middle of those girls, looking giggly and excited.

Clarence, who stood out among them because of his prominent height and hair color, looked confused and helpless. He couldn't get past the girls though he could just shove them away with his strength.

"Can you let me through please?" he pleaded.

"What's your name?" asked one girl.

Many more followed and asked him the same things.

"Are you with your girlfriend?"

"Where are you from?"

"Can I get your facebook account?"

And so on and so forth.

But he would not answer any of them. He would just try to walk away from them but he couldn't force his way.

"Excuse me!" shouted one voice from the crowd of girls.

Abie, aside from the sunglasses, had now also put on a hat over her head so her face wouldn't be seen, pushed her way among them and reached his hand. She pulled him out and walked fast to get away from them.

"Awww, too bad. He has a girlfriend!" said one in disappointment.

Abie and Clarence went to the fire exit on that floor.

"What just happened back there?" Abie asked both in wonder and amazement. "And why are you here, in the first place?"

Clarence sighed in big relief.

"Thanks, Ms. Abie, for saving me. I was looking for you then suddenly two girls approached me until many just followed. I didn't know what was going on anymore."

Abie looked at this almost 6-footer guy, well-built, with unusual long and white hair, but did not look old at all. She remembered how hopeless and innocent he looked back then despite his physique.

She suddenly broke into laughter, starting from a soft one then to a loud one. She couldn't stop laughing as she put her hands on her stomach.

Clarence's innocent and cute face looked confused. "Are you okay, Ms. Abie...?"

"Hahaha! I just thought it was funny that despite your looks and built, you looked so helpless from them. Hahaha!"

She removed her glasses and wiped some tears of joy from her eyes.

She started to take deep breaths to stop herself from laughing anymore.

He could just stare at her in wonder.

"Sorry about that," she said, still recovering from laughing out loud.

"But that was a good laugh! My chest feels light now! Thank you. You saved me again," she said, now a little serious, but sincerely with a small smile.