To The Moon And Back

Chapter 45

"Do you realize what could have happened to you if I didn't come to get you? Someone could have taken advantage of your drunk state," His hands were on his waist while scolding me. "Damn, if someone recognizes you as a model, they're gonna make an issue to bring you down especially when they're your bashers."
"I wasn't thinking last night," I pouted. "And they can't take advantage of me, I brought a pepper spray."
His eyebrows furrowed even more. "Which you didn't use on me last night when you did not recognize me," He sarcastically replied.
"So you came for me?" I asked, a little delighted at what he did.
"You called me, Athijha," My mouth agape open. Did I call him? "And you didn't recognize me when I was already standing next to you."
"I called you? You gotta be joking!"
"Yes, you did. You were so stubborn last night, do you know that?"
"Did I do something embarrassing last night?" I asked in a faint voice while playing with my fingers.
He smirked.
"You talked a lot. You were like a chatterbox, mumbling things that don't make sense," He rolled his eyes. "And you fell asleep before you could change your clothes so I did it for you."
That was when I noticed that I'm not wearing a dress anymore. I am now in my pajamas.
"You did what?!" I yelled while hugging my body.
"Oh come on, love. Don't be shy. I have seen your body for countless of times," He muttered in a matter-of-fact tone with an annoying smirk plastered on his face.
"Yah! Why are you being such a jerk now, huh?" I pouted while my face keeps on heating up.
"No, I'm not, love. I'm just stating the fact," He chuckled. "Don't worry, it's just your clothes I changed, I didn't replace your underwear because I knew you'd react that way. Don't be shy, now."
I'm touched upon hearing that from him. "Thank you," I murmured while looking down.
"What was that? I didn't catch it."
I filled my cheeks with air. "I said thank you," My voice is much more clearer when I repeated it.
He planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. "It's nothing, love. Anyway, I removed your makeup last night. But please do check it if I did it right then go down for breakfast, okay?" I nodded, still surprised by what he did. "I'm going downstairs now to prepare the table. I'll be waiting."
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My face is clean and I can't spot any bit of makeup on it and I guess he also did my skincare. And from the looks of it, he did it right.
Oh my gosh! Where did he even learn about those things?
I giggled as I imagine him doing that while I was peacefully sleeping.
I did my morning routine even if I feel like my head id going to explode.
I giggled and played with my little curls as I think of how cute he probably was last night.
As far ad I can recall, I only drunk six or seven glasses of liquor. Damn, I didn't think I could get myself that drunk.
I hanged my towel the went down for breakfast.
"Hey, what do we have for breakfast?" I asked while my arms are wrapped around his waist.
"A vegetable salad and smoothies," He said which made me pout.
"I want some coffee," I mumbled.
"No, you had three cups of coffee yesterday so you won't have some this morning."
My face was a little bit crumpled while staring at him while we're eating.
"Don't give me that kind of look, love. I love you and all but I won't let you have some," I looked down on my plate, avoiding his gaze. I heard him cursed under his breath. "Fine, but just one cup, okay? Damn, why the hell do I find you cute yet seductive?"
I clapped in joy and screamed. I'll do this again next time it won't let me have one.
My brows furrowed when my phone vibrated. I looked at the clock and I still have six hours before the photoshoot starts.
I checked my phone and read the text message I just received. It was like my soul left my body the moment I read it.
Unknown Number:
I'm back, sis.
I gulped for several times while my hands gets colder and colder.
My phone vibrated twice again and they're from different numbers. One from another Unknown number and another from the number I have deleted months ago.
Unknown Number: I knew you wouldn't contact me so I did. The lion has found the wolf in sheep's clothing. The lion has brought it back to its den.
Oh my God! Why does she have to scare me more?!
I looked at the other message. It is a voice mail. I clicked play with my trembling hands.
[It's been a while, Athijha.]
A shiver crawled from my spine down to my toes as soon as I heard his voice.
He clicked his tongue. [Turns out, our deal wasn't enough, my dear daughter. Do you mind saving your sister again? Oops...] His psychotic laugh echoed in my ears. [I thought of a wonderful game I know you'd willingly play. It is called follow or choose. Now here are your choices, Athijha. Do your dear father or your father will ruin you even more.]
Then the faint cries got louder as soon as he stopped talking. It took ten more seconds before the recording stopped.
No, no, no, no, no. No!
At this moment, all I want is to scream until I run out of voice.
I suddenly felt numb and I don't know what to do and what to feel anymore.
It's just him who's going to benefit from the game he wants to play and I can't accept it. He's going to play with my life on his palms again.
This is unforgivable.
I slid my phone in my pocket and forced myself to eat even if I have lost my appetite when Quel came back with the cup of coffee I requested to have.
"There you go," I forced a smile.
I was about to sip on the cup when its smell made my stomach swirl.
"What kind of coffee is this? It smells bad. I don't want it," I said while covering my nose.
"What? You love to drink this coffee, love. Don't pull a joke on me right now, I still haven't forgiven you for getting yourself drunk last night."
"But I don't really want it," I said then gently pushed it towards him. "You can have it I'll just stick with the smoothie you have made."
He sighed the nodded. Its smell reached my nose once more which made me run to the sink and threw up. Quel caressed my back while tying my hair with the ponytail he never failed to bring.
"Now you know that you shouldn't do it again," He clicked his tongue.
I immediately rinsed the sink with water because it really stinks and I can still smell the liquor I have taken the last night. I gurgled then drink some water.
I leaned on the counter because I felt so weak after that.
"Do you throw up like this too after drowning yourself in liquor?" A nonsense question escaped my lips.
"I have high alcohol tolerance unlike you, Athijha."
"Hey, don't say that. That's rude, you know," I mumbled then rolled my eyes.
I was about to walk away when my vision swirled and I almost fell. Thanks to Quel, I didn't.
"How many glasses of the beverage have you consumed?"
"Uhm... five?" I said, unsure about my answer. "I don't know. I just happened to like the feeling when I was already tipsy after my second glass so I decided to take more."
He took me back to the dining table. He sat on his spot while I did the same.
I balled my hands when I felt my phone vibrated again. But then, I loosened up when I saw Quel staring at my fist. I started stocking foods in my mouth to forget about that for a little while.
He cleared his throat, the reason why I looked at him. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.
He was looking at me intently. "Nothing's wrong about me, love. But there's something bothering you. Do you mind telling me what is it?"
My heart started racing at a fast pace when asked me that. At this moment, I knew he wouldn't accept and it is nothing kind of reason.
I gulped. I probably spilled some tea when he went to pick me up last night. Oh my God! But what was it? What did I tell him?
"You were almost crying when you mentioned something about Clea, something about the past, and something about the monster that keeps on hunting you."
I gasped. Oh my God! Did I tell him about those things last night?
My hands started to tremble while I was avoiding his gaze. He held my hands and flashed a reassuring smile.
"You don't have to tell me about it now, Athijha. It's okay," I tucked my lips in while he was looking at me with guilty eyes. "I'm just guilty because I knew nothing about those when we were already friends when we were younger. I suddenly feel so useless that you have been keeping everything about your unwanted memories."
"You don't have to feel guilty about anything, Quel. I chose those, I wanted those so it's okay if even I suffer," I bit my lips when I saw his eyes turning red.
"I know you never wanted those things to happen, Athijha," He bowed his head. "That was the first time I saw you drunk. I was amused at first not until I witnessed how you broke down. I tried my best to contain my emotions last night while you're telling me how painful it was."
"Hey, it's okay. I am okay, love. Don't mind that. It was just probably me being tired that night."
He shook his head. "It was so unusual for you to talk about Clea, you know? All I know is that you were not on good terms with her since she stepped on high school."