Chapter 4 Running Away

• Oh gosh, what happened? Why does my head hurt so much?
• I tightly closed my eyes and placed my hand on my head, gently pressing it in hopes of easing the pain.
• After a few seconds, I slowly opened my eyes. But the blinding light that greeted me only made my headache worse.
• As my eyes adjusted, I found myself staring at the ceiling. This wasn’t the ceiling of my room. I dismissed the thought when I remembered that Sol and I had stayed at a hotel.
• I sat up on the edge of the bed, my feet touching the floor. I raised both arms to stretch. Oh gosh, I feel so relieved, especially since my body feels like it's been beaten up. Suddenly, a cold breeze from the air conditioner made me shiver, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around myself.
• My brows furrowed when I felt my skin. Shouldn't I be able to feel my clothes instead? I looked down at my body.
• "Sh*t. I’m naked?" I whispered to myself as I grabbed the blanket I could reach.
• “It’s too cold.”
• My eyes widened, and I froze after hearing the deep, drowsy voice from behind me.
• I felt him move, so I slowly turned around.
• He’s naked too! He was lying with his back to me, face down. I could clearly see his muscular body. I quickly turned away as my gaze lingered lower.
• I clenched my fist and silently screamed.
• Gosh, calm down, Amelia. Think. I have to think!
• I don't even need to ask if something happened between us when I already feel sore down there!
• I took a deep breath. Slowly, the events from yesterday came back to me—how I ran away from my wedding, ended up at a bar, and someone must have put drugs in my drink.
• I am so mad at myself for letting something like this happen!
• Annoyed, I glanced at the man again. Panic is overwhelming me now. This is my first one-night stand. This man took my virginity, something I always dreamed of giving to someone special! And I just... argh!
• I searched for my clothes. I need to leave here before he wakes up.
• After getting dressed, I looked for my things.
• “D*mn it,” I muttered when I remembered I had nothing with me because when I ran from the church, I left everything behind.
• I glanced at myself in the mirror. My dress is too short, and what??
• It has a small tear. I looked at the man who was still sleeping soundly. I can’t go out like this!
• I searched for something I could wear. My eyes landed on a jacket on the table. I smelled it, and it smelled good enough. This will have to do.
• What? How tall is he? Why does this jacket look like a dress on me?
• Just as I was about to turn around, my eyes caught a vault that was slightly open.
• I gasped at the sight of stacks of blue bills inside.
• “Oh my gosh,” I whispered.
• I glanced at the man lying in bed. From the sound of his deep sleep, it seemed he wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.
• I looked around to find something to put the money in.
• My eyes landed on another table with a paper bag on it. I walked over and opened it. Eggs? And other ingredients? This man, I’m pretty sure he had room service from this five-star hotel, and didn’t need to cook.
• I grabbed the towel I found and laid it on the table, placing the eggs and other items in the paper bag to keep them from rolling.
• I went back to the vault and put all the contents into the paper bag I was holding. Gosh, I think this is about four thousand dollar
• Oh my gosh, Amelia. I never thought I’d end up taking someone else’s money! I’m sorry, but I really need this money.
• I looked for a piece of paper to write on.
• I found some business cards on the table. I picked one up and read it—‘Liam Sinclair,’ maybe that's his name?
• I noticed a pen next to the business cards. I grabbed it. I kept searching for something to write on and my eyes landed on a receipt. I took it.
• ‘I’m sorry!’ I wrote on the back of the receipt and left it in the vault
• I’m really sorry. But I really need this money!
• I took the paper bag with the money and decided to leave the hotel.
• As I was leaving, I suddenly felt guilty. Damn it! Should I really leave this here?
• My gaze landed on the ingredients from the paper bag I quickly grabbed them.
• I made him egg drop soup before I left.
• “What now, Amelia?” I asked myself as I stepped out of the hotel. Gosh, it's so hot!
• And why does this place feel so unfamiliar? It seems so far from the hotel Sol and I stayed at, which I don’t even know the location of. Why is this happening to me? This is so annoying.
• My eyes landed on a popular store I passed by. From the outside, I could see the branded bags displayed. My eyes sparkled when I saw the new handbag display I had been waiting for. I glanced at the price: four thousand dollars Then, my gaze shifted to the paper bag I was holding.
• I hate this!
• “I’m sorry, miss, but you can’t stay here,” a guard said.
• I looked at him in disbelief, from head to toe.
• “Excuse me, what did you say? Do you know who I am?” I asked irritably.
• He also looked me over, from head to toe, as if judging me, his eyes sneering at the paper bag I was carrying. The audacity of this man!
• I admit I haven’t taken a shower yet, but I still look gorgeous. And this paper bag I’m holding? It has money in it, probably more than his savings!
• “You’re disturbing the other customers. Please leave,” he said, clearly annoyed.
• “Don’t touch me!” I shouted after he tried to push me.
• Just because I don’t look rich right now, you think you can treat me like this! Gosh, the amount of discrimination in this society!
• I went quiet as I realized I was doing the same thing. I look down on people who I think are beneath me. Oh gosh, is this karma?
• I didn’t argue anymore. I gave him one last glare before walking away.
• As much as I want to contact Sol, I can’t. It’s so embarrassing to ask for help from her! And it’s even more embarrassing for her to see how much I’m struggling right now! My ego and pride are the only things left to me! But gosh, this ego and pride won’t provide food for me! Still, no. I will never ask for their help. I will start on my own.
• I need to find a place to stay.
• I scanned my eyes around the small apartment I'm renting. This is so small! My old wardrobe was even bigger than this!
• “Hi, beautiful. Want to join us?”
• “Leave me alone,” I replied indifferently. “One more shot, please,” I said again to the bartender in front of me.
• “Come on, miss. It’s so lonely here.”
• Where is this guy getting the nerve? He’s making his voice sound all soft. Does he think it suits him? I don’t entertain men like him.
• I glared at him in annoyance. “I’d rather be alone here than be accompanied by someone as ugly as you.”
• His face soured. “You b*tch!” he yelled, and was about to reach for me, but the bouncers, who I noticed had been watching him, quickly grabbed him.
• I drank the alcohol I just ordered. Gosh, this isn’t even my favorite drink, but I have no choice since this is the only one I can afford right now.
• It’s been almost two months, and this has been my lifestyle—bar, drink, go home drunk, wake up, then back to the bar again. I’m starting to hate this kind of life! I feel like I just want to go home to Mommy and Daddy! But no! I won’t let them sell me off like that!
• So annoying! I feel like crying again! I ordered another shot before heading to the dance floor to dance with whatever guy I could find.
• This time, the guy who had been staring at me was the one I targeted to dance with.
• This is what I always do whenever I feel sorry for myself. Instead of crying, I drink until I’m drunk and dance with any guy I can find, just so I don’t pity myself.
• “Slut,” a woman yelled, and I suddenly felt someone pull my hair.
• “You b*tch!” I yelled back at her.
• She was holding onto the arm of the guy I was dancing with, who was now just smirking at me. This guy! He has a girlfriend and still had the audacity to flirt with me!
• I turned away from them. They’re not worth it.
• “Where do you think you’re going?” She chased after me and grabbed my hair again.
• I stopped holding back and grabbed onto his hair too. In no time, the woman pulling my hair was joined by two others, then three. They really ganged up on me!
• A few seconds later, the bouncers arrived and pulled the women away from me.
• "Bitch!" I screamed and slapped her hard across the face. I then walked up to the man I had been dancing with and slapped him just as hard.
• When I got home to my apartment, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. I don’t know if it’s because of the headache and scratches from the women, or because I feel so sorry for myself.
• I sat on the floor, leaning against my bed. I feel so hopeless, and I’m so tired of pitying myself.
• I hugged myself while crying. And while crying, I noticed the money scattered on my table. There’s only $400 left. I don’t know how I’ll make it last for the next few days. I think I need to find a job. But doing what? I graduated from an expensive university, but I’ve never had any experience!
• The better option is to go back to my parents now! But what if they’re in the same situation, struggling just like me, especially since the marriage deal didn’t push through?