Displeased

AFTER Isla took a quick shower, she stepped out of the bathroom and saw Zero that was sitting on the bed.
“You can wait for me outside. I will just change—”
“I asked the maid to bring you some of mom’s dress. You can pick one—”
“Don’t talk to me as if we’re okay, Zero. Because you knew, we’re not. And please, let’s get back home early. I’m afraid Apollo will find out about this—”
“He’s out of town. You’re safe—”
“I don’t feel that I’m safe with you anymore, Zero. You just stabbed me with a sharp knife in my chest,” whoever will hear Isla’s words will feel the pain.
“Isla—”
“I had enough, Zero. It’s already clear to me. Don’t worry. And you don’t have to be sorry. It’s just that, I thought you’re wise enough to be responsible with your words,” she uttered, and Zero knew what she was pointing out.
Zero told her that they could be like real couples, yet Zero broke that.
“I don’t want you to feel—”
“Feel what? Pain? Why would I feel pain? Do you think I’m in love with you?” she asked and let out a sarcastic laugh. “Zero, don’t be too full of yourself. What are you, a gold?”
“It’s not like—”
“Ah… I don’t want to hear about it anymore. Just get out and wait for me downstairs,” she uttered.
Zero heaved a deep sigh and exited the room. His eyes widened for a bit when he saw his mom standing a meter away from him.
“What's wrong, Zero?” she asked.
Zero sighed again and shook his head. “It’s nothing, mom,” he replied.
His mother walked near him. “Son, I’m glad that at last, you already brought a woman here—and as far as I remember, you did tell me that you will only bring here the woman you love, does that mean, you love—”
“It’s not because I told you that in the past, mom, means to say I’m already in love with Isla. You know Apollo?” he asked, and his mom nodded.
“She’s Isla’s brother, and I’m just doing a favor to take good care—”
“While carrying her naked until you reached your room?” his mom interrupted, which made his eyes widen, and suddenly his forehead creased.
“Don’t fool me, Zero. Even if we’re not living with us anymore, I saw, and I know how to differentiate—”
“Mom, we’re not in a relationship. You know I will be going to Spain for a month, right? Isla is my friend, and I just want to spend this time—”
“Because you can’t accept to yourself that you shared feelings the way how she felt for you. hep,” she realized her hand to prevent Zero from interrupting. “You knew you were falling already. That’s why you’re distancing—”
“Mom, I told you, I’ll be gone for a month or two. I need to settle my business in Spain—”
“Come on, Zero. Your father and I had been there and done those. And no matter how hard you try to deny it,” she shook her head, “I won’t agree nor believe you again,” she said and was about to turn around when she spoke, “also, Isla is beautiful and got a perfect body, and I know she’s kind too. And the best thing is… she’s in love with you,” her mother added and left him dumbfounded.
Zero wiped his palm into his face to suppress his anger and knocked on the door. What’s taking her too long? She thought.
Having no patience in waiting, Zero started to climb down.
Isla, at that moment, doesn’t know where to start. She's so hurt—her heart was too broken for what Zero did. She was right all along that Zero would do anything stupid for her. And the fact that she thought about the possibilities, but she still did her best to cover it up.
She heaved a deep sigh as she stared at herself in the mirror. “Lesson learned, Isla,” she whispered before turning her back away and exiting the room.
She was expecting Zero was waiting for her, but he was not. The corridor is empty, and it’s only her who was standing there.
A tear fell from her eyes again as she started to walk her way to the staircase. She wiped her tears away and cheered herself not to cry again.
She doesn’t want Zero’s mom to see that she’s crying. What would she go to answer if the older woman asked for the reason why she was crying?
She can’t just tell that ‘oh, ma’am, it’s because your son doesn’t love me back it’s not she will going to say it.
Being honest to herself and about the things that are happening between her and Zero, it wasn’t Zero’s fault, to begin with. He made it clear from the beginning that it should be no-string-attached. However, she’s this hardheaded who totally fell in love.
ISLA
I am so down right now that I just want to go home and cage myself inside my room. I want to burst out—I want to cry out loud and screamed my anger!
Why does Zero need to do this to me? Why did he just make it hard between us?
I know that he’s aware that I have feelings for him but he should just play unbothered so that he won’t complicate things. And now, I had enough. I know this is already the end between us.
We struggle because we believe that life was designed to be painless and that things should continue to run smoothly as they currently do. If life were so simple, we'd all be complete morons, still using stones to ignite fires and dressing in animal skins as our only means of clothing.
You don't expect life to be fair to you simply because you are a wonderful person or because you put so much effort into your job. Every person has their own set of rules, and life is both complicated and unique in every way.
In this life, it is so unfair that we are brought into it without our consent, and that we die without death asking for our permission before taking us away from this world.
In life, there are several trials and perplexing situations that might lead to one unknowingly erasing all of the happy memories that they have gained through their experiences. Every moment of life is a whirlwind of surprises, some of which are pleasant and others which are really difficult.
We are all victims of life's inequalities here. To be honest, at times I wish I could just lift my hands and make someone else's difficulties disappear. But the truth is, I am also a victim.
To some extent, the way we welcome new newborns into our lives and remember those who have passed away can make us feel like livestock or fuel for the engine that powers this existence.
Because life is unjust, this does not mean you should quit and continue to question why. Life is a never-ending educational race. When unpleasant things happen to you (or when something nice does not happen to you consistently), it may not simply be bad luck. It could be an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, the world, or the people around you, propelling you to a new level.
Life is often unjust to us in that it forces us out of our comfort zone, causes awful things to happen to us, and prepares us for an invisible struggle since things do not always go as planned.
Life is flawed; all you can do is keep moving forward and being attentive to the current environment around you. You simply have to let these emotions pass you by and avoid dwelling on them.
Occasionally, you must let go of what you desired to focus on what is required and thereby alleviate the suffering.
You may feel like giving up at times when life becomes terrible, but you may overcome by admitting the reality, clinging to an optimistic future, and doing what you can now to stay alive.
I heaved a deep sigh and stopped those thoughts. I climbed down to find Zero. I want to go home already and I don’t care even if his mom will find out about our fake relationship. I stopped on the last fifth step when I saw Zero sitting on the couch in the living room. He’s alone.
“You can do this, Isla,” I whispered to myself as I continue to climb down then walked in his direction.
I stopped in front of him which makes him look up and met my eyes. “Send me home,” I uttered without hesitation.
I saw how his forehead slightly creased. “We need to eat dinner—”
“No, I want to go home now. Don’t worry about your mom. She will surely understand it—”
“That’s not the point, Isla,” he cut in as he stood up. “You don’t understand—”
I let out a sarcastic laugh which makes him frown. “We’re not a real couple, so why bother? Besides, I still have works to do,” I replied.
“Isla—”
“Don’t call me by my name, I hate it.”
Zero shook his head. “Then what will I call you?”
“We’re not close for you to call me, Isla. Just call me by my name,” I replied seeming irritated.
I saw how Zero nodded his head. “Okay then, just-call-me-by-my-name, let’s eat dinner—”
“Are you fucking kidding—”
“Your mouth,” he warned which shut me up.
“Just don’t talk to me, Zero,” I replied and walked my way toward their garden. I need fresh air to breathe. I can't stand being with Zero in one place. His presence is just killing me insane. Now, that I wanted to go home, he doesn't want it. I don't know the thoughts that run through his mind. I don't get him.