Deal

DEAL?

Kayla’s POV

“You must be kidding,” he said, scoffing.

“Please, don’t say no. I really need your help,” I begged, tucking my long brown hair behind my ear. I had never been this desperate in my life. I needed to get back to my old self, not just to pay Eric and his mother back for what they did to me but because I needed to do this for myself. I needed to gain my confidence and worth back and I wished to have it done as soon as possible. Even without the insults and maltreatment I got from my ex-husband and his family, society and co-workers had also pushed me towards depression.

Back in high school, I was an orphan who was envied by every girl and desired by every boy because of my pretty face and killer figure. If I had known, I would have held onto my old pretty self rather than feeling relaxed and watching myself weigh more than 200 kg. It’s crazy how society discriminates against women who have different body types. They’re so obsessed with slim and pretty, leaving behind the little overweight ones.

“Kayla,” he said, pulling me out of my trance.

I looked at him with so much eagerness, waiting to hear the word, “Deal,”

“Yes? Is it a deal?” I asked, eagerly

“No, it’s not. Eat your meal and find your way out of my house. I have things to deal with besides I have helped you enough,” he replied sternly, his patience wearing thin.

I felt hurt listening to what he had to say. I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I tell him why I desperately need his help or not? But how could he? If he could have the zeal to help and carry out CPR on me, why couldn’t he do this for me?

“Please,” I begged one more time but on my knees this time around, fighting back tears.

“Look, I don’t know what this is all about but leave my house after you’re done,” he instructed, walking out of the training room with his hands inside his pockets.

I sat there on the floor, thinking of my next step. I had left my luggage on the bus and literally had nothing on me including money. I thought of visiting my foster parents but it would be too sudden and of course, I wouldn’t want them to see me this way.

Without delay, I got up from the floor and headed towards the room where I had woken up from. On reaching there, my meal had already been served on the table in the center of the room. I smiled wholeheartedly, rushing to have it eaten because if I didn’t eat now, I wouldn’t know when I would.

A few minutes later, I was done eating. It was time to leave David’s residence so I made a draft of a short thank you note and placed it under the tray placed on the table, making my way out of the room. I walked past the living room to see if I’d see him but I didn’t so I left quietly without saying goodbye in person.

Out in the streets of New Vape City, I walked aimlessly, looking for shelter. It was quite a shameful thing to me that I ended up giving my ex-husband every penny I had saved during my career years as an attorney, leaving nothing to myself. I thought my marriage with Eric would last forever and there wouldn’t be any need to have some properties or valuables under our different names. Now that he has divorced me, how would I cope with nothing? No money, no family, no love, nothing at all. Life’s really cruel and people living this life are cruelest.

I walked passed a fancy restaurant, Sativa Chow. It was where Eric had proposed marriage to me. I stopped right in front of it, admiring it while reliving in my head every memory it brought back. Suddenly, I thought of going in to have a seat while I tried to figure out my next move.

“Hey, fatty! Watch it!” Someone barked at me.

I felt anger build up inside me. If there was what I detest most, it would be being referred to as fatty.

I ignored him, making my way to the elevator. I stood in front of it, waiting for it to halt so I’d get in.

“Hmmm, you reek of an awful smell,” a pretty slim young woman said to me, making everyone around burst into laughter.

“Fat people always smell so bad,” another woman added

I looked at them without so much hurt and anger. I tried to speak but no words left my mouth. Luckily, the elevator halted and I got in immediately. I waited for them to join since three more persons could enter at the same time but none of them got in so I clicked the button and left without them.

I had pressed the last floor, it was the place that had the memory of me and Eric. On reaching there, I settled down. Without delay, a waiter walked purposely towards me, ready to take my order. I placed my head on the table immediately, pretending to be asleep. He waited for a while but got no response from me so he left with the hope of returning back in no time.

I turned my focus elsewhere in the room to find a familiar face. In fact, familiar faces. It was Eric and Caitlyn, his ex-girlfriend.

I stood up abruptly and headed towards their table. “Eric! Caitlyn!” I called out, making them startle. They were surprised to see me as much as I was surprised to see them.

“What is… going on… here?” I stammered at the realization of what was about to happen.

“What are you doing here?” Eric asked. I could feel the disgust in his voice.

“You’re not supposed to be here, you fat fck!” Caitlyn cussed, smirking at me.

“Eric… how could you?” I sobbed

He turned his attention to Caitlyn, picking up from where he stopped. He went down on his knees, with a gorgeous diamond ring in his hand, and he proposed to Caitlyn.

“Caitlyn Jones, will you be my wife?”

Caitlyn nodded her head vigorously, smiling so widely and heartily. “Yes, Eric. I will be your wife,” she replied. Everyone around cheered them up while some were recording and taking pictures of the scene.

Eric put the ring on her finger and stood up. He embraced her in a hug, kissing her passionately.

Tears fell uncontrollably down my cheeks. I couldn’t hold it back any longer. I was hurt, deeply hurt.

“I’m sorry, Kayla but this is meant to be. You should stop forcing yourself on him. He loves me and there’s nothing you can do about it,” she said

Eric let out an evil laugh, turning his attention to me. “Kayla, you should figure out what to do to yourself. This is why no one wants you,” he said, his words laced with cruelty

“And who said no one wants her?” I heard a familiar voice say.

Eric, Caitlyn, and I were taken aback. Wondering who had said that, we all turned our attention to it.

Surprisingly for me, it was him, David.