LOVER MONSTER!
75. For Friendship.

BRAKK!

The sound of the door slamming shut resounded loudly just as Jessica stepped into her room. The girl - with a racing heart - went into her room and headed for the kitchen fig. He took water to drink and had not had time to finish the contents, the glass he immediately slammed onto the floor.

A piece of glass splashed down near his foot, crumpled and wet.

Jessica stared at the results without any expression. The coldness in his eyes did not subside, his anger still filling his head.

Goddamnit!

Jessica rubbed her face rough before waltzing away leaving behind all the broken glass. He went to bed and sat there for some time, to ease his anger. He looked and turned back all the situations that had happened.

What happened..., huh?

In fact, after everything that happened, Demian still defended Angela to the end. It did not matter whether Angela was in the right or wrong position. The man did not care about the facts, he only cared about Angela. Jessica was supposed to suspect Demian's choice, but being scolded for acting 'outrageous' to Angela made Jessica angry too.

Did he start the confrontation? Was he the one who purposely dragged Angela down the alley to fight? It was Angela's own will! If he wasn't prepared to lose, he shouldn't have opened his mouth and started trouble.

MOTHERFUCKER!

"Is it only Angela who has feelings here?" Jessica murmured while laying her head on the bed.

The anger that was rising in her chest had not subsided, and her inability to vent her tantrums made Jessica's eyes heat up red. Jessica did not want to get out of control, but surviving and accepting all the accusations that happened today made her strangle.

He wanted all this torture to stop.

He just wants to go back to how he was when there was no love on his chest.

When things hit Demian began to fill his head, hurting his feelings. The desire to forget everything is so strong and great.

The regrets that came mingled with disgusting taste. He rubbed his arms, goosebumps on his own body. Thinking of how it was too easy and cheap in front of Demian made Jessica angry.

Jessica wanted to escape, but...

His hand reached for a coin from his drawer. A coin given by a man from his past.

"I hope I never see you back here" said the man so gracious, caring, and concerned. When the man handed her the coin, Jessica accepted it while smiling wryly.

"I have the same hope" Jessica said at the time.

He will not return to the rehabilitation center again, because he is healed and conscious. He has finished his rehab. He was cleared of all addictions that became the medium of his escape.

Jessica wasn't what she used to be, when Jessica was drunk more than conscious. In the past, when stress was present, Jessica's main escape tool was alcohol. He deified the drink early in the night until he was hospitalized several times due to excessive consumption. He was unable to stand up straight and always vomited on the street. Several times also, he was detained in the police for sleeping carelessly.

After leaving the rehabilitation center, Jessica was not staring at alcohol with opium anymore. He might drink up a few times, but that's only when he's having fun. His friends will also give him supervision. Jessica-never again-looks at alcohol as her escape medium.

Not until today.

Jessica leaves the rehab center in hopes that she will start a new life happily. He should not think about running away again and going back there. He must not make Ethan, Elliot and Dania burdened by his inability to control himself.

Even if she can't love herself, Jessica wants to stay sober for the sake of her friends.

"Yeah..."

If she complies with a demonic whisper that leads her back to her old habits, Jessica knows she won't be able to return to normal.

"Think of another, think of another..." Jessica was suing herself, pushing negative thoughts that were milling around in her mind like poison in the head. "Think of fun, Jessica. Think of something fun..."

Jessica caught her breath, over and over again.

After becoming calmer, Jessica kissed the coin in her hand, before putting it back to the beginning. Jessica breezed out of her room, greeting the comrades who were now looking at her with friendly smiles.

True, his friends are his main family. The love that deserves to make her hurt is just them. Jessica - by any means - will never make her three friends disappointed. He will be strong for all of them.

*

"Are you okay?" it was a question that came out of Dania's mouth.

He greeted his best friend who since returning from talking to Angela, looks very angry. Dania was worried about Jessica, but didn't want to look so anxious.

Dania tried to be relaxed with a light tone of voice and eyes that did not pay much attention to Jessica, but on her chest, she was afraid something happened to her best friend.

"I'm good, really. Why?" Jessica responded casually. "I'm just kind of hungry, because I haven't had breakfast at all."

"Who are you going to go without breakfast?" Elliot emerges from the kitchen and brings Jessica a plate of heavy food that is still puffing warm steam. "This.., I made your favorite food."

"Rather than breakfast, it's over lunch, right?" Ethan spoke.

"Eeeegh, right. I'm getting hungry. I want to, Elli. Make me one."

"Take yourself in the kitchen." Elliot thunched.

"What's wrong with this favoritism, I really hate..." Dania scowled, but still complied. He was about to waltz into the kitchen, but before that, he glanced at Jessica's expression.

"Do you want anything from the kitchen?" ask Dania.

"No, thanks. This is enough." Jessica nodded with a smile.

"Good, then." Dania then moved.

After Dania leaves, Ethan and Elliot throw alternating gazes. Both of them kept asking and worrying at the same time. They were worried about Jessica, and at one time, they wondered what had happened until Jessica looked so angry.

Elliot is afraid of something bad that Angela has said and will affect Jessica mentally. The girl may look relaxed and fine, but she has no mental steel. She-rather than strong-is a girl with a pretty fragile heart.

"Ah, I can't stand this..." Elliot spoke for himself.

"Can't stand what?" Jessica - as a source of stress to her friends - is insensitive.

"Aaaah, I'm talking about a rat I met in my apartment today." Elliot won't bring Angela and Demian in front of Jessica, no way. Those names are sacred now. Calling it would only make Jessica's mood a mess.

"Yes, that's how it is..." Elliot smiled wryly. "Therefore, I plan to get rid of them all. Until it's no longer."

"Ah, ah, ah..," Dania's voice came back to say hello. "Why, those words made me agree. Who are you gonna get rid of?"

"Snakes in his room, he said." Jessica answered.

Dania was instantly sensitive. "Just get rid of everything, Elli. I'll accompany you if I have to."

"Are you not afraid of rats, Dani?"

Dania's smile was thin. "Nothing is scarier than me."

"Ohoo..." Jessica responded while laughing. "Do what you both want. Ethan, what about your room, doesn't your room have mice, too?"

"Luckily, my room is pretty safe. But, if something happens and bothers me, I'll do what Elliot and Dania did." In another sense, Ethan supports Elliot.

Jessica-still insensitive-nodding only. "Mm, that's right. Pests deserve immediate removal. If left unchecked, they'll breed and spread the problem."

Elliot and Dania threw gazes at each other, grins broadened and frightening.

Now, it was time for them to take to the field directly!

*

On the same day, as Angela decides to rest at home, Angela has no significant activity other than opening her insta account. He posted a candid photo of Demian he had taken secretly as the man sat bored on his bedroom couch, flipping through a fashion magazine at the table with a piddling expression.

[Thank you for always being by my side.]

Angela included the caption under the photo while occasionally making out a smile. He liked the attention Demian gave him.

Angela felt that even though there was no Jake by her side now, she still had Demian. It's better than being left alone.

Although he had to beg Demian not to leave, at least, he was not lonely anymore. He felt peaceful and

An incoming call on Angela's phone interrupts her peace.

Dania, is the name listed there.

"Moreover now?" Angela scowled unhappily, but still gave a response. "Hello?"

"Hello, Angelaaaa..., how are you? How can you go home without telling me anything?"

"I'm sorry, I'm suddenly not feeling well. So I decided to go home early today."

"Geez, I'm so sorry, yep. I hope you're not seriously ill." Dania's voice didn't show any anxiety, actually. He sounds relaxed.

"It's not something you need to worry about. I'll be back to work as usual, tomorrow."

"Ohooo, how can you say that. You fell ill today to the point of forgetting your home permit.., I.., as your boss, feel very responsible, Angela."

"Huh?"

"Because I'm worried about you, it'd be better if you didn't have to go back to work. Rest forever."

"What--, wait, did you give me a leave of absence?" Angela was quite flabbergasted.

"Heeei, your words are so high. Is this a five star restaurant? The word leave is only given to high-paying employees, Angela."

"So..."

"I fired you, that's what it was."

"Eh, what?" Angela's eyes widened. His surprised reaction also caught Demian's attention as well. "You can't do that!"

"I wouldn't be able to if this cafe had your ancestors, Angela. Unfortunately, this cafe is not yours. In fact, this cafe belongs to my boss, Jessica Cerise. The woman you've been nudging a few times."

"Haaa, so he ordered you to fire me?!"

"Hey, you wouldn't expect a reward from someone you've insulted, would you? Animals will not humble themselves to that extent for food." Dania's chuckling voice across the phone provoked Angela's anger.

"It's injustice. You don't know anything, Dania. So watch your words. My and Jessica's problems are personal, my work shouldn't be involved here."

"Before you say that, have you glazed over? Who involved the job here first is you, right? Did you forget..., you left without my permission at all..., do you really think this cafe has your ancestors?"

"..."

"If your head can still be used to think, yes, Angela. Your unprofessional attitude is already interfering with the work here."

"Let me talk to Jessica, I don't want to hear your bullshit! He did this because he wanted to get rid of me, right? He's cheating!"

"Waaaah, your mentality is beyond repair." Dania is horrified. "The one who fired you here was me, Angela. I'm. Not Jessica, don't you understand?"

"..."

"The person who allowed you to work at the cafe was me, who was able to fire you as well as me. Because I'm your boss, you idiot. You just have a hard time understanding, huh? If Jessica hadn't protected your job all along, I would've fired you long ago, you idiot. You think I'd see you running around in our cafe every day?"

"You can't do this.., I don't have another job..." Angela didn't know what to do.

All along, what helped Angela find a good and good job in Vegas was Jake. Jake helps her find a reasonable, standard-paying workplace. Unlike Angela's previous job just carelessly.

Angela is too shy to deal with new people. No, rather he was embarrassed. Angela doesn't know what to say to strangers, doesn't know the necessary conditions. And, to make the situation worse, Angela was also embarrassed to ask, because asking made her feel stupid.

"Do you think I care about you?" dania's voice again greeted her ears, sharp and hurt her heart. "Goodbye, yeah, idiot. I'll transfer the rest of your paycheck, and after this, never show up in front of me again or I'll rip your mouth off!"

...****************...