8: Her Saviours

Faith slides down to the floor, her back still resting against the wall. Her mind has grasped the fact that she was safe, but her body couldn’t. Her body was trembling – her left foot was quivering. Her fingers were still slightly numb and her heart was beating in her mouth. She was traumatized and the pair of familiar earthy eyes on her didn’t help. It was like his eyes were boring into her flesh – twisting it raw. Her teeth chattered as she shifted her position and averted her teary red eyes from the floor to the man sitting on the edge of her dingy bed. She felt a chill run down her spine as he narrowed his eyes at her but didn’t move an inch away from her face.

“You are okay now,” She heard another voice from over her. She lifted her head to see the tall man standing beside her. He slowly scoots down beside – his long legs bending down. He didn’t touch her, but he did look at her with concern written on his face. “It is fine, Faith. We are not here to hurt you.” The man spoke as softly as he could. Levi passed her a soft smile and at that moment she realized that this man was not scary as the one staring at her with his lips zipped. This man was a long-legged softy.

Faith completely forgot about Levi’s presence for a couple of minutes because of Mateo and his powerful aura. There was something about him that was inconceivably pulling. It wasn’t a sexual or romanticized pull, but it was like this man was attention magnetic. Even if the room would have been full – Faith was sure that Mateo would have stood out of all. His presence in the room made Levi a blurry figure for her. There was something mystic about this man and it only scared her.

She felt uneasy with Mateo’s eyes on her – it was like he was peeling her off – layer by layer with just his eyes. She wiped the tears off her cheeks and turned her head to look at Levi. She had seen him before in the club, but up close she realized that this long-legged softy was certainly a very good-looking man. The relaxed expressions on Levi’s face calmed her down. “I remember your face but I forgot your name,” She couldn’t help but be honest with him. Her voice came out hoarsely.

“Levi,” he simply replied.

“Levi,” She whispered back in acknowledgment as she slowly nodded her head.

“Did you go back to your house since the murders?” Mateo’s voice was deep. It lacked the fervent.

He didn’t yell at her or screamed his question, he merely asked. She flinched at his words – not because of the man who spoke them, but because of the word he used, ‘murders’ – his question was a painful reminder that her family was murdered. It was a harsh slap on her face that jogged her memory of how she was without a family – how she will never see her mother, her sister, her brother – even her father.

She painfully gulped. Her eyes once again teared up as she shook her head. Levi glanced at Mateo just as Mateo glanced back at Levi – it was like they communicating with their eyes. She looked at Levi – who quickly averted his eyes on her – softening his gaze before she turned back to look at Mateo. Faith couldn’t read Mateo’s eyes – they were vacant. They were like two voids. Two desolate earthy spheres that had an indescribable vocation in them. A pair of eyes were enough to make her stomach flip – she had to look away from him to keep herself steady.

Faith is asked by these two strangers to come with them. She doesn’t know why she agreed. She was being extremely stupid, especially after the murder of her family – she should not trust anyone, but here she was following Mateo and Levi out of the motel. There is a very vivid possibility that these are the people she is supposed to run away from, but then the curiosity scratches her mind. Why would her father ask her to go to Mateo Nixon if he was a danger? And most of all – even after knowing that these men could be the reason for her death – why wasn’t she reluctant to go with them? Why didn’t she feel the danger she is so desperately trying to run away from?

Faith silently followed them. Levi had her limited belongings with his – he asked her if he could put them for her in the car and she agreed. She was stupid to do so. What if they steal her things and leave her in this shady motel? But then she argues to herself, why would they? Didn’t seem like thugs – if anything, they were more well-dressed than her – they seem more well-off than her. Faith was in a state of paranoia – she was challenging every single detail about them. She had to keep her mind in check – if these people abandoned her – she will be at the world’s mercy and for now, she couldn’t afford to do so. So, she wordless followed the two men – continuously battling her consciousness.

She briefly looked around. Some of the eyes around – suspiciously and creepily stared at her as she wordlessly walked out with two tall and mysterious men. Some of them wondered if she was a hooker – if they could get their hands on her. Her milky legs were on display as she was dressed in cotton shorts and an old t-shirt that belonged to her late brother. She didn’t get the chance to change before she had to evacuate. Faith made the mistake of making eye contact with one of the men – waiting in the somber lobby. She feels chills down her shine as she realized how shady this motel was – what was she thinking about renting a room here and staying here all alone? She could have been easily murdered here – or worse raped and tortured in this place.

The creepy man licked his lips and gestured her a kissy face, causing her to visibly shake. She didn’t notice that she was following Mateo. She didn’t notice that he had stopped walking as his eyes were on his phone – unaware of the man staring at Faith behind her while Levi had hastily walked out and was now unlocking the car. Mateo halted, Faith didn’t. Next thing she knows she bumped into his back. She quickly stumbled a few steps back.

“Sorry,” She mumbled to Mateo, who turned his head to look at her. She gulped and stole a glance at the group of men – she didn’t want to be in their sight longer and wished for Mateo to resume striding to the car, but to her dismay, Mateo’s eyes followed hers and saw the men ogling her.

Mateo looked back at her – almost agitated with her, “What were you even thinking renting a room here out of all places?” He exasperated.

“I was running out of money,” She mumbled a reply.

Faith thought he would say something in return – he did open his mouth, but the words that were supposed to come out of his mouth remained a mystery for her as he opposed speaking and glanced towards the men – who seemed slightly nervous by the intense glare of Mateo. He looked back at her and reached out for her forearm and it in his large palms before he pulled to walk in front of her – rather than following him behind. He wasn’t harsh with her as the other day, instead, he was gentler this time. Although his hold had a slight tug in it, it wasn’t forceful. He didn’t push her forward, he directed her in front of him.

“Keep walking,” He mumbled from behind her. “And don’t look at them,” he added. Faith did as he said.

Levi had already put her things in the car. When she hastily walked to the car Levi stood against, he smiled at her and opened the door for her. No one had ever opened the door for her before, not even Elijah. She mumbled a soft thank you and returned him the smile before getting in the car. She liked Levi – he is a very likable man, whereas, on the other hand, she is not sure what her feelings are towards her supposable “guardian”. She is still angry at him for the way he treated her and kicked her out of the club the other night, but at the same time, she trusts him for some inexpressible reasons. But the trust she had for him was dangling by a very weak thread, one wrong move and it will shatter.

Mateo was quick to follow her. He got in the passenger’s seat while Levi drove the car out of the parking lot of the motel. The silence within the concealed car was too thick. But there was not just silence – there was exasperation in the air, there was perplexity – there was circumspection – all together were enough to make her feel suffocated. She gulped and looked out the moving car – judging the speed, Faith could define it as a racing car, it wasn’t just moving – it was bolting far away from the motel.

She soon realized that they were on their way to the club. She nibbled her lower lip before she spoke, “Why are we going to the club?” She asked. Levi glanced at the rear-view mirror to see Faith’s question aimed at Mateo as she slightly hunched towards him as she sits in the middle of the back seat. Her hands were resting on both of the seats in front of her – while her eyes were on a very nettled Mateo.

Levi glanced at Mateo, who had his eyes fixed out the window with his elbow resting on the armrest while his hand loosely curled into a fist and was resting against his chin. He refused to answer Faith’s question or to even spare a glance at her or Levi. Levi realized that Mateo will not speak, so he spoke instead of him.

“You will be safe there,” he answered.

Faith averted her eyes on Levi as he drove closer to Xon, “But where will I live? I am not going back to my house – I can’t,” She questioned.

Levi side-glanced Mateo to see him flare his nostril as a deep frown appeared on his face. Levi leveled his eyes back on the road as he replied, “Of course not, there are two emergency rooms in the club. You can stay in one of them,”

“For how long?” Was her next question.

Levi was worried that her strings of questions will make Mateo snap so, he answered quickly. “As long as you want,” he offered her a soft smile through the rearview mirror.

Faith bit her lower lip nervously. She looked at Mateo, who hasn’t moved from his position before she looked back at Levi, “Um – the thing is that my job places are slight far from the club.”

Levi glanced at Mateo once again, to see him completely ignoring the girl. He sighed and nodded his head, “We will figure something out,” He told her.

When they reached the club, they didn’t take her in from the front of the club – as she expected. Instead, Levi had asked to follow him through the side door. Faith obediently walked behind the tall man and randomly looked behind her to see that Mateo wasn’t following them as she expected him to. She halted. “Wait,” she said.

Levi stopped and turned his head around – raising his eyebrow in question. “Um – where is Mateo?” She asked him.

“Don’t worry about him,” he replied and was about to resume talking when she stopped him again.

“No – but – wait, I need to talk to him. He has to answer my questions.” She demanded – her eyebrows knitted together.

Levi sighed, “Of course, but why don’t you freshen up first? Maybe eat something – or try to sleep before you get into this?” He asked.

Faith was quick to shake her head, “No, I can’t do any of those without talking to him first,” she was persistent.

She smashed her lips together, “You have no idea what I am going through, Levi. I need to talk to him as soon as I can or else my head will explode.” She ran her fingers through her hair before she fisted her hair by the roots in her hands.

Levi softly sighs, “Don’t worry, Faith. All your questions will be answered.” He kept his voice gentle.

He opened his mouth to console her further when the familiar deep voice spoke from behind her.

“Levi, take her things to the room.” Mateo didn’t ask – he ordered.

Levi nodded his head, “Sure,” he mumbled.

Mateo then looked at Faith – his eyes boring into hers – once again making her stomach flip. While he had his eyes on her, his words were directed toward Levi, “She will come with me. And make sure no one comes to my office while I am in there.” He said firmly.

Mateo is not a person who easily loses his calm. He hardly shows his agitation. He hardly shows any of his emotions. Even when fueling fear into someone Mateo also has a soft smile on his face – a sickening one that sends chills down one’s spine, but it was different this time. This girl – he doesn’t truly know who she is to Mateo, but she brings up the inclination buried deep in his friend, and for the first time Levi felt a tingle of discomfort in his chest – not for himself or the girl, but his friend.

Something tells him that if Mateo decides to keep her around – his friend will never be the same.