❝𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧❞

29 | our last page... for now

Florence's P.O.V :

I wiped tabletops, and carried empty dishes back into the kitchen to be washed, before finally closing up the diner for the day. Adrien and Layla let me stay at their place for the past month, plus they needed the extra help considering Layla's pregnancy.

I found out later that the reason they had left was because Layla was three months pregnant, I couldn't tell because her bump was small back then, but she has definitely grew in the past couple of months.

They decided they didn't want to do any physical illegal things anymore, for the baby's sake. But old habits die hard. It's how they bought this diner, it was small and homely, but sturdy and had good customers.

I admired them for taking the safer path, despite knowing how well of they'd be if they returned to what they did before. Every-time I would see them embrace, I couldn't help but think how much stress I had put on them in the past couple of months, helping my escape, and everything else they had put into me.

I never told them this, I knew Layla would scold me and tell me how I was wrong. But I felt like a burden, and I needed to find something to do, and somewhere to go. I knew it was the best for me, and for them.

Adrien ruffled my hair, and put my suitcase into the back of the car. Maybe it was the baby but Layla was starting to tear up, I pulled her into a hug. "Don't cry, I'll be back for the baby shower." I said and she nodded, blowing her nose into her sleeve.

"Try not to die, kiddo." Adrien said as I got into the car, him wrapping her arm protectively around Layla's belly. I laughed dryly, thinking of the past year.

"I'll be okay, really, I'll be okay." I said reassuringly, trying to make sure they didn't get any second thoughts. Layla placed a kiss on my forehead, and nodded to the driver as he started to car.

I looked back through the window and watched as their faces grew to be small dots  on the horizon as I was driven in the opposite direction. I turned around back into my seat and sighed. 

Adrien had arranged for me to stay with some other young assassins he knew, ones that had gone through what we did. They had also managed to escape and start doing things their own way, free-lance killing, as Adrien said.

It was a change of pace, but that was all I knew. I needed change, change meant growth, change meant forgetting the past, and moving on to different adversities, different people and different problems.

-

It was almost 8 pm the next day when we finally reached the East Coast, I unloaded my luggage and watched the car pull back and drive away. I took in the house, it was a modern estate, simple but elegant. As much beauty too it there was, there was also no personality. That made me frown, but material things can always be replaced, there was a chance that the people inside thought just like I did. 

I pushed away my thoughts as I typed in the code, and opened the door. I remembered Adrien telling me that they were busy most of the time, so it wasn't a surprise to me when I saw no one inside.

I toured the house, allowing myself to see every room of this place. I looked for the bedrooms upstairs, only four. I walked down the corridor to find a room with my name on a piece of paper taped onto it's door. I opened it, cringing at the creaking door. 

I layed my suitcase on the made bed, and looked around. It was a simple room, a bed, nightstand, and closet, and a restroom. 

What I didn't know about this house yet was it's inhabitants. I wonder how many of them were here, and who they were. The thing that was on my mind the most was why they offered to take me in? What could it benefit them? I wasn't Snow White, going around cleaning their house and doing chores. I wasn't anybody to them.

My pondering was interrupted by a clatter downstairs. Quickly, I rushed down the flight and into the kitchen where the noise grew.

"Why is there a girl in the house?" said a terrified blond who jumped into another guy's arms when he saw me.

The guy who he jumped at, dropped the blond on his ass, and stared me up and down. "I still don't agree with this." he said as he huffed and brushed past me.

A brunette kicked the blond on the ground warningly, and smiled at me warmly. "Florence, isn't it?" I nodded meekly, looking at the two of three, absolutely godly, handsome roommates I now had. I kept in mind how I was going to thank God tonight.

What I didn't know that they wouldn't be just roommates for long, they'd give me so much more than a house, they'd give me a home.

Decades later I would think back to this day, where my life changed forever.

Where my life changed for better.

-

authors note: hello my loves. it's been a great several months of writing this book and i've finally finished it on april 28th, 2023. this is my very first book, and i've made so many friends along the way. i feel so sad closing this chapter for florence, and for us. but this is only half-way, i'm not done yet. florence's story will continue, as i promised, in the sequel. and again, thank you all for the love, advice, and support you have given me. it's meant the world, and i'm excited to open a new book to our story. with much love and thanks.

-love, cherry