As soon as my scream reached the auditory nerves of the person in front of me, I got silenced by a hand pressing against my mouth.
"Shhh!"
The audacity! Just when I thought my life can not be messier than it was, a thief broke into my house. I looked with fear and terror in my eyes toward that tall figure. In the light of a candle, I could see that he was wearing a long coat with a turtle neck covering his chin. His hair was wavy and tucked behind his ear on one side and the other waves just settled above the other side. He had a white skin color and a pointy nose. His black eyes were keeping me tranced. I felt like I wasn't even breathing.
Everything about this man speaks expensive. Even the thieves nowadays were classy. I mean, I had nothing and he seemed to have a salon session yesterday. The perfume he was wearing also smell expensive. I was broke. Lost my job. Wanted to disappear. And here you go, I got a thief to end my life.
WHY?
" Alright human, I'll let go of you but you won't make any noise. You got it?" Even his voice was rich. This thief was going to be very disappointed when he'll know he got a person who has only a dear life to hold on to.
I nodded. Even though I wanted to just knock him out. As I nodded, his worried expression vanished. And then he pulled his hand away from my mouth. I was holding my hands up a little to show that I surrendered.
I gulped.
"Listen Mr.?"
"Vinclet! " he said calmly. I strangely looked at him. This thief surely had some class. The way he said every word was like from a period drama. With sophistication. Like I care! He was a thief, he broke into my house and was acting as if I broke into his house. Standing with so much confidence.
"Mr. Vinclet. The thing is…" I said with a trembling voice. Whatever my thoughts were, I was scared. This man could murder me this instant and get rid of my dead body. Who would know? "I've got nothing to give you. I am broke and all I have is my life and I am not planning to die now"
For once he did not feel like understanding. But then,
"Human, you don't have to die."
Thank you! Wait what? Just who are you to assure me that?
God, I was losing my mind.
"I do not have the fortune to give you."
"You don't have to!"
Oh, how great. Then leave!
"Then you should leave!" I gulped after saying. At that, he looked at me. Eyes furrowed. As if thinking something.
"I beg your pardon Human, but I cannot!"
My mouth opened. I was dumbfounded, I didn't even know how to respond.
"Wh-what?"
"I said, I cannot leave, dear human!"
I was getting angry at that human human.
"Why do you keep calling me human?" I don't know why I said that, but look, my situation demands any question.
"Why are you offended by being called human, when you are a human?" He mocked me. Did he mock me?
"Okay look here, mister!" I do not know how my voice got its thunder back and I was ready to backfire. I placed my hands on my sides and looked straight into his eyes that were so deep, you could drown in them.
"Vinclet"
"Whatever!"
"How rude!"
"Wh- Rude? Me? And what about you? You broke into my house, tried to kill me, rob me, and now you are shameless enough to not even leave and I am the rude one?" I was offended and then that offense was replaced by my aggressive anger. The type in which you can only get when you're frustrated.
He stopped breathing and looked at me as if I changed my form and turned into a dragon.
"I-" he lost his words.
After speaking with so much force, I was breathing heavily now. And there was no light as well. And my phone was dead. And I lost my job. And I got humiliated at a party. And this man in front of me thinks I am rude. Suddenly, I felt the bulge of tears in my throat, my eyes stinging from holding back. My lips trembled.
"Listen, human,- I know, but please, let's just sit down and have a conversation. This way you'd be able to understand my situation. I am not a thief. I am- why the lights don't work? You don't have electricity?" and this was it. I started crying at that last punch in my face. I cried like a baby. Loud and terrible. Not even caring about how much Mr. Vincent was startled by this sudden rush of emotion.
Losing everything and then I get to hear I don't have electricity? You, rich people, won't understand the struggle of making both ends meet. Not eating proper meals. Not buying even the stuff that you need like a new mattress because the old one had given up or buying a good gift for your friend on her birthday just because all you had left was money to buy noodles to eat for the whole month. Not having any trips because you have to work overtime and part-time to survive. And this person dared to ask me if I had electricity.
My mind was rushing like crazy. I was shaking from all the crying.
"I am sorry, human, but why are you crying?"
"This human again!" I started crying with more sounds.
"You are crying because I called you human? But I am pretty sure you are!"
I stomped my foot on the floor, clenched my teeth, and fisted my hands.
"It's Mia. Mia Ethan!" I shouted my name.
"You got a pretty name. Okay, Miss Ethan. I would like to talk with you but not like that. Let's just sit down and I'd appreciate it if you let me share my story." he said in a convincing tone. And that was the thing about me. I get convinced so easily.
I sniffed and brushed the tears from my eyes with my hands. Not so mannered thing to do. But who cares?
"Alright. I have been listening to the whole world. Let's listen to your story as well." I said with a teary voice. And lit up two more candles.
"I appreciate your decision. But I'll appreciate it more if you could just…so that I can express my words appropriately", he said while looking at my face. What now? My face was a problem now? My nostrils flared from humiliation and anger. This man, just because he is handsome and all, he thinks I am-
"It is exactly not what you think. You have got a way to think all the way you want Miss Ethan. I just….oh here…look at the mirror yourself" he signalled at the small mirror I had rested on the kitchen counter. I was angry but confused, so I picked that up and dropped it at the same speed after looking at myself. The mirror fell and my heart was beating like crazy. That sight was more horrible than having a thief in your house. I had all my makeup smudged all over my face. The eyeliner was everywhere around my eyes and the lipstick was all over my cheeks and chin. I looked like a joker.
Mr. vinclet pressed his smile and I cleared my throat.
"Go sit on that sofa. I'll be back in five minutes" I said calmly and rushed to the bathroom to wash my face.
Mr. Vinclet walked towards the sofa with steady traits as if he owned my apartment. The audacity of this unexpected visitor.
(to be contined...)