This Is My Life

Sitting alone in her apartment on a friday night was a regular event in Clara’s life. She was sipping the dark red Pinot Noir out of the long stemmed wine glass she had received by her step-sister the past christmas, while waiting for the hands on the loud, white clock to hit a number she believe was an appropriate time to head into her clean white bed. It had always been just her. She’d been an only child until three years earlier, when her mother had remarried four months after her fathers heart attack, but it wasn’t until recently had Clara began to resent the pitiful life she had chosen to live. She had chosen work over family, riches over husband, and a big home over a social life.
All of that, though, did not stop her from telling herself she was happy. She majored in psychology and previously worked as a therapist. She had made her fortune telling rich people the were crazy and needed an over the counter drug to keep there inside from showing to others, so she was determined to have a healthy mind and body.
Clara went to the gym every other morning, before work, ignoring the fat men who think it won't count if they flirt with someone who there wife won't ever have to meet. She had been in exactly five different relationships. She’s the person who doesn't believe in a relationship that won't last forever, and is very picky about the men she’d fall in love with.
It was 7:30, way earlier that bed time, the sun was just beginning to set. Clara slowly walked over to the balcony. The door was fixed tight, and the neglected plants on the balcony were over growing so the small ledge protruding from the building resembled a forest. Her room was on the seventy-third floor, and she clearly had a view of the city the layed on her door step. When she took the first step onto the cold rock floor, her wavy black hair began to billow in the wind.she rested her arms on the stone railing her arms covered in bumps and she shivered slightly. She sadly looked at the lights of New York City as she took out one hoop earing and then the other.
The black dress she was wearing was tight and uncomfortable, so, taking one last look at the city, Clara turned around and walk back into the dining room, slamming the sliding door behind her. She went over to the fridge and grabbed the pitcher of lemon water. After pouring herself a glass, she sat back down on her stool and drank the water silently.
“Jane?” The deep voice bellowed from outside the door. “Open the door Jane!” Clara’s jumped up off her seat and slowly walked to the door. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the door knob. Right when she turned to handle the door was pushed open, but stopped when the golden chain tightened. Clara knew who this man was. she had seen him in old pictures her neighbor Jane had around her apartment.
The mans golden brown eyes peered in the crack between to door and the wall. they were thin and angry, he ceased pounding and asked “Where is she? Is she hiding?”
she took a very deep breath and spoke, with calm words, saying, “Are you looking for Jane?”
His eyes widened and he said “Yes! Who’re you?”
“She’s letting me stay here” Clara lied.”Do you wish to see her sir?” Her voice was slow and polite.
He matched her tone and said “Oh, yes that'd be nice! Thank you ma’am.”
“Um, how do you know her?”
“Oh, me and Jane go way back. We went to middle school together”
“Okay” She put on a fake smile so he would not see her lie. “Well, she’ll be back in about ten minutes, do you wanna wait in here ‘till she comes back?” As she knew he would, he gave a polite yes with a smile and she shut the door, unlocked the chain, he introduced himself and Loid and he came in her house. Now that he was no longer behind the dark mulberry door Clara could appreciate the expensive looking suit he had on. His gold cufflinks immediately caught her eye, Perfect, she thought. “Wear did you get those cufflinks?” she asked a sweet voice, gesturing to the fat leather sofa and sitting in a matching arm chair, although she did not enter the answer in her mind, instead just thinking of what to do next, and occasionally saying “Oh!” and nodding her head.
When he finished talking she smiled, said, “Oh, thats cool!” and got out of her seat. “Do you want me to call Jane?” she was still smiling, and her hands were squeezing each other tightly.
“No, I’d rather it be a surprise that I’m here, you know-”
“Oh I get you! No need to explain.” she walked to the kitchen and screamed to the living room “I’m gonna make myself some coffee, you want some?” She could hear him getting situated and he shouted back “Yes please.” So she got to work. after she had put the kettle on she quietly grabbed her cellphone and dialed the number belonging to Jane. When the phone on the other end was picked up and Clara could recognize the voice on the other end, she cupped her hand around her mouth and whispered “Jane, its Clara, I can’t talk much, you have to leave the building. He’s here, no, no, just take Ellie and Chris and got out of the building, out of the town if you have to. No I’m fine, yes, if you could, OK, bye, be quick.”
On the other side if the hall she could hear a door open and multiple sets of feet walk quickly down the hall, but so could he. He got up off the couch and started towards the door, Clara ran to it so she could get there first and pretended to look out of the peep hole, saying, “Nope just my neighbor.” He retreated to the sofa, and she went back to the kitchen. The clock now read 7:45.
The mans name was actually Frank, he was Janes Ex Boyfriend, father to her twins Ellie and Chris. Through the three month relationship Jane and Frank had gone through a lot. For the end month he became abusive, physically and emotionally, and once she broke up with him he stalked her, returning every few months to try and get her back, getting angry if she denied him.
Once the water was done boiling she prepared to coffee. She put two sugar cubes in her own, and left his black upon request. She set down to two cups on the pine coffee table she had gotten from a man who had loved her for many years, but she had never felt the same. Frank was not on the couch, for he had requested the bathroom, so she assumed thats where he was. She sat down and took a sip of her coffee. The heat it exhaled sent a fiery pain in her mouth, so she set down the white mug and ran to the kitchen, taking a sip of the previously poured glass of lemon water left on the table.
The clock now read 7:55.
Clara was starting to get worried. Ten minutes and the police department was not at her building. She heard the man sitting back on the couch and she walked in the living room, saying “Be careful, it’s really-” but stopped. the man had been waiting by the kitchen doorway, knife in hand, ready to strike and that is what he did. When Clara finally decided to look down, she saw the deep red of the blood and the shining silver blade that was protruding out of her abdomen.
She looked at her and smiled, his voice was soft and unnerving, “If this is Jane’s house, why are there pictures of you all over the bedroom?” he laughed as he looked at the blood and turned to leave.
“Frank?” her voice was cracked and weak, which made his unpleasant smile grew wider, soon reaching from ear to ear, his teeth covering his whole face.
“Yes Sweety?”
“You're a bad man.” She punched his smiling mouth and went in for kick in the crotch, but he was ready for this one, and he caught her leg and spun her, she landed on her butt on the ground and he went in closer, pulling her so her back was to him. She elbowed him in the gut and he shoved her away, but first grabbing the hoop earing. The torn ear bled, but she was already in deep pain, she wanted him to suffer.
She grabbed the lamp on the desk and swung at his face, he caught her arm and held it tightly, to distracted to see the other kick that as aimed for his crotch. He fell on his knees, and Clara’s knees almost buckled, but she had not been only lifting weights when she went to the gym before work, now her kickboxing skills came to action. She kicked his face twice, before she finally heard to sirens get closer, and then a stampede (of what Clara thought was safe to assume was police) ran up the steps. And That was all.

Clara woke up in the hospital five day later after vital surgery. Her ear was stitched up and she was attached to a life support. There was no one in the room with her, and in some ways Clara enjoyed that, but not as much as when the door opened and her mom and Jane came in. After talking a little Jane brought in her kids, and they asked many questions. Soon the doctor came in and shooed the family out, leaving a happy but hurt Clara to sleep.