Chapter 14 Road Kills

Pesky and over-talkative. Those are two words that best describe Marco. He was talking nonstop in the backseat and Elaine couldn't help but listen in silence. He said he was staying temporarily with his uncle since the station he was currently assigned to happened to be near there. He also added that it was just two blocks away from Elaine's new house. He went for a jog that morning when he saw her coming out of the house to look for the nearest convenience store.

Elaine pulled to a stop right in front of the gate of her house. She then turned to face Marco, gesturing to him to get out of the car.

"Are you not taking me home?"

Elaine rolled her eyes. "I am absolutely not a taxi driver to drop you off at your front door. Get out of my car."

Marco pouted his lips but followed as told so. Elaine locked her car before rushing towards the trunk to get the grocery bags. However, Marco already had them in his hands.

"I'll take care of it."

He handed over the bag of bread loaves to her before heading towards the gate.

"I don't need your help. . ."

"With that skinny body of yours? I doubt it."

He gestured to her to undo the padlock of the gate. Elain exhaled sharply, having no choice but to do as told. Once she opened the gate and the front door, Marco marched into the house as if he owned the place. Elaine had to shake her head inwardly. She switched the lights on as soon as she reached the living room. After that, she went back to her car to get the gallon of white paint in the trunk.

She went back in and saw Marco in the kitchen, placing the grocery bags on the table.

"Hey, this one looks good," he said. Elaine looked over her shoulder and saw the Tupperware in his hand. It was the same container she left for Tan's breakfast. He probably didn't finish the sandwich.

She walked towards the kitchen, still the can of paint in hand. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Marco about to pick up the familiar crumpled paper on the table. Not knowing whether she was late or something but she saw how his forehead creased the moment he read the texts written on the paper. She grabbed it from his hand, clearing her throat. What is she going to tell him? And why did she even have to explain? What is she going to explain to him anyway? The reason why it was crumpled?

"You have pretty handwriting," he said.

Elaine smiled sheepishly. Marco noticed the can of paint in her hand and he looked back at her face.

"If you need some help in repainting, just call me."

She pouted her lips. She didn't have his number and she had no intentions to ask for it either. "I can just pay somebody else to do it for me."

"Right. I'm off. . ." Marco turned on his heels, off to go when he realized something. "By the way, can I take the sandwich? If no one wants to eat that, let me just have it. I'm hungry."

Elaine's eyes went in the direction where he was pointing. Two pieces of sandwich in the container. The seal wasn't even touched.

Elaine nodded. "Suit yourself."

A wide smile formed on his lips and took the container right away. Heaving out a sigh, she slid the sticky note into her pocket, then went back outside to get the remaining grocery bags she left at the front door. Elaine noticed that Marco was still following her until she reached the gate of the house. He stopped on track. His eyes stared at the overall landscape of the house from the outside before staring back at her.

"What now?" she asked when she saw the expression on his face as he stared at her.

He cleared his throat. "Just that. . ."

Her forehead creased, waiting for him to continue talking. But he didn't. She clicked her tongue.

"What is it?" her voice sounded impatient.

"Your house looks sad."

Elaine stood speechless. Her eyes darted towards him.

"Why don't you just use pink or any shades of pink instead of white to paint the house, you know? Don't most girls like the pink color?"

"Black," Elaine answered, "I guess, I'm not one of those girls you're pertaining to."

Marco smiled, shaking his head. "Get back inside now. It's hot out here."

She pursed her lips. "Why don't you take off your jacket first before telling me that?"

Marco chuckled softly. "I'm leaving. See you," he waved goodbye to her before turning on his heels to take off.

Elaine raised an eyebrow. See you? So, he still had a plan on meeting her? She couldn't help but clack her tongue, shaking her head in astonishment. The two-timing jerk doesn't know how to quit.

By the time he left, she pulled the crumpled paper she hid in her pocket and took it into her room. She then put it into an empty fish bowl placed on the side table. She decided to pour all her time and attention into doing the household chores for the entire day. She tried her best not to get drowned by her own disappointment, shaking it off of her mind even just for a little while.

Elaine was not a good painter so she would hire somebody who can do the job for her. She was able to finish all the chores before the clock reached five. She took a bath shortly afterward and got dressed before settling herself on the side of her bed. Her eyes scanned the corners of her medium-sized room. She felt refreshed. A content smile etched across her lips seeing the outcome of her hard work she was able to finish in just one day.

The crumpled paper drew her attention again. Her hand reached for it, flattening the wrinkled part of the paper before dropping it back to the bowl. She drew a deep breath while her eyes were focusing on it. She hurt Tan big time. The pain she inflicted on him made him change into someone she could hardly recognize.

Cold. Harsh. Spiteful.

He acted only that way to her, though. The other people around him weren't subjected to his behavior—the only consolation she could give to herself in a strange kind of way.

====FLASHBACK=====

2015

After placing the dirty dishes on the durable dish tub, Elaine proceeded to scrub the table with a rag which used to be a face towel. It's been two weeks now since she got hired as a waitress in a Filipino-Japanese restaurant around Pasay.

"Hey! Hey!" one customer from the third table called her attention. "Waitress!"

Did they just yell at her? An exasperated sigh escaped from her mouth. The three ladies sitting at the corner side of the restaurant were such a pain in the neck. Annoyance started to crawl into her skin as she straightened up.

"Is she a fucking deaf or something?"

Pretending not to hear anything, Elaine picked up the plastic tub and walked back into the kitchen, completely ignoring the rude customers' call. By the time she reached the kitchen door, Kyla, the branch manager, stood in the way, preventing her from coming in.

"You are too arrogant for a two-week-old employee, are you?" she muttered to her. "What's gotten into you? Didn't you hear the customers? Don't give me that attitude and do your job. For God's sake!"

Elaine clenched her teeth, trying to prevent herself from opening her mouth to make any snide remarks. A blank expression painted on her face as she slammed the tub on the counter. The manager was left to watch as she spun around, leaving the manager rooted to the spot. Her face was red.

Elaine marched towards the table with her head held high. The three rude ladies were gesturing to each other as they saw her walking in their direction. Elaine was trying so hard not to glare at them. Perhaps, she already knew why they were there in the first place. They clearly wouldn't stop bugging her until they got what they wanted; that is to kick her out of her job.

"We've been waiting here for God knows how long and you don't seem to give a damn," a woman began to speak, arching her fake brows at her. Rosette, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Do you really not hear us or are you just pretending you didn't hear at all?" the other one next to Rosette added.

"I am not deaf. I heard you loud and clear," Elaine's reply was clear and defiant.

The three ladies looked at one another, casting a sly grin.

"How feisty. Are you the owner? Or the owner's freaking daughter?"

She shot a sharp gaze at the woman who just spoke. She didn't know who it was but she didn't give a damn at the moment. All she felt right now was the urge to grab that woman's curly and frizzy hair and root it out from her scalp.

"Why? What if I tell you I am, would you stop bugging me?" Elaine grabbed the tray of drinking cups from the other table and slammed it to their table. "The water dispenser is just four steps apart if you need a drink. Here's the cup. Help yourself."

The two ladies grinned at each other while Rosette was glaring at her.

"Rosette, it seems like this bitch wanted to eat you alive until here."

Rosette sat straight, intersecting her hands on top of the table. Her sardonic smile was telling her that she's fucked up.

"I've always known you're a bitch, Elaine," she muttered. She then crossed her arms and leaned her back against the chair before she spoke loudly, enough for her voice to echo in the room. "I want to talk to your manager."

The people who were eating in silence threw their attention at them.

Elaine didn't move but she was clenching her fists to control her anger. She just got hired two weeks ago. Somehow, she wanted to earn some money to provide for herself. But why did things like this always have to happen?

"Did you hear me? Call your manager or I'll do it myself."

Elaine looked up at the ceiling, trying to suppress the surging emotions she felt towards the woman. Her patience was becoming thinner and thinner. When she stared back at her, she saw the mischievous smirk playing across her lips.

"Why? Are you going to tell her the oldest and most infamous lines of a snotty and entitled customer like you? You must have practiced a lot,"

Rosette's mouth dropped open. This time, it was Elaine's time to challenge her. She leaned her hands on the table, arching her brows.

"Is this how you treat your customers? This is ridiculous. One post from Facebook is enough to screw up this restaurant's reputation," there was a hint of mockery in Elaine's voice as she imitated the lines she heard somewhere. Then, a smirk formed her lips. "This is 2015, you guys. Can't you get any creative?"

Rosette rose from her seat. So did her two accomplices. "You!"

Elaine stood straight, staring at her in a most provocative manner. Kyla then stepped in, slightly panicking. The latter turned to face her, glaring. She stood between them, apologizing while gesturing to Elaine to do the same.

What for? She clearly didn't owe them any apologies. Elaine scoffed, ignoring her manager's plea, and turned on her heels to take off.

However, before she could step away, she felt a cold liquid splashed at her. She looked over her shoulder only to see the back part of her clothes getting soaked. She raised her face and saw Rosette with a glass of water in hand.

"I'm not done talking with you yet!"

Elaine slowly turned around. She could see how Rosette was slightly taken aback, gulping hard in fear. She probably saw the murderous look registered in Elaine's eyes. Without a word, she grabbed the porcelain flower vase near her, almost ready to throw it to her face.

However, a strong hand gripped her wrist before she could even smash the vase to her skull. Elaine looked over her shoulder. Her sharp stares softened, replaced by utter astonishment as soon as she recognized who it was.