LOVER MONSTER!
97. On A Rainy Day.

It rained heavily that morning, accompanied by a gray cloudy sky.

Through the weather forecast on the news, the rain will rain down on Vegas all day. Luckily, the rain was just ordinary rain. There is no excessive wind that makes you have to close the window.

The situation was quite a relief for Jessica because, despite the torrential rain dripping down the Vegas land, Jessica could still relax on the balcony of her room while sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

Jessica didn't have any strenuous activity today, thanks to the rain. Elixir has also become quite relaxed. It is difficult for people to move comfortably when heavy rain freezes the bones. Especially now that it is entering autumn.

As much as possible, Vegas residents who are not involved in mandatory office work are down 24/7, limiting their activities beyond today. Especially the sick old people.

Taking time for herself, Jessica stared at the rain stubs. Jessica felt the peace from the sound of water falling on the roof. The comfort of the silence spread on almond street also gives it its own relief.

All the dust and pollution that often adorn Vegas, to this day, has been washed away.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Only when Demian's voice came to greet her ears did Jessica notice from her long contemplation.

"Nothing specific" Jessica said. His pair of emeralds noticed Demian approaching him and draped the man's flannel shirt on his shoulder. "I'm just enjoying this rare silence."

"Oh..," Demian pulled out an iron chair opposite Jessica. He moved the chair to Jessica's side before sitting there. "Vegas is rarely lonely, right?"

"I think only Almond Street is quiet enough."

In downtown Vegas, especially in the strip area, the place will never die from the crowds. No matter the rainstorm.

"Perhaps because the residents in this area are mostly elderly, so people do not have too much activity outside the house." Jessica continued to assume.

"Why are you making your cafe in this area?" Demian was curious. Seniors are definitely not the right target market for an urban-themed cafe.

"I didn't choose this place specifically" Jessica explained. "I just got it and was asked to take care of it."

Oh, that's right too. Demian almost forgot that Elixir is actually a legacy of a psychologist who had nurtured Jessica since adolescence. By the way, where is that woman now? Demian was a little curious.

Jessica was a bit nostalgic about Elixir, not Elixir. This place used to be a pub. Ethan, Elliot, Dania even Jessica work here under the lead of a woman Jessica remembers named Charlotte.

Charlotte is the woman who offers Jessica a home when Jessica is released from juvenile prison. Of course, on the condition that Jessica should be willing to help him. Jessica accepted the offer and worked alongside Charlotte with glee.

The woman is Jessica's second home that gives her comfort and tranquility. Jessica also has new friends who accept her with open arms.

Life felt so perfect that Charlotte left a letter on the table.

...'I'll never come back, Jessica. It's time for me to face reality and discover everything I've forgotten for so many years. ...

...Being with you gives me happiness and tranquility, but it also gives me a prolonged feeling of guilt....

...I will return to where I came from and meet my destiny. Forgive me for using you as my wound cover. ...

...I hope you find happiness. ...

...Your guardian, Charlotte.'...

Thinking of Charlotte back, Jessica wondered if the woman had met her happiness? Jessica was curious..., is running not an answer? Why would Charlotte need to face a life she hates? What's wrong until he has to leave?

As Jessica thought about Charlotte, Jessica realized that Demian by her side was now a reflection of Charlotte herself. Charlotte who escaped from reality is not much different from Demian who has left her home.

The question came to Jessica's mind right then and there, was Demian going to keep running and clutching her hands, or was she going to do the same with Charlotte?

"Demian," Jessica grabbed Demian's wrist, she felt a warmth infiltrate the tan's skin.

"Yes?" Demian who was leaning on his shoulder, breathing regularly and comfortably there, responded to Jessica in a low voice.

Jessica stroked Demian's curl mane, rubbing it affectionately. "You..., do you love me?"

"Well, what kind of question is that?" Demian was a little jolted at the question. The thing is, Demian had already chanted the word like a spell in Jessica's ear. He was honest, just loving that woman.

Why was the question still there when Demian constantly rained down on Jessica not only with words, but a longing treatment as well?

"Just want to be sure." Jessica chuckles.

"I will always love you" Demian gave an absolute answer.

Hearing Demian's response as well, Jessica felt relief spread throughout her veins. Give it plenty of warmth and tranquility. Jessica-heard Demian's answer-feeling satisfied. Because that answer was his anxiety sedative. A drug that gives Jessica confidence that Demian won't leave her like Charlotte.

Jessica won't be a runaway ingredient like Charlotte already did.

Jessica, for Demian, is her love.

*

By late afternoon, when the intensity of the rain became less intense this afternoon, Jessica began to wander around Elixir and give help to her friends who were hit by busyness.

Perhaps because the rain was not as hard as it was this afternoon, the people who locked up their intention to travel this afternoon so travel in the afternoon.

Well, what does Jessica expect from an ever boisterous Vegas?

"I'm going to see Adam this afternoon" Demian said, greeting Jessica's ears who were busy concocting drinks next to Ethan. Jessica helped prepare the drink today.

"What are you going to do with this rain?" Jessica protested unhappily. "Can you..., for a moment not concern yourself with unnecessary things?"

The problem is, it's raining. Jessica doesn't want Demian raining out there. He is also not the type of man who will hold an umbrella or wear a raincoat. He would definitely break through that water and expose himself under the bad weather.

What if Demian's sick?

"It's an important situation, just calm down." Demian responded while smiling witfully. "You stay here, I won't be gone long."

"Unlike you, I have no intention of doing anything outside today."

There's no way Jessica's dragging her feet out of Elixir when it's raining down on Vegas right now. The wet road was already quite unpleasant, plus the low temperature that made Jessica's body shake cold. Impossible!

Impossible!

Impossible is the rebuttal that Jessica gave to Demian's ridiculous remark that asked her not to leave Elixir. Jessica may have left Elixir. It should have been impossible, but here Jessica is. At the end of Almond Street, holding a black umbrella.

Angela Lancaster was the face that had already troubled her heart by now.

"I need to talk to you now!" it was the whimper the woman gave him on the phone. His voice was high and full of despair. "Jessica, if you don't see me, I'll kill myself. I'm gonna die because of you!"

If Jessica was Dania, Jessica would have brushed off the threat with the naughtiness and curse that told her to just die. Unfortunately, Jessica is not Dania. Jessica has a high degree of empathy lurking in her mind. He couldn't ignore the suicide threat of a woman Jessica knew from Demian, having unstable emotions right now.

What if Angela really committed suicide, Jessica did not want to end up being blamed by Demian for ignoring the woman's request. Also, death is not something that can be underestimated.

"You know how else," break up Jessica. He was about to meet Angela who said he would meet her at a bar at the end of the highway.

Whatever Angela wanted to tell him, Jessica believed it would not affect her anymore. Jessica won here. He already had Demian by his side.

Jessica doesn't have to waver on her footing and avoid the woman who, in the future, will only be a prankster in her and Demian's relationship. Jessica needed to give the woman a strong warning for her to stop teasing them again.

"Jessica.." a voice greeted Jessica, coming from Angela who was standing while carrying the same black umbrella.

Jessica approached Angela. He was ready to hear any complaints that the woman would make to him.

"If you have something to say, just say it now." Jessica spoke after she and Dania sat down at the bar table. Jessica had no interest in stalling her and Angela's long conversation.

"Sum a minute" Angela said. "I see you shaking."

"Oh?" The cold weather really made Jessica tremble right now. His palm was ice cold and very red. "I didn't know you could get any attention."

Jessica sneered at Angela's attitude, who was now thrusting a glass of cocktail at her. Although Jessica avoided alcohol later, Jessica felt that a few sips of the drink would not matter because she was very cold.

"So..., what do you want to talk about?" Jessica spoke while downing the cocktail that Angela offered. "You've threatened me with your life, have you gone mad?"

"You can probably assume that." Angela responded calmly. "I'm crazy because everything I love has been taken from me. My friends, my beloved, they all turned to leave me."

"I think you dumped them, Angela." Jessica laughed at Angela. Very stupid, he thought. When will he see himself as a victim?

"If their feelings are sincere, they won't turn away once I dump them. They should have worked harder. Is love not precious? Since the feeling is so precious, you should have shown great effort to acquire it."

"Say Jake and Demian put in a lot of effort, what about you?"

"Huh?"

"Are you trying so hard to get their heart, Angela?"

This is Angela's problem, actually. The woman felt loved too much, her ego was rising. He did not feel that he needed to give the same effort. He hopes to be a trophy that will be handed to his partner later when they have faced various obstacles that he created himself.

How selfish!

"Forgot my words.., why did you ask me to meet? You don't intend-"

Jessica's ears buzzed suddenly. A needle is like stabbing his brain. What was? Is it because of the cold? Why does his body react like this?

"Jessica, are you okay?" Angela got off her stool, eyes shining anxiously towards Jessica. "Did the medicine react?"

"Huh, medicine..." What cure?

Angela spontaneously embraced Jessica, she made her body support so that Jessica could walk.

"Come, I'll take you home." Angela spoke as she limped and led Jessica out of the bar. "What are you doing, if you're sick you shouldn't have seen me."

While Angela was rummaging next to her, Jessica did not really listen to what Angela had said. The woman's voice was muffled. His head was very sick, he had difficulty thinking and digesting the situation.

Jessica, back then, just wanted to break her body. He wanted to ease the pain that crept not only in his head, but also stabbed his heart.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?" a man with a piercing lined up in the earlobe came to greet them.

From her appearance, Angela knew that the person was a herd of Demian. Angela remembers Erthian's warning saying that Jessica is now being protected by many people.

How annoying! How could Demian have happened like this to the woman he had only known for a few months? Angela feels the injustice!

"My friend seems to be sick." Angela gave a response. "I'll take her home."

"Let me help you."

"No need" said Angela. "I don't want to trouble strangers. Besides, my friend's house is close by. I'll take her in a cab."

"But...,"

"For strangers, you're so curious about my business, right? Excuse me. My friend and I have a boyfriend. You better find a chance at another. Freak!" Angela spat out those words as if the man was approaching them with dirty intentions.

"..."

"I said stay away.., do you want me to report the police?" Angela was bluffing even harder.

"Sorry." The man took a few steps back and let Angela take Jessica.

As a watchdog who was only ordered to observe and keep Jessica away from suspicious men, a beautiful figure like Angela had never been thought of by them as a threat.

They never knew that, when Angela led Jessica into a taxi that had been perched on the highway from earlier, they had failed the mission ordered by their superiors.

They just lost Jessica, in plain sight.

"You're asking me what I'm trying to get Jake and Demian's love, aren't you? This is my business, Jessica. I'll prove to them that I'm a choice they shouldn't have left."

Rubbing Jessica's cheek lying on her lap, Angela spoke as if Jessica would listen to her words. Sneer Angela then grow spoiled.

"Demian will realize that you are no better than me" he said, imagining Demian's disappointed expression now.

Carlos-as the driver of the taxi-looks at Angela from the rearview mirror. Although there was no expression on Carlos' face, but the contents of Carlos' head were only filled with horrified ringing.

Why does everyone he serves have a terrible mental disorder?

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