The atmosphere in the car today was dead quiet. The sound of the humming aircon hurt my ears. It was usually not this loud, but as someone just stir up the pot early this morning.

"Pam, don't get too quiet. I don't feel good about it".

I didn't do anything wrong. That neighbor was talking to me, asking for my chat ID. I just realized then that he was hitting on me. He confessed that the first day we met, he intentionally dropped a 100 banknote to start a conversation. Now he asked to chat and wanted to know me more. Pam was standing next to me the whole time. She heard everything and wanted to see how I handled these types of men. I didn't know how to be firm like Pam. I could only turn him down nicely.

"Sorry, I couldn't do that".

That's all I said and Pam was furious at me. She said if I didn't cut him fiercely, he might be back again. She blamed that I wasflirting and didn't think about her.

"You should say that I'm your girlfriend"

"I could say that but I wasn't sure if you will like it if I tell people about our relationship".

"Did I ever say that?"

"The fewer people know the better. Don't you think?" "Do you really think that?"

Her low pressured voice made my heart beat so fast. "Are you ashamed of being my girlfriend?"

"No, Pam I didn't think that. Don't pick a fight with me. This world belongs to men and a women. If I say that people might look at you weirdly".

"Don't make excuses. You are ashamed to be my girlfriend". "Are we really going to fight about this?"

The atmosphere today was so grim, too grim. The color of my heart was black and blue today. This was our first fight since we were together. We both were quiet till we arrived at the coffee shop. Pam sat quietly and didn't look happy at all. Nobody dared to talk to her. But still.... She was still so beautiful

"You two fought. Ah? I can just feel it."

The manager said. I really didn't want to talk about this but what else can I do.

"Just a bit. We'll get over it". "What's the matter?"

"She is so jealous. "

I replied shortly but he smiled back.

"She doesn't look like a jealous type of person." "Yes."

I laughed. The manager would think that it should be another way around. I should be the jealous one. The beautiful face had high sex appeal and attracted more attention than me. I should be jealous of her. Not her jealous of me! As if I was a beauty pageant!

Nene who was now walking around serving coffees stopped and looked at me calling for attention. I looked at her and smiled

"What's up?"

"I wanted to see your smile. Your grumpy face doesn't suit you. I like you because you're always lively"

This was another troubling issue. The cute face here flirted with me all the time. I was fearful that Pam could see this and it would get out of control.

"Nene, please don't try"

I said frankly. The manager, who stood not too far, could hear everything but made no comment.

"It will make things more complicated." "What did I do?"

"What you are doing now."

I looked at her straight in the eyes but seemed like she didn't care. "Well, I was just looking at you. Ok, I'll give up. "

Nene backed away and went chitchat with other staff. Pam looked over this way briefly. She saw what happened but she couldn't hear the conversation. I excused myself to the locker room. I wanted to get some space away from Pam's stressful atmosphere.

"Go ahead. If Pam needs something, I'll handle that."

The manager said. I could tell that the manager still had a feeling for her. But he didn't expect anything from her. He just wanted to be her friend. Pam didn't hate him. They both were good friends. I sat quietly in the locker room by myself, looking at my phone. I scrolled down aimlessly. I thought of someone but hesitated to initiate any conversation. I didn't want to create more trouble.

Pheme😚

I saw his name on my contact list. I felt guilty for thinking of him when I fought with the other as if he was my trash can. But before I was about to do something. Staff rushed to me excitedly.

"Ruk, something happened". "What?!"

I run outside once I heard Nene and Pam were fighting. The evidence seen obvious on Nene's shirt. Pam now was holding a coffee cup in her hand.

She looked at the small girl with a cold cutting look. There was no guilt on her face.

"What happened Pam? What did you do?"

Pam put down a coffee cup on the table gently. Her calm habit made people avoid her because it was hard to predict what she was thinking

"Ask the girl".

Nene was now crying hugging the manager. Eak, was awkward with the situation but needed to square off the situation. He gestured to me and said,

"Ruk, please take Pam home. I'll take care of everything here". " Yes. "

I untied my apron before holding Pam's hand and walking her out of there. We were not dramatic fighters. We both got in the car and the atmosphere was so quiet. I got so uncomfortable, so I broke the silence first.

"Why did you throw hot coffee at Nene?" "She said she likes you".

Her cold voice made me angrier. My patient had hit its limit. I couldn't let it pass like before. We had to talk about this.

"So you threw coffee at her? This wasn't Pam I knew". "There are a lot of me you didn't know".

There was no sense of guilt in her at all. I covered my face with my two hands. I wanted to rest my eyes, my brain, and everything. I tried to pull back my strong feeling.

"You are being irrational and I don't like it" "Do you like that girl?"

"Stop picking a fight. I don't even like that girl"

"So you knew she likes you. Oh! She was the one who told you that you're more beautiful".

Pam sighed and smiled coldly. "So you really like her".

"Pam, you have to stop being so jealous, and trust me. I am so angry at you now because you hurt someone else because of your jealousy. You have to control yourself".

"Stop talking about me. We haven't talk about what you did". "What did I do?"

"How far did you go with that kid? Is it true you flirt with everybody? I shouldn't be so surprised. You're so friendly with everyone from a security guy to an electrician".

"Pam!.."

I shut my eyes patiently. I waved off that comment and asked to stop.

"I don't think we can talk more today. I need to calm down before I talk to you again. I don't want it to go too far".

"No, let's talk. I don't want you to come back with a more elaborate explanation".

"Pam! I can't take this anymore!"

I shouted at her like I never did before.

"I'm so fed up with your jealousy. It is all nonsense. You know I love and adore you for a long time. I didn't wait for two years for this!".

"I can't wear a swimsuit, can't talk to other people, no one can look at me, no one can talk to me. You're jealous even when I hugged my doll. It was cute at first but this is way too much. I am so afraid to do something wrong around you. I wanted a girlfriend, not a mom"

I panted after blurted out all myfeelings. Pam paused for a long time and nodded.

"Just go if it is that bad."

I got out of the car without saying anything. It was the worst day of my life when the sweet face cut me off that cold, that easily. When I saw the back of the car drive out, I felt so weak and sad. I put my face down on my arm and cried. It was a bad bad day. So bad. I didn't want to return to work because I didn't want to see anyone. I sat on a bench and looked at cars running by. I heard footsteps approaching and stopped in front of me. I looked up to see a girl staff from a shop named "Ngor". She smiled and looked at me shyly.

"What happened, Ngor? Is it crowded at the shop? I'm getting back now". "No, I just wanted to talk to you".

I looked at her worried if Pam had done something to her too. "Did Pam do anything to you?"

"No no".

"What is it, then?"

"I wanted to tell you something. I don't want to see you and Pam fight". "Oh?"

"I saw what happened when Pam threw coffee at her. But you have to promise not to tell anyone that I told you. I don't want to be bad-mouthing". Now she got my attention.

"What happened?"

"I heard Nene say to Pam..."

I walked back to the shop angrily. Ngo walked away because she didn't want to be apart of this. I threw away my apron and walked right to Nene.

"Nene! " Slap!

I hit hard on her neck. I chose not to slap her face because it would be too harsh. Everyone was quiet. Nene looked shocked and touched her neck.

"What Pam did to you is too nice. I can't stand what you did. A bitch must fight with a bitch!".

I panted angrily. "Go to hell!"

"You slap me because you believe your girlfriend!"

The cute face seemed to understand immediately what I was talking about. She blamed it on Pam. I rushed in toward her but she quickly hid behind the manager.

"What happened, Ruk?"

It was a hard day at work for the manager.

"You can say a lot of shit but you cannot say that I cheated on Pam". I turned to the manager.

"I'm sorry about all this. I quit".

I walked out to take in some fresh air. I felt bad I didn't listen to Pam. I knew Pam. I knew she was only jealous, but also rational, and calm. If she did something like that, it must be something bad. Ngo's words echoed inside my head.

"Nene said to Pam... Ruk flirts with everyone in the shop. Ruk gives love to everybody. Ruk and Nene are seeing each other now. Ruk is hers and Pam is stabbed in the back".

I felt achy when I thought about how Pam felt. Pam was a jealous type of person. If anyone told her that I belonged to someone else, she couldn't handle that. She didn't like it when I hugged my dolphin doll. But someone said it in her face, told her she got stabbed in the back. She couldn't explain that to me and things got worse when blurted outlike that... What should I do now?