Expected Perfection

Falling

When we return it's dark, the light from the gym leading us back home, Pete attacks us the second we walk in. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!!!!" he demands, the anger rolling off him in waves, "we…we went for a jog, there’s a lake about a kilometer north of here." I reply softly trying to calm his anger. But his eyes shoot daggers at Acquila. "You! You took her away from here; you took her away from my protection, what were you thinking you lunatic boy!" He rounds on Acquila, I step in front blocking his way. "It was my idea not his," I say drawing his attention away from Aquila. "You SHUT UP, I’ll deal with you once I’m done with him, you’re in enough trouble as it is!" Atlair, Jason and Spark hurry into the room. "How dare you take her away from here do you have any idea what could have happened." He shouts getting right up into Acquila’s face. "Stop!" I say taking his arm; he pushes me away; hard enough that I have to take a step back to keep from losing my balance. "I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" His yell echoes around the deathly silent room. "I Am Queen! You do not tell me when to speak; your job is to protect me… Don’t you dare interrupt me" I yell as he opens his mouth to. "Learn your place and learn it well you are not irreplaceable Pete remember that." And with that I walk to the hall and into my room.

I feel bad the second my door closes. I feel guilty Pete has always been there for me and I just demanded him in front of everyone the tears fall before I can stop them I’m a terrible person.

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I don’t go to dinner that night, what’s the point I just end up hurting the people I love. I sit going through the situation thinking of ways I could’ve handled it better. Eventually I get up and pace my room before finally going to shower. When I get out, I know I have to make it right. I dress, and walk down the hall to his room. My knock is soft, and I worry that he didn’t hear it, but eventually he opens the door, "What can I do for you Queen Carmen?" The distance in his voice is too much. The tears I’ve been holding in, for the past three days, suddenly fly free.

"I’m so, so, sorry. I know you were just worried. It won’t happen again. I love you Pete. I can’t lose somebody else. First I lose mum and dad and the Vi’ and now you. I won’t let it happen." Sobs rock through my body. He picks me up and carries me to the edge of his bed. "I can’t cope, Pete. I’ve tried so hard to be strong to act like everything is okay, but all I have done is make everything worse." And that’s it. I’ve finally cracked. I have finally told him I can’t handle it. "That’s fair enough Car... it wasn’t supposed to be like this but it is. We have to deal with what we have. I shouldn’t have gone off at you like I did. It was wrong and completely unacceptable. You could have fired me on the spot, but you didn’t so now I’m going to support you like I always should have."

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I creep out of Pete’s room after a few minutes, feeling better then I have in the last few days. I almost get to my room when I see Acquila’s door partly open. I slip into his room and close the door behind me. I take a deep breath and turn around to see his eyes on me. He has a slight smirk on his lips. The light in the room is coming from three candles; two candles on the bedside table and one on the wardrobe against the wall opposite his bed. "Hi." I whisper. That only made his smile wider. "Welcome Charm." Calling me by Jason’s nickname. It was a risky move. I considered my options; storming out of the room, could work but even I have to admit that, hearing him calling me by that name, in his deep, Irish accent sent a thrill of pleasure through me. "Pete’s sorry for the way he acted this afternoon. He was just worried." I say walking to sit on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, I know…He had a good reason to. More rere’s were spotted near here." He says, I’m not shocked Pete had told me the same thing 10 minutes ago. "We saw some the night we were leaving it’s so weird, and cruel, making their spirits come back to their bodies then controlling them, forcing them to do your bidding" I shudder involuntary. Acquila pulls me close, lying me down under his covers. "Are you gonna be okay, going back home, I mean do you want Jason and me to come and stay with you?" His offer surprises me, I’m still not use to him being kind and caring like this, "I’ve already spoken to the others they think it’s a good idea if you’ll have us that is. I mean we do have to plan the engagement party now that…that well’" he can’t say it so I do, "that mums not there to plan it," I finish, not that she would have anyway, she was always way too busy to do a pesky thing like that. "You can come, bring Atlair and" I sigh "Spark, I’ll need help getting through the…the funerals" A silent tear runs down my cheek. He wipes it away, "we will find your sister, I promise Charm we will," he wraps his arms around me and squeezes tight. "Yeah I know " I reply we stay like that for ages until I finally drift off to sleep.

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My eyes slide open to a sunlight filled room. Arms tighten around me. I look up to Acquila’s eyes gazing down at me, "good morning beautiful’" his lips brush against mine." Morning Quila’" I reply.. He takes my hand and pulls me out of bed. "Go get dressed meet me in the gym in 5 minutes" he whispers, I go up on my tippy toes and kiss him softly, he wraps his arms firmly around my waist, he kisses me back, lightly biting my bottom lip when I go to pull away. "Ok" I reply pulling away again, I leave the room smiling to myself.

I arrive at the gym first, the shorts and tank top I threw on balancing the heat of the day Acquila appears behind me, out of nowhere. I jump at his voice "shall we run first?" I think about it  "nah I think we should fight, after the attack I think we should be a little more prepared." His eyes widen but he doesn’t complain. We start by boxing then weights then an hour later we are standing face to face on the mats. "Ladies first" he murmurs motioning for me to make the first move, I sigh, of course. My first hit is knocked away and followed through by one of his own. I shield and dodge left before lunging forward, he’s good but I’m faster, my first hit has him stumbling backwards and just as he is regaining his footing I let rip with my next attack sending him hard up against the wall. Using his momentum he pushes forward this time grabbing one of my wrists pulling me towards him. My next hit is grabbed leaving my arms trapped, I look up at him not wanting to use my legs cause’ I know that will hurt him. Suddenly I’m flying through the air. I land hard; on the mats all air forced from my lungs. I gasp trying to take in a breath when next thing he lands on top of me squeezing any air I had managed to get straight back out again. "I think I win"

"Pfftt I let you win," I say milliseconds before his lips crush mine, warm and soft. I kiss back, letting myself forget the pain and just enjoy the moment then the gym doors fly open.