Chapter 4 I believe you
When I opened my eyes, I instantly closed them again because of the bright light...After a while, I again opened my eyes slowly. This time, I was comfortable with the light. I tried to scan my surroundings. It was a simple room with a bed where I was lying, a table, and a wardrobe. I knew this place. It was Cami's room. What was I doing here?
I held my head with both hands and remembered everything that happened to me just a while ago.
While I was thinking, my door suddenly opened, and Cami came in. She was surprised at first, but that look was replaced by happiness in an instant.
"You are awake," she said, grabbing my left hand while sitting beside me. "You scared me to death."
"How did I end up here? I remember passing out on the road." I asked her, confused.
"Oh, so you know, hmm... Yesterday you said you were coming at midnight. I waited for years and years, but you never came, nor did you pick up your damn phone." She said trying to look scary while scolding me but I felt warm inside.
Wait.. Yesterday??
"What do you mean by yesterday?" I asked her, "Wasn't it a while ago?"
"A while ago?? You have been sleeping for a whole day, Ley (she gave me this nickname and no one else can use it except for her). Do you know how worried I was when you didn't come home and didn't even pick up my phone? When I went to search for you, you were in the middle of the road, unconscious. Do you even know how hard it was for me to pick you up to get in the car and from the car to this bed?"
"You mean I have been unconscious for a whole day?" I asked her in shock. It had never happened before.
"Sorry, Ley, I had used this month's salary to get that wardrobe. So I didn't take you to the hospital." She said this, looking at the floor.
"It's okay, Cami. I'm perfectly fine," I said. "What happened to that... I mean... man?"
"Who man Ley?" She looked at me confused.
"That naked man's covered in blood." I said.
"What are you saying, Ley? Who man ?? You were alone there." She said.
"Alone.. .?"
"Yes alone. Now tell me what exactly happened—why were you there? Why did you leave the house at midnight?" "she demanded.
"They kicked me out." I told her everything: the hotel, adoption, Sarah's deal, and the check.
Listening to my words, she got furious. "How could they do this to you? Even if you aren't her real daughter, how could she sell you for money? All these years, they made you work like a maid, and you never complained. And that wrench—does she think by giving you this check she can buy her father's love? If it weren't for her evil and unkind heart, why would her own father love you more than her? Why didn't you tell your dad about this? You don't have to bear it, ok?" she tried to comfort me.
"No cami, it's alright. I don't want to go back there. I'm afraid I can't escape a second time if my mom again plans something like this." I said so, remembering whatever she did to me.
"Ley,if you don't want to go, then just stay with me. We can both take care of each other in the future. I love you, Ley." She came forward and hugged me.
"Me too, Cami!" I said, breaking the hug.
"What about that naked man you mentioned before?" She asked me again.
I told her everything in detail. How big that black wolf was, how mesmerizing were his eyes, how my heart ached while I saw those blood, how those magician girls emerged light from their hands, how they hurt him. He then turned into a human and those girls tried to hurt me but they themselves were burned to death.
After listening to my words, her face turned pale. It took a while for her to get back to her normal face, but she didn't speak for a while. She just looked at me. After a long time, she said, "Ley, don't tell anyone about this. They'll think you're nuts. Let's find you a job and then we'll live together and take care of each other, ok?? " She said.
"But I'm telling you the truth. It happened. For real." I tried to convince her.
"Yes Ley. I believe you." She said, patting the back of my hand, "I'll get you some food. You haven't had anything for almost a day." After saying this, she got up and left.
"Wait.. " I sighed. Forget it, Riley, it's good if you don't talk about this anymore.
I don't even know if she believed me or not....
A few days passed after that incident. I have applied for many jobs, but I didn't get any news. Cami was busy with her job.
I never went out. I never had guts either. I was so scared, maybe. But I never left the apartment. I used to smile. I used to talk and smile like I was okay in front of Cami, but once she was out of the house, I'd go to bed and cry my heart out.
Memories of my mom, the one who grew me up, loved me, and then sold me, filled me. I don't know if I should forgive her. "She was the one who grew me up all these years," One half of me said. "But she can't sell you just because she lacks money now. You're not a thing," my other half said. Whatever was true I definitely wasn't a thing. I have a heart, and it hurts.
I didn't know where Dad was. He never tried to contact me all these days. Didn't he know what had happened? My dad, who loved me all these years, lied to me. And I found this out in the most horrifying way: after my so-called mom sold me. I don't know if I should be thankful to my dad for not telling me this. Because knowing I'm not his biological child hurts inside. I don't know if I should be angry for lying or thankful for him not telling me this. All I could do at the moment was cry.
.
I am at Cami's apartment as usual. It is a two-room apartment; one of them is the kitchen, and another is the bed, which I and Cami share. I was looking for more jobs online when I received a call.
"Hello," I said as I picked up the phone.
"Is this Riley Wilson?" An unfamiliar voice came.
"Yes I am." I said.
"This is from the Golden Company. Your resume has been selected. You can come to the office tomorrow for the interview. "
"Really?"" I said, trying to calm down. "What time is the interview?"
"at 9 a.m. I wish you all the best for tomorrow. Good day." With that, he hung up the phone.
I was so excited that I called Cami right away and told her the news. And in honesty, she was much more excited than me.
She was afraid that if I don't get busy soon, I'll get depressed. She really takes good care of me.
I smile at that thought.
The next day, I woke up in a good mood. I took a quick shower and put on my oversized sweater and long pants. I rolled my hair inside the towel and went to the kitchen. I made two sandwiches and two cups of coffee for me and Cami.
While I was setting breakfast on the table, Cami came out of the room. When she saw the sandwich and coffee on the table, she quickly grabbed them and took a bite. "Yumm, it's so tasty, Ley." she said, chewing.
"Well, thanks," I said and sat with her. We both had our breakfast quietly and in a good mood. It was after a long time that I was so calm and genuinely happy inside.
After we finished, Cami insisted on blow-drying my hair for me. She even chose a dress for me to wear. She picked up a white shirt, a black pant, and a matching office shoe. After that, she did my makeup, saying it would boost my confidence.
Then I made my hair as always, collected it at my left neck, and tied it with a rubber band. After I got dressed, I also put on a coat, as it was winter. After that, Cami also got ready for her work. Then she dropped me at the entrance of the Golden Company.