Aria

Aria just sat on the floor. She was not wearing anything except for a light blue shorts and am old light pink singlet. Her hair was left untied. I looked at her, she was rather pretty that way, I thought. Rather pretty.

“What are you looking at?” she asked. I did not answer immediately. I climbed out from the bed and went straight to the kitchen. It was a peculiar morning, rather hot, and it was not even summer. Aria followed me behind.

“You haven’t answered me?” she enquired me again. As she said so, her face made this mischievous look, as if she was expecting me to answer that it was because she was pretty or whatever. “Coffee?”

“With less sugar.” She added. I duly put one sugar cube inside her already-filled-with-coffee cup and presently gave it to her. We both sat on the kitchen table watching the day unfolded as the city below us came to life. Both of us just continued our ritual of drinking coffee quietly. I took a peek at her and I could not hold it any longer.

I put my cup down somewhat loudly and Aria stared fixedly at me. “Anything. Daniel?”

I looked at her chest as I said this: “I’m sorry.” I swallowed my saliva down the throat. “I can’t have you anymore”.

Aria did not look aghast. In fact, she seemed calm. It did not make sense no matter how many times I have faced this. I was starting to be afraid. “Aria, I’m so–” she put her soft fingers on my lips to stop me from saying any further. She got up and bent a little to kiss me, perhaps for the last time; I did not see that coming. She left for our room.

“Aria, say something.” I pleaded.

“Daniel, there’s nothing else to say when you’ve said just enough.” Her voice was soft. It had a tinge of remorse. “I myself didn’t think this will work out. It will not last” She went to the door.

“I guess I don’t need the key now.” she looked at the key for one last time and threw the key towards me. She walked out of the house when I was not looking, distracted in catching the key. She walked out of my life, forever.

“Aria… Aria… wait!” I yelled minutes later. I had to. I raced outside in search for her. That was when I saw her at the end of the corridor with someone else, “No, Aria!” I screamed and then she was gone.

Wind was coming through the window.

I could not go there. I could not bear myself to see her body lying on the floor, but still I watched her. I witnessed everything for a short moment, but the image of her corpse lying motionless was engrained deep in my mind, but did I feel remorse?

I didn’t want to destroy myself, I was selfish. She was just a woman created to satisfy my needs. I saw men dragging her body and throwing it into a big metal box. They wheeled it away. One of them then came to me and asked: “Did you find her to be unsatisfactory?”

“I… I… don’t know if I did.” I said. My voice was almost inaudible.

“I guess you have another three days to think about it.” He mouthed nonchalantly. “You can contact us later. You still have another $100,000 to spend.” He gave me some tubes of white clear liquid.

“Extra-strong Endorphin, made just for you”

I took them and ingested one in one gulp. I felt great.