Chapter 75: chapter 75

Elora's pov---------------Box. Everywhere. I'm sitting in the centre of the living room with boxes all around me. I didn't mean to buy so many things. I don't know what's gotten into me. Maybe I thought buying all these things would ease my mind but it turned out to be the opposite. My eyes catch the master card I've used to buy all these things. Pathetic. I'm trying to live alone. By using his money.I grab the card and walk to the bedroom. "I will pay you back," I say before placing the card on the bedside table. Rodas who is lying on the bed half naked with only his boxers on stares at the card for a while before picking it up and then SNAP!He snaps it into two. He has gone crazy. Rodas hasn't left this apartment since yesterday. He is doing whatever he wants other than leaving. My words have stopped working or should I say they haven't worked on him from the start. And I can't even force him out. "What does that even mean? There's no such thing as break up between us" Rodas said yesterday morning. So, If he isn't leaving then I'll also pretend that he isn't here. I swear this will be the last time I speak to him. I stroll back to the living room and start unpacking. Rodas comes after a few minutes and sits behind me. An annoyed sigh leaves my mouth when he slips his arms around my stomach. The audacity of him to act like nothing is wrong. "What do you want to eat? Should I cook for you?" He asks in a sleepy voice. I'm not going to be flutter by it if he thinks so.  I get up and arrange the things in the cupboard. He stands behind me again, messing my hair with his fingers. I angrily shrug him off and face him. "STOP IT, WILL YOU?" I shout. Fuck! Why did I even think that I could stay without talking to him?He smiles and kisses me on the cheeks before sitting on the floor and unpacking the things. "Why are you acting like this Rodas? I told you to fucking leave" I shout again. "Why are you torturing me like this?" His hand stops and he looks up at me. "So, you asking me to leave like this even though I don't want to is not torturing me?" "I told you it's over between us-" "Well, I'm not ready for things to be over between us Elora Rose Green," This time his words came out in a deep serious voice. "You're not walking away from me" "Rodas, Please!" My voice trembles. "I'm asking you again. Let's leave for somewhere. Far from this place... Please" I'm back to it again. I hate myself for it. He remains silent for a while staring at a certain thing on the floor. "Elora...I-""You've done enough. You've done enough for everyone. They are not children. The boys can defend themselves. You don't have to take responsibility for everyone. You've punished yourself enough" "Elora... I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I'll lose you the moment I decide to live an honest life." I wipe my tears and turn away from him to continue my work. "Well, You're losing me this way too, Rodas. Please Leave" "Fine!" I flinch at his response.  "Fine, I'm leaving. You don't want me here? I'll leave" I hear rustles and then a few seconds later, the front door opens and shuts. My knees drop to the floor and I hug myself to stop my trembling body. I just want to live a normal life. Is it so difficult? But then again, when I think about it. It was me all along. It was me who chose this life despite knowing the consequences. I did it. I fell in love with a man whose world is so cruel and blended into it without thinking. I know that I'm so late and what I'm asking from Rodas is so selfish. But is it so wrong for me to want a peaceful life? Is it so difficult for him to try? Why can't I live without him? Even though I've made up my mind to stay away from him, part of me... No, every piece of me wants him near. For a moment, I persuade myself that I can stay say from him but it's always the same. At the end of the day, no matter how much I get annoyed by his presence these days, I miss him like crazy. -----It's a new day. Kind of. Even though I haven't had enough sleep last night. I should get ready for my job. I take a shower and put on a pink floral dress. Then I loosely braid my hair, enough to look like a teacher. Jeremy has texted me multiple times apologising for giving Rodas my address. That doesn't matter anymore. He isn't coming back this time, is he?I call a taxi. The music club is twenty minutes from the apartment. I've to reach there at 10. There's still an hour left. I can spend the extra time getting ready and tell myself not to get nervous. The club is on the second floor of a huge building. There's a cafe on the ground floor. I haven't had my breakfast. So, I walk inside to grab a coffee before going up. As I sit beside the window, I can't help but wonder if my life is going to be like this forever. Will I be able to deal with everything alone? And before my mind wanders around about other things, I get up and take the elevator. Not right now. I can't afford to think about him right now. I can't mess up and lose this job.I double-check the signboard before entering a big hall. There are so many kids and I notice a huge group at the back, laughing and shouting louder than other groups. I inhale a long breath and let it go. Then I walk to the centre and clap. "Attention please!" All the heads turn towards me, making me the centre of attention. Slowly the groups disperse and they start sitting in their places but the group in the back is still going on. I make my way towards them."Excuse me!"The laughing stops and when they slowly move away, my breath tightens. There, sitting behind the kids is Rodas Castillo with a stupid smile on his face.It takes me a few seconds to process. Rodas waves his hand making me roll my eyes."What are you doing here?" I ask."This uncle has so many cool stories to tell..." One of the kids interrupts."We are not here to learn stories," I say with a forced smile and walk back to the centre. "She is so similar to that angry cat in your story" I hear them from behind but do not say anything back. Rodas, you're dead meat once this class ends.