Ambivert Perfection

“Come on, babe.You can’t be stuck in your house forever, you know! I know I can’t.” Shouted Jeremy.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… He didn’t mean harm, but he was still a bit too harsh towards Coco. Given her background, she suffered from a terrible and traumatic childhood. Her father, well, suffered from substance abuse and constantly inflicted physical, emotional and sexual pain on both Coco, and her mom. On the other hand, as for her mom, as a result of knowing that she cannot seek vengeance from her husband made the horrible mistake of tormenting her daughter. Looking down on Coco, blaming her for her father’s attitude and mistakes, and insulting her only made Coco’s situation to worsen.

“Jeremy, you know how I am. Can’t you just accept me for who I really am within?” Coco said with a soft voice.

”No, Coco. I’m done dealing with your crappy personality and empathising your ”awful home growing up”. I thought that you were ready to let go of it, goddammit. Can’t you just stop whining about your own problems and deal with mine?” Jeremy asked.

”Jeremy, what kinds of problems do you have? Too many girls to party with? Can’t pick the right drug from a million different kinds? Cheating on me with others without acknowledging my pain? Practising in front of the mirror to insult m-“

Whoosh.

Bam.

Smack.

Jeremy had already slapped Coco on her right cheek. Her face was entirely red with tears gushing out of her eyes. When she was 13, she had made a promise to herself, a boundary that no man she ever dates would dare lay a hand on her without her permission. The boundary has been crushed, and crossed.

”Oh-h-h, I’m so sorry, babe! I didn’t mea-”

“Do. Not. Ever. Contact. Me. Again.” Coco interrupted Jeremy.

”Coco, wait-“ Jeremy pleaded.

Coco’s eyes were filled with anger, maddening her more and more. Her fists clenched up and her body froze. The chills throughout her spine disrupted her glaring stare into Jeremy’s eyes. She grabbed her knock-off Burberry purse and smacked it against Jeremy’s face. She then stomped out of his house.

…….…………………………….……….……………………………………………………………

Coco huffed and panted as she ran to the nearest bench she could find, just near the Kestof Park. She remembers visiting this same park Fifteen years ago, when she was just 10 years old. Her parents didn’t bother to accompany her, and she never had any siblings as well.

( THE FOLLOWING IS A FLASHBACK)**

”Aww, look at the older sister playing with her little brother. They look so cute!” Young Coco gazed in awe.

”Man, I wish I had a smaller sister or brother to spoil, play, feed and hangout with all day. I’d never get bored!” Ten year old Coco thought, deeply lost in her feelings.

She played with her own fingers, pretending that her index finger and ring finger were a stick figure meeting another of the same kind. She giggled and laughed at how silly she was acting. At once, someone abruptly gently touched her shoulder.

”Ah!” Coco shook and swiped her head to face the stranger.

”Hi! My name‘s Akin, and what’s yours?” The young boy asked with a huge grin on his face, and his dimples were showing as well. His hands at the back pockets and his two feet lined up. He wore a yellow coloured striped shirt with a pair of green shorts. Coco thought he was kinda cute.

”Coco, you’re a socially incompetent child! I wish I had aborted you in the first place!” These words said directly to her by her mother flashed about in her mind repetitively.

”Could I ever make friends? I’ll surely stutter and embarrass myself if I talk to him.” She thought.

The boy was standing in front of her trying to figure out the look in her eyes with a puzzled face.

”Hh-h-h-i-.... Pffft” She stuttered.

The boy came closer and Coco stepped back.

”P-please-e dd-don’t make f-fun of me-e.” Coco desperately asked with her hands covering her face while kneeling on the ground.

The boy walked up to her and kneeled down beside her. He gently removed her arms and saw that Coco was still in shock while closing her eyes. The boy brushed off her strands of her hair, and said, “I won’t.”

”Wanna pinky promise?” He asked.

”Pinky promise.” Coco whispered and they held their pinky fingers up to make a promise, and that’s how a friendship started.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

”Ugh!” Coco groaned.

”My life’s such a mess. Why did I date such an artificial and disastrous man.” She said as she engrossed her fingers into her scalp. A few tears dropped to her lap making a tiny puddle.

Someone tapped her shoulders and held them with a tight grip.

”Are you okay?” Someone asked with a comforting yet hoarse tone.

”Yep, No. I’m really not.” Coco replied. She looked up with tired eyes and she saw a young man with dark black messy hair, just like the handsome dark characters in her manga comic books. She blushed like crazy and her cheeks looked like cherries, in a good way.

”So, what happened?” He asked with pitiful eyes.

Coco explained to him her situation, her background, and everything that had happened to her. Without realising that he was a complete stranger.

”Oh no. I’ve told you about my entire life, what if you’re a murderer? Stalker? Criminal? Worse, a-“

He chuckled hard. “Nah, I’m none of those. I’m just an ordinary student at Kelston Medical School.” He said.

”Hold on, I attend that same medical school as well! How come we’ve never met?” I asked.

He thought hard. “Hm, yeah, I’ve never really see you around. Are you a second year as well?”

“Yeah.” Coco said with some hope.

”Hey, look at that. Me too.” He said with a grin on his face.

”Thanks for listening to me ranting about my problems. No one else would have done that for me.” Coco said while looking at her shoes.

”Hey, of course. Anytime. And, that Jeremy guy is such a jerk. You deserve a person who loves you for who you are.” He said with sparkling eyes.

”Hm.” Coco said while gaping into his eyes.

”Would you be that person by any chance? It’s okay if you don’t-“

”I would love to.” He said while grinning hard.

They both chuckled.

“Gimme a second, I have a call to make. Funny how I never asked you your name.” Coco said.

”The names Ak-“

“Akin, huh?” She asked.

”How did you-“ He said.

She called Jeremy. “Hey, babe. What’s going on, you angry-head?” He asked. “Jeremy, listen to me very carefully.”

“Sure, what’s up, girl?” He said casually.

”I‘m never going out with you again.” Coco said firmly.

”Wait, wha-“

Coco cut the call and looked up to the bright blue sky.