Never Bend

Chapter 10 : A new ME

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New day,
New beginning.
I can do it!
You can too.
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In the kitchen, opening all the doors and drawers. I smiled when I finally found the essentials for a beautiful morning.

Happy, I brew my coffee and watched the jar as it filled, smelling the intoxicating scent.

A movement behind me caught my eye, making me deeply breathe, knowing that a battle was about to begin. Mustering my courage, I exhaled.

"Good morning, Tom. Hi... Did you sleep well? I mean, not too tired from your party last night?" I tried, but the words stalled for a second in my head. How was I to establish communication?

"Yeah, all good. What about you and your night of isolation?" He said, passing next to me, already grabbing cups from a cabinet.

My arms crossed, his smirk freezing my body. Everything was wrong already, from what I imagined. Taking the cups from the countertop where he let them, moved to the coffee machine.

"Fantastic! I. Well. I made a list of things I want to go over with you." I exhaled, feeling my lungs cry for release. "Here's your coffee," I added, pushing forward the fuming cup. "Do you take anything sweet?" I added with a sweet voice, hoping to ease things up.

He didn't answer and looked at me with intent. Our eyes locked, and I realized my free hand was involuntarily reaching for a free lock of hair on my head. I lowered it, conscious of the nervous tic that I gave off.

"Right. So, since this place is now also my place, I have to feel at home here." Opening the drawers, I couldn't find the spoons.

He remained quiet, seemingly suspicious. His eyebrows arched, his chin contracting for a second, and he closed his eyes.
"Open the drawer next to the refrigerator,"

I nodded.
"I am well aware we started our relationship weirdly. But we need to get along. Let's make rules. Let's make this bearable for both." With the spoon in my hand, I looked for the sweetener.

He moved, getting close to me as I played dumbly with my hands, he hands over me the sugar.

Never let your enemy know how scared you are. The memory of a past encounter in the girl's bathroom coming to my mind. "Since you spend so much of your time in the library, why don't you do my homework to keep you busy?" Sana's eyes were dead serious and for the first time, I held her gaze. "Like you said, it's my time and not yours," I turned away from her stoned look. That day, I held my head high facing my bully and the fact that my brother was quite popular helped, too.

Today was no different. This was my life, and I wasn't gonna let him dictate my life. Tom rolled his right shoulder, pressing his fingers around his muscles while going back to his seat.

"what you ask is a waste of time. We go to college, we buy food there and we go to the restaurant for supper. There is no need at all. I even have a cleaning team. I settled everything, then why bother?" He snorted.

I lifted my hands in the air.

"Hell no. I can't live like this. All pampered." Words kept disappearing in my head before I could say them. "Normal people don't." I see myself taking care of my family. "I need to take care of my needs." It became a realization. I always took care of others when I didn't do that for myself.

He shook his head, but let me finish my thought.

"I need proper food. I need it, because I like it. Besides, I am not asking you to cook or clean." I added so fast that I suddenly felt dizzy, needing to hold on to the countertop.