5
2037 Words
"Wh- what?" I stuttered, really not knowing why though.
"I want to talk." He repeated. This time, my eyes went down and landed on his hands. He seemed to notice just then that he was still holding my waist. He withdrew as quick as someone who had been electrically shocked.
I cleared my throat and brought back my harsh face. I folded my arms across my chest and gestured with a nod of my head that he spoke. "Well talk." I said.
"Okay I want you to listen to me -" He began but I didn't let him finish.
"If it's about yesterday's slap, trust me, there's more where that came from."
"Lana, it seems you're quick to jump into conclusions." He began, a frown had already taken its position on his face. He seemed to remember something because he quickly got rid of the frown, he shook his head, closed his eyes, reopened them and gripped my shoulder.
"I'd like it if you choose to listen to me instead. I'm not here to make fun of you," He withdrew his hand to air quote, "or cause you bad luck." He placed his hands back on my shoulder and my eyes gently followed. "In fact, I'm here to apologize and nothing else."
"Apologize?" I knew I sounded as surprised as I truly was but still-
"Yes you heard me right I am indeed here to apologize. I got home yesterday and all I could really think about was the things I said. No matter what you must have said or done, it wasn't gentleman of me to say those words. No woman deserves that, and I'm sincerely sorry for it. Forgive me?"
"Wow." Was all I could say. It seemed like Spikes all of a sudden transformed. What happened to the f**k boy of yesterday? "So all it took for you to get your mental stability was two slaps?"
He chuckled at my facial expression as I said the words. "You can say that again."
"Well I was wrong too." I said getting back to being serious. "I should have been patient enough and I shouldn't have given in to my indecisive subconsciousness and hit you, I'm sorry." I apologized truthfully. Even though I failed to admit, I felt really bad for doing what I did. I had never in my life stopped so low to hit someone for getting on my nerves.
"So what do you say to starting over?" He asked.
I nodded with a smile and extended my hand for a shake but he instead caught me off guard by giving me a tight hug.
My eyes widened and I didn't know how to react but I chose not to be too forward about it. He probably meant no harm.
He let go of me and then, smirked? "Friends?"
With furrowed brows, I nodded hesitant. "Friends."
"Why do you look unsure though?"
"Are you smirking?"
"What? No. That's just how I smile. It's no big deal really, don't put too much thoughts into it.
"Okay." I smiled, he was right. I was over thinking things.
"This feels awkward to be honest." I chuckled, rubbing my palms together.
"I agree." He chuckled, "let's get rid of that awkward atmosphere, shall we?" He raised an eyebrow.
I nodded with a smile, "We shall. Have some where we can hang? I have nothing to do right now anyways." My smile dropped as I remembered the fact that Job wasn't here and that our plans for the day had been cut short.
"How about we just walk around and while away time?"
"Sounds like a 'not stressful plan' ". I rolled my eyes, as I air quoted the said words. "But fine."
With that, we began to walk in slow, steady steps.
"What brings you here though? I mean, this is the third time I've seen you around here." He broke the weird silence that had followed our motion.
"Oh I was at a wedding shop." I shrugged.
"The one just down there?"
"Which other one?" I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time.
He laughed, "a sarcastic soul, I like that."
"I'm getting married in a few months, I just came by to take a few items." I informed and shrugged.
"Oh that's nice, ha, being a married human. That's not something that is or will be ever be in my agenda."
"Well,why not?"
"I don't know, it feels like some sort of bondage. I mean, why do people get married? Why do I want to get married?" He paused to stuff his hands in pockets. "To have s*x maybe? Okay, cool. But why can't they have s*x off marriage? Why is it only sinful when an 'ordained person' hasn't bonded y'all together?"
His words seemed logical but at the same time, something felt wrong about them but yet, I couldn't find the words to defend the importance of marriage.
"So if s*x is the base of marriage then I'm really not so interested because I already have unlimited access to that?"
"You have a girlfriend?" I asked him, assuming that was the only way he got so much satisfaction from the words he spake.
"Nope." He grinned, obviously feeling proud of himself. I guessed it must have been a thing of pride and high levels of charisma to act in such manner.
I shook my head in disgust whilst he continued to speak, "and besides, it kinda restricts you to loving one person for the rest of your life." He shrugged.
"Isn't that what love should be about?" I frowned a little, getting defensive. "Why love a person only to fall out of love for them? Love is peaceful." I spoke my mind. Or at least, what I felt. Love was a beautiful thing, not a bondage embracing feeling like he said.
"You're wrong. Love is one of the most painful experience ever." He rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he said the words as if something about them hit him hard.
"Don't make a conclusion on a pain you've not experienced." I said, and that made him nod with a smile.
"That's that about that. I hope I get invited to your wedding." He gave me an even wider smile and this time, it really complimented his already blessed facial features.
I smiled and just as I was about to reply, my phone beeped in my pocket. No one had my new phone number yet so I considered it strange. It was a text and so I clicked it open.
*Lana come home soon, it's Renee, she's in trouble- Jane*
The text read. Jane was Renee's best friend and it was so weird that she of all people would text me and with such crazy news.
"Oh God." I sighed in frustration. Was it all coincidence? Or Spikes really was related to bad news?
I decided to ward all negative thoughts off, how or where Jane got my contact was on the list of things I wanted to find out at all.
"What's wrong?" I heard Spikes ask from behind me with full concern. I had totally forgotten that I had someone else present with me.
"Listen, we'll have to talk later. I really need to leave like right now sorry!" I announced and exited his presence without uttering another word.
At the speed of light or faster, I arrived at Renee's. I almost didn't bother with knocking when I remembered they always left an extra key under the flower pot. I took it and inserted it and funny enough, the door wasn't even locked.
I always treated situation concerning my siblings with so much fear because I honestly took them as my kids whose welfare I had to constantly look out for.
"Renee! Jane!" I called, hoping that I would get some response. A lot about this really brought back memories of the incident with Dale and Jones. At this rate, they would eventually give me an heart attack and I was too young for that.
This felt way worse than having kids even.
"Up here Lana!" Jane called back. And I rushed up the steps following her voice in haste.
She was standing outside Renee's room and worry was written all over her face. My heart sunk and I knew I was in for something I surely didn't want to hear neither was I eager to hear it yet at the same time, I was just as eager to know.
I gulped visibly,closed my eyes tight, inhaled deeply, exhaled, and then reopened my eyes. " What's wrong?" I finally summoned the courage to ask.
"It's Renee, she has locked herself in all day and she wouldn't even let me talk her out of her problems". She spoke too fast, all at once.
"Problems?" I furrowed my brows? "What problems?" The problem word made my heart race as fast as Usain bolt's racing speed. Great, the p word was unending in my life.
"Well you see ..." She began with a sigh. "Renee was on this online dating app." She started.
My eyes widened with her starting words. Renee didn't seem like the kind of person interested in boys, not to talk about the ones she met online. Renee was the tough bone that was the hardest to crack in our house.
"And," Jane continued, unable to maintain eye contact and constantly rubbing her eyes. I felt like she was connected to the story she was telling.
"Well you see, she met this Jacques guy and he was," She paused to do a dramatic eye roll, " Well he claimed to be some sort of millionaire and Renee wanted to impress him so bad and so she fixed some extra rich status he said he was some guy from Britain and that he lost a few goods and that he wanted to come over.
He promised to pay her triple if she could send him three thousands dollars, she wasn't worried because she loved him so but turns out he was a fraud and now she won't come out nor speak a word. Am afraid she will eventually hurt her if she hasn't already." She said.
I just stood there with my heart pumping faster than it should I looked between Jane and the door on repeat and gulped.
"Renee!" I yelled, pounding on the door so hard. "Young lady if you don't open up this instant, I swear I'll break this door open!" I wailed.
I couldn't control the tears that streamed down. There was no response from her so I did what I considered was right. I started to push the door open forcefully. Jane joined in and before time,the wooden door was pulled off its hinges.
I sighed in relief when I saw her sitting in front of the mirror motionless. I turned to Jane and asked her to give us a moment which she gladly did.
"Renee?" I called softly, walking over to my sister. Her eyes were blood red and swollen and tears were still rolling down her cheeks.
I wrapped my arms around her from behind and didn't utter a single word.
"Renee? If it's the money, please, don't do this to yourself,we'll try finding a way to fix things okay? So please listen to me!" I pleaded in tears, tightening my arms.
"Money?" She spoke softly, for the first time, "It's not the money that hurts. Money goes and comes but it's the fact that he told me every thing I needed to hear..."
Job's pov
I walked into her bedroom and sure enough, she was already there waiting for me. She was seated in her bed looking as hot as ever, dressed in a red lingerie.
"Took you long enough." She hissed, taking her earrings off. "Come here." She commanded, with a wave of her index finger.
"I'm sorry, I tried to make it here on time but you know I had to dismiss Lana, Jace." I smiled.
What's up beautiful people of the world. I'm so sorry for going Mia but I'm back for good. Thank you for keeping up with my bad habits, exams had me bad. Thanks for the patience, now, enjoy.
- Writer
