Star-crossed - Episode 6

 

Comfort:

 I rub the sleep off my eyes and stretch out groggily as I look around the room for whoever is calling my name. There's no one in the room though. I'm pretty sure I heard someone whisper my name. I push the wrapper off my legs and push my legs off the squeaky bed.
"Joyce?" I mumble under my breath as I make my way to the door. I pull it open and peek my head through it . There's no one in sight and the house looks empty. It's Monday morning after all so Joyce is probably at the town's only supermarket and her parents are probably working the farm before the sun come on hot.
 I'm beginning to think that something else must have woken me up when I hear a light rapping sound on the glass Louvres of the room's small window. My first thought is we're getti ng robbed but I remind myself that I'm no longer in the city where it would be possible and that this village like town is unlikely to get robbed. Moreover there's nothing to rob in this tiny house except the thief is interested in an old radio.
 I tiptoe to the louvres and crank it open. It's a bit old so it's takes a few minutes to pull it down. There's no one outside the window though

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/star-crossed

. The net is quite dusty so it's a bit unclear but I'm sure I'd see someone if they were standing close enough right?
"Comfort! Hey! Over here!"
"Huh?" I frown at the voice as I crane my neck and look below the window.
"Raymond?!" I clamp a hand over my mouth from fear of getting heard in case there's someone with me in the house. I still don't want to be heard talking. I know they'll want to talk about my mother and everything but truly I don't think I want to talk about that ever.
"What are you doing here!" I whisper yell. I mean it's been four days since I rudely told him off and I actually thought that'll be last I would see of him.
"Can you come outside? Please?" He adds when I start to shake my head.
"What's this about?"
"Your guitar." He pulls the broken thing up for me to see and my eyes brightens. That's true! I've been thinking of how I'm going to retrieve that from him for the past four days after I told him to stay away from me. I'm glad he brought it out to me. Probably to end any connection between us. I should be happy about this.
"Stay right there. I'm coming out." I tell him as I grab my jacket from the bed and make my way out of the house and hurry towards the back.
"Hey, you came out." I nearly bolt back inside the house at the smooth voice that has quite frankly been bugging my thoughts for days now but I stand my ground. I stretch my hand out for the guitar so I can get with it fast.
"I'm not hanging it over. I__"
"What?" I interrupt his sentence with a raise of my brows. What does he mean he's not hanging it over?
"I said I'll have it fixed. I keep my promise." He says seriously and I bite down the urge to tell him he doesn't look like someone who keeps his promise.
"I appreciate the thought but I'd get it fixed myself. Just give it to me." I say instead.
"Look, I know you are not interested in my spoilt rich kid persona but I don't go back on my words." I cringe at his use of my words from nights ago.
"I'm sorry." I say in a small voice before he can say anything else.
"What?" He actually sounds surprised that I'm apologizing.
"I shouldn't have said something like that. I don't really know you after all. Who am I to judge?" I say what has been on my mind to tell him. I try not to squirm as his intense gaze pins me down.
"You're right though."
"I am?" I pull my eyes to look at him and catch him nod.
"I am a spoilt rich kid." He smiles wanely.
"That doesn't make what I said right." I say.
"We should call truce then? No more name calling." He puts his hand out for me and I eye the hand warily.
"Come on, you don't have to be afraid of me." He goads me on.
"I'm not scared of anything." I put my hand in his and he covers mine whole.
"Comfort?" I jump slightly at the voice behind me and quickly snatch my hand off Raymond's.
"What are you doing out here? With a man?" Joyce's mother eyes Raymond and I gulp down saliva. She's a staunch Christian and I know just what this must look like to her. I bite down on my lips not to say anything.
"Good afternoon ma'am. I'm Comfort's friend and she asked me to come pick up her guitar to have it fixed." Raymond says for me.
"And this couldn't have been done at the front of the house but at the back? Comfort?" She looks to me for answers but I just shake my head and wave my hands in front of my face.
"Don't get mad at her please. It's all my fault. I__" Raymond starts to say when Joyce's mother grabs my hand and pulls me behind her.
"That's enough. I think you should leave now." She tells him. He seems to want to say more but I shake my head at him from behind Joyce's mother.
"Alright ma'am. I'll be sure to have the guitar fixed and brought to you." He tells me before turning around and walking away.
"Don't let that man fool you, Comfort. I know his type. They come to this town for holidays and find little girls to fool around with while they are here. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She asks me and I nod. I don't bother to tell her that I'm not a little girl.
"Good. Take these vegetables to the kitchen and slice them. I have to prepare lunch before I go on to the market to sell what I could ravage from our farm today." I take the polythene bag from her and quickly start going back inside the house.
"I can't believe he'll want to take advantage of a girl like you." She mutters but I hear her loud and clear. A girl like me. Of course she's right.
 Dejected, I make my way into the tiny kitchen and drop the bag of vegetables on the sink. It's pretty dark in here so I push the wooden window open to let in light.
 My eyes immediately fix on the small paper laying there with a stone on top to keep it from getting blown by the wind.
"Have you started picking the vegetables?" I hear Joyce's mother ask and I quickly grab the note and push it into the pocket of my jacket. I quickly type in a text on my phone.

 I JUST WANT TO GO TO THE ROOM TO CHANGE INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

 I show the message to Joyce's mother who nods and lets me out of the kitchen.
 She's used to my typing what I want to say sometimes which is probably what she meant by a girl like me. She actually thinks I'm mute. I shake my head as I push my way into my room.
 I make sure to close the door behind me before I pull the note out of my pocket and find his neat scribbling asking me to text him once I get this. His number is boldly written on the paper with his name.
 The door suddenly bursts open at this moment and I quickly hide my hands behind my back
"Comfort are you in__ What are you hiding behind you?" Joyce's narrowed eyes greet me as I raise my eyes up. I shake my head at her.
"No, no. Mother just told me she caught you with a guy out back minutes ago. Let me see that." She says and I start to walk back away from her. I don't move much before my back hit the wall of the cramped room.
"Got it!" She squeals as her tiny hand pulls the paper out of my grip. It takes everything in me not to scream no. I make a grab for the paper but she jumps back from me. I stretch my hands to her but she totally ignores them.
"Raymond?!" Her eyes look about to fall out in shock when she faces me.
"Comfort! Raymond gave you his number and asked for you to text him! He's the guy mom caught you with earlier isn't he?" She fires at me with too much excitement evident in her eyes.
"Let's text him. Where's your phone?" She starts to pat me down for my phone and I start to panic. I push away from her but she has me trapped. I fight her for my phone like my life depends on it when she grabs unto it.
"Comfort! These vegetables won't cut themselves!" I almost cry out in joy at the scream coming from the kitchen. Joyce lets me go with a frown. I scoot out of her hold quickly.
"I'm texting him from my phone and sending him your number!" She calls after me as I race out of the kitchen.

Read " Set me free " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. I turn back to see her waving the paper at me before slamming the room's door shut. Oh shit! I start to turn when Joyce's mother comes out of the kitchen.
"There you are. You didn't change your clothes anymore?" She asks and I gape at her.
"Come on, let's start cooking. Joyce has another shift at the supermarket." She says and I nearly tell her that her daughter is most likely going to meet up with her boyfriend just to get my revenge but I couldn't risk her knowing I can speak. I just have to endure this till I get an out from this town. I'm absolutely going to check my CAPS tonight in case there's anything on my admission.
 As I make my way to the kitchen my phone pings in my hand.

HEY, COMFORT. I GUESS NOW I CAN TALK TO YOU WHENEVER I WANT HUH?. Ray

I clench my fists and groan underneath my breath.

Wow! I'm so amazed at the response. Thanks so much for the love guys. I can't believe I stayed away this long. You guys are just the best so keep the comments coming okay?
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