ALEXAKIS.Okay, so maybe I'd been a bit forward and my actions now bordered on inappropriate. But in hindsight, this plan had sounded sensible to me when it first came to me and I'd rushed down here with everything I needed to get started. Now, with my girl staring at me in confusion, I wasn't so sure if it was a good idea. I'd first thought that making a door for the cave as a form of protection for her whenever she came here was smart. After all, she was always down here, whether it rained heavily or the ground was dry. She'd stay for a few minutes, sometimes reading and then she'd be on her way. I didn't like the fact that she had to sit outside in a place that surely brought her comfort. I didn't also like the thoughts in my head, hence the construction of the door. I'd been obsessed with the possibility of her being in danger in the cave when I'm not around. She needed to be able to take cover and protect herself and a door can be kicked down as it doesn't do much, but still. I
ALEXAKIS.I was late to work the next day, having overslept in the cave the previous night. The den was bustling with regulars - at least they were the same faces I'd seen every day since I started coming here. Liam, one of the bartenders, gave me a cursory glance, before going back to cleaning down his space. I sighed as I ambled slowly through the bodies, heading straight for the locker room. Angelo had put up a 'No smoking' right outside the door but that made it the smoking joint for the punks that frequented the fighting den - even though the locker rooms were technically meant for the workers. Only. My hand pressed into the sign as I pushed the door open, stepping into a cloud of smoke from someone's cigarette. I struggled to hold my breath as I stopped further into the room, throwing my bag on a bench beside my locker. One of the other fighters walked up to me, wrapping bandages around his hands. Timothy, although all the guys call him Motty, had been fighting here since he w
ALEXAKIS."Just the man I was looking for." I looked up to see Angelo staring down at me, a huge grin on his face. One thing I'd learned about the man standing in front of me was that looks could be deceiving and that most times, the sunniest smiles held the darkest minds, because not only was Angelo this charming and handsome man, he was also the head of a fight club. Or a men's club.I couldn't remember what Motty had shakily whispered to me one evening when we'd heard shouts coming from Angelo's closed office. We'd both watched -not just us because the screams had brought the whole den to stand in front of his office- as Angelo pulled open the door, wiping what I was sure was blood on a silk napkin, a sly smile on his face. I felt shivers run through Motty's frame and he'd skittered away when Angelo looked up at us. Now, I could see Motty and a friend of his, not a fighter though as his thin build won't win him any match no matter how hard he practiced, slither away as Angelo ben
CLAIRE.Evie told the whole school that I was addled with some sort of disease and my life had gone worse from then on. I'd been mocked, laughed at, insulted. The only good thing in my life currently was Scott who had been the most supportive boyfriend ever. Infact, he'd started withdrawing from Evie and I could tell that she'd noticed and it angered her because her childish cruelty at home had increased, so much so that I barely ever went to sleep completely, lest she came into my room to do something diabolical. The last time she'd come into my room this week, I'd forgotten to turn the lock, she'd trashed my hidden library. I knew she didn't work alone because Becky was the only one that knew where I had hidden them. I still got angry when I thought about it and I was steaming with anger even before I got to my class. Our English Teacher, Ms. Wells looked up from the book she was reading and I smiled at her, walking past and heading straight for my desk. Just as I stepped past her,
ALEXAKIS.Marcus stood before me, gripping the package tight in his hands. We'd arrived at the hotel a few minutes ago and despite our best efforts to coerce the personnels at the front desk to let us go up and meet with this 'important client,' we were told to wait till they got confirmation from said client before we went up. And we're yet to get anything back from him, even though they'd called his suite ten minutes ago -a maid of his picked up the call. Currently, a security guard stationed in the lobby had been staring at Marcus and it was making the big guy here very fidgety. I thought that we'd never looked more guilty with the way he was squeezing the package. Marcus saw me looking down at his hands and looked down as well, immediately releasing his grip lest he bursted the package. I looked away from him and around the lobby, frowning when I saw two men step out from the private elevator that one of the ladies at the front desk told us led up to the client's suite. I turned
CLAIRE.I pushed into the house, having passed through the backdoors because Becky had some friends over and although she was cruel, she didn't want her friends to see her that way. She wanted to be seen as this nice, caring stepmother who overlooked all the flaws her stepdaughter had. I wasn't in the mood to act nice to Becky or to even see her, and I know she'd try to act worried that I'd been sent from school. Sighing, I gently pulled the door close and walked quietly up to my room. A floorboard creaked and I heard Becky and her friends pause, listening closely -even though Becky definitely knew I was around. She resumed talking after a while, telling them that I must've brought in a stray cat again. As if. Disgusted with her and myself and my entire life, I shut the door to my room and lay on the bed, silently fuming at how unfair today had been. Evie and Becky had no right to play with my schooling and the sad thing is that Father wouldn't blink twice at such an act, he'd simpl
Claire.Strolling down to school was almost no fun for me. Sometimes, I wished I had friends I could walk with, talk about boys with, make memories with or hell; something that would make my dad see me. But that didn't seem like my life. I never believed in such a fairytale. My life had no clue what a bed of roses meant. Evie does want my boyfriend, not because she likes him but because she wants everything I have. And now, making out with him? That was more hurtful than watching those animals, pierced by my dad's arrows because this was something of mine; oh yes my dad, very ruthless with that. Sometimes, I tried to put myself in the shoes of these wolves; what if I was one? This was how I would be hunted? Must be no fun at all. But it sure has its perks, you know. I wouldn't mind running naked in the woods, not caring about a thing, enjoying the cool wind mixed with the dew and smell of fresh, flourishing trees filling my lungs and blasting my hairy skin, making every strand of it
Claire.I was in no mood for small talk. I walked down the street, drowning in my thoughts about what played out a few hours ago. It's been ten years since mum left us and all he could say was, leave the past in the past? The audacity! Did he not love mum? Was it all fake? Is that how love works? Becky must have enjoyed the show; sitting in the corner with that wicked grin of hers. I just needed somewhere I could unwind. My cave seemed befitting. So, here's what happened; I woke up this morning, reminiscing mum's memories, how she always took care of dad and me. We were a lovely family, there was no hate like there is now. I wished I could turn back time just to be under her arms again on the couch as she stroked my forehead or maybe I would have gone with her. That'll save me from all the trouble I was facing. I went down the stairs, hoping that I would be free of some chores as it was a special day for me but I met dad in the living room, laughing and talking with his wife, Becky