Aloura sat frigid at the kitchen counter in Elias' apartment. Her mind felt foggy, a feeling she'd found herself familiar with. She stared out into the wall, unsure on how handle emotions this big. Unsure on how to handle any emotions actually, specifically ones this big.
It was days like this she missed her mother the most, she craved for a lap to crawl into, for her mother's hand to play with her hair. She could almost imagine how comforting it used to feel.
"Why couldn't you just leave me a letter or something so I could understand everything at once ma?" Aloura scoffed to the empty seat beside her. Aloura frowned at her own words, "Who did you talk to this about- Annie. Oh my god, why didn't I think of that." She muttered to herself, although it was her who had thought of it.
Aloura reached for her bag, grabbing the sheets of paper she had filled in earlier, "I hope for my sanity you know something Annie" Aloura mumbled. "I need a plan of action."
She turned the sheet over, writing 'plan of action' at the top before sitting back. "Whoever gets my notes if I die trying to figure this out is one lucky son of a bitch." She laughed awkwardly, desperately trying to find humour in the situation. "Because unlike someone" Aloura mumbled, shooting a funny look to the ceiling, "I'm not writing in riddles and morse codes."
Aloura scribbled down the steps onto her plan paper.
Step One: Talk to Annie
Step Two: Talk to Michael
Step Three: figure out step three
Aloura didn't really know what she was looking for, but a journey with no direction would still lead somewhere.
♡ ♡ ♡
Aloura's knee shook as she sat in gruesome silence, Elias was late, and Aloura was anticipating how injured he was this time. Especially considering the fact she now knew how dangerous these people were. Aloura leaned her head in her hands and counted to sixty again in her head- an attempt to calculate how late he was, while also passing time.
Aloura's body shot up from the couch at the sound of the keys turning in the door, she practically ran to meet Elias, forcing herself to not throw her arms around him in case he was seriously injured. "Hi baby" he grinned at her, wincing at the sudden movements. Aloura frowned at his injuries.
"You're hurt" she told him like he couldn't feel it. Elias laughed, but Aloura's expression stayed stone cold. We say that phrase a lot she thought as she walked towards Elias, maybe it's our okay. Aloura steadied Elias' frame and helped him walk through the apartment.
"You should've seen the other guy." He grinned as they made their way to the kitchen- their newly agreed surgical bed. "Would you feel better if I told you I won? The lights will be up the entire month this time." He grinned, Aloura's heart sank at his words- she was happy for him, but no one should have to go through all this just for lights in their house.
"it's going to be like the north pole in this house." She smiled softly at him, deciding she'd rather not dampen his mood with her anxious thoughts. She turned and grabbed the first aid kit she'd set up before his arrival, prying it open.
Elias frowned at her words, "the north pole?" Aloura nodded at him slowly. "Are you cold?"
"No, because of the northern lights." She told him like it was obvious.
"Why would you use that analogy?" Elias laughed at her, "when I said lights stay on, I didn't mean disco lights." Aloura pressed on his wound with the wipe making him wince, "sorry, sorry."
Aloura stood in between Elias' parted legs, holding his jaw gently, wiping away the remainder of the blood on his face; cringing every time Elias flinched. Aloura used her hand to guide Elias' face around, blushing at the sight of the hickeys on his neck. "I hate to see you like this" she told him sadly.
Elias swallowed, "I hate for you to see me like this too baby, I'm sorry." He had never meant to drag her into this lifestyle, she didn't deserve this burden- this was his baggage to carry.
"Is it going to be like this forever?" she asked him gently, throwing the used wipe and picking up a new one. Elias watched her mouth as she tore it open with her teeth before answering.
"I hope not"
Aloura nodded, "how much do you owe?" Elias flinched, he knew this question was coming, but he hadn't expected it so soon in their relationship, or whatever what they had was.
Elias considered lying for a moment, the subtotal was a large amount, and he was fearful Aloura would realise this is how life would be forever. No more secrets he reminded himself, stealing a glance at his pinkie, I don't want to lose my pinkie. "Sixty four thousand"
Aloura's movements froze, she looked at him with a gaping mouth and wide eyes but said nothing. Elias' knee bounced in anxiety, praying on every wishing well and every shooting star that his words hadn't deterred the green eyed beauty.
Aloura didn't comment, and Elias was unsure if that was a good sign or not, but he settled in the silence for a moment, before breaking it. "How was the library?" Elias mumbled.
Aloura stiffened at the memory of the information she'd obtained today, she swallowed the words she desperately wanted to tell him, settling for half-truths instead. "It was okay."
Elias frowned at her vagueness, "did I do something?" he asked her softly, ready to apologies for whatever fuck up he'd unknowingly caused. But Aloura didn't hear him, her ears ringing from the fogginess of her brain. Elias' Sixty four thousand debts replaying in her mind. Elias gently placed his hands on her cheeks, forcing her out her trance. "What did I do baby?" his voice laced with sadness, his guilty eyes flickering between hers.
"What? Nothing, what do you mean?" Aloura frowned. Elias sighed in relief, but his heart remained heavy; even if it wasn't him she was upset with, the mere fact she was upset was enough to ruin his day. Elias held her wrist gently, prying the antiseptic wipe from her grasp. Intertwining their hands together, he slid off the counter and walked her to the living room.
He gently pushed her into the cushion of the couch, "talk to me," he took a seat beside her, "what's on your mind?"
Aloura thought for a moment, "I want to see my dad." She had only said that fearing her heart would spill the words her mind desperately wanted to keep private.
Elias shot her a look of disconcert; perplexed by her sudden interest in talking to her father. "Over my dead body, Aloura" he spoke, his tone final, "He'll kill you. You said it yourself last time!"
Aloura frowned at him, confused as to where she'd asked. "Elias I wasn't asking you. I was telling you." Aloura spoke slow, her eyes dark and Elias almost flinched at them.
"I said no Aloura." Elias snapped, growing impatient. He didn't mean to be so controlling, but he couldn't help but feel scared for the girl. The last time she was with him, he beat her until she could barely walk, before locking her in her room. He was only trying to protect her.
Aloura frowned at him, "you're exactly like Kayden" she told him, although she didn't mean it. Elias' anger only grew. "So fucking controlling."
"I'll start cheating, then you can actually mean it when you say it."
Aloura felt her world tilt.
YOU ARE READING
Aloura West | ✓
Romance"what're you doing?" "it's a pinkie promise" Aloura laughed lightly, grabbing his bruised hand and prying his pinkie from his locked fists. Her heart almost dropping at the sight of a small tattoo on his forearm. Evil incised into his skin, with tw...
