Chapter 1
Moonlight
It was afternoon and I was sitting at my desk, working on my usual office work. My head was hurting badly, and I thought maybe I should have some coffee. I picked up my coffee mug and walked over to the coffee machine. I put everything in and waited for the coffee to come out, but nothing happened. I tried again and checked the machine with my hands.
What happened to this?
Why isn't it coming out?
I was already irritated because of my headache, so I hit the machine a little harder. Suddenly, the machine made a strange sound and all the water came pouring straight onto me.
Seriously,
what is this? Why does this always happen to me?
A colleague came up behind me and said that the coffee had run out earlier, so Saif had turned the machine off and left it like that.
Great
. Now what was I supposed to do? My head was already killing me.
I took a step forward, but the water had spilled all over the floor. My foot slipped and I fell right there. Everyone in the office turned to look at me, and some of them started laughing.
This is my unlucky life.
Ever since I was born, nothing in my life has ever gone the way I wanted it to. Even the company I work for now isn't where I wanted to work. I didn't want this job because the company I actually wanted to work for never hired me. It wasn't because I wasn't capable. I was. Somehow, something always happened and whatever I wanted would end up going the opposite way. By now, I had gotten used to it.
"Get up, Mili.
Hey, listen.
Get up."
"Yeah, yeah. What happened? How did you fall?"
"Nothing. I guess this is just what my fate has written for me."
"Come on.
Nothing happened.
Get up and go to the washroom. Clean yourself up."
I went inside the washroom, cleaned myself with some tissues and came back out. While I was walking back, I hit my leg against the door really hard.
"Ouch!"
I shouted loudly. Everyone looked at me, but no one came to help. They were already used to it.
"This happens every day."
By evening, I went back to my apartment. I was so tired that I wasn't even thinking properly. I opened the door completely and started taking off my shoes, throwing them aside as I did.
"Ouch!
What are you doing? Who takes their shoes off by throwing them like that?"
"Then what were you doing over there?"
I said.
"That's where I threw my shoes."
"And what kind of animal takes off their shoes like that? Don't you have any manners?"
I ignored him and went straight to the couch, where I lay down.
"Go ahead. Keep talking. My head is already killing me. Bring me some water."
"Yeah, sure. Because apparently I'm your servant."
"Yes, you are. Now go get it. My day has already been terrible."
"Your day is terrible every day."
He handed me the water.
"Here. Drink it."
"Fine. What about dinner? Did you make anything? I'm really hungry."
"Yeah. Go freshen up and we'll go to the terrace. We'll sit under the moonlight and have dinner."
"Okay."
This was Zozo. That was what I lovingly called him. His name was Leo, and he had been living with me for five years. He was my best friend. After my father, he was the only family I had.
"Come on. Let's go eat."
We went up to the terrace and sat under the moonlight. After finishing our dinner, we lay there looking up at the star-filled sky. For a while, I felt calm and peaceful. This was the one place where I could actually feel a little relief.
"Listen."
"Moon."
"Moon? You. Who else?"
"Why do you keep calling me by a different name every time? You're so weird."
I looked up at the sky.
"Look at the stars. Don't they look beautiful?"
"Yeah."
"This is the only place where I get a little peace."
"Then when will I get some peace? As long as I'm here, probably never."
"Zozo, what kind of name do you call me?"
I looked at him.
"Honestly, I feel like throwing you off this terrace right now."
