Bully for You

Two || Home for You

"Let me check," Taking another long slurp, he scrolls through his phone. "A black and white charity gala for raising money for hygiene for the homeless. A monthly meeting for the Brotherhood of the Supreme Elite - what a joke - and another dozen invites for birthday parties and weddings." 

I gawk at him. 

"So the answer is no, Winifred, I have nothing better to do." 

Rome closes his eyes, ending the conversation. 

I continue to watch him. Why am I surprised that Rome is popular? I hosted many Abernathy parties for him over the course of the month that I worked there. I oversaw garden picnics and birthday balls. Will my life be like this too once I'm Rome's mate? Having to choose between a dozen invitations every night? 

Once you mate with somebody with the elite, there's no more going back. 

I push away the fears and focus on my present. The police lights. Silent murmurs and occasional glances. Ruby's fur under my hands. The scent of salt and seawater. The sound of Rome as he finishes his drink. 

"You sure you don't want anything, Winnie?" Gamma Ray asks, carrying a fast food back. "I think there's a few onion rings left." 

"I'll take a couple," I reach into the bag and grab a handful of onion rings. The grease and salt on my tongue make my mouth water already. I shove the next one into my mouth before I finish chewing the first. 

"Slow down or you're going to choke," Rome uses his powers to summon the onion rings into his hands. "Ray, what's the status on the report?" 

"Finished. It was pretty straightforward," He eats an onion rings. "You were right. We don't have to pay for the door."  

"Of course I was right. If anything, we should have broken more of this pathetic warehouse while we could," He hands me an onion ring. I pop into my mouth.

"That would be overkill." 

"We were overkill," Rome bites into one of my onion rings. If it wasn't for the fact that I had food in my mouth, I'd yell at him. He swallows. "One mediocre super and his two brother thought they could take us. How low has our reputation sunk?" 

Gamma Ray sighs. "You're getting too arrogant." 

"Give me my onion rings," I demand.

"Here comes the she-devil," Rome says. At first, I think he's talking about me. Then, I follow his gaze and see the doctor. 

A woman with copper skin and a silver braid walks into the warehouse. Her heels snap across the concrete with every step. She sets her black briefcase on the floor and pulls on a pair of transparent gloves. Before I greet her, she places her hands on both sides of my temples and forces me to look up. 

I stare into her eyes, spellbound. 

They shift colors, from gold to violet to a stormy gray. The world around me goes silent. Wind rushes inside of my hears. I'm floating off the stretcher and into thin air, looking at nothing besides those gold, violet, storm-cloud eyes...

And then I'm back in the ware house. 

The doctor steps away. "I sense no cognitive side effects or lasting residue. Whatever power that super had, it wasn't strong enough to damage your mind or body. You'll be fine." 

"Thanks -" 

The doctor moves to Rome to do the exact same thing. She lowers her arms. "Besides an alarming lack of functioning brain cells, I see nothing unusual in your mind."