Page 122 of Taeja

“You will. Come on.”

“Okay,” Taeja mumbled, opening her door, and walking ahead of him. “I’ve never been to a rage room before.”

“You’ll love it.”

“Why’s that?” she asked, walking through the automatic door.

“It’s the first place I went to after I got done with physical therapy. It helped me in more ways than one. It will for you, too.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Because I am,” he said as they stopped by a counter. “Stop asking so many questions.”

Taeja pouted, her shoulders slumping as she grumbled, “Miserable like mi nuh know wa fi seh.”

Zain looked down at her, his eyes narrowing. The scar on his left eye alwaysmade him more intimidating whenever he glared, but it never scared her. It always intrigued her. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” she rushed out.

Zain stared at her for a long moment before looking at the associate who approached the counter. Zain booked them a room for an hour, and they waited for an additional twenty for the room to be prepared. After they got dressed in safety gear, another associate led them to the room.

Taeja walked inside while Zain paused at the door for a few seconds before entering. Zain slammed the door shut while she scanned the square room.

Five buckets full of ceramic and glass items were in a corner. Three old TVs lined a wall, along with a printer and mini fridge. An iron barrel was in the middle of the room, atop it was a sheet of board with a metal baseball bat laid on it.

Taeja smirked at the bat. Liyah would’ve loved it.

“Are you ready?” Zain asked from behind her.

Taeja adjusted the protective glasses on the bridge of her nose as she faced him. “What exactly should I do?”

“Destroy everything.”

Taeja grabbed the metal bat and hit the printer as hard as she could.

“Harder,” Zain urged.

“I can’t hit it any harder than this,” Taeja complained.

“You can,” he insisted. “Let your anger drive you. Scream if you must. Just let it all out.”

Taeja inhaled a deep breath before complying with Zain’s order. She swung on everything — starting with the old printer. The crush and scrape of metal was satisfying to her ears.

“I hate Teddy!” she screamed, hitting the printer over and over. She didn’t dodge the broken pieces as they flew around. Some hit her body, landing on the floor while others fell atop the printer to be smashed again. “I hate how Jerry treats me! I hate that Liyah—” A loud crash. “Has to deal with my mess when she has her own shit to focus on!”

As she screamed out her frustration, Zain stood in a corner, watching her and saying nothing. Every so often, he’d empty a new bucket on theground for her, and Taeja didn’t hesitate to smash everything.

It was amazing!

“Which mother just leff dem pickney so?!” she screamed at the TV. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks now, amplifying her rage by the second. “She even think boh me?! She even remember me?!” Taeja raised the bat to swing it with force, but her grip loosened, and it flew out of her hand.

A loud crash came from behind her as it hit the wall. She spun around with bewildered eyes. Zain was stooping while the bat rocked by his feet.

Taeja gasped, cupping her mouth with a gloved hand. “Did I hit you?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry.”

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