“You’re such a stupid moron,” she muttered slowly. A couple of eyes were turned towards them, but she didn’t care whatsoever. Alex stood there in front of her, holding his left cheek which had just been slapped real hard. It looked very red even under his palms like that. Lily wasn’t really sure whether it was red from her blow just now or was he actually embarrassed being slapped in front of public like that.
“Just because you come from a very wealthy family, you think you can buy everything with money?” she continued. Alex didn’t say a word. He stood still in his position, glancing sharply towards Lily.
“Well hear this, you spoilt moron, I’m not that kind of girl you can buy with all your riches and stuff. If you want me to pay for the scratch on your car, I’ll pay for all of it. I don’t care. I’ll work years for that if I have to. But this is just too much.”
Lily turned around and started walking out of the shop. After saying all that only did she realized how much of a scene she had caused. Vanessa was standing flabbergasted not very far from them with a beautiful peach-coloured dress in her hands. But somehow, no matter how wrong she felt after that, Lily felt so much more relieved and satisfied. At least, she thought, she fought back.
The next day Lily went to work as usual. Scott and Veronica stared towards her as she entered the shop, grinning brightly like the sunshine.
“Now what’s up with you? Did that rich guy do something to you yesterday?” Scott asked, dumbfounded. Lily threw him a nasty glance. “Of course it has nothing to do with that. I’m just in a good mood today.” Lily replied with her big smile and walked towards the kitchen area, humming a little tune on the way. Veronica and Scott looked towards each other and shrugged.
Lily had felt much better after the incident at the mall yesterday. Even though it was terribly mean to slap someone in public like that, but Lily thought it was the best thing she could do. It served him right. And now she was much happier with the fact that the moron won’t come bugging her at the shop again. Alex must feel uncomfortable seeing her after that sort of blow on his face. She baked cupcakes happily for the whole day, finishing the rest of the orders she had left.
By 5 o’clock in the evening, Lily had cleared up all her baking equipments in the kitchen and ready to go home.
“I’ve finished all the orders for tomorrow.” She reported to Veronica who was cleaning the cupcake racks on the counter. Veronica smiled. “Good then. You’re not coming tomorrow?”
“Uh, no I won’t. I need a day off. My sister Daisy has been bugging me to accompany her to this concert tomorrow evening.”
“Okay then. You have a nice day!”
“Thanks Veronica, you too.”
Lily flashed a smile towards Veronica and exited through the main door of the shop. Scott as always was no where to be seen. Around this hour he would have already left the shop for home, unless if he had a last minute delivery to do.
Lily walked along the pavement, looking as contented as ever. She looked at the evening view in this un-busy suburb area where children play skipping and sit chatting with each other on their doorsteps. She didn’t forget to smile and greet the elders hanging around exchanging gossips and latest news. The road-side was walled with a row of medium-cost apartments. Lily lived at the far end of the road, but she knew mostly all her neighbours in the area.
Eventhough there were mild sounds of the hustle and bustle from the busy neighbouring town, Lily could still catch a few words from the elders’ conversation. At first she ignored them because she knew it was not good eavesdropping what older people were talking about. However, she was sure she heard them mention her name a couple of times. Lily slowed her pace.
“Could it be possible she had done anything against the law? Those men were kinda like secret agents, you know.”
“Really? That Lily?? I thought she was a nice girl. What else did you tell them?”
“Well, I didn’t believe it was Lily either. I was confident it had something to do with the father. But they were just interested on knowing where she lived. I told them that and they gave me a few bucks. Ain’t that something? As if it was such important information!”
“Well, who knew? It might be her father, you know what I mean.”
And then she could hear no more as she continued walking home. Lily wanted to butt in and ask them what they were talking about. But she might also be wrong. She wasn’t the only Lily in the neighbourhood. And most probably they weren’t talking about any Lilies in the neighbourhood either. But no other Lily had a problematic father other than her.
Lily sighed. Just when she thought she was having another normal day, something like this came up. What did her father get involved into now? The other time it was loan sharks. But that was settled a few months ago; after her mother had to sell all her precious jewelleries and work at a restaurant as a substitute for the current cook who was on maternity leave, and she herself had to work part-time doing milk deliveries in the morning, work at Veronica’s until early evening and private tutoring for primary school students until late at night. Her father never offered a hand in his part. It was the most depressing year for Lily and the whole family.
Oh well, Lily thought. Whatever happens next, she’s going to give in all her effort.
*
To Be Continued...
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