TWENTY ONE

Elaine walked back to her family home at the end of the day, something tells her Tom is waiting for her but she is not ready to face him yet. Her little encounter with him at the library today was still fresh in her mind. The hurt in his voice still fresh in her heart. She pushed the thought of him away from her mind as she got to her family home.

She pushed open the door, not expecting to see her mom home yet and closed the door gently after her. She walked up the stairs to her room, wanting to take a long bath to ease her nerves. She opened the bathroom and thank the stars that little Joshua, their neighbour, Mila's son fetched the water as always. She often wondered what her mom will do without him always there to help her.

She took off her clothing and soaked herself in the cold water that seems to be what her body needs. She tied her hair in a bun and closed her eyes as different memories fought to be the first she remembers.

She started by the night she first saw Tom,