Chapter Two

The smell of Lavender filled the air as the warm sun tickled my face. I covered my head with the duvet not wanting to get up. I had to start the day. Mrs. Rose will be sure to give me an earful if I am late today as well. 

Groaning, with a frown on my face I got up from the comforts of my bed and headed for the shower. I picked a beautiful floral dress and a piano scarf to go with it. I wanted to spend more time under that warm shower. The room was freezing because somebody opened the window. The chilly air came in. I shivered while holding my sides and cursed at the one who opened the windows. I got out and headed downstairs where I saw my best friend, Mia Hensler sipping her morning coffee. 

I put my hand on my waist and raised my fingers at her accusatory. “You left the window  open in my room.”

She smiled without looking at me. Her red hair flowed as she turned her face. “Yes ma’am, I did. Otherwise, how can the majesty of sloths wake from her slumber?’

I scoffed at her words. “I may be a deep sleeper but at least I wake up early.” I went to the counter and made myself some coffee. 

She hummed. “Only if a billionaire comes and kisses me on the cheeks, I shall wake.” She said in a half-sarcastic and half-dreamy tone. 

We laughed as I sat opposite her. “Are billionaires what goes on in your head all day?’ I asked.

She nodded. “Of course, money is a must for the man I will ever marry.”

I shook her head. She might be joking but that is the ultimate truth anyway. Mia is the daughter of a wealthy man. She never suffered financially. When she met me, she saw the challenges life may throw on some.

While she sips her expensive coffee and laughs with rich fellows for tea, I spend my entire day juggling three jobs at the coffee shop, book store, and flower shop.

“By that, tomorrow I am going to this club Dad opened. He wanted me to check it out.” She said smiling. 

I nodded. “Okay, go ahead, I’ll be leaving now. Mrs. Rose will kill me if I am late today.”

I bid her goodbye and took my bag while heading towards the flower shop. Mrs. Ross is one of the most generous yet amazing people I have ever met and surprisingly her name suits her very well with her flower shop. 

The bell of the shop chimed as I headed inside. “I am back,” I said to her as her grumpy expression made it obvious that she wasn’t happy today either. 

“Welcome.” She said in her slight Japanese tone. This was the quietest area of Tokyo and the people living here were nothing but peaceful. 

Though, Mrs. Rose sometimes makes me think otherwise. 

I put my backpack on the side and wore my apron. Looking at myself in the mirror I cheered myself and got started for the day. 

—

“Put the black cat way, it brings bad luck.” Mrs. Rose said as I petted a cat after closing the shop at night. 

I pouted. 

She side-eyed the cat as it passed by side-eying her as well. Just as the cat jumped on top of the walls, it threw a flower bucket at Mrs. Ross.

She cursed at the cat in Japanese as the cat left in a smug way not bothering to look back. I tried my best to contain my laughter but failed as I saw her drenched and angry. 

She cursed at me as well and went to her house which was on the second floor of the flower shop. 

The Grandpa convenience store owner laughed as well. “What a grumpy woman!” He said.

I walked to the apartment with a smile on my face. The day was peaceful. I greeted Mia and went inside my room. She was making pasta. It smelled so nice. After I was feeling fresh I came out. 

“Sit, I made your favorite pasta.” She said. 

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said and sat down. Taking a big bite I stuffed my face and enjoyed it. 

Mia sat down beside me. ‘You know, the club I was talking about earlier this morning.”

I nodded focused on my food. 

“I am so excited to go there. I don’t even know what dress I will pick.” She said. Her eyes beaming.

I looked at her. She was never big on clubs. Though she was hyper she preferred quiet places most of the time. “Why are you excited? I thought you hated clubs.”

She gave me a mischievous smile. “I heard some of the Fords will be there.”

I choked on my food. “The who?”

She looked confused. “T-The Fords. Why? What’s wrong?” She asked. 

“N-Nothing,” I said. 

I finished my food and went to my room. Closing the door I went to the balcony. If there was something I absolutely loved about this place, it would be the balcony. It was so peaceful here that it made me clear up my thoughts. 

I took a deep breath. I forgot most parts of my life back in America. I didn’t know why but some of the doctors said it was some sort of a trauma response. So whenever I heard something about the past, it made me shocked as if somebody violently shook me.

I didn’t know why that happened when I heard the name, Ford. Was that name related to my past? 

“Ah, it couldn’t be,” I said and waved off the thoughts as Mia said that they were some sort of billionaires or something. Me being related to a billionaire would be such a strange thing. I scoffed internally. 

I yawned and decided to go to bed. 

The red light of the laptop made me realize that I had to email back Mom. I immediately pulled away the duvet and sat down replying to the email my mom left me. Except for the trauma and painful memories I was reminded of back in the US, my mom’s emails are the only thing keeping me alive. 

I smiled at how the vibe I was getting from the energy of her texts. She uses Capital letters in order to tell me that she is excited. Though my mother never called me in the past 2 years ever since I came from the US to Japan I still put up with her excuses which said that she preferred to write more than talk. 

After replying to her email I went to sleep peacefully. 

In the morning, I somehow managed to wake up early as Mia made me breakfast. Though she is not my roommate and is only living in my apartment because she fought with her dad, I love her company nonetheless. She is my only friend, anyway.

I bid her goodbye and headed for the bookstore. It was a twenty-minute walk so it won’t take much time. 

I went inside. Putting on my work attire I cheered myself on and started the day.

—

It was late afternoon now. I was yawning while sitting in the seat. The bookstore was always so quiet that at the end f the day, it made me so damn sleepy. 

As I was about to doze off, I heard a bang sound on the counter before me. I got startled and woke up. Standing before me was a redhead who stashed about 6-7 books in front of me. Her head was tilted while glaring at me as if she ordered me to ring her books. 

“Do I need to wait for an hour?” Her voice came out rude.

I apologetically nodded at her and rang all her books quickly. As she sat on the bench beside the counter, a boy came after her. 

He had three books or so but as I rang them all, he smiled at me. “I haven’t seen you here much.”

I smiled at him back. “I joined a few weeks ago.”

He smiled, sheepishly. “All the more reasons for me to come.” He said as he left. 

I was left surprised. As another person was about to come, the redhead came back. Her eyes almost torched me with her glare. “Are you crazy, you stupid wench?”

I looked at her, shocked. The entire bookstore’s eyes were on me. “I am sorry?”

She scoffed. “Who the hell are you to flirt with that boy?”

I realized. “Ma’am, I wasn’t flirting.”

She shouted. “Oh, you sure were.” She said and gripped my arm to bring me close. “I have got no interest in this bookstore or you people filled with your fantasized imagination but let me tell you this. That boy is mine.” She said.

She was wearing a red short dress and her cleavage was fully visible. I didn’t see many people like that in the bookstore. I agree that clothes don’t matter at the bookstore but this is a rare site. 

I winced in pain. Her grip wasn’t normal. 

My manager came from behind. “Ma’am, please let her go. You cannot touch our employees.”

She smirked and let go. “Tell her to go back to where she came from.” 

I looked at the scar on my arms and then at her. My hands were fisted. She just mocked me. 

—

I came back into the house and I plopped down on the couch. What a day at work. I sighed and looked at the scar on my arms. Her nails had perfectly dug into my right hand. 

People just be rude without thinking. Her voice kept echoing in my head. “Tell her to back to where she came from.”

Where do I go? US? I came from the US but I know for a fact that she didn’t mean for me to go to the US. 

My facial features came from my mom. She is from Saudi Arabia. My father? I might as well not think of him.

I went to the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. I looked around. Mia wasn’t home. She probably went to this one club she had been talking about for so long. 

Ford. Ford. Ford.

That name just will not leave my mind. All day I tried to remember the name but I just couldn’t. It was impossible.

I sighed. My phone rang as I picked it up. 

The laughter of a drunk Mia came from the other side. “Ayah, my baby, come here, it’s fun.”

“Mia?” I asked. 

“Yes, it’s your best friend. Mia.” She said. Her voice was heavily drunk.

The sound of fumbling the phone came from the other side. “Leave!” Mia said.

“Mia? Hey?” I asked. 

I heard the sound of slapping and a few men laughing. 

“Ayah.” She whispered.

“Wait, I am coming,” I said as I couldn’t hear her reply anymore.