Theodore My head is throbbing painfully as I stand in line to get my morning coffee that I desperately need to be able to continue functioning. I am still surprised that I actually managed to get out of bed in the first place. Pulling my hoodie further into my face, I sigh, asking the barista for the strongest coffee they have. “Do you want a muffin to go with it?” she asks happily, her high-pitched voice piercing into my brain. My stomach churns, bile rising into my throat as I shake my head to decline her question. Her face falls and I am sure that she thinks that I am an idiot, but I don’t care. I just want to make it out here alive. As she announces my huge dark brew with an annoying and insanely painful singsong, I hold my phone against the card reader. Freezing to my spot, I watch her smile grow maliciously as a suspicious beep resounds from the card reader. “Oh, looks like it got declined.” “Huh?” I react raspily, my dried-out throat revenging the fact that I spoke by
Nathanael As Gilda steps into my office, I ignore her just until she walks to my large windows, pulling at the curtains to rip them open. I groan at the sun flooding the room, hitting me like a bus running at full speed. “Oh, sorry, boss,” she says loudly, mocking me as she steps back through my office, slamming several files onto the desk. “I didn’t see you there.” I frown at her while she giggles. “What put you in such a great mood?” “Can’t a girl be in a great mood just because?” She shrugs, flashing me a huge smile. Passing my hand over my face, I exhale exhaustedly. “Please, Witch, I have neither the patience nor the condition to engage in your little games at the moment.” She suddenly starts humming, spinning on herself in front of my desk and I watch her, scrunching up my face as I lay my head onto my hand. “For goodness’ sake.” Stopping, she laughs, putting her hand on her chest. “I just had a fabulous night with a special young man.” “Ugh,” I push out, feeling
Theodore Who the fuck told him? Did Gilda snitch on me? What a bitch! As I ride to work, I have my teeth clenched so hard that I fear I will break them. When I got Helades’ text, the temptation was big to go as my good old stinky self and give him the full pleasure of my drunkard being. Because fuck him. And fuck these fucking morons. As my blood is pumping faster through my veins than it probably should and fury is burning along my nerves, my temperament is top-notch, and because of the adrenaline rush, I dodged a few road rage accidents just by pure chance. But it didn’t bother me. My body felt like it needed the thrill of it. Something I have never felt. Just something else to add to the list that doesn’t feel like me. I rip my helmet off my head, stomping into my office building with fast steps. Passing the reception desk angrily, I ignore the usual giggles and stupid remarks by the reception bitch. Just until she says something she shouldn’t have.
Why can’t I move?! Ah, it must be one of those dreams again. Or what do they call it… Sleep paralysis. I groan, but the sound is only in my mind because, like the rest of my body, my throat isn‘t responding to the impulses coming from my brain. I fail to move again while my eyes are wide open, staring into the blackness of the room. The first subconscious impulse I feel is panic, which climbs along my legs, expanding into my stomach, but slowly, another feeling takes over, my heartbeat accelerating as a strange heat pushes the panic back. My dick hardens under the covers and I cuss myself out as it rubs against the bed sheets as it grows, making me feel like burning up. And I can’t even close my eyes. I just lay there staring into the darkness, concentrating on my breathing to calm down, like my doctor instructed me to, even if I don’t want to get out of it. Not yet. The reason for it finally moves out of the shadows, materializing in front of me. My
Theodore “Have you already looked into the newspaper today?” I close my eyes as I lock the water tank of my coffee machine in place. Sighing, I hold my phone to my other ear while my mother continues to lecture me about my laziness. As if I wouldn’t look for a job daily, and collect my regular humiliation between job interviews I fail and discussions with my bank. Fucking hell. I would love to hang up, but I have to endure her mobbing behavior as I need her monthly allowance to not have to sell my motorbike. And the job at my friend's bar only covers my daily portion of a can of ravioli. “Yes, Mom,” I say, but she just continues to speak, now talking about the neighbor’s boy who just started working at a hospital. The assholes always have it better. “Good for him, Mom,” I comment, pushing the button for my only luxury at the moment. “And Fredrik is getting married. In Italy!” she gushes and I take a deep breath, rubbing my eyes. “How lovely,” I groan, but she i
Theodore My heart beats into my throat as I have my stomach churning repeatedly. The petite woman at the reception glances over to me from time to time and I always manage to catch myself and flash her a smile. At least I hope so. And I hope I don’t look like a creep. A man in an elegant suit shows up, reaching me with a kind smile and I get up, shaking his hand. “Mr. Baxter, welcome to the Hel Company. We are pleased to have you here.” I just can’t wrap my mind around how fitting the company name is after what the regular customer told me. “Thank you for having me,” I answer, pulling at my tie to make sure it didn’t shift as I follow him.But how many times have I heard that sentence before, and how many times they were, indeed, not pleased to have me in their offices? I still wonder what gets them to invite me. At least, I know that in this case, it was a recommendation. He leads me into the meeting room, and I keep myself from staring in awe as I look around, admiring the
Theodore I lean with my teeth against my glass, my lips sucking at the droplets lingering around as Alex stands in front of me. “You are pulling my leg,” he says, crossing his arms. I point my finger at him, moving my thumb as if I was firing a gun. “No, it was the absolute worst,” I say with a sigh as I disconnect myself from the glass. He repositions on his feet, signaling one of his customers to wait for a second. “They knew who you were. They had your CV. I can’t believe the CEO didn’t look at it before he called you in. What a wanker!” “Total wanker!” I confirm, taking a big gulp from my beer, emptying it. “I need another one, Axshl.” He laughs, taking the glass from me. “You are so drunk, but after you told me, I can’t possibly tell you to slow down.” “Right! The hell you can!” I say, clicking my fingers. “I’m the greatest loser of them all!” Stumbling from my bar stool as he brings me my beer, I regain my balance with a little dance. A few drunkards left in the bar cl
Theodore He lifts his hand, looking at me annoyed. “Are you some kind of Casanova?” “To be honest,” I say, pursing my lips and scratching my chin. “I have the face for it.” “Ugh,” he pushes out as I look around his office. It is furnished as he is and screams cold asshole with money from a mile away. Closing the door behind me, I step in front of his desk. I clear my throat as he looks up at me bored and I pull myself together not to lose my shit again.“Listen, Mr. Helades, I’m deeply sorry about what I texted you last night and it won’t happen again. I apologize for having been rude and surely what the N stands for is none of my business.” “Is that all?” he asks, again not seeming impressed with what I had to offer. This is the worst. “I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again as I don’t have money to drink anyway, so your mailbox is safe.” His eyes burn into mine, making me ramble along. “Also, I have been experiencing some very bad sleeping issues, and even if I don’t know
Theodore Who the fuck told him? Did Gilda snitch on me? What a bitch! As I ride to work, I have my teeth clenched so hard that I fear I will break them. When I got Helades’ text, the temptation was big to go as my good old stinky self and give him the full pleasure of my drunkard being. Because fuck him. And fuck these fucking morons. As my blood is pumping faster through my veins than it probably should and fury is burning along my nerves, my temperament is top-notch, and because of the adrenaline rush, I dodged a few road rage accidents just by pure chance. But it didn’t bother me. My body felt like it needed the thrill of it. Something I have never felt. Just something else to add to the list that doesn’t feel like me. I rip my helmet off my head, stomping into my office building with fast steps. Passing the reception desk angrily, I ignore the usual giggles and stupid remarks by the reception bitch. Just until she says something she shouldn’t have.
Nathanael As Gilda steps into my office, I ignore her just until she walks to my large windows, pulling at the curtains to rip them open. I groan at the sun flooding the room, hitting me like a bus running at full speed. “Oh, sorry, boss,” she says loudly, mocking me as she steps back through my office, slamming several files onto the desk. “I didn’t see you there.” I frown at her while she giggles. “What put you in such a great mood?” “Can’t a girl be in a great mood just because?” She shrugs, flashing me a huge smile. Passing my hand over my face, I exhale exhaustedly. “Please, Witch, I have neither the patience nor the condition to engage in your little games at the moment.” She suddenly starts humming, spinning on herself in front of my desk and I watch her, scrunching up my face as I lay my head onto my hand. “For goodness’ sake.” Stopping, she laughs, putting her hand on her chest. “I just had a fabulous night with a special young man.” “Ugh,” I push out, feeling
Theodore My head is throbbing painfully as I stand in line to get my morning coffee that I desperately need to be able to continue functioning. I am still surprised that I actually managed to get out of bed in the first place. Pulling my hoodie further into my face, I sigh, asking the barista for the strongest coffee they have. “Do you want a muffin to go with it?” she asks happily, her high-pitched voice piercing into my brain. My stomach churns, bile rising into my throat as I shake my head to decline her question. Her face falls and I am sure that she thinks that I am an idiot, but I don’t care. I just want to make it out here alive. As she announces my huge dark brew with an annoying and insanely painful singsong, I hold my phone against the card reader. Freezing to my spot, I watch her smile grow maliciously as a suspicious beep resounds from the card reader. “Oh, looks like it got declined.” “Huh?” I react raspily, my dried-out throat revenging the fact that I spoke by
Theodore Even as I’m preparing to go out, I still have the same thought nagging at me. Is Helades really my man of the shadows? I had been missing him, honestly, as he kept away in the last few days. After I had decided to not go to the doctor’s to get new pills, I had surprisingly had to recognize that my sleep paralysis was gone. It had now been a week since I had the last one, and with it the last visit from my man from the shadows. I sigh, combing back my hair, and I groan as I feel so ugly that whatever I do, it always resembles a dirty blond. As if I hadn’t washed it for weeks. And I can’t possibly go out looking like a wanna-be gangster who tries to be cool in front of his teenage friends. I can’t look like this when I risk running into him by chance.Pushing out a deep breath, I try to calm down my raging nerves and I throw the comb into the sink, calling it a day. Tonight I will be going out with Gilda and her friends. And I can’t wait to meet them at the club and
Theodore “Oh, you here?” Gilda looks at me wide-eyed, turning around as she is biting into what seems to be a hotdog filled with everything possible. “Theo,” she squeals, holding her hand in front of her full mouth. “Hey!” I laugh, hopping to sit on her desk. “What are you doing here this late?” She rolls her eyes, munching to be able to speak properly. “Ugh, you know how the boss is.” “Uh-huh,” Grinning, I watch her mirror my smile as she wipes her lips from the greasy stuff. “Where did you get that? I could use something to eat now.” “There is a hot dog cart right outside the building. I guess that he has noticed that I love these things and am actually making him rich with all my cravings.” Shaking my head, I chuckle thinking how some people are just gifted as she must have the best genes possible. She flicks back her red-brown hair, flashing me her perfect pearly whites. “Do you want one? I can show you where he stands.” “I’d love this,” I answer happily, but I
Theodore Where are you? Helades’ angry text is still dancing on my screen as I walk down the dark hallway to barge into his office. “Here I am!” I announce myself in a sing-song voice and he looks up for only a second only to flash me a disgusted expression. “Forgot how to take a call?” I shake my head, grinning. “Nope. Just thought that you didn’t want to hear my voice but wanted me here.” “Wow, so you are actually able to think. This is astonishing,” he scoffs, redirecting his attention to his papers. Stepping further into the room, I chuckle and refrain from retorting something. As I study his face, I notice that his skin doesn’t look as pale as it was in the last few days. He seems a lot healthier if I think of it, and I guess that he is feeling better. Automatically, happiness streams through me and I must be lighting up, my smile brightening. “Why are you smiling like a moron?” His annoyed voice rumbles towards me but isn’t strong enough to make me lose my ha
Theodore “Where the hell have you been all this time? Why didn’t you take any calls?” my mother’s voice blares out of the phone, forcing me to hold it away from my ear to save my ability to hear. Leaning back on the couch, I close my eyes, pressing my fingers to the bridge of my nose. “I was working, Mom.” She tsks disparagingly, making my blood boil. “As if… You know that Fredrik finds the time to call me every day and his beautiful fiancée brings me flowers every week. Aren’t they lovely?” “Precious, Mom. And here I was, thinking they would be too busy with the planning of their wedding in Italy.” I sigh frustrated, while she gasps. “If you would take life a little bit more seriously just as your brother does, you would do a lot better.”I roll my eyes, swallowing a sarcastic comment that is about to bubble out of my throat. My brother is a successful lawyer, as successful as you could be in a small town like ours, and he is soon-to-be-married to his university sweetheart, who
Theodore I groan as I open my eyes at the sunbeams falling in through the window, waking me up in the most ungently way. “Fuck,” I rasp out, my throat feeling like I have screamed at the top of my lungs all night. Halting in my movements, I jerk up, a flashback of how Helades slams into me flickering in front of my eyes shortly.Did I meet him? I scratch my head, thinking that it must be a strange fantasy of mine as I don’t remember much from the moment I started drinking with Dimitrios. This obsession is getting ridiculous even for me. It’s all fuzzy, a white noise static footage replacing the images from my party night. Passing my hand over my neck, I try to get rid of the goosebumps my shivers are triggering, my heart skyrocketing. I halt as I feel strangely uneven bumps on the side of my throat, and I jerk up, sitting up in my bed. “Argh.” A stinging pain jolts through me, and I lay on my side as my eyes widen. Fantasy my ass. Literally. What the hell happened last nigh
Theodore “Listen, I really am not looking for trouble. I’ll leave right away. Promised.” I have repeated the same words three or four times already. Actually, it could be more but my tipsy and panicky state is making it hard to think clearly. But the bodyguard is ignoring me anyway, not even talking to me as he gestures for me to enter into a VIP room. I look into the dimly lit and elegant room confused before looking back up at him. As I was expecting him to throw me into some cold basement before beating me to a pulp, it takes me a moment to react. Following his instructions before he gets angry and changes his mind, I walk into the room. I gulp as I walk down without knowing where I’m going. Feeling a strange pull, I take slow steps, my body yearning to reach a pool table, which is standing at the end of the large hall. While my mind screams at me to get the fuck out, I scan the people I pass. They are incredibly beautiful. Women and men with flawless skin and sculpted bod