A/N: Hello everyone! Now I know this isn't the update of my story but I'm only doing this so that my mind won't disarray too much and since I have finished it I decided to post it. The story is originally titled as "The World Is an Apple" by Alberto Florentino. The story is originally in script form so I had to imagine their feelings and actions to describe what they feel and do better. It was a bit hard but it didn't really matter. The story was kinda in Filipino style, I guess? And I tried to do my best to make it in American style and the words were somewhat hard to interpret and their feelings were hard to understand because of it. I also did some things of my own based from my interpretations from the original one and tried my best not to change too much but my own parts that I've put in.

I also revised it so that the drama is shorter and much more understandable. I like the story because of its point of showing how financial problems in ones house can lead to dishonest ways to survive in a cruel world. At least that's what the story is trying to convey.

Either way it's fine. And again I'm really sorry my main story is getting too long to update again like chapter 11.

For now... Enjoy :)

xxxxxxxXOXxxxxxxx

Poppy was nervous for her husband coming home. Their daughter wasn't eating and payments are getting longer. She paced around the room nervously as she waited for him, biting her thumb. Her heart nearly jumped when she heard the lock of the front door clicked and opened. Her husband finally came into view looking very tired.

"Hey... How was work?" She asked him. He shrugged and answered as he placed his jacket on the rack nearby and sat down on one of the chairs in the room "Same as always" he said quietly. "How's Rosie doing? Has she been eating?" He added as he almost stood up to check her in her room.

"Don't wake her up. She's tired. She cried the whole day" with that he sat back down but worries and fear shrouded the house for nearly three years so it's pretty much not helping to hear her crying all day. It brought him guilt to their three year old but he stayed silent as he waited for her to speak.

"She... Wouldn't eat. She wouldn't even eat any food I give her but I'll maybe buy her biscuits or something. Maybe she'll eat them. I'll take some of the money" Poppy tried to take a couple of cents from his breast pocket when he raised his tone as he pulled her hand away from him.

"Poppy, can't you wait!?" He hollered. She was taken aback by his sudden outburst and questioned him "Why are you being so touchy all of a sudden?"

"Who wouldn't? I'm talking about our child right now and you start to bother me by ransacking my pocket? Have you have consideration of our daughter?"

She was offended and tried to defend herself and her intentions "I do have consideration! Why do you think I need the money for?! Buy a dress or some lipstick?!"

"Tone your voice down, you'll wake her up-"

"All I want is some cents to buy her something to eat! She hasn't eaten all day! That's why I was "bothering" you!" She crosses her arms and turned around, hurt by his accusations. She heard him sigh. He stood up and pulled her into an embrace as he rested his forehead to her shoulder. "I'm sorry..." He muttered and she accepted it all too eagerly "It's okay... Now can I please have some of the money?"

He tensed as he released her from his hold. She faced him and he shrunk from her stare "I... I don't have any"

"What do you mean you don't have any? It's payday"

"Yes I know it's payday"

"Then where's your pay?"

"I... I don't have a job, Poppy" She was stunned as she could feel her own blood run cold to her veins. "What? What happened to your job?" She asked him but he only looked away from her, ashamed to his jobless state.

"They kicked me out... Because of... One measly apple" he muttered in anger as he glared at the ground. Poppy was filled with confusion. "Why would they...? Oh no..." She questioned until she came into realization. "You stole it-"

"That's what they all called it!" He angrily said. He hated it. He hated every ounce of the word but what more could there be to call it?

"Then what do you suggest they call it?! Pilfering?"

"I was trying to get it for Rosie, alright?! She wanted one... But I couldn't even buy her one... I saw an apple roll out of a broken crate and I thought she would love to have it" he explained sadly as remembers his child walking beside him as they were leaving the park. She wanted an apple from a nearby store but he couldn't even afford one. He felt guilty and sad for Rosie. She deserves better than that.

"Still... You stole it. Now where's that special apple you took for your daughter?"

"They... kept it as evidence" he angrily replied as he also came into realization to his actions.

"Look, I know it's unfair as well because they have to kick a poor man out but... You also have to think fast. We have to wait first before we'll ever buy an apple and it's better to wait than to lose everything" she said in wisdom. As she placed a hand on his shoulder.

He sighed tiredly and agreed. "I understand... But Poppy it's gonna be fine. I found a job and a good one. We'll be out of this house in no time. I know we will"

"Really?"

"Yes... I'm suppose to meet the guy who offered me the job tonight"

"Then you better get ready! Come on" She eagerly helped him get ready and took his jacket from the rack nearby. She tried to give him a hug but he pulled away much to her confusion. Her husband sat on their porch as she played with his fingers beside him.

"I love you. I know my dad told me I'll regret ever marrying you and I should've married him but... Look at you. You're a changed man. If only he could see that" Memories of her father telling her about him flooded her mind as the crickets of the night singed with all their heart.

"How romantic" A man in a sarcastic tone said and revealed himself from the shadows.

"You?" Shocked to the sudden visitor, her eyes went wide as rage grew inside her.

"Hello, Love. How're you doing?" He smiled devilishly as he placed his hands in his pockets.

"Better until you showed up" she replied in seething anger.

"Frank why are you here?" Her husband stood up nervously between his wife and the man called Frank.

"I got tired of waiting"

"You were going to meet with him? Why would you-? You told me you're not gonna deal anything with him ever again!" Poppy realized what kind of job he was going and the feeling of betrayal swept in inside her lungs choking her.

"Poppy please you gotta understand I... I can't... Get out of this. No one can" he tried to explain but it only made it worse as she looked back at Frank with pure hatred and anger.

"You beast! You know he'll come to you when he's down! You know he'll cling to anything when he has nothing left!" She pushes him but Frank found his footing and just ignored her outburst as he yelled back. "He came to me first!"

"Our lives were better until you showed yourself to him. He was better off without you"

"Oh really? Look at where you are now, Poppy! You call this a house? It looks more like a prison. Your fucking delusional, know that? When he was with me he could buy anything the world has to offer. He had money in his pockets larger than he ever acquired in all his years with you!" Frank snickered as Poppy's scowl deepened, winning the argument all too easily.

"Frank, stop!" Her husband tried to stop him but Frank paid no heed as he continued. "He told me yesterday how he no longer believes the way you want him to live. Come on, man! Tell her! She's bound to know sooner or later"

"Poppy I..." He tries to tell her but shakily his arms fell to his sides in defeat. Frank starts to laugh as he closed his eyes and placed a hand on his temple. "Oh... I'm sorry... Poppy, I see you still haven't changed... Not a bit"

"Neither have you" she said like spitting acid as she glared at the man in front of her. How dare he play with them like this?! "You're still that woman who cursed me to hell because I happened to be your husbands friend. But he knows I got to you first. Time didn't really made you any kinder to me as well. You still hate me, don't you?"

"With all my heart and soul could ever do"

"How's your daughter by the way? She was just this high when I last saw her"

"You don't need to know"

"Aw... Oh well. I heard she was sick. You didn't take her to the doctor? Here, I'll lend you a few-"

"I would love to but we don't need it. Not if it came from your sinful hands. You know, that's exactly the reasons why I left you"

"Because of what?"

"Your dishonesty. You think your money laundering is gonna keep you away from the police, I don't think so, Frank"

"My dishonesty?!" He chuckled under his breath as he said in bafflement. He paced back and forth looking up the sky, deep in thought "Alright... So what's dishonest money? What's honest money then? Does it look better than dishonesty? Does it buy more? What is it? Dressing like that? Staying in a dungeon you call a house?! Is that what you call beautifully as "honesty?""

"Frank!" Her husband called him to stop but Frank kept on with his point. Frank wants to prove, he wants her to see her mistake. Realize that the world is unfair. She has to learn.

"Look what happened to your daughter. Look what "honesty" did to her. Fuck! Poppy, she doesn't need a doctor she needs food! Good... Food. She's undernourished and you think you can gain money by your ways?"

"Frank, stop!"

Frank faced back to his old friend with a wide smile "I can't believe you still clung to her..."

"Get out of our sight! Go!" She pushes him away and Frank did his best not to be clawed by her. "Alright, alright. I'll leave as soon as he's ready to go" he said with a smirk. He can't leave now without him. Not when he's so close.

"He's not coming with you!" Poppy said scornfully as she stood in between him and her husband.

"Why don't you ask him?"

"He's. Not. Coming"

"Ask. Him" Frank mimicked as his smirk went wider. Poppy looked back at her husband and asked with pleading eyes "You're not coming. Aren't you? Tell him you're not coming!"

"Poppy I... Need you... T-to trust me on this" he stammered as he held her on her shoulders with both hands.

"You're going..." She said in defeat. "I see that you really want to go with him. And while you're with him, I'll be here wondering if you'll get shot in the head or sent to jail!" She added as she looked away from him in sadness.

"He's not going anywhere near jail, Poppy. He's safe with me" Frank said loudly as he snickered but he didn't know it'll only provoke her anger out to him once more.

"You hideous beast get out!" She tried to reach for him again but her husband took on hold of her by the waist and dragged her away from him. Frank was left cursing as he straightened out his clothes. "You stay there, Frank. I'll be with you in a minute" her husband said as he took her away.

Once they were both finally alone her husband placed a hand under chin and brought her eyes back to his own. "Look, Poppy... I'm going with him" She tried her best not to cry but the harder she resisted the more tears came out. "Don't go... Please"

"Take care of yourself and our daughter. Don't wait up for me. I'll be coming home late" he placed a kiss on her forehead and headed out with Frank by his side. Poppy could only stand there and watch as they leave the vicinity. Her throat itched for him to be heard and she called loudly back at him with tears falling from her eyes.

"Creek!"

xxxxxxxXOXxxxxxxx

A/N: So who can guess who's Frank? It's not that hard really. I was having a hard time finding the right name for him and how I'll give him a name by just rearranging letters and stuff. And I ran out of ideas so I just named him that way. Plus I like the name Frank. To me it sounds formal, old and serious. You know, from Frank to France, things like that. Plus I heard their old... Was it a story or poem? Idk... The title was "The song of Roland"

But back to the topic I like the name Frank because like I said it sounds formal, old and serious and that's what he is. He's serious, formal... Okay not that old but you know he has a much more mature mind. Ya get me? I don't know I just like it. His last name will be the kicker cause I just wanna laugh so loud at it. It sounds dumb... Hahahaha!

I think that's all for now. Don't wanna get this long again. Oh! And I almost forgot.

This is a one-shot. And my very first one. Just tell me if you guys like me to continue with it but I'm sure... I don't know. I have a crazy mind and I like doing rash things but I guess if I'll have problems later on it'll definitely be my fault. XD

Thank you again and I'll try my very best to finish chapter 19 as soon as I can. Bye bye ;)