ARCHER

3.

-HER-

After working for the rest of the evening, we shut the bakery and leave. It’s almost midnight. We’ve been working since the afternoon followed by the whole evening to complete the cake orders for tomorrow.

I walk through the deserted and dark streets, pulling my sweater closer to my body as a cold breeze brushes my body, sending chills down my spine. I adjust my glasses to see clearer in the dark. As another chilling night wind blows by, I wrap my arms around my body but somehow the cold wind manages to sneak into my sweater through holes.

I need to buy a new sweater since this one has holes and is worn out due to years of use. This is the only sweater I have and since winter is around the corner, I need to scrap some money together and invest in a new sweater to avoid getting sick. The huge tip that I received today can buy me a decent sweater but I guess I’ll be sharing it with Carla since she is financially struggling like me.

It’s very rare when customers leave tips for us. In fact, it was the first time for me to receive a tip! Thinking about the tip, my thoughts are driven to the stranger who visited our bakery this evening. Archer. He was breathtaking and well... he seemed like a living god. I am no match for him. Not at all. It saddens me but it’s the truth. I can be nowhere near him and I’ll probably never see him again.

I sigh as the building I call home comes in view. Wishing everyone has gone to sleep, I enter the house quietly like a mouse. Shutting the door behind me, I tiptoe towards the kitchen as my stomach grumbles in protest since I haven’t eaten anything since morning.

I open the fridge with overflowing enthusiasm but it turns into an epitome of barren land as soon as I find it empty. I sigh deeply as I close it but my attention is claimed by a note on the fridge door.

No dinner for you. Wash the dishes before morning.

I recognize the handwriting as my stepsister’s. I look at the sink to find a huge pile of dirty dishes waiting for me. I check the time to find that it’s almost one in the morning. My stomach grumbles angrily again, demanding food which is what I am not able to provide it with.

I undo my sweater before tackling the whole pile of dishes with cold freezing water. By the time I am done, my hands are cold and hard as ice. I climb upstairs to the attic which happens to be my room.

I am tired due to working all day. Most of my muscles are sore and my eyes are hurting really bad. After I get into my room, I change into my pajamas and climb into my small, cold bed to sleep which is the only thing that I’ve been looking forward to all day.

~

“b***h! WAKE UP!”

I jump up from my bed, feeling wide awake. Someone is rapping on my door angrily. I rub my eyes and reach for my glasses on the nightstand table. After putting them on, I climb out of my bed.

“yeah... I ... I am awake. I’ll make break..fast.” I say while yawning and stretching. I check the time and almost scream bloody murder. It’s freaking eight in the morning! How the fvck did I sleep so long! Ugh, I hate myself.

I rush to my door and open it to find my stepmother glaring at me, her hands resting on her hips.

“Who do you think you are? Who’ll make breakfast!” She demands angrily and I gulp audibly. Without thinking next, I flee to the kitchen and start making breakfast.

My stepmother joins my dad and stepsister on the table before they start to lecture me on my laziness. I steal a look at dad. His eyes are red which means that he has been drinking last night. I think I know what’s coming next.

“I need more money. Bella needs new clothes.” Mom says, referring to my step sister while I crack some eggs and fry them.

“I ...uh... I’ll manage.” I utter thinking about the tip I got yesterday. I think my sweater is pretty good. I’ll use it this winter and buy a new one next time maybe? After all, I have been using it for five years now. I can manage one more year, right?

“And your dad needs medicine-”

“I... I will manage. Just buy what you need.” I say putting two slices of bacon on the pan. I know what she means by medicine. It’s alcohol. If I don’t give him the money then he’ll beat my stepmother and I don’t want that happening. I’ll do anything to maintain the peace in the house. I live in a dysfunctional house. I try to mend everyone’s need hoping that someday it will bring us together and we’ll function like a proper and healthy family. So far, I have failed but I am going to keep trying.

The delicious scent of bacon and pancakes fills my nostrils and my stomach churns painfully. It’s been a day since I have eaten. I check the time and hurry. I have class in an hour. I am already running late and since I have to save some money to give it to my mother, I can’t afford to take the bus. I have to walk to college or take my cycle.

After serving them breakfast, I head upstairs and get dressed before heading down with my backpack and setting off for college on my cycle. I bike hard, pumping my legs harder. My stomach is protesting but I ignore it as I bike hard through the traffic.

In record-breaking time, I reach college. I lock my cycle and run to class. My legs are aching and my body is sore from yesterday. My stomach is screaming at me and my lungs are on fire. When I reach class, I find that the professor has already entered the class and has started teaching.

When I ask her for permission to enter, she shuts the door on my face. I missed the class by just a minute or two. Rubbing my face in frustration, I head towards the waiting room. It’s empty when I enter it.

I decide to do some self-study while I wait for this class to finish. I haven’t reviewed my notes for a week. It will be a surprise if I happen to remember anything from the previous lessons. I take a seat at the far corner before opening my book.

As soon as I open my book, several papers slip off from it and fall on the floor. When I pick them up, I recognize that they’re the papers regarding my educational loan. I haven’t paid monthly interest for three months in a row now. They’re sending mails threatening me to withdraw the loan if I don’t pay them by the end of this month. If they withdraw the loan then I’d have to leave college which is the last thing I want to do on this earth. I want to complete my education and...and... my stomach growls loudly, interrupting my thoughts.

“I know,” I say patting my stomach.

I don’t know how I am going to do this. I need to find one more job. It's getting harder for me to make the two ends meet. I am deep into debt and the expenses of my family are increasing day by day. I am the only bread earner in my family. To meet their expenses I have to sacrifice many things but sacrificing my education is not the option for me.

I don’t know how long I’ve been thinking to myself when the bell rings, signaling that the previous class is over. I get on my feet and rush to my class, not wanting to miss it like the previous one.

Fortunately, I reach at the right time and attend the next class. The rest of the day passes in a blur and by now, a whole nation of rats are rioting in my stomach to provide them food. I decide to stop by a food stall and buy something to eat.

As I exit the class and head towards the parking lot, I see Dossam, one of my friends in medical school. I was about to approach her when a tall, muscular man approaches her. He’s rugged and handsome. Her eyes instantly light up as soon as they land on him. The same thing happens to him as he takes her hand and leads her out of the building. It didn’t take me long to realize that they’re in a relationship.

They look good together. They look as if they belong together. The adoration and affection in his eyes as he looked down at her is enough to tell that he loves her. It could easily melt one's heart away.

I don’t know why but that man reminds me of Archer from the bakery yesterday. There’s something similar about them. Both of them seem to hold this regal air to their presence that I can’t avoid. The way he looks down at Dossam with possessiveness and awe seems familiar. I don’t know. Maybe, I am thinking too much?

Looking at them, it makes me remember all the things I am lacking in life. Everything. I am lacking everything. From a good family to food in my stomach. Having a good relationship with someone is something I cannot imagine myself into. It’s like one of those expensive dresses in the shops that I can only stare at but could never afford.

As my stomach grumbles again, I head towards the parking lot before taking my cycle and heading towards the small food stalls. My stomach roars angrily at the sight of food while my mouth floods with saliva.

I purchase a cheap sandwich before heading towards a bench to sit and devour it peacefully. As I unwrapped the sandwich, my hunger ascends to a new level. I was about to put the sandwich in my mouth when someone bumped into me and ... my sandwich fell on the ground.

“b***h, this is our place.”

I look up to find the college cheerleaders glaring at me. Without saying another word, I take my bike and walk away silently, leaving my sandwich on the ground. There’s no way I could argue with them and win. They’re goddesses and I am nothing. They are powerful and they’re capable of beating me if I open my mouth to protest.

I am so hungry but I cannot spend more. I have to save to give it to my family and pay the bills. I head to the bakery next. When I reach there, Carla is loading her bike with the cake we made last night.

“I am going to deliver this.” She says nodding at the box sitting at the back of her bike.

“Okay. Be back soon.” I say before she leaves. I sigh before getting inside the bakery and putting on my apron. My stomach is twisting painfully at the sight of all the cakes and muffin on display. It’s one step away from digesting itself. I am so hungry, I could devour the whole shop but I cannot eat anything. There are cameras installed in the shop by Beth to keep eyes on us.

She’ll fire me if I ever dare to eat anything.

With all the self-control I have, I start baking. It’s torture. There’s plenty of food around me yet I am starving. I cannot wait to go home tonight and eat. Hours pass by as I bake. Carla hasn’t returned yet and it’s getting hard for me to keep up with the tremendous amount of work.

Suddenly, the bell chimes.

It must be Carla, I think to myself as I wipe my hands on the apron and step inside the shop.

The hungry and savage rats in my stomach transform into beautiful butterflies as soon as my eyes land on him. The air around me sizzles with electricity and my heart stops beating when his eyes find mine.

“Corey...”