Chapter 6 – Jinx

Anna After a long day of wandering the streets in search of a job, I returned empty-handed and exhausted. I’m not lacking in education, qualifications, or experience—so why is it so hard to find work? Why does everything have to be this way? Why am I here? What did I do in my past to deserve punishment like this? I couldn’t stop the questions from circling in my mind. And once again, the peace and quiet was disrupted by the pair of lovebirds. It seems this is their secret meeting spot… and I’m the uninvited guest. Just like before, I felt out of place. I didn’t want to be here, but I had nowhere else to go. I didn’t want to eavesdrop—but I couldn’t bring myself to make my presence known either. “Are you feeling better now?” Dr. Violet asked gently. “Much better, thanks to you,” Dr. Anderson replied. He paused, turned to face her, and took a deep breath. The atmosphere shifted—the timing, the mood, the emotions—it all screamed proposal. I watched with bated breath, anticipation curling in my chest. “Susan,” Anderson began, and I held my breath. “Would you… like to go out with me?” he asked. I exhaled slowly, just a little disappointed. Dr. Violet chuckled. “How many times have you asked me this?” “It’s been a long time since we graduated—I’ve lost count,” Dr. Anderson replied. “A hundred and fifty-one times,” she said, and he frowned. “My answer has always been the same,” she added gently. “You’re not attached to anyone,” he said, a hint of hope clinging to his words. “Dr. Anderson, I appreciate your feelings—all this time, I truly do. But I’m clean, and you’re not. I don’t want to be with someone whose name still sits on divorce papers.” Her rejection was soft, but firm. “Then why did you kiss me?” he asked, voice low, wounded. “You were distraught—I was just trying to help. If that gave you the wrong idea, I’m sorry,” Dr. Violet said gently. I felt for him. Anyone would’ve misunderstood. I would’ve, too. Slowly, his shoulders fell, and he released her. Dr. Violet placed a hand on his shoulder. “Friends for life?” she offered with a tentative smile. “I want to be alone. Give me some time,” Anderson replied, eyes avoiding hers. I watched as Dr. Violet left him behind—alone with a broken heart. Once the door shut, he sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands. The emotion in the air was so heavy, so raw, I dared not move. I wanted to say something, anything… but what could I say? We weren’t exactly on speaking terms, and this wasn’t a moment meant for me. So I stayed where I was… quietly observing the man I once knew unravel in front of me. An hour passed, and he remained unmoved. Pity got the better of me, so I approached—slowly, cautiously. I wasn’t sure if I was the person he wanted to see right now. “Dr. Anderson…” I called out gently. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” Still, he didn’t move. Not until he spoke—his tone cold, unwelcoming. “You heard everything?” I flinched. “Yes. I’m sorry.” “So… you know,” he said darkly. Confused, I asked softly, “Know what?” The distraught man stood up, towering over me. He turned to face me—eyes red, but not from tears. There were no tears. Only resentment. Deep, scalding resentment. The way he looked at me made my heart seize with fear. But I couldn’t run. I couldn’t hide. “This is all your fault,” he growled, grabbing me by the arms and shaking me. “It’s all your fault! If you had never shown up in my life, everything would’ve gone right a year ago. We would’ve been married. We would’ve been happy!” His grip tightened, his voice breaking with rage. “A whore like you… will never be anything more than toxic trash. You disgust me. I wish you never existed!” He threw me to the ground and stormed off, leaving behind nothing but hatred. I froze, unable to move. The thought of nonexistence had crossed my mind many times before… But never had it hit this hard. His words cut deeper than I expected—and yet, can I really blame him? If that incident had never happened… we wouldn’t be here now. “The jinx strikes again. Totally deserved it,” I whispered, trying to force myself back on my feet and waddling down the stairs. A sharp pain shot up my leg with every step. Sprained ankle? “Deserved this too,” I muttered to myself, taking each step slowly, one shaky breath at a time. I limped my way back to the front office and had my foot checked out. It was just a sprain—nothing too dramatic. The invisible wound, however, hurt twice as much. While the nurse was still with me, I asked, “Where is Dr. Anderson?” “He took the rest of the day off,” she replied. “Do you know where he might be?” “I’m not sure,” she said with a small frown. “It’s odd, though. He’s never taken a sick day before.” With that, she left me alone with more questions than answers. Those who knew him found it odd for him to leave early. Meanwhile, the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on my shoulders. I felt awful—wishing I could make amends—but he probably didn’t want to see me again. Topics like this are sensitive. Involving myself any further might only make things worse. The most I could do now… was apologize—and stay out of his life for good. After getting my foot wrapped, I limped back to Mr. Hamburg’s room with a frown. I didn’t have a car, which meant the job interviews would have to be delayed for a few days. As it stood—I had no home, no job, and a mountain of medical bills waiting to be paid. Luckily, my personal savings could keep us afloat… but only for a few months. “What am I going to do?” I asked myself as I opened the door. “Do what?” Tyler chimed in, entering with dinner—just like he promised. He froze the moment he saw my foot and let out a dramatic scream, “Aaaah!!!” His inner queen was fully unleashed. “Honey, what happened to you?” he shouted in a panic. “Shh… Mr. Hamburg is sleeping,” I hissed, quickly covering his mouth before it could open any wider. I swear, Tyler could win an Oscar for drama. “As if he can hear me,” he muttered behind my hand. “Now answer me.” His tone shifted, suddenly stern and serious. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the way Tyler stood with his hand on his hip. For a moment, he looked exactly like an overbearing mother. “What’s so funny?” he tutted. “Nothing. Can I sit down first?” I asked, feeling like my foot might give out any second. “Right, come here.” Tyler helped me over to the couch and immediately fixed me with a glare. “Now tell me—what happened?” he demanded. “I went job hunting… but failed,” I admitted. “I needed some fresh air, so I went up to the rooftop.” I kept it vague. No need to drag him into the mess. “And your foot?” he asked. I looked away. “I fell and sprained my ankle,” I lied. He followed my gaze and leaned in until his face blocked my view entirely. “Avoiding eye contact, red ears... You’re a terrible liar,” he deadpanned. I sighed. It really sucks having only one friend—especially one who knows you too well and leaves zero room for escape. Cornered by his watchful gaze, I spilled everything. Mama bear was not happy when he heard the truth.