Lasting Effects (Sequel To After Effects)

Chapter 02 ~ Lasting Torture

"I love ketchup so much, I am beginning to think I may have a problem. But really, who doesn't like ketchup? I'm sure even you Riddian like ketchup with your food. Your burgers, fries, chicken...? You eat all those stuffs don't you? By the way, have you ever heard of this food brand called Kis-"

"Ms. Harrington?" The cheerful voice of Riddian Remora had me pausing again as I turned my head in hope of his next words, to see him looking at me once more, only this time, his face was even more uninterested, his voice having been brilliantly deceiving. "Be quiet!" He then said, and the way he went back to his writing after that uncalled for silencing being like mosquitoes to my blood, quick and with determination!

I pursed my lips, both a little bit annoyed and hurt since he obviously didn't want to talk about the topic at hand. And while I should have probably been the same way, I feel as though I was more afraid of the thought of never talking about what happened than the thought of doing it so quickly.

I remained quiet for a while, just thinking about how I would survive the rest of the day-and probably even night- with man and elephant in the room. But then boredom set in and I realised quickly that the man and elephant weren't the only things I had to worry about.

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Some time later
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I twisted and turned on the bed, trying to find something to occupy myself with until another brilliant idea came to mind.

"Maybe if I... No, no, no," I muttered to myself, feet still on the headboard and hands behind my head as I stared into the ceiling for inspiration on my quest. "Wait!" I whisper yelled to myself, a hand shooting towards the ceiling as I felt the idea come, but then descend back to my head as the cons of the idea showed themselves to me as well. "No, no, no, no," I ended up saying then.

"But wait!" I gasped for another time, this time raising my entire body and looking towards the door in excitement, but then my eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed as I lowered myself towards the mattress again. "No... That won't do... Unless-"

A groan cut me off from my left and I looked over to see a silently fuming Riddian, turned towards me again with his arm over the back of the chair, this look of angry disbelief painted over his features and a little glare sparked in his eyes. I swallowed as he packed up the notebook and papers he had torn, along with the pen, and then stood to march over into the next corner of the room where the mini kitchen was, probably hoping not to hear me.

I almost scoffed though because imagine I had been trying to keep most of my thoughts to myself and this is how he said thanks. Now with his behaviour, I was starting to think that maybe we didn't need anymore drama this evening, because I was especially turned off. So instead of continuing my quest, I went off to think of other things. Other everythings, and nothings, some being that I hoped Mr. Jones had been young enough to remember to call my dad and inform him of my whereabouts. I may have been an adult but he still worried most times... maybe because I wasn't all that much of a good one...

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The sound of thunder still rolling about outside had me crying into my arm in exhaustion.

I had spent quite the time thinking, and then after that, eating whatever was left in the mini fridge (which didn't work) from what Riddian had brought up. Then, I had gone back to lay in bed, trying to sleep, but after being awakened by thunder every twenty seconds, toured the bathroom a couple of times, admired my dress for some time as well, and then found myself in the chair Riddian had occupied three hours ago but had left because I was annoying him.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I rose my head off my hands to look at my finger now drumming against the small table I had been laying my head on.

Tap. Tappa-di-tap-tap!

I smiled a little at the innocent little rhythm being drowned out by the noisy noise outside. I tapped a little louder.

TAP! TAP, TAP, TAP!

Looking over at Riddian, I saw that he wasn't paying any attention to me so I figured he wasn't hearing anything. Quickly I stood from the chair and moved over to a wall.

Bam. Bam! BAM! Bam...

I looked back to Riddian who still wasn't looking my way. The distance must've really been working, so I hit some more and then after feeling satisfied, started moving around the room once again. Snapping my fingers now, the tune I was rocking up seemed a bit familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. My head eventually started bobbing with the rhythm and my arms gently shaking to my little band of one.

"Cladda-pa-picki-nu-nu," I began to sing. "Stuck in a motel... Rain giving me hell..." I snapped a few more fingers. "Boppidity-loomey-lu-lu..."

Riddian had either decided to give me a break, was really into his literature, or was really not hearing me through the storm.

"Inside four dumb walls, all because of a stupid ball... Waka-wikaka-la-do-do..." I laughed a bit. Do. Do.

I tapped my feet on the spot, adding to the snapping and once in a while humming. "Here with my boss, at a real loss, Henninny-wenniny-coo-coo... We're at a miss, because of one kis-"

The sound of a pen slamming into a table made me jump in surprise. Then my head snapped over to Riddian to see him glaring at me who was frozen in song... one that wasn't over yet.

"Yaki-bodacky-ya-moo-moo..."

"Argh!" Riddian's groaning made me hurry back to the bed, a scowl on my face until I was laying back under the comforters and staring him straight in the eyes, now knowing the extent to which he didn't want to have the conversation... to the point where he just wanted to forget about it probably.

I groaned and buried my head back into the pillow, feeling foolish, but then rolling my head to the side, I caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of my eye. I immediately pause at the sight of Riddian standing from his chair and moving over to where the wardrobe was. The same wardrobe which he reached inside of and grabbed his jacket from last night.

"W-where are you going?" 

I nearly jumped at my own voice asking the question, especially since it sounded all trembling and afraid, though I was more scared of what his answer would be than how desperate I came off to him.

Riddian's hands froze inside his coat, but then slowly he took out some plastic wrapped sweets, showing them to me. "I forgot these were in here." And once more I wanted to bury myself in a pit.

"Oh," I responded, laying back down with my back towards him, closing my eyes tightly, calling for sleep so that I could escape this foolish feeling.

"Mis— Katherine."

I opened my eyes quickly to the sound of Riddian right above me. He was standing next to the bed now, looking down at me with this sad expression on his face.

"I know what you're doing... and yes, we need to talk... but please... not right now."

The shock and nervousness that I first experienced at his words dissipated quickly by the end of the sentence, and nodding once, I murmured an 'okay', deciding that I wasn't being exactly all patient here. But then he stooped and gently grasped the end of a loch of my hair, giving it a soft tug which wasn't painful at all... more like affectionate.

"As soon as you wake," I managed to hear him whisper, and it was almost like a lullaby to make me sleep. "We'll talk about everything... and I promise that I'm not leaving this time."

Author's note

So I know I have not updated in MONTHS! But I was and still am super busy with school and have not been allowed much time to even be on here so I am asking for your understanding and non-abandonment of this book please 😁. I would love to be able to say I'll update every week and finish it in the next few months but I can't make such promises and hope you guys can bare with me.

Love you all and appreciate all votes, comments and sharing! Until the next,

💕S4_angel