Beyond the Screams ✔

Chapter Four

I grabbed onto his large arm and dragged with me. I headed downstairs, quickly running down the stairs.

"Ms, would you like to tell me what's wrong?" Bryce asked, 

I rolled my eyes "It's none of your business, pretty boy. I'm not allowed to go anywhere without you, so you're stuck continually wondering what's wrong."

As soon as we were at the bottom of the stairs, I let his arm go. But I didn't stop, I kept walking until I was out of the office and into the foyer. Half of me hoped he would have lingered behind and stopped following me, but to no avail. I looked behind me and he was still there. I opened the door of the foyer and stepped outside. I was immediately hit with the cold wind, I felt my bare arms become covered in small goosebumps. Regardless, I ignored it. Turning the corner and into the small alleyway that was directly next to the building. I walked down it until I was at the very end, leaning in the corner between the building wall and a wire fence. I leaned my head back and took a deep breath. Bryce quickly jogged up to where I was, leaning against the brick wall beside me,

"So I was thinking, because we're going to be spending time together and such, perhaps we could take some time to get to know each other?" He asked nervously, copying my posture and leaning on the wall  next to me,

I looked over at him, "I'll be honest with you pretty boy, I feel as if our relationship is going to be forced since I want no part in this, Just keep to yourself and we should be fine," I said, his mouth formed into a firm line.

"Why? We could be friends and make this a lot easier," He tried to reason,

"I have enough going on already, I don't need a guard, I can protect myself," I looked away,

He nodded, "So you don't have a problem with me, you just have a problem with the situation that we're in?"

I sighed, "Whatever floats your boat, pretty boy." My hand flew into my pocket and began fishing around until my hand felt a small cardboard box. I grabbed it and flicked it open,low removing one of the long, white cigarettes. My hand dived into another pocket and brought out a slender lighter, I rested the cigarette in my mouth and slowly brought the lit lighter to its edge. I let the end catch alight before throwing it back in my pocket. I rested the cigarette in my two fingers and inhaled deeply, letting the smoke fill up my lungs and my endorphins be slowly released. I breathed out the grey smoke and sighed, Bryce held his fingers over his nose, grimacing at the sight of the cigarette,

"You do know those are bad for you right?"

I shrugged, "Probably. I can only guess how they're made. But until there is solid proof, I will continue using them," I took another deep inhale and held the box out towards him, "Want one?"

He pushed the box back in my direction, "No thank you, but I appreciate the offer."

I understood what he was saying, I shrugged again and put the box back in my pocket.

The ashy smell of the cigarette smoke clogged up my senses, I had only been smoking for a couple of years, maybe a few months before I got my first music deal. I wouldn't be able to say how many times Alice has asked me to stop, or how many times my mother had scolded me for smoking, telling me that it wasn't ladylike and how no one would want to marry a musician, much less a musician whose lungs were full of smoke and tobacco. My lips turned into a frown as I thought of my mother and her useless nagging. My head turned over to Bryce, he was awkwardly leaning against the wall, I could tell that he was trying to stand as cool as possible and match my posture to make an impression, While I appreciated the attempt, I didn't see why. His hands were shoved into his pocket and his face was scrunched up, trying to block out the cigarette smoke. I took one last breath before dropping the white bud onto the floor and crushing it underneath my heel.