Predator's Desire

Troubles Past Continued

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When Xerxes friend had asked him to come to this party as her escort for the evening he had been ready with at least 10 different plausible excuses.

Three of them involving a bribed doctors call, and two having to do with a convincing prior family arrangement for an estranged uncle 'Hubert's' untimely burial, it wasn't until the name "Angelo" was mentioned that he stopped running through his mental list of 'most convincing excuses' to use with her.

"Xerx! You have to come! It's the biggest party this season! All of the important families are going to be there!" A whining voice came from the other line. Xerxes had to hold the cellphone away from his ear with two fingers as he tried not to cringe at Ceils incessant wailing.

"I'm sorry Ceil, I cant, my Uncle Hubert-" Xerxes had started before there was a noise in the background coming from the other line.

'Ceil, have you seen my phone i need to call- HEY!' Xerxes could just faintly hear the voice of Twila in the background over the cell as she discovered her missing cellphone had been with Ceil the all along.

'You bitch! Give that to me! Who are you calling!? Xerxes!?!' Twi was screaming at her older sister. Xerxes could hear the distinct sound of shuffling something that sounded an awful lot like Ceil shrieking "YOU BITCH!" and then a loud door slam echoing clearly through the receiver as the muffled voice of Ceil saying something along the lines of 'Call me' drifted though what must have been a closed door.

"Xer?" Twila's voice came in suddenly, calm now that Ceil was banished from the room.

"Hey Twi." Xerxes said, relieved at Ceil's absence. Twi was no shallow Ceil but she was vain in her own way. Still Twi was smart about it and that's what made her a person to be weary of in Xerxes mind.

"Sorry about Ceil, cant say I blame her really. I was just about to do the same thing actually. You in?" From the other line Xerxes could here Twila munching on a piece of gum, probably that cinnamon crap that tasted like liquid spice.

"I was just telling Ceil that i ca-" Xerxes started to say again.

"Angelo's back." And just like that the world stopped turning and Xerxes held his breath his attention completley turned to the matter at hand all excuses falling away from the forefront of his mind.

"Xerx we both know you shouldn't go to this party." Twi said with little conviction.

"Then why are you inviting me? You of all people should know-"

"I know only what I heard. Everyone knows how tightly under wraps this is. Even I can't dig up any useful info." Twila strained the word I giving Xerxes a clear picture as to how much this was kept under strict lock and key. If Twila couldnt find a crumb to latch onto you best believe that no one else had a clue as well.

"You were in America, I heard whispers from some sources but I have a moth eaten quilt here. Fill in the blanks Xerxes, cause from the sounds of this it's gonna be your funeral." Twi sighed over the line. Something sounding similar to a 'Pop!' caused the image of Twi blowing an artificially red cinnamon bubble through her lips making Xerxes cringe as he remembered that horrible flavor.

"Is she-"

"Of course she is. Resources say that Angelo and her have taken up a permanent residence back here. No more sudden trips to America right Xerxes?" Twi laughed. It was a broken kind of laugh however, not that Xerxes noticed, wrapped up in his own thoughts, preoccupied with thoughts not about her.

Twila had been in love with Xerxes once upon a time, it was always difficult seeing the ones you love, love somebody else. Twila was never sure if she would ever get used to watching Xerxes do just that right in front of her. Taking no notice of the silent pain she suffered all by herself.