Toxic Innocence

FORTY FIVE

This book does not promote Toxic Relationship. Neither the attempt is to romanticize such concept. Any form of such characterization is purely for fictional purpose.

Proceed.

With love and care.

***

Althea Davies 7.06 PM

Please pick up my calls

Althea Davies 7.19 PM

Where are you? you are doing this on purpose, this is not funny

Althea Davies 8.48 PM

It's been Three days. I can't eat, talk or think straight. You left me a note saying not to worry- try telling my brain that you nuthead. I hate you so much. We could have talked or come to an conclusion. Leaving house is not a responsible adult ethic. You are so stupid. I am so stupid.

Althea Davies 12.14 AM

GO DIEEEEEE!!!!!!

Althea Davies 12.14 AM

DON'T. Don't die.

Althea Davies 12.15 AM

Just talk to me. once. Please.

Pocketing the phone, he lenses his Nikon D750 at the heart of city. The weak lights were slave to the middle tower of The shard that stood proud at its peak height. Like raining crystals the starry luminous dotted the sky scraper. The pitch black sky was a canvas as U stilled the moment selfishly with a click.

He then examined it, the strap of camera hung by neck and his phone vibrated within his dark puffy jacket.

Angled from the terrace, distanced from what he zoomed at, he took shots of the super structure to snag the perfect essence of it.

"Never judge a book by its cover they said" Nadia stealthily walked to where U sat, at the dangerous edge of compound barricade. His legs free and him dauntless to the deadly height with eyes only zeroed at his interest, ears interrupted with annoying voice of a girl. "Imagined you to be a math nerd or a model in profession. But never the one with photography a hobby"

He was quiet.

Longer than normal. But something bugged Nadia to wait then lose hope.

"There is nothing-" she was glad she waited "-that I can't do"

"Except keep your girl in check?" he looked at her, the smug smirk failed to trouble his sold soul. He looks at his lap and chuckles. Not the ordinary one. But the sandy and breathy one.

"Is this why you wanted to see me? To gossip about my supposed love life?" he didn't know what he was saying, as for love? It was to express his exclamation. There was not love. There was only attraction and satisfaction of owing what you want. Love was only an expression.

Only an exclamation.

"You are crazy for her. I am here to confirm my doubts on it" Nadia cracks her neck, stingy from last night's drinks and dose. Eyes sore and head pounding. But heart- still alive to create ruckus and chaos. All up for her to line a barrier between her life and keeping Althea away from it. "Saw the way you look at her. During our outings and in masquerade. I know there is something fishy going on between you two, but I am least bothered about it"

A moment passes.

Another.

Then-

"Regret letting you have my number" he says, a gush of wind rushes his hair right. He pays no heed to her presence despite he was the one addressing her here when she asked him to meet her.

"Don't you want to know why I called?" she gnawed the in of her cheeks, impatient towards his patience. Nadia was seldom taken for granted, no one ever made her feel so weak on her knees by just their ignorance.

She hated it.

Since getting done with her job would boost her confidence, as per she believed. She took her phone and scrolled through her media files. Selecting the one of use she disposed it for U to decide for himself.

Cradled between both his hands it plays.

The dance, the laugh, the gloom and in the end-the hug.

Recorded from the tinted one way mirror, there wasn't a speck hidden of the warm moment shared by Althea and Chadler in east wing of UCL.

When the reel stopped, Nadia kept tag of how his pinky twitched though his face was blank of his emotions. He wore a mask of nothing. But she knew what to be said or done next. She closed up to his side like a sassy cat.

Her voice husky as she snarled inwardly.

"I have been in love with the boy from the day I met him, and you share the same madness as mine for her" He blatantly turned, she shifted to let him unrile his feet. Never once he looked at her, but he listened. The shadow in his orbs was loud with answer. He did not liked what he saw. "You hold her back from Chad, and I keep him from her"

He rose to his might as she smiled up. A picturesque silver beam from the large format sign board behind them falls on them, he bites his lips to fool her into thinking.

Thinking that what she did was indeed- working.

Then he slung his arm across her neck, shocked she gasps as he engulfed her form. His other hand on her cheek cupped her roughly as she gritted her teeth. Her nails clawed at his wrist-

"What the f-ck are you doing?" she growled.

Horror was it when he smiled. Calm, collected and so-so innocent. His eye played a demonic role as it spoke for itself.

He was pissed.

So damn pissed.

"We stand so close now" he whispered huskily, his smile fading with each word and tone wilder with it "But that doesn't effect a morsel for what I feel for her"

"So lust satisfies you, but she is the treasure that you won't touch?" Nadia makes a mistake. She knew she did when he flushed her closer, more pain- fully as his jaw clenched.

"What I meant is, she'll remain my princess despite of her silly mistakes-" her eyes waters as her chin mildly reddened at the furious clip he had on her "-But about the filth called chadler- I would like you to take care of him because I won't hold myself back from wrecking his world"

She was shoved when he freed her, he offered her phone which she took in a snap. Glaring at him tentatively.

"F-ck you" she whispered amid the streaming tears as she sped past him.

Quitting his hike on the familiar place, the acres out town construction of the tunnel that spanned to a fenced arena, he stood watching the colossal mowed land with a modern day building, mainstream in appearance that dominated the wilderness behind and inside it.

Bright icy lights curved into alphabets. Spelling into words. Into a title.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH AND ORIGINS.

He turned bored and empty as a car pulled next to him. He got into passenger seat as the chauffeur wheeled the car.

"I am leaving tomorrow" U says looking straight at the back of driver's seat. The person next to him takes a while to answer- but nevertheless he does.

"It will always be your home. You know that right?"

U finally rewards the man with a lidded smile. But it was all Doctor Neil Daniel Smith aspired for as he looked out of the window at the path they left behind.