DEFENDED BY THE ENEMY

I am a happy soul tonight, actually, from last night. For the first time since I woke up in that hospital bed, I am experiencing pure joy. I was able to convince Ejay yesterday to let me go to Mombasa. My deal is dangerous; I myself am scared of it, but I won't think of that for now. I do not want to ruin this happiness that I am basking in right now. I am looking forward to my stay in Mombasa and hoping that I will be able to savor some incredible aura for those seven days.

Do you know what else is more exciting? I pleaded with Ejay to get his goons off my back during my whole stay in Mombasa. I don't want to walk around with ugly, fugly black monkeys guarding me as if I am the daughter of a mafia king. They might scare everyone away from me, and I am planning to have the best days of my life there before returning to this cage again. Nothing naughty, though; don't get me wrong there. So, he finally agreed, but I swear it took me to become a confounded beggar to get him to agree, and of course, he did not forget to remind me what would happen if I betrayed him. It makes me wonder if that is what our relationship will be like. Threatening me every chance he gets. That sucks!

The first thing I did this morning when I woke up was to confirm my attendance. After breakfast, I went and sat in front of my computer again, and at around eleven, I received an email with all the details of the seven-day activities. From the hotel we will be staying in and even the time of our meals and other breaks, not forgetting the program. This looks more like leisure time because the show will start from four to eight. Whether leisure or not, I am all the same enthralled. I will be able to experience some freedom, explore a new place, and meet new people, and that is more than enough reason to be this rhapsodic. I will also have time to put my mind together and think of how to live with Ejay. I know he will be waiting for me on my return, and this time, there is no turning back. I have no other excuse to keep him away from me. I have used my last card with this. I made a promise, and there is no way I can break it.

I might have accepted to be his woman, but I am sure of one thing. I cannot fall in love with a murderer like him. I may never have been in love, but I can still differentiate between true love and fake love. I can feel love, and I can sense if someone just wants to use me. I believe true love should come naturally, without having to be forced or compelled to it or bound by some stupid agreements. True love speaks for itself, and what I see in Ejay's eyes is nothing but pure, insatiable lust and dominance. He is just obsessed with me, or it may be with sex. There is no sign of adoration or love in his eyes. He is just determined to get me in bed, and that is all. All he wants is sex, and what happens after? I know I said I don't want to be sad, but there are things that need careful thinking. I will become useless to him after he gets what he wants. I will no longer be important to him. He will no longer protect me. He might also include my name in the bid list or sell me off to his business partners. He told me that he is selling off some of the girls to a certain client who is starting a brothel. Can I live like that?

The drive to my house is quiet as always. We have absolutely nothing to talk about with these goons. All that is on my mind now is my vacation. In just three days, I will say goodbye to this double life I am living and be just me. I will give my all to this trip, keeping in mind that opportunities come only once. I might never experience that freedom ever again. I will enjoy it to the fullest and make beautiful memories.

The car stops at the parking lot, and I walk out. I walk inside the house and join my two roommates at the dining table. The buffalo, Nelly, is finishing her plate of food, while this other one is lost somewhere in her thoughts, staring at space. Ever since that day of their heated moment with Ejay, she has gone back to this mood again, but I do not care. She serves me food and fills her plate too, and we start eating.

"Are you done with your business here, Nelly? Are you still leaving tomorrow?" I ask, breaking the awkwardness around this table. We are all enemies of each other, and so nobody has been talking to each other for two days now. When I return, I do not want to come back to this kind of environment. Living with these two is freaking me out as well.

"You can't wait to see me leave, can you?" She asks, pushing her empty plate aside and taking another piece of chicken nugget. Where does all the food she eats go? I would look like an elephant if I ate the amount of food she ate.

"Don't make a big deal out of my simple question." I say.

"I have some important information that will interest you." She says, fixing her eyes in mine.

"About what?" I ask, looking at her and noticing that Mayleen is looking at her too, like she also wants to hear the information.

"How did you lose your memory? I have been investigating, and...

"You what?" I almost choked on my food. What the hell did she do? If Ejay has installed cameras in here, she is so fucking done for, and God, please, do not hold this against me. I warned this bitch countless times, didn't I? But she had to play stubborn!

Forget even about the CCTV; we have a human CCTV right here with us, and she is so attentive. Good Lord, how stubborn can this Nelly be?

"Yes. Sorry for keeping it a secret. I knew you wouldn't let me do this, but I did, Gia, because I want to help you. I don't believe you don't want to remember anything." She adds, looking at me as if waiting for a trophy.

"Well, thank you for betraying me and doing things behind my back. And you know what? You and your investigation, together with all the information you have gathered, can go to hell." If protecting you from Ejay means ruining our relationship, I have no choice. I cannot allow you to get hurt, even if what you have given me since you came here is nothing but trouble.

"You are not serious right now, right? Tell me you are joking."

"I am dead serious. And you know what else? I cannot stay with you another single day. Leave my house tomorrow." I stand up and start walking to my room, but her voice stops me a few steps away. This bitch doesn't know just when to stop, does she? "

You don't want to know who has turned your life into a living hell." I take a step back and stand just a step from her. I am sorry, Nelly. I am not a violent person, but if I don't make you shut up, it will cost your life. "If it was not for that..." I shut her up with a slap. A good one.

"That is to shut you up." Did she say my life is a living hell? How did she know that? And what exactly does she know?

"I. Have. Had enough with you, pathetic bitch!" She yells, turning to slap me back. I could have defended myself, but Mayleen decided to act up again, playing the savior. She grabs Nelly's hand in the air and pushes her back, and she is holding a fork in her left hand. I hope she does not do something crazy. "Wow! This is interesting! So you two are ganging up on me? When did you become this close?" I was about to respond, but Mayleen beat me to it again, so I stood aside and watched the drama between these two.

"If you open that smelly mouth of yours again, I will push this fork down your throat and pull your lungs out with it." She sounds dead serious, and that got Nelly to panic. She unbelievably shakes her head and walks to her room.

"Don't expect a thank-you from me." I say this to Mayleen, and she turns to me with a stupid smirk on her face.

"I don't need it." She says this, slamming down on her seat again to continue with her food.

What is with this bitch? I hate her baffling, camouflaging style.