The next morning, the sun bypassing the windows blind trickled into Aveline's face, and her eyes shot open.
She tried to sit up when a hammering ache hit her right at the side of her head.
Her lips parted to let out a loud yelp, but she froze as she saw a manly outline from the corner of her eyes.
Aveline whipped her head fully to the side, and there he was in all his shirtless glory.
Although his waist and just below his thighs were covered, everything else was laid out bare for her eyes to take in.
His face was a good start for her. Never had she seen jaws more chiseled, or eyes that green. Then there was his broad shoulders, and how easily his breath rose and fell without a ca—-
"He's naked, and you're naked," the thought slammed into her head out of the blues, and her eyes widened.
Swiftly, she raised her cover cloth just to confirm, and she discovered she was indeed naked.
Memories of the previous night stormed into her head piece by piece- some blurry, others clear as day.
Then it all began to make sense. Her boyfriend and best friend betrayed her. The cab driver drove away with her change. The bar, the drinks, and finally, Mr deep voice.
"I have to leave—- I can't— what have you done, Aveline?" She questioned herself internally, as she gently took the covers off her.
Careful not to make a sound, she slid out of the bed, and tiptoed to her clothes littered all over the floor.
As she bent to pick up her clothes, the ache in her head revealed itself again, but she pushed through it, and grabbed the clothes.
She quickly dressed up despite her trembling fingers.
Nothing else mattered in that moment, other than her zeal to escape what she considered the biggest impulsive mistake of her life.
However, she stopped just at the door, and took one last look at the handsome stranger.
"No, it wasn't a mistake. You needed this awakening," she muttered to herself, before hurrying out of the room.
Aveline hailed a taxi outside of the hotel, still oblivious of the sign above.
Her hand went above her head to shield herself from the surprisingly intense morning sun.
A cab finally stopped in front of her, and she slid in.
"Pineapple street," she mumbled.
The cab moved, and she finally surrendered herself to her thoughts.
Her eyes watered as she thought of the implications of her predicament. An orphan with her boyfriend and best friend as the only solace she had. They were both gone now. Neither had even contac—- she paused, just as the cab came to a stop.
"We're here ma'am," the cab driver said.
Her memories flashed back to the other taxi. Her phone had definitely slipped out of her hand whilst in it.
She gasped, and covered her mouth as it dawned on her that she had messed up even more.
"Ma'am, we're here. Please alight and pay," the driver politely repeated himself.
"The bar," she whispered. "Oh no! I gave the bartender my card and told him to keep the drinks coming. Then I left my purse with the change on the counter. I didn't even—"
A switch swiftly flicked in the driver's head. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm simply not buying what you're selling. You won't be the first swindler I've picked up. Pay up!"
Aveline's body began to vibrate, as she turned paler than a ghost.
She lifted her head to the driver. "I swear to you sir, I'm not lying. You can take me back to— to—" she stopped, realising she didn't even know where she was coming from.
The driver let out a long hiss, and stormed out of the car. He opened her side of the door, and dragged her out.
"I know whores like you," he dug into her arms with his tight grip. "You think you can use your beauty to get what you want, but you're very lucky I'm not that kind of man. Look at where I picked you up from, but look at the dump you live in," he made a disgusted face. "Whore!" He shoved her forcefully, and she fell to the ground.
Hopping into his car, he drove off. Aveline remained on the ground, as she fought back the tears struggling to spill out of her eyes, to the point of clogging her throat.
"How long can you keep—" she sniffled. "You can't cry. You're not a whore, Aveline. Just a woman with terrible luck." She stiffened her body, and closed her eyes until that wave of tears passed.
Dusting herself up, she turned towards the direction of her house.
Her legs froze when the first thing she saw were her things being thrown out.
"My rent!" She screamed internally, and her reflexes kicked in.
She dashed towards the landlord, who was showing no mercy in tossing her belongings out.
"Mr James, I'm here. It's me, Aveline." She stopped in front of him, breathing hard.
"I know it's you, Aveline. Where is your rent?" He briefly stopped to ask.
"I swear I was going to pay today. I took out a—"
He shook his head, and walked past her into the room. "I'm sorry, but your excuses won't fly anymore. I already have a new tenant ready to move in."
Aveline's lips began to quiver, as she burst into fresh tears.
She followed after him, but the two hefty men helping the landlord throw her things out, stopped her from going any further. "Mr James I swear I can explain. If you just give me the opportunity— no, give me this evening. But if you kick me out, I have nowhere else to go." She fell to her knees, as she begged desperately.
"Your tears do not move me anymore, Aveline. I only let the excuses fly before because of my relationship with your parents. They've been dead for a while, yet you still can't get your shit together. Grow up Aveline!" He screamed at her, as he flung the last of her things outside.
"Please Mr James," she crawled up to him, and held him by his legs. "Please, help me this one last time. I have nowhere else to go. Please."
"I told you already, Aveline," he threw his face to the side, to avoid looking at her. "I can't do anything for you anymore. Your time is up. Clear out your things from the front of the house before evening. That's when the new tenants arrive." He pulled his legs forcefully out of Aveline's hold, and marched to his truck.
"Please don't go!" Aveline struggled to her feet. But as she made to run towards him, the hefty men grabbed her from behind.
They flung her over the heap of clothes littered all over the ground, leaving her screaming, and crying as they jumped into the truck with the landlord.
Still, she rose to her feet, determined to fight until she couldn't anymore.
She ran after the truck, begging for Mr James to stop.
The neighbours gathered outside to see Aveline's disgrace, shaking their heads as they watched her pursue a dead end.
In pursuit of the truck, Aveline's legs caught against a string rope carelessly laying on the ground, and she fell face flat on a heap of sand.
"Oh Aveline!" the neighbours chorused in unison.
It was the most common sentiment, after all.